Lloyd Williams – National Technical Support Director
Time at SGE: 19 Years
Lloyd Williams has spent almost 20 years with SG Equipment, bringing decades of experience and a knack for solving tough problems.
Lloyd’s story begins on a farm in the Bay of Islands where he grew up. Rather than pursue an academic path, he chose to get hands-on and became an apprentice with Renton Motors in Kaikohe, a family-owned mechanical business run by Billy Pratt.
Billy Pratt — a man legendary for his knowledge of hay balers. From Billy, Lloyd learned one of the most important lessons of his career: big problems are usually just a series of smaller ones, and if you work through them methodically, you’ll always find the fix.
Over the next 20 years, Lloyd’s journey through forklift and heavy machinery roles gave him an opportunity to grow — from workshop technician to field service, lead hand, and foreman. He also went out on his own for some time which led him to contracting on major projects like Auckland Airport’s runway extension. Lloyd eventually made his way back to forklifts. However, the corporate culture left him seeking a more down-to-earth, people-focused workplace, which ultimately led him to Steve Gordon and SG Equipment Yale Forklifts NZ.
In 2004, Lloyd first crossed paths with Steve Gordon during a hard-fought forklift negotiation with Tom Logan, former owner of Papakura Timber. Tom ended up purchasing his first Yale forklift from Steve, the beginning of a long-lasting relationship that grew into both a customer success story and a lifelong friendship. Tom remains closely tied to SG Equipment Yale Forklifts NZ, even joining the Rarotonga service trips where he’s affectionately known as Poppa Tom.
By 2006, Steve approached Lloyd with an offer he couldn’t refuse. “Tom Logan told me I should employ you,” Steve said. “At SGE we treat everyone like family, and we call a spade a spade.” It was the honesty and family-first culture that drew Lloyd in — and nearly two decades later, he’s still here.
As National Technical Support Director, no two days are the same. His office may be stacked with boxes of parts, tools, and modified gear, but each one is part of keeping the fleet running. Lloyd supports technicians nationwide with technical advice, diagnostic procedures, and remote troubleshooting, often turning these moments into hands-on training opportunities. His approach is simple: no solution is wrong if you can explain it logically, and working methodically always leads to the answer.
For Lloyd, SG Equipment is more than just a workplace — it’s a family. From his first week he and his family were welcomed into social trips, fishing weekends, go-karting, and concerts. That spirit of camaraderie still defines the technical team today — a close-knit group always willing to share knowledge and back each other up.
What customers value most is reliability and results. Lloyd and the team don’t just identify problems — they find a way to fix them, ensuring businesses can keep moving. After decades in the industry, his greatest satisfaction comes from passing on that knowledge to the next generation of technicians, showing them that with the right mindset, every problem has a solution.
Quickfire Facts
- Forklift of choice: Electric
- Favourite tool: PCST (PC Service Tool)
- Coffee or Lion Red? Both
- One word to describe the team: Awesome-Family
Lloyd’s goal for the technical support department is simple: to keep evolving alongside technology, making sure the team has the tools, training, and confidence to handle whatever comes next.
And his advice for anyone wanting to follow his path? Stay curious, stay methodical, and don’t be afraid of tough problems — most of the time, the “big fix” is really just a collection of little fixes.
