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A thirst for knowledge

HAVING WORKED AT EATON VEHICLE GROUP FOR THE BEST PART OF 30 YEARS, GRAEME WESTON HAS AMASSED A WEALTH OF UNDERSTANDING OF HEAVY VEHICLE POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS IN ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE.

Graeme Weston started with Eaton in 1993 as an intern after completing a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Swinburne University, but even before then he had a real passion for trucks and the transport industry. “My interest in heavy vehicles grew through my teenage years and I always knew I would end up working in the industry,” Graeme says of his career path thus far. While mechanical engineering is his primary profession, Graeme has also spent a significant amount of time in Sales, Key Account and Territory Management at Eaton. In the late 1990s and early 2000s he had the opportunity to work in the transport industries of Southeast Asia and North America where he gained firsthand experience in how vastly variable vehicles, operators, customer expectations and operating conditions can be in different parts of the world. “In 2006 I returned Down Under to assume the role of Engineering Manager for Australia and New Zealand, which included responsibilities for Technical Service and Warranty,” Graeme says. He reveals that since that time the company’s Engineering team has invested, and continues to invest heavily to develop and fine tune its automated manual transmission (AMT) product offerings to meet the specific needs of this unique market. In October 2020 Graeme commenced his current role of Business Unit Manager for Australia and New Zealand. As for what he has seen develop or change in the industry over the years, Graeme says the meteoric rise of AMT technology across all brands and applications is a standout. “Widespread adoption of this technology has reduced driver fatigue, positively impacted Occupational Health and Safety and increased operational efficiencies for fleets,” he says. “More recently, the comprehensive integration of sophisticated electronic systems across the vehicle such as adaptive cruise, collision avoidance and autonomous emergency braking has further enhanced the benefits.” Asked who he admires in the industry, Graeme says Phil Webb, now retired Engineer who worked at PACCAR for 44 years and Pat Phyland from P&D Diesel near Ballarat spring instantly to mind. “From their incredible depth of knowledge regarding applications, vehicle engineering and systems integration to their amazing willingness to share that knowledge, both men have had a significant influence on me,” he says. In summing up, Graeme says he feels extremely blessed to work in an industry and with vehicles and equipment for which his passion is real and palpable. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have many memorable experiences as well as meeting and working with some truly remarkable people across the whole spectrum of the industry,” he says.

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Made possible by Smedley’s Engineers. Industry Icon is a series dedicated to honouring the unsung heroes of the commercial road transport industry.