kurt seafield, ceo - ansir systems
Tell us who you are.
I’ve spent over 26 years in automation and supply chain engineering, working across manufacturing, airports and logistics. My background ranges from hands-on engineering to global executive leadership, which gives me a unique view of how technology, people and process need to align to deliver real outcomes. Today, my focus is on taking redefining the BHS space globally with a strong focus in the ANZ market.
What is your primary market in ANZ?
Ansir’s core market is airport baggage-handling and automation systems across Australia and New Zealand. We design, deliver and support mechanical, electrical and software solutions for some of the region’s largest airports ranging from full system upgrades to long-term operations and maintenance.
Our strength is that we combine local manufacturing with deep automation expertise, giving customers a high-quality, fast-response alternative to the big overseas players.
What is the most significant macro-level shift or challenge (e.g., supply chain resilience, labour shortages) that is currently driving customer investment?
The biggest shifts we’re seeing are labour shortages and the demand for operational resilience. Airports and logistics hubs are being pushed to do more with fewer skilled technicians and engineers, while maintaining reliability and safety standards. That’s driving a huge focus on automation, predictive maintenance etc and long-term service models that minimise downtime and manual intervention.
How does your company help them to overcome it?
We approach it from both sides, technology and people. On the tech side, we’re delivering smarter controls and SCADA systems that give operators real-time visibility of asset performance, enabling proactive maintenance instead of reactive fixes. A large gap in not only the BHS space but logistics and supply chain equally.
On the people side, our cross functional teams provide the technical depth and flexibility customers have come to rely on. We also manufacture locally, which means faster turnaround times and better cost control, crucial when every hour of system downtime matters. Nearly all our competitors rely on overseas manufacturing to cut costs and remain competitive but we have purposefully decided to keep our manufacturing and software development in the region to ensure the highest possible standards.
How is your company deploying or preparing for the integration of AI-driven solutions in industrial automation?
We’re already embedding AI principles into our roadmap. The focus right now is predictive analytics and diagnostics, using machine-learning models to interpret fault data, detect early signs of wear, and recommend maintenance actions before a breakdown occurs.
Our goal isn’t to replace human expertise, but to enhance it, giving our engineers and our customers better tools to make decisions faster and with more accuracy.
Beyond existing product roadmaps, what transformative technology or concept do you believe will have the greatest disruptive impact on the Australian and New Zealand industrial sector in the next five years?
The biggest disruptor will be the convergence of automation and AI.
When we can virtually model entire baggage-handling or production systems, simulate, monitor, and optimise them in real time, it changes the entire engineering lifecycle. It means faster commissioning, predictive maintenance built in from day one, and smarter capital investment decisions. That’s where the industry is heading, and we’re positioning Ansir right at that intersection.
How does your company culture support innovation and adaptability in such a rapidly evolving industry?
Our culture is built on accountability, collaboration, and curiosity. We encourage engineers to challenge the norm, to ask “why” and “how can we do this better.”
Because we manufacture and engineer locally, our teams see the direct impact of their ideas from design through to installation. That end-to-end ownership breeds innovation naturally.
And as we grow, we’re making sure we retain that agility a “small-company mindset” where decisions are quick, and good ideas can move straight into action. In many of our bigger competitors, Ive found this to be a huge limiting factor. The smallest decisions are not possible which almost always results in customer operations being impacted.
What strategies have you found most effective in attracting and retaining top talent?
We’ve learned that purpose and development are stronger motivators than perks.
We focus on giving people challenging, meaningful work, visibility into career growth, and access to training that builds their future value.
We also invest in culture, recognising achievements, encouraging flexibility, and creating a workplace where people feel proud to say they build Australian-made automation that competes globally.
Retention comes naturally when people feel trusted and part of something that’s growing.
What's your long-term vision for the role of automation in your sector?
Automation will continue to evolve from a cost-saver to a strategic enabler. In airports, that means seamless integration between mechanical, electrical, and digital systems, where data from conveyors, scanners, and sensors all feed into one ecosystem that predicts, adapts, and optimises in real time. Ultimately, the goal is not just automated movement of baggage or materials, but autonomous, self-optimising systems that continuously improve performance without human intervention.
As a leader in a field defined by constant technological advancement, what is the most important principle or philosophy that guides your decision-making and long-term planning?
My guiding principle is balance. Technology only works when the organisation behind it is ready to support it. So, we focus on sustainable progress, structured processes, financial stability, and people capability before chasing the next shiny thing.
That’s what ensures long-term success rather than short bursts of innovation that don’t scale.
What's one thing you know now that you wish you'd known when you first started in this field?
There are two sides to this question. Very early in my career, I wish I’d understood earlier how important commercial awareness is for engineers.
Early in my career, I was laser-focused on technical excellence, getting the design perfect, the code efficient, the system flawless. What I didn’t fully appreciate was how much value comes from understanding the customer’s business case. How downtime costs money, how margins drive decisions, and how design choices affect long-term maintenance.
Once I connected the dots, it made me a better engineer, and later, a much more effective business leader.
From a leadership point of view, it's more about clarity and people.
When I started in the leadership space, I believed the best engineer naturally became the best leader. Over time, I learned it’s the ability to communicate vision, build trust, and empower others that actually moves a company forward.
You can’t do everything yourself, but you can build a team that achieves more than you ever could alone.
Build a strong team and everything else falls into place, providing better outcomes for your customers.
