A Milestone for Wayne Ryan

This year marks an extraordinary milestone for our Senior Assembly Technician, Wayne Ryan, who celebrates 50 years in the lighting industry and 15 years working at Aglo.

Wayne has witnessed remarkable change throughout his career. He has seen the industry evolve from hand-fabricated luminaires and drawing boards to CNC machinery, CAD and LED technology, while remaining true to the craftsmanship, creativity and attention to detail that first inspired him.

We sat down with Wayne to reflect on his career, the lessons he’s learned, the changes he’s witnessed, and what has kept his passion for lighting alive after half a century.

---

How did you first get started in the lighting industry 50 years ago? Was it planned, or did you fall into it?

A friend was working at Kempthorne Lighting and, although I had zero experience, recommended me for a job. When I started, they suggested I take on a sheet metal apprenticeship because everything we did was hand fabricated. I began working at Kempthorne Lighting in March 1976 and, on the recommendation of management, completed a Sheet Metal Apprenticeship at Clayton Tech.

---

What was your very first role in lighting, and what do you remember most about those early days?

I remember the first week or so doing menial tasks. One of the senior tradesmen took me under his wing and I helped restore interior lanterns from the Polly Woodside. From that point on I learned a lot about fabrication methods. I worked with amazing tradesmen, much older than me. They were true craftsmen because of their extraordinary fabrication skills. I studied hard, listened and learned from these men over a number of years, and I’m still grateful today for the excellent training I received.

---

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in lighting technology over the past five decades?

When I started, the light sources were incandescent, fluorescent, metal halide, mercury vapour and high-pressure sodium. I remember when compact fluorescent was introduced. There was certainly no LED.

Manufacturing has also changed enormously. There was no laser cutting or CNC machinery. Everything was carried out by skilled tradesmen using various machines and, quite often, very basic tools.

---

Was there a particular shift or moment in the industry that felt like a real turning point for you?

When technology started to creep in, mainly during the 1990s, particularly with design and shop drawings. While the new technology is great, coming from a traditional drawing board background I felt the ability to be creative and think for yourself was diminished. But you have to look forward and accept change, although I still possess those old ideals.

I also completed an Engineering Drafting course by hand, later studied CAD Design for a couple of years, and completed a Creative Lighting Design course at RMIT in 1998.

---

Looking back over 50 years, what has been one of your proudest career moments?

I have many proud moments. Hand building custom lights for places such as Collins Place, Nauru House, Crown Casino and too many other projects to mention.

---

What has been the most challenging period in your career, and how did you navigate it?

I’ve seen companies close throughout my career, including Kempthorne, Concord and Tower Heath, but each time it led to another opportunity. I just kept moving forward, continued learning and adapted to the changes in the industry.

---

What has kept you motivated to stay in the lighting industry for so long?

From the beginning I have always been motivated and passionate, and I still am. The variety of work keeps me interested and I’ve never found anything else I would rather do.

---

You’ve been with Aglo for 15 years. What first attracted you to the business, and how have you seen it evolve?

The job at Aglo came about because my previous boss sold his company to Aglo and, as part of the deal, they employed me.

I’ve seen the company evolve from when I joined. Back then there were only about 14 employees. I worked exclusively on custom projects for the first couple of years and assembly was limited to only a handful of products, with much of that work done by the warehouse.

---

What advice would you give someone just starting out in the lighting industry today?

Specialist lighting manufacturing is still a relatively small industry and, from my experience, it’s great because you’re constantly learning. There are always new challenges and it’s a very rewarding career.

My advice would be to study hard, listen to the people around you and never stop learning.

---

If you could describe your 50-year career in lighting in three words, what would they be?

Interesting. Creative. Dedication.