Yesterday, the HRIA was notified of the sad passing of “Lifeblood” member Jim Brown. Jim passed away quietly at his home in Burraneer on Monday, 9 December 2024. He was aged 86.
Jim was highly respected throughout the Hire & Rental industry having served 35 years at Coates from 1968 to June 2003, and was widely considered one of the wise men of the equipment hire industry.
He had left school at 14 to run a service station and later bought an interstate trucking company that had one truck. He began selling tyres for Coates in 1968, after being forced to give up driving following a speedway accident. Jim got his start in the industry in 1968 after a chance meeting with the then NSW Manager for Coates, Chris Panell.
He commenced as NSW Service Manager and his career progressed with appointments as State Manager in NSW, followed by Western Australia and Victoria. ““I had never seen a piece of compaction equipment, which dominated Coates fleet then, but I learned quickly in my first role with Coates as the NSW Service Manager and then later as Operations Manager,” he said in an interview with Hire & Rental Magazine in 2003.
In 1972, he was promoted and sent to Perth as the first State Manager for Western Australia. He returned to Sydney in 1978 as State Manager and in May 1983 was appointed General Manager. He moved up the ranks, managing Coates’ operations in Western Australia, Victoria and NSW, before being appointed CEO in 1983 following George Tanton’s retirement.
Jim Brown (left) on the cover of Hire & Rental Magazine in 1985
Coates Hire revenue turned over approximately $48 million from 65 branches. Jim led Coates through transformative growth, across Australia, Indonesia & UK, product extension and innovation, branch openings and numerous acquisitions including Wreckair. In 1996 when Coates Hire was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Jim became Managing Director with 130 branches and $400 million annual revenue.
In the years that followed, he oversaw significant expansion, including the company’s stock market listing in 1996 and its acquisition of Wreckair from Brambles at the end of 2001.
Jim built strong friendships within the hire, equipment, and construction industries. Always looking for new ideas he travelled with industry colleagues to the USA, UK and Europe. Visiting trade fairs, field days and expositions, equipment manufacturers, and hire businesses. He could identify a new or improved product and access how it would provide a better solution. With his friends Andy and Nev Kennard, Gordon Esden, Des Whelan, Tony Donnelley and Barry McDonald to name but a few, they would discuss and share many experiences and industry-wide changes.
Similarly, Jim met Geoff Campbell through JLG and together they forged a friendship that with their respective wives, ran past retirement and into trusted confidants. Jim’s strengths were his honesty and kindness, which were so easy to reciprocate.
Jim was a significant advocate for Hire & Rental industry and was twice awarded the President’s Award in 1980 & 1990 for his services to the State associations and as National President and was awarded the Life Member Award in 2003. He strongly debated with government on the investment allowance to assist the level playing field for equipment hire and would often speak at industry conventions & forums, sharing ideas, insights and methods to the attendees, mostly small hire businesses, so they could improve quality and efficiencies. Jim believed a stronger industry was better for all.
Jim attended every convention that has been held, starting with the first one in Terrigal in 1969 or 1970. Coates has been a strong Association supporter since its inception.
In 2023, at the invitation of Murray Vitlich, CEO Coates, Jim visited the Ingleburn facility with Andy Kennard, Gordon Esden, Barry McDonald and Stephen Donnelley. “As we walked around the state-of-the-art location Jim still had that eye for detail, inquisitive mind and open pride for what he had been such as part, notwithstanding 20 years had passed.” said Stephen.
Jim had a passion for boating and competed in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race several times in “Vivacious.” This desire to be challenged continued with the formation of the “Intrepids,” Jim, Andy Kennard, Gordon Esden and Rob Wallis. They first ventured to South America and then sailed to Antarctica on a Russian icebreaker. Over the next number of years trips to the Whitsundays and navigation of many of the Australian East Coast rivers were undertaken. What started as a business relationship had strengthened into very close friendships, mutual respect and a lifetime bond.
In November 2024, Andy Kennard and Stephen Donnelley visited Jim at his home in Burraneer. “As you can imagine, with Jim looking out his window over Burraneer Bay, he spent little time on his ails and was more interested in the state of the Hire & Rental Industry, the characters and adventures he experienced and his friendships,” said Stephen. “Jim was generous in his thanks and appreciation; he was full of grace during this time of challenge, and yes, he was decisive as he always had been.”
He will be missed, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.