Introduction of Peter Lloyd – National President

The MLAA is proud to announce that the MLAA Board of Directors elected Peter Lloyd (Olympic Locksmiths, SYD) as the new MLAA National President.

Peter is part of the industry for many years and involved with the MLAA for over 15 years now.

In 1978 at the age of 16, I gained my first job and Locksmithing apprenticeship with Chubb Lock & Safe Division in the Chubb Service Department at Waterloo Sydney.

My 8 years with Chubb Service were just great, who else could say they had a job cracking safes, or doing work in the gallows of the Reserve Bank where pallets of paper money notes were stacked up to the ceiling and gold bullion was there in abundance. The next day I could have been working on our submarines or a navy destroyer at Garden Island or in another government facility. For a young man and now looking back on these days I feel this is what inspired me to this industry, it was just a great job with great people indeed.

In 1986 I made the big decision to get off the tools and move into a sales role gaining employment with EFCO Manufacturing a Sydney lock & hardware maker based at Arncliffe in Sydney. The role was my first real insight in to the cylinder Locksmithing industry and I became the Kaba Technical Sales Representative. EFCO was a bit like Chubb having a real family feel and I enjoyed my time there and made some lifelong contacts and friends. Ogden Industries purchased EFCO Manufacturing in 1989.

Opportunity at Abloy Security

By 1993 a few years had passed and I became aware of an opportunity with Abloy Security (Australia). I started with Abloy Security as their Technical Sales Representative and again I felt at home there. Quickly becoming more involved in the company I found myself in product management liaising with Abloy management and Abloy OY head office in Finland. We set out on a path of raising the awareness of the then Abloy Disklock Pro products in Australia and designed the new Australian cylinder range needed to service the Locksmithing market in our country. By 1999 we started launching the next generation disk locking product “Abloy Protec” and I was also asked to compile a list of global ASSA ABLOY Group products that Abloy Australia could import and market to our customers. In addition, I helped formulate a list of companies based in the Asia-Pacifica region ASSA ABLOY could potentially approach to acquire to expand their global list of group companies. These were very exciting projects indeed.

My own Business & the MLAA

In January 2001 I had a significant opportunity that would once again change the direction in my life. The opportunity of owning my own business and thus I purchased Olympic Locksmiths based in Gladesville Sydney. Previously known as Gladesville Locksmiths and based in Sydney’s inner west the previous owner was ready to retire so I purchased the company. It was fairly soon after this I got involved with the MLAA at a branch level becoming the unofficial branch secretary working with Norm Axford, Alan Benson and Tony Douglas and in 2011 I became the NSW & ACT Director.

Looking back now I have seen many ups and downs in the association but always knowing that the directors always had the membership in mind and it was not always “well what was the MLAA doing for me”, I chose to get involved.

I have of course been quite honoured to meet many prominent members of the MLAA over the years and attend many functions and events. Some just regular members at meetings, some Life Members, some Directors and many manufacturers and their representatives but I must say the gratitude and feeling of being elected National President has still not sunk in.

The next Generation

My wife Marina is my “Rock”, for 30 years now we have been making our way in life together and with our two children Stephen and Jack by our sides we feel quite blessed. Stephen is now working in our business so another Locksmithing business with a second generation involved in the industry is a great feeling.

We are in exciting times in this digital world, we have much more information at our fingertips and opportunities as business owners, so in my role as the National President, my eyes and ears are always open as is my door for any assistance I can provide to our membership and industry alike.

Many thanks to my colleagues on the current board and Peter Johnson our CEO for your support and once again I hope the coming 2017 – 2018 business year is good for you.

Best regards,

Peter Lloyd