Universal Cranes Brisbane is a family-owned business and our Brisbane team is a special part of that family. That’s why our people tend to stick around!
Brisbane Team
MARK HAPPER – UNIVERSAL CRANES GENERAL MANAGER
Mark has spent almost half of his 30 year-long career with Universal Cranes. Mark played the integral role of General Manager of Universal Cranes from 2003 to 2012, during which time the Group experienced rapid growth and expansion. After spending a period as Operations Manager to Universal Cranes’ sister construction company, Mark returned to Universal Cranes to lead the team as the Brisbane General Manager. In addition to his history with Universal Cranes, Mark brings professional qualifications in engineering as well as project management experience on the Otira Viaduct and PJK Expressway projects in New Zealand, the Townsville Inner Harbour Expansion Project, the Kookaburra Viaduct in PNG. Mark is a construction guy through and through – he loves the ‘no-fuss – get it done – safely and efficiently’ ethos at Universal Cranes, and plays a big part in building and maintaining this culture!
BEN SMITH – BRISBANE BRANCH MANAGER
As a qualified engineer, with a background in project management, engineering design consultancy and contract administration for civil infrastructure projects, Ben has gained a strong industry knowledge throughout his career. Having worked on exciting projects across Queensland such as Cairns Wharf Upgrades, O’Keefe St Cycle Bridge, Container Crane Loading and Unloading, Port of Townsville Berth Upgrades and the DP World Brisbane Terminal Redevelopment Project, Ben has a strong understanding of the technical aspects of projects and the management of personnel. Ben has spent 8 years with AECOM as a Consulting Engineer, designing and acting as project manager on numerous projects and 5 years as a member of the Smithbridge Group Advisory Board. After spending 6 months working in Smithbridge Group in a Systems & Engineering Consultant capacity, in December 2020, it was announced that Ben would step into the Brisbane Branch Manager role. In this new role, Ben will be responsible for the overall performance of the Brisbane Branch with both sales and operations reporting into him.
PATRICK SILVER – PROJECT AND HEAVY LIFT MANAGER
Patrick Silver is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background in the field of heavy lift planning and engineering. With a strong foundation in engineering, he embarked on his career as a Site Engineer at Bechtel Corporation for three years. He joined Smithbridge Group in 2015 as a Project Engineer, where he played integral roles in the lift planning and engineering department across Queensland and New South Wales. He moved over to Universal Cranes in 2017 as a Lift Engineer. Patrick’s dedication and exceptional problem-solving skills propelled him to assume leadership positions, and he excelled as a Sales Engineering Manager in 2021 at Universal Cranes, leveraging his technical expertise to drive business growth and foster strong client relationships. Currently, Patrick spearheads the Project and Heavy Lift division, overseeing its strategic direction and ensuring seamless execution of complex projects. His relentless drive, combined with his comprehensive understanding of the industry, has positioned him as a trusted leader and sought-after expert in the field.