Loui has seen many changes in the company’s history since he joined Macmahon as a labourer back in 1975. During his forty years with the business, Loui has advanced his career to operator, leading hand, serviceman and fitter, and supervisor status. Since 1981, Loui has been one of Macmahon’s top heavy duty mechanics and with no retirement plans in sight, we hope he’ll be around for many years to come.
As you’d expect Loui has seen people come and go and experienced the ups and downs of business. He recalls the most notable changes being the shift in manual handling processes to minise the risk of injuries and the advances in technology. “The use of computers and the evolution of technology has increased our capability to get more life out of every engine,” said Loui.
Loui also enjoys the first-class facilities in the WAC workshop and the overall environment in which he works. “The best thing about my job is the exposure I get across lots of equipment and the work I’m able to achieve in rebuilding big components of the company’s plant fleet,” said Loui. “Most of all, I really like the people I work with.”
“Throughout my career at Macmahon, I’ve been lucky to have been given guidance by talented tradespeople. Unfortunately they are no longer with the business but given I’ve been here over 40 years, it’s not so surprising. I have also completed more training courses than I can remember which has helped me to increase my skills and further advance my career.”
Interestingly, Loui first worked for FK Kenny’s, a Manjimup based business servicing the construction industry, which Macmahon later bought out in the late 1980’s. “I left my village in Stasevica Croatia, looking for a better future for myself and arrived in Perth in 1974, said Loui. “I had a brother already living in Perth and my parents knew the owner of a business where I was lucky enough to start working.”
Happily married to Ursa for 38 years with four grown up children, Louis is extremely proud of his family. His oldest son Stephen also worked for Macmahon for 10 years as a Chief Surveyor, with Stephen’s wife Kelly working in the Macmahon head office for a number of years.
Loui is big into sports, as a fan on the sidelines. He enjoys watching football, cricket, basketball and soccer, supporting local teams including the West Coast Eagles.
