Climbform Team

Our team of elite professionals have over 80 years collective experience including engineering, site and design expertise.

BRAD HANNAN

GENERAL MANAGER / CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER

Brad Hannan has over 35 years experience in the construction industry in design, site and sales/marketing roles. Brad is a founding partner of Climbform Engineering, a jumpform design and supply company.

Brad is responsible for the overall management of the company as well as design and detailing of Climbform Engineering’s range of custom designed jumpform systems.

Prior to joining Climbform Engineering in 2012, Brad was Chief Technical Officer, Australia and Business Development Manager, NSW with VSL Australia Pty Ltd, a civil engineering subcontractor specializing in the design and construction of post-tensioning and related construction systems. Whilst employed by VSL Australia, Brad gained a thorough technical knowledge of all these systems, enabling the pricing of proposals and presentations to clients.

In 1988 Brad was promoted to the role of VSL’s Senior Design Engineer responsible for the design of the jumpform system which has now been purchased by Climbform Engineering.

The original Climbform system was invented in the 1970s by eminent Australian Engineer, Alan Whitting. Mentored by Alan, Brad and his design team developed variations of  the system resulting in increased market share throughout Australia. In conjunction with VSL’s local offices throughout Asia, an international market was also developed for the system.

Notable projects designed by Brad’s team included World Square George Tower, Sydney; Central Plaza, Hong Kong; Baiyoke II, Bangkok; BDNI  Centre, Jakarta and Sky Tower, Auckland. Central Plaza and Baiyoke II were the tallest buildings at the time in their respective cities whilst the award of the iconic Sky Tower project was the culmination of an international search for a best of project solution. These projects typically utilised several features developed by Brad’s team including slim line steel formwork enabling construction within 50mm of an adjacent building, aluminium door formers, boom pump supports, office and amenities supports as well as trailing platforms for the installation of services and lift rails.

To service the low rise residential market, two lighter systems were also developed, utilising the internal long stroke jack platform lifting mechanism. These systems have been used on multiple projects in Melbourne and Sydney.

Prior to joining VSL in 1984, Brad was employed by Simon Carves Australia NSW in design, site supervision and project management roles on heavy industrial processing plant projects throughout Australia.

Brad graduated from Sydney University in 1980 as a Bachelor of Civil Engineering with honours. Brad is a Chartered Professional Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia and has served as a board member of the Post-Tensioning Institute of Australia (PTIA) and the Australian Certifying Authority for Reinforcing Steels (ACRS).

ESA LAUKKA

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Esa Laukka has over 30 years experience in the construction industry in management, supervision and trade roles.

Esa is responsible for procurement, management and supervision of erection of the system on site.

Prior to joining Climbform Engineering in 2012, Esa was Construction Manager of the Oakdale Group. Esa’s duties included allocation of design, equipment and labour to State Managers and Supervisors , site meetings/liaison with clients as well as business development. Notable projects managed by Esa include Mon Komo Apartments, Redcliffe; Bond University, Robina; Hamilton Island Yacht Club; Liverpool STP, Warwick Farm; Government offices, Queanbeyan and Hunter Stadium, Newcastle.

Prior to commencing with Oakdale Group in 2006, Esa held various management and supervisory roles with Dynamic Constructions, another formwork company specialising in medium to high rise residential construction. Climbform systems were used on several of these projects.

In 1990, Esa commenced work with the Climbform division of VSL Australia following the completion of his formwork carpenter apprenticeship. Mentored and trained by several Site Supervisors on various projects in Sydney, including World Square George Tower, Esa was promoted to Site Supervisor in 1991. Transferred to VSL Hong Kong in 1991, Esa was responsible for the management and training of local personnel in the procurement, erection and operation of the Climbform system on multiple projects, including VSL Hong Kong’s first project, Central Plaza, the tallest building at the time in Hong Kong.

Esa’s qualifications include a Building Certificate IV, NSW Department of Commerce OH&S Management Certificate, Autocad Certificate of Competency as well as a Carpentry and Joinery Trade Certificate.

Jason "griffo" Griffin

SENIOR SUPERVISOR

Jason Griffin holds over 30 years of experience in the construction industry in management, site supervision and trade roles.

Jason commenced work with Climbform Engineering in 2019 as a Site Supervisor. Jason is responsible for erecting, modifying and dismantling the Climbform systems as well as day to day management of onsite operations, liaising with builders and management of site personnel.

Prior to Climbform Engineering Jason worked with, Oakdale Group, as a Site Supervisor.

Jason managed many projects for Oakdale Group, these include Hunter Stadium Newcastle, East End Stage 1 Newcastle, Newcastle University, Bootawa Dam, NIB Private Hospital Newcastle, Tomago Aluminium Bake Ovens and HMRI John Hunter Hospital Newcastle along with Arena Apartments Newcastle and New Maitland Hospital where the Climbform premium system had been utilised. 

Prior to working with Oakdale Group, Jason worked for a formwork subcontractor, Wideform.

Jason’s qualifications include a Carpentry & Joinery Trade Certificate, Building Certificate IV, NSW Department of Commerce OH&S Management Certificate, Formwork & Falsework Trade Certificate, C6 Crane Certificate and DG Dogman Certificate.

Chris "bluey" Fellows

SUPERVISOR

Chris Fellows has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry in management, site supervision and trade roles.

Chris commenced work with Climbform Engineering in 2019 as the Climbform Supervisor. Chris is responsible for erecting, modifying and dismantling the Climbform systems as well as day to day management of onsite operations, liaising with builders and management of site personnel.

Chris has managed many projects on behalf of Climbform Engineering including Linc Discovery Point, Wolli Creek, University of NSW Science and Engineering Building and East End Stage 1 Newcastle, Westmead Hospital, NIB Private Newcastle, HMRI John Hunter Hospital Newcastle, Wentworthville, Tomago Aluminium Bake Ovens, Charlestown Square Newcastle and Overon CSR.

Chris’s qualifications include a Formwork and Falsework Trade Certificate and a Certificate of competency in Jumpform Operations.

Richard Czeizler

SENIOR DESIGN ENGINEER

Richard Czeizler has over 7 years experience in the construction industry as both a Project Engineer and a Temporary Works Engineer across a wide range of residential, commercial and infrastructure projects.

Richard recommenced with Climbform Engineering as Senior Design Engineer in 2020.

Richard previously worked for Climbform Engineering between 2015-2017 as a Formwork Design Engineer. As well as the design of Arena North Apartments, Newcastle NSW, Climbform project, Richard was responsible for preparing load capacity tables for our parent company’s table form system as well as design and detailing of multiple slab formwork projects, including RAAF Williamtown.

Between 2017-2020 Richard was a Construction Services Design Engineer with multi-disciplinary engineering consultant ADG Engineers. Richard gained extensive experience in designing a wide variety of temporary structures and methodologies on large scale commercial, residential and infrastructure projects including Sydney Metro Northwest, Sydney’s Central Station Main Works, Archibald Residences Bondi Junction and 32 Smith Street Parramatta.

Richard graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2012 as a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and is a Member of the Institute of Engineers Australia.

FILIA KANAKI

DESIGN ENGINEER/DRAFTSPERSON

Filia Kanaki has over 18 years’ experience in the construction industry in Design, Inspection, Site Engineering and Valuing roles.

Filia commenced with Climbform Engineering in 2017 as a Design Engineer /Structural draftsperson responsible for design and detailing of East End, Newcastle and Maitland hospital Climbforms as well as detailing and site supervision of the Westmead hospital redevelopment slab formwork project.
 
Prior to joining Climbform Engineering in 2017, Filia was a Senior Structural Civil Engineer for A & A Vardalachos Architectural Office in Greece. Filia has extensive experience in Design, Construction, Estimating, Project Management and Valuing of multiple buildings in Greece including the iconic Ancient Olympia Museum,Olympia and Veakeio Theatre,Pireaus projects .
 
Filia graduated from the National Technical University of Athens in 2002 with a Major in Structural Engineering and has a Masters Degree in the Analysis and Design of Earthquake Resistant Structures.

ELLA WANG

DRAFTSPERSON

Ella Wang has over 9 years experience in Mechanical and Structural drafting.

Prior to joining Climbform Engineering in 2012, Ella was an Assistant Engineer for Johnson Electric, a leading supplier of motion products and control systems in China. Whilst employed by Johnson Electric, Ella designed and supervised the production of new products as well as developed her drafting skills.

Ella’s Climbform projects include Linc, Discovery Point; Belise Apartments, Fortitude Valley and Arena North Apartments, Newcastle, Maitland Hospital, East End Stage 1, Newcastle. Ella also prepares proposal drawings for tender projects.

Ella graduated from the University of Science and Technology, Harbin China in 2007 as a Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering and obtained a Diploma of Engineering Drafting from TAFE South Australia in 2012.