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RORY Kennard, CEO of Makinex Construction Products, believes that when it comes to trades industries - the time for innovation is now.
Within the next few years, Kennard expects the job market will see a lull in the amount of trade work on offer, coupled with a lack of people who are eager to step into available roles.
As the government also continues to up the ante when it comes to workplace health and safety, he notes a need for product designers and engineers to ensure their tools of the trade are up to scratch.
"I think that all industries are suited for innovation, but particularly the trades at the moment," says Kennard.
"In the next few years, I think we will see a shortage of people out there who are willing to do those kinds of jobs, and also the environment is requiring products to be safer and easier to handle."
With this prediction in mind, Kennard and his team have been getting hands-on when it comes to revolutionising the construction industry.
Makinex recently took out the inaugural Safe Work Australia Award for Good Design on their latest product, the powered hand truck.
The powered hand truck is a swift and safe-lifting machine, designed to remove a person's temptation to save time by personally lifting dangerous loads instead of using a forklift.
According to Kennard anything weighing over 40kg can result in a serious injury if lifted incorrectly.
"If you damage your back you can be damaged for life, so it's an extremely important part of the body to look after," he says.
"This product can help anyone, from somebody who is young and fit to somebody who's older that needs to lift a load which is dangerous - really anything over 40kg can do damage, if you lift it wrong."
Kennard hopes the product will eventually replace the cumbersome forklifting process for smaller items altogether.
He also believes entrepreneurship and thinking outside the box will play a key part in the future success of the company.
"Innovation is all about constantly improving things, and I think humans in general are pretty good at doing that, and strive for it," says Kennard.
"For us as a business we wouldn't be getting the global recognition without innovation.
"It's allowed us to open so many doors with big and small companies in different countries, purely for the fact that our products do the job in a better way than something else."
Kennard plans to continue evolving Makinex as a business and industry disruptor overseas, with the ambitious target to see 20 products distributed throughout 20 different countries by 2026.
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