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From the Editor’s desk
Cell power
A scientific breakthrough has found that solar cells of the future could be able to withstand corrosive susceptibility by ‘self-healing’. The benefits this could potentially bring to solar energy production and the decarbonisation of manufacturing and road transport is significant.
of accelerated ageing tests at 85°C and simulated solar illumination.
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ARTICLES
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According to Monash University, the breakthrough could pave the way for more reliable and efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs) contributing to the global transition towards sustainable energy solutions.
A recent study published in Nature features a strategy to enhance the stability and performance of PSCs through a process described as ‘self-healing’. And, as part of the study, researchers from Monash, the University of Oxford and the City University of Hong Kong developed an innovating agent which dynamically heals the perovskite layer when exposed to environmental stressors (such as moisture and heat), ensuring sustained device performance and longevity.
Their ‘game-changing’ approach resulted in solar cells with 25.1 per cent power conversion efficiency and remarkable stability under 1,000 hours
Study co-author and Director of Research Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Monash, Professor Udo Bach, said the team’s slow-release strategy represents a significant advancement in the field of perovskite photovoltaics.
“This work addresses critical issues related to defect passivation in perovskites that have hindered widespread adoption of this promising technology,” he said. “By slowly releasing the passivating agents into our perovskite material, we have been able to produce solar cells not only with enhanced performance but also extended long-term stability under realworld conditions.”
Monash believes that although highly efficient, lightweight and cheap PSCs are expected to play a leading role in the future of solar energy production, scientists still need to make them more durable and find a way to produce them on a larger scale.
August 2024
Business partnerships, people movements, developments that bolster freight productivity and more.
Economy
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is urging the State and Federal Governments to adopt an alternative energy pathway as Victoria’s energy crisis becomes a ‘national issue’.
26 Modern road tankers
See the industry’s latest road tanker technology.
36 Tippers
Read more about the latest developments for tipper applications.
40 Metal special
See how metal suppliers support manufacturing and the transport industry.
44 Trailer building materials/components
A showcase of the products and services that keep trailers on the move.
48 Women in Industry
The 2024 Women in Industry Awards bestowed Swietelsky Rail Australia Managing Director, Anne Modderno, with the Excellence in Transport award.
50 Special report
MEGATRANS, Australia’s largest integrated conference and exhibition dedicated to the logistics industry, returns to Melbourne this September.
52 Infrastructure Spotlight
What you need to know about Australia’s biggest road projects this month.
54 World map
While the focus of the build-up to the 2024 Olympic Games may have been around the athletes and the events, CEVA Logistics was very busy behind the scenes to ensure everything was in place.
56 Fleet of the month
Hills Tankers’ relentless commitment to efficient transport services continues with its latest investment in fleet equipment.
58 What’s on Upcoming shows and field days.
Road trains receiving new safety signage
New signage is being rolled out on road trains and other heavy vehicles in Western Australia that measure over 22 metres in length.
The new visual signage, to be displayed on the rear of restricted access vehicles, is designed to assist other drivers in making more informed decisions when sharing the road with heavy vehicles.
The new visual signage will show the number of trailers and total length of road train combinations, including a graphic which shows the total length of the heavy vehicle as an equivalent number of car lengths.
The signage will replace the existing road train and long vehicle signage on all WA vehicles between 22 and 60 metres
in length.
WA Acting Transport Minister, John Carey, said the initiative is all about making roads easier to navigate and safer for all drivers by giving motorists the length of larger vehicles they may be sharing the road with.
“We rely on road trains to keep our economy moving and we know how intimidating it can sometimes be to try to overtake one,” he said.
“This way other drivers have the information in front of them regarding how long the vehicle is which helps them to make a more informed decision when overtaking.”
WA is the only state to have this type
of signage, and according to the State Government, it has generated interest from other interstate road authorities.
The new change is introduced after 90 per cent of respondents voted in favour of the new signage following its trial on freight vehicles throughout 2022 and 2023.
“There was great feedback following the successful trial last year and I look forward to the rollout in coming months,” Carey said.
Interstate heavy vehicle operators travelling across the border to WA will not be penalised, as existing warning signage will be recognised and accepted.
The six-month transition period to the new regulatory signs started 1 July.
Fremantle Ports announces new CEO
Fremantle Ports has appointed Jodie Ransom to the role of CEO.
Ransom brings a wealth of experience to the role having spent more than 30 years in the ports and marine industries.
She was previously General Manager Operations and then acting CEO at Fremantle Ports, following the passing of former CEO, Michael Parker.
“A thorough recruitment process considered candidates across Australia and internationally, with Ms Ransom’s breadth of
and shipping, as well as in commodity export making her a clear stand-out,”
Fremantle Ports said in a statement online.
“Jodie Ransom has demonstrated strong leadership since acting in the CEO role.
“ Fremantle Ports looks forward to continuing the organisation’s operational and strategic direction and focus on customer engagement and asset renewal with her at the helm.”
Image: Fremantle Ports.
Fremantle Ports CEO, Jodie Ransom.
Victoria 13-21 Bliss Court, Derrimut VIC, 3026
Tel -(03) 9369 0000
Queensland 1/15 SeeanaPlace, Heathwood QLD, 4110
Tel -(07) 3372 2223
Western Australia 5 Freight Road, Kenwick WA, 6107
Tel -(08) 9350 6470
Heavy vehicle width changes made
The Australian Government and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) are backing a safer, cleaner heavy vehicle industry by implementing the Safer Freight Vehicles reforms.
As part of these reforms, heavy vehicles of up to 2.55 metres wide will now be provided with general access to Australia’s road network.
Wider vehicles are required to be fitted with additional safety features, including an enhanced set of devices for indirect vision, stability control, advanced emergency braking, lane departure warning, side underrun protection and conspicuity markings.
The implementation of the Safer Freight Vehicles reforms is a significant step forward for heavy vehicle operators, with this increased general width limit now reflected in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Carol Brown, said it has been a collaborative effort from the Australian Government, NHVR, states and territories and the heavy vehicle industry to reach this stage.
“The Australian Government heard industry’s concerns that the previous width limits were a barrier to them installing critical safety technologies, and we have acted,” she said.
“By granting general access to vehicles up to 2.55 metres wide, we are promoting the highest level of road safety, supporting truckies to do their vital work more safely.”
This follows the Australian Government’s changes to the Australian Design Rules (ADRs) last October to allow an increase in the maximum width of heavy vehicles fitted with the most modern safety features, from 2.50 to 2.55 metres.
“We have gotten on with the job of delivering the Safer Freight Vehicles reforms, which is now in place for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory,” said Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King.
“This means these safer heavy vehicles will have general access to the road
network in these jurisdictions, supporting improved road safety for all.”
The NHVR will now start working with key industry associations to develop a process to allow existing vehicles already in-service to be certified as Safer Freight Vehicles, given only new vehicles are currently eligible.
This process is expected to be finalised in early 2025.
“The implementation of the Safer Freight Vehicles marks the completion of another action from the NHVR’s Vehicle Safety and Environmental Technology Uptake Plan (SETUP),” said NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccitto.
“As a modern and progressive regulator, the NHVR wants to ensure heavy vehicles are equipped with the latest safety technology, and make sure there are no regulatory barriers when it comes to manufacturers identifying and installing new systems.
“This announcement is a game changer for both operators and manufacturers, and will ensure the safest vehicles are available in Australia, helping keep all road users safe.”
CouriersPlease merges with FMH Group
Singapore Post subsidiaries, CouriersPlease and FMH Group, have announced the completion of their merger.
Effective 27 June, the merger combined both of the companies’ unique strengths and capabilities to drive innovation in the logistics industry and deliver enhanced value to customers.
The agreement brings the total annual revenue of FMH Group to $1.3 billion, making it one of the top five largest logistics companies in Australia.
“Our merger with CouriersPlease represents an exciting milestone for us,” said FMH Group CEO, Simon Slagter.
“They are a renowned brand in consumer parcel delivery with a rich history spanning more than 40 years.
“Together, we will leverage our unique strengths and capabilities to improve our operational excellence, enhance our service offering, and ultimately, better serve our customers.”
The merger represents a strategic
decision to optimise excellence across the two organisations, bringing together CourierPlease’s expertise in consumer parcel delivery with FMH Group’s leadership across logistics technology, transportation, warehousing and fourthparty logistics.
It follows FMH Group’s acquisition of Border Express earlier this year, where the company announced its intention to merge with CouriersPlease.
“We are thrilled about the possibilities that lie ahead,” said CouriersPlease CEO, Richard Thame.
“FMH Group has achieved significant growth in a short amount of time due to its technological innovation and vision to create a new logistics ecosystem that creates true supply chain efficiency.
“By joining forces, we are wellpositioned to deliver superior value to our customers, create new opportunities for our employees and Franchise Partners and drive sustainable growth.”
In a seamless transition, CouriersPlease will continue to operate under its own brand, from its own offices and with its existing team of employees and franchise partners.
FMH Group said it will remain business as usual for the two businesses as they gradually integrate their systems to strengthen their ability to deliver more value to customers.
UNCOMPROMISING PERFORMANCE
Qube opens new NSW facility
Qube has officially opened a brand-new 9,150-square-metre facility in Newcastle, New South Wales.
With four storage cells and two certified
weighbridges for accurate and real-time truck weigh-ins, the warehouse allows for the storage and handling of 40,000 tonnes of product for Qube’s customer,
Incitec Pivot Fertilisers.
Qube General Manager – Strategy and Development, Patrick Smith, was recently joined by Incitec Pivot Fertilisers General Manager Distribution and Liquids, Glenn Johnson, to cut the ribbon on the new facility.
“Qube believes that we play a vital role in investing in, and developing strategic port and logistics infrastructure along import and export supply chains,” Smith said.
“Facilities like this allow our customers’ supply chains to flow efficiently.
“We hope that the new facility is a success for Incitec Pivot Fertilisers.”
Earlier this year, Qube announced that its subsidiary, Australian Amalgamated Terminals, had entered a binding agreement to acquire Melbourne International RoRo & Automotive Terminal.
Hawk Logistics celebrates busy financial year 2024
Maturing freight carrier, Hawk Logistics, has celebrated several major milestones to cap off a busy past financial year.
Significantly expanding its footprint in South Australia with the acquisition of AR Logistics, the company has added 100 additional pieces of equipment, a 14 dock coldstore and a new truck depot with dedicated fleet workshop.
The employee pool was also bolstered with over 40 new staff who came across with the acquisition.
Two strategic locations were also secured in Adelaide and Melbourne, combined they cover 77,000 square metres.
Hawk Logistics said it plans on constructing brand new head offices, depots, and coldstores in each state.
The truck fleet expanded with the delivery of 19 brand new prime movers and 26 trailers.
Hawk Logistics confirmed it had, in addition, an order pipeline of 35 new trucks, 12 sets of road trains, and 12 B-doubles.
Most of this coincided with a rebrand and new website launch which the company said had strengthened its market.
“We have secured significant new
contracts and further strengthened our existing customer partnerships, all of which have committed to long-term, fiveyear agreements,” the company said in an online statement.
“This demonstrates the mutual trust and commitment between us and our partners.”
Having continued to expand its service offering, Hawk Logistics has established a new depot in Tamworth bringing its facilities to a total of nine locations across Australia.
The company also made announcements around its in-house systems and commitments to sustainability.
“We’ve embarked on the journey to develop our very own Transportation Management System, aiming for enhanced operational efficiency and service quality,” the company said.
“We are committed to sustainability, implementing eco-friendly practices across our operations to reduce our carbon footprint and promote a greener future.”
Image: Qube.
Image: Hawk Logistics.
Capral acquires Apple Aluminium
Capral Aluminium has announced the acquisition of Apple Aluminium in Brisbane, as part of a strategic move aimed at expanding market reach and enhancing operational capabilities.
Capral plans to leverage Apple Aluminium’s established market position, skilled workforce and strong customer relationships to enhance its service offerings in Brisbane.
relatively small with annual sales of around $12 million, aligns with its strategy to strengthen its market presence through targeted acquisitions and strategic investments.
The agreement is also expected to yield synergies, enabling Capral to deliver greater value through improved logistics, prefabrication services and enhanced customer support to local manufacturers.
“This acquisition represents a strategic move to expand our market presence and strengthen our operational capabilities in Brisbane,” he said.
“Apple Aluminium has built a strong reputation for quality and service, values that parallel Capral’s.
“We look forward to working with the experienced Apple Aluminium team
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Image: Capral Aluminium.
PACCAR Parts opens expanded Brisbane distribution centre
PACCAR Parts has officially opened its new Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) in the Brisbane logistics hub of Berrinba, Queensland.
While PACCAR Parts first opened its Brisbane PDC six years ago, a move to a new and much larger facility was required in order to support continued parts growth in the PACCAR dealer network.
As a result, the PDC has expanded from 6,000-square-metres to a 12,400-squaremetre facility, including the addition of a large external canopy to ensure preservation of product during the loading and unloading process.
According to PACCAR Parts, the larger facility allows the Brisbane PDC to stock a wider range of part numbers to support dealers and customers while reducing lead times and increasing availability.
“We are already leveraging the benefits of the additional space the new site offers, having increased our inventory holding to improve our parts availability and support customer uptime,” said Paccar Parts Brisbane PDC Manager, Chris Fillingham.
“I would like to highlight the dedication, efforts and determination of the whole team in Brisbane who undertook this warehouse move and achieved it on schedule, whilst maintaining the integrity of our stock when we relocated it, ensuring each part in each location that we moved was counted.”
The expansion project required relocating all racking and stock from the old PDC to the new facility over an eightweek period, with over 16,000 different part locations to move.
During this time the facility remained
fully operational, ensuring that dealer service levels were sustained.
Following the move, the new Brisbane PDC has over 20,000 part locations across a mix of racking and bulk floor storage locations, with 3,500 of those locations added during the site relocation through installing new racking aisles, substantially increasing the density of storage locations in existing aisles.
The Brisbane PDC primarily supports 23 dealer locations throughout Queensland and mid-Northern New South Wales.
“I am extremely proud to be a part of this driven and dedicated team who worked tirelessly to successfully achieve our facility relocation, whilst maintaining service levels to our dealer network,” Fillingham said.
Image: PACCAR Parts.
NHVR urges drivers to be cautious this snow season
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is reminding light vehicle drivers to take more care on New South Wales highways and roads this snow season.
The warning follows five incidents involving heavy vehicles which took place in the snowy region from June to August last year, with three being fatal.
NHVR COO, Paul Salvati, said the Hume, Monaro and Snowy Mountains Highways are key routes for heavy vehicles, and during the winter season traffic increases considerably as light vehicle drivers travel to snow resorts in NSW.
“Any life lost on our roads is a tragedy, and we know during the winter months there are plenty of families hitting the road to enjoy all the Snowy Region has to offer, which makes it all the more crucial that light vehicle drivers know how to safely share these busy highways with trucks,” he said.
trucks headed southbound and 12,823 northbound.
During the same period, the Hume Highway at Yass recorded 55,380 trucks northbound and 82,269 southbound, an average of 2,596 trucks per day across both highways.
For the snowy region specifically, there has also been an increase in heavy vehicle movements due to the Snowy 2.0 project which includes transporting goods and machinery with oversized loads through the Snowy Mountains.
Salvati said that while safe driving practices are critical for light vehicle drivers, it’s also important for heavy vehicle operators to prioritise scheduling their trips in advance with the increase in traffic.
“It’s paramount that drivers are properly managing their fatigue and complying with their work and rest requirements during these busy couple of months, with fatigue
to their body and take extra rest breaks whenever they’re needed.”
The NHVR recommends heavy vehicle drivers manage their fatigue, schedule journeys properly and be familiar with the route before commencing a journey.
“Often there can be last minute changes to a driver’s journey, which is often out of their control due to the conditions of the road,” Salvati said.
“Always have a backup route in mind, or alternatively you can use the NHVR’s Route Planner which maps out approved routes for use by heavy vehicles.”
The NHVR is also reminding light vehicle drivers that trucks require more distance than cars in order to brake safely, and that in snow, road conditions can severely impact how trucks operate.
“We are urging motorists not to cut in front of a truck or linger near them, as you could end up in their blind spot,” Salvati
CouriersPlease opens new Perth facility
Parcel delivery service company, CouriersPlease, opened a new stateof-the-art facility in Perth, Western Australia.
Located at 40 Adelaide Street, High Wycombe, in the City of Kalamunda, the new building will allow CouriersPlease to expand into 60 territories while supporting WA’s vital economy.
to efficiently manage a projected volume of over four million parcels per year,” said CouriersPlease WA State Manager, Jamie Burgess.
“The strategic location in Kalamunda allows us better access across Perth, directly benefiting our delivery efficiency and the overall customer experience.”
According to CouriersPlease, the
facility allows us to ramp up our processing speeds and essentially do what we do now, but better, to help WA businesses flourish further,” he said.
“This space also enables us to process parcels more efficiently and, thanks to that added volume, we can quickly expand and provide density for our new franchise partners.
Image: CouriersPlease.
Nuriootpa Traders announces new $80M transport facility
South Australian logistics and warehousing provider, Nuriootpa Traders, has begun construction on a new $80 million transport depot, storage and distribution facility.
Set to span 133,000 square metres, the new state-of-the-art facility in Nuriootpa, SA, will include 50,000 square metres of undercover warehousing, 50,000 square metres of concrete hardstand for truck parking, a 700-square-metre office space and a 2,000-square-metre workshop equipped with an automatic truck wash and four maintenance bays.
Strategically located with direct road train and B-triple access to major freight routes, Nuriootpa Traders Director, Jamie Cooper, said the new facility will be perfectly positioned to handle the needs of the growing wine industry directly from the Barossa Valley.
“Once completed, this new facility will greatly improve the operations for our wine production customers by streamlining storage through to direct transportation to major interstate distribution centres,” he said.
The investment highlights a commitment to local development, with significant contributions to the local economy through job creation and a strong focus on the use of local suppliers.
Environmental sustainability is a key focus of the purpose-built facility, which will incorporate extensive solar panels to minimise greenhouse gas emissions and lower operating costs, specialised insulation and roof raiser systems to maintain a high level of thermal efficiency and stormwater basins.
Nuriootpa Traders Director, Michael
Chard, said the new depot will address a critical gap in the region by bringing largescale, modern warehousing capabilities to the Barossa – reducing the need to transport products further afield for storage.
“By providing storage solutions closer to their origin, we are able to facilitate reduced customer transportation costs and carbon footprint,” he said.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 27 June for the new facility, marking a significant milestone in the development of infrastructure supporting the region’s wine industry
Nuriootpa Traders said the project is expected to be completed in March 2025, with future scope for a second stage should customer demand require additional large-scale warehousing.
Port of Melbourne commits energy needs to renewables
A recently signed agreement is reportedly going increase reliance on renewable sources at the Port of Melbourne.
The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Iberdrola Australia Energy Markets commenced on 1 July 2024, enabling Port of Melbourne to obtain more than 60 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable sources, such as Victorian-generated solar and wind.
The PPA will run until the end of June 2031.
This agreement contributes to the Port’s target of achieving net-zero emission for Scope 1 and 2 port operations by 2030, in support
of the Victorian Government’s commitment to net-zero by 2050.
“With more than half our electricity soon to be sourced from renewable sources, we are continuing work to transition the remaining 40 per cent,” said Port of Melbourne CEO, Saul Cannon.
Through short-term Green Power agreements, Port of Melbourne is looking to increase its usage of renewable energy, dedicating to source 100 per cent of its business operations’ electricity needs from renewables by June 2029.
“We are also transitioning our corporate vehicle fleet and marine survey vessel to electric or zero-emissions fuel technologies,” added Cannon in a statement.
The PPA signing follows a series of sustainability milestones attained by the Port, including the completion of a $475-million sustainability linked loan.
Port of Melbourne has also been ranked first among Australian and international ports in the 2023 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Infrastructure Asset Assessment.
NSW Warroo Bridge replacement project progresses
Plans to replace the Warroo Bridge in New South Wales have reached an important milestone, with the call going out for suitably qualified contractors to tender and lead construction on the project.
As part of the NSW Government’s $44.5 billion regional transport and roads budget, funding has been secured to replace the ageing Warroo Bridge with a new concrete bridge that will boost road safe transport efficiency and reliability for farmers, freight operators and all other road users.
The existing timber truss bridge was built in 1909 and, according to the NSW Government, is now in poor condition and is not suitable for use by modern agricultural equipment or heavy vehicles with Higher Mass Limit (HML) loads.
Construction of the new bridge is
expected to start by mid-2025 after a successful tenderer is selected and the contract is awarded.
Tenders to build the new Warroo Bridge will close on Monday 26 August.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said projects such as the replacement of Warroo Bridge are progressing and will benefit the entire Central West region.
“The NSW Labor Government’s 202425 Budget delivers a record $44.5 investment in regional transport and roads, with Western NSW receiving significant investments to deliver infrastructure upgrades like the Warroo Bridge replacement project,” she said.
“Warroo Bridge is the only major crossing of the Lachlan River between Forbes and Condobolin that links Lachlan
Valley Way and Henry Parkes Way, and is used by local traffic, tourists and vital regional freight operators.”
Later this year, Transport for NSW will carry out preliminary earthworks to build new embankments on the approaches to the river crossing that will support the future construction of the new bridge.
The existing Warroo Bridge will remain in service throughout construction and until the new bridge is opened to traffic.
“Once completed, the new Warroo Bridge will deliver a smoother ride for all road users, improved safety through wider lanes and better road approaches, increased load capacity for heavy vehicles, improved access for wide vehicles, and reduced ongoing maintenance costs and closures,” said Member for Orange, Phil Donato.
NHVR National Network Map reaches milestone
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) National Network Map is now available through the Next Generation Route Planner (NGRP).
The National Network Map supports improved heavy vehicle access efficiency and decision making by bringing together the state-based heavy vehicle networks and displaying them in one location.
It was launched in December last year.
NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccitto, said the transition of the National Network Map into the route planner had been an important goal since the NGRP’s release in April 2022.
“The route planner has always been intended to support the National Network Map, to allow industry to more seamlessly plan and manage journeys across borders,” he said.
By integrating the National Network Map into the route planner, Petroccitto said all vehicle networks will be kept up to date.
“Where previously map updates were
delayed, now the NGRP will immediately reflect updates published by road managers to the National Network Map,” he said.
“The maps are displayed as layers for different vehicle networks., with industry operators able to overlay networks across state borders, as well as within borders, to determine the most efficient route for their journey.
“Over the coming months, extra functionality will become available to industry to allow routes to be planned by vehicle combination, with a view of the full access available to an operator’s fleet under vehicle network maps and their access permits.”
With the introduction of the National Network Map, Petroccitto said the road manager maintenance of heavy vehicle network maps would progressively move directly into the NHVR Portal.
“Road managers now have web-based tools in the NHVR Portal to update these maps and publish updates in near real-time,” he said.
The NHVR Portal is the digital platform that transforms the way the NVHR delivers its services – supporting stakeholders, their outcomes and community needs, and influencing the safety and productivity of the heavy vehicle industry.
The Portal is evolving to deliver a seamless experience for operators and road managers alike, with improvements being made to create a single entry for industry and local governments to access the NHVR’s services and manage their respective assets.
This includes providing the central point to the National Automated Access System and the entry and exit point for permit applications.
Throughout 2024 and into 2025, the NHVR said it will continue delivering technology upgrades that can be found through the Portal to ensure a safer and more efficient heavy vehicle industry.
GMK Logistics opens new Melbourne facility
CTI Logistics subsidiary, GMK Logistics, recently opened its new Melbourne facility in Epping.
The 27,431-square-metre state-ofthe-art warehousing and distribution facility includes a 26,407-square-metre warehouse and a two-storey office of more than 1,000 square metres, which will support the company in storing and distributing its flooring products.
Following its launch, GMK Melbourne now has the capacity to store 14,000 pallets and
430,000 linear metres of roll product.
“In conjunction with the developers, Frasers Property Industrial, and our builder, CIP Constructions, we marked the occasion with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony performed by Colin Hunter Junior of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation,” the company said in a statement.
“This was followed by speeches by our CEO, Derek Lightfoot, and Frasers Property Industrial General Manager
Victoria, Andrew Hanna.
“The event was also attended by Bruce Saxild and Glenn Brown from our parent company CTI Logistics Limited.”
Situated on 25 Oldham Road, the facility is also a 5 Star Green Star design with an As-Built v1.3 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.
It features a minimum 150kW solar array, rainwater harvesting, internal and external LED lighting and landscaped outdoor area.
Image: GMK Logistics.
Hit the gas
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is urging the State and Federal Governments to adopt an alternative energy pathway as Victoria’s energy crisis becomes a ‘national issue’.
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s latest policy paper, Securing Our Energy Future, states that new gas supply must be urgently prioritised to avoid imminent shortages impacting the east coast of Australia.
According to Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive, Paul Guerra, the current trajectory is putting Victoria’s prosperity at risk as energy security and price cannot be guaranteed.
“Gas will be essential for transition to net zero,” he said.
“Equally, we need all our energy options on the table to overcome our current energy crisis.”
The Victorian Chamber claims it’s time to rethink Victoria’s energy transition into two separate phases. The first, it suggests, is to shore up both gas and electricity in supply and deliver the lowest price. Once that is done, the organisation says it will be possible to transition society to a net zero future.
“We need to shore up existing supply on energy to give us the runway to then move to a renewable environment in a cost-effective way,” Guerra said.
“Supply disruption and price spikes will be dire for business. In the immediate term, we need new gas supplies, as current ones are now at risk.
“New clean energy industries will create enormous economic and environmental benefits, but the transition must ensure an affordable and available supply to power Victoria into this next stage of prosperity.”
Shoring up gas supply will require new reserves being unlocked, liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies being planned
for, or increased pipeline capacity coming from Queensland.
As Victoria moves to renewables in phase two, the Victorian Chamber said an efficient and least-cost pathway requires streamlining regulatory approvals, upholding technology neutrality, formally recognising emerging energies in preexisting frameworks and incentivising supply and demand of novel gases and liquid fuels.
“Victoria has the opportunity to develop these new clean energy industries and be a leader nationally and internationally,” it said.
“These novel industries in renewable gas, carbon capture and storage and renewable liquid fuels will translate into more jobs that would drive our local economy into the net zero future.
“A pragmatic approach to net zero can be achieved through commercially realistic policies that provide investment assurance to industry.”
Ultimately, the Victorian Chamber explained that collaboration between energy industry producers, retailers, pipeline and infrastructure companies, peak bodies and end-to-end users –together with the Victorian Government –is essential and urgent to ensure that gas remains in the energy system.
“Currently Victoria is losing hundreds of millions of dollars in investment potential in a future natural and renewable gas industry,” it said.
“Regulatory barriers alone have resulted in $90 billion of possible renewable energy projects stalling.
“The impact of no action and gas shortages will be devastating to Victoria’s business and industry. The Longford Disaster in 1998 cost business $1.3 billion. In today’s dollars, without taking into account population growth, that would be $2.6 billion per fortnight that gas is not available.”
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Ampol has just recently deployed its 30th tanker combination from ATE Tankers as part of a fleet replacement program aimed at consistency, increased efficiency and higher payloads.
It was at the start of 2020 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. And, as the worldwide pandemic was officially announced on 11 March, people and businesses around the globe braced in uncertainty for what was to come.
Over the next few months and years, cities all over the world experienced strict rules and regulations that were established to deal with the state of emergency. Melbourne, in particular, faced several lockdowns and firm laws which are still fresh in the memory for many.
Yet, as businesses closed their doors, schools moved to remote learning and people became familiar with a new way of living, Australian petroleum company, Ampol, was preparing for something big. A fleet replacement program was on the table, and for this, Ampol would work remotely with ATE Tankers to set the plan in place.
“It was just at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and so there were a heap of supply chain problems, but ATE Tankers just stood back, made some decisions and we worked through it,” says Ampol Logistics Asset Manager, Michael Meredith. “Being based in New South
Wales, we could not get down to ATE Tankers’ manufacturing plant in Victoria. We did everything through Microsoft Teams, and with their communication and professionalism, they just made it work. It was great.”
ATE Tankers stood out to Ampol due to its open communication and ability to accommodate to the fleet’s needs. The way the trailer builder handled everything, Michael says, was fantastic – it ultimately gave Ampol the confidence it needed to begin such a significant task during such unpredictable times.
“The way they talked to us and went through the process of what we wanted was just so well-organised,” he says. “They were friendly, they wanted to help, and they got to know us before going through all of our needs and wants and making decisions. Because of that, we came out the other end with a product that suits our business.”
Four years down the track, Michael says the fleet replacement program has been progressing beautifully. Ampol has just taken delivery of its 30th trailer set from ATE Tankers, with many more planned to arrive in the near future.
The new bogie tanker combination joins 22 of its kind in the growing fleet, along
with two 19m B-doubles, three 27.5m road trains and two tri-axle units which have all been deployed in Ampol’s interstate fuel transportation services.
“We felt really honoured to take the 30th off ATE’s hands,” Michael says. “It was just a smooth transition, we did it without any problems.”
The tankers deliver for Ampol’s small to medium-sized enterprise customers where they transport petroleum products to above ground storage tanks (varying in sizes from 5,000 to 60,000 litres) all throughout Australia.
To increase uniformity across the fleet, the trailers have all been built to the exact same spec. From the pumping gear, metering systems, hose reels and all other equipment necessary, each and every new ATE tanker at Ampol has been constructed to deliver fuel efficiently and seamlessly across the country.
“With ATE’s expertise, we’ve made it very easy for our drivers so that they can go from one trailer to the other,” Michael says. “If we need a driver to go to a different state, it won’t matter because we have the same setup – the same truck, the same trailer and the same pumping gear.”
In their last four years of operations, Michael says the tankers have been flawless.
“They’re very well-built and engineered, and they sit well on the road because of the way that they’re designed,” he says. “They’re very well-controlled and balanced trailers, and overall, we haven’t had any issues with them whatsoever.
“With the help of ATE, we’ve gone to slightly bigger tanks which have been able to move bigger volumes of product for us safely. They feel fantastic, and they allow us to achieve more efficient deliveries.”
Michael says the success that Ampol has achieved with these trailers is ultimately testament to the people behind their production.
“We’ve always had ATE’s backing,” he says. “Their aftersales service is just unbelievable. You hear of a few companies that go above and beyond but ATE just seem to do it seamlessly.
“They’ve been really good to deal with in the last few years. It’s been a great relationship, and it will continue.”
ATE Tankers is now working on five rigid tankers for Ampol – two to go to its WA depot in Perth, two for Queensland and one for NSW. They’re expected to be arriving in the next two months.
Building on its commitment to service and the company’s enduring set of strong values, ATE Tankers is celebrating 10 years
logo for the past decade, and thus have earnt the right to be recognised as genuine Australian Made products that are built to Australia’s high quality and safety standards.
“ATE Tankers is one of 4,500-plus certified Australian Made businesses that manufacture products here in Australia, and the only current licensee making this type of product here,” says Australian Made Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro.
“That’s something to be very proud of.”
ATE Tankers’ ability to retain its certification and reach this milestone, Ben says, speaks volumes.
“We love seeing licensees that benefit from the use of the Australian Made brand for such a long period of time,” he says.
“To see this business celebrate a decade of making certified Australian products is a wonderful testament to ATE Tankers and their ability to thrive in this sector.”
While the kangaroo logo is typically attributed to high-quality local
consumers including safety, reliability, ethical labour, good value, sustainability, local employment and environmental friendliness.
“There is a greater awareness around the benefit of making things here in Australia and having sovereign manufacturing capability and self-sufficiency,” Ben says.
“My understanding is that ATE Tankers plays a role in those supply chains – it’s in the business of making the gear that helps move product around the country.
“ATE Tankers positions itself as an integral part of the Australian industry and I think we’re lucky to have them as one of our Aussie manufacturers. We look forward to seeing ATE Tankers produce Australian Made products for another decade into the future.”
Contact
ATE Tankers
Ph: 03 9310 2722
Web: www.atetankers.com.au
Image: Ampol.
Image: ATE Tankers.
Joint forces
Holmwood Highgate has delivered the first liquefied petroleum gas tanker of its new business model with South American vessel manufacturer, Sica, to Supagas.
Over the years, Holmwood Highgate has displayed a true commitment to quality tanker manufacturing with a constant dedication to improvement. It’s this, and its ability to recognise and take advantage of opportunities for innovation, which has allowed the business to successfully develop a wide range of transport products and solutions for several thriving sectors.
Building on this, Holmwood has entered a new joint venture with Sica, a vessel manufacturer based in Argentina, South America, to bring liquified petroleum gas (LPG) tankers to its product lineup. The decision to look internationally for a partner to expand on its already bustling product lineup is testament to Holmwood’s relentless dedication of giving Australian fleets quality trailers to the best of its ability.
“It diversifies us because over the last 70-odd years we’ve largely been aluminium liquid tanker producers,” says Holmwood Highgate Victoria Managing Director, Mark Stables. “While we did and still do some mild and stainless steel builds, it was never really our core –
aluminium road tankers were. But we have seen the real needs and opportunities of broadening and diversifying our product line.
“We now have the capability of supplying full stainless steel chemical spec road tankers, pneumatic dry bulk tankers, LPG tankers and of course all of the aluminium and mild steel tankers and aviation refuelling vehicles that we’ve always done.”
Holmwood first commenced discussions with Sica in 2019 which at the time was collaborating with CA Muller in South Africa. In its own operations, Sica Muller, as the joint venture was known, would manufacture the vessels for LPG road tankers and then send them to CA Muller to put them together and ship them to Australia.
Yet, with shipping delays and exorbitant international ocean freight prices due to COVID-19, they all quickly saw that with Holmwood in the mix the arrangement could be much more seamless – the vessels could be built in Argentina by Sica and then shipped straight to Australia where Holmwood would ‘trailerise’ the
units locally by installing the suspension, lights, brakes, hydraulics, pneumatics and metering systems itself.
Following a pause due to the pandemic, both businesses officially launched the partnership in 2023. The first jointly manufactured tankers are being delivered to customers now.
“CA Muller still plays a part in some engineering support at this point in time, but essentially, we are completing them locally in Australia,” Mark says. “These tankers are built using low temperature alloy steels rather than quenched and tempered plate, to AS1210 which is our Australian pressure vessel standard, and are delivered here as a fully certified and complete vessel. We are procuring all of the local Australian running gear such as suspension, brakes, attachment points, landing legs and all of the electrical work to comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) and AS 2809 for Dangerous Goods (DGs).
“So, this partnership employs a fair chunk of our vast experience and expertise in DGs and trailer production for the Australian market while utilising Sica’s
model is a B-double bulk LPG tanker for Supagas. The combination is made up of a 28-cubic-metre lead trailer followed by a 55-cubic-metre end trailer, both with excellent tare weight allowing for a combined payload of 36 tonnes of LPG.
The tankers, Sica Commercial Manager, Esteban Weidmann, explains, are designed per European standards but are also compliant to the applicable Australian pressure equipment standards and road regulations.
“In order to reduce the tare weight of the trailers, they are equipped with a sunshield covering the upper third of the vessels,” he says. “Under European design rules, this feature allows you to consider a lower design pressure and hence thinner shell wall thickness, given the fact that the vessels develop a substantially lower temperature and derived pressure under operational conditions by not being exposed to direct sunlight.”
Another interesting element of the LPG tanker is its use of European fine grain normalised steel, with high yield properties for the construction of the shells and heads of the vessels.
“LPG tankers have broadly been manufactured out of quenched and tempered (Q&T) steel due to its lighter tare weight, however, its downside has always been a three-year periodic inspection requirement,” Esteban says. “On the contrary, this EN standard steel grade, although being a high resistance material
with a regular five-year periodic inspection regime resulting in important operational expenditures savings.”
For Sica, this is the first of many joint builds to come in its long-term partnership with Holmwood. Going forward, its tankers will only be distributed into Australia through Holmwood which will be its official agent for static tanks and oil and gas process equipment product lines. Beyond this, Esteban says there are also further plans underway.
“There are currently many interesting projects under discussion for fleet expansions and modernisations in Australia which leads us to be very optimistic about the future potential of the market that can be developed together,” he says. “The joint venture is also undergoing a product line fine tune design optimisation – taking advantage
“The collaboration with Holmwood Highgate has been key in adjusting our product line to local requirement and quality expectations, and smoothly overcoming potential challenges of this new demanding market. Both of our companies share a tailor-made philosophy on our approach to customers, and this will be played to the benefit of the gas transport industry in Australia.”
With the joint venture now in full effect, Mark says the Australian transport industry can look forward to seeing high-quality, lightweight LPG tankers with a fit and finish quality that’s come to be expected from Holmwood.
Contact
Ph:
Web: www.holmwoodhighgate.com.au
Images:
Holmwood Highgate.
Sweet disposition
Darling Downs Haulage has seen some hefty breakthroughs in its molasses freight task thanks in part to its latest AB-triple and B-double sets from Moore Trailers.
Darling Downs Haulage (DDH) is a Queensland-based logistics company with years of experience helping businesses meet their haulage needs, specialising in excess mass/dimension freight, grain, cattle and liquid feed transportation.
DDH Managing Director, James Gilbert, has been involved with transport for his entire life. His father owned trucks for 40 years, and according to James, was a pioneer in converting tankers into fibreglass for molasses a few years ago. From there, James followed in his footsteps and created DDH with his business partner, Matthew Gardner.
DDH recently took delivery of an AB-triple and B-double set of molasses tankers from Moore Trailers, and by being involved in the designing and building processes of them himself, James was able to achieve exactly what he wanted in terms of their tare weights and payloads.
“We’ve been able to drop the tare weights down on the trailers and get a better payload of 40 tonnes on them,” he says. “On the previous ones we were only able to get 38 tonnes, and that’s on Concessional Mass Limits (CML). If we went
to Higher Mass Limits (HML) we could get more again.”
The trailers feature lightweight axles as well as poly piping running underneath for durability. But most importantly, they have been built for high safety when working at heights, with optional steps and handrails spec’d to access the tankers easier.
James says that working with Moore Trailers to construct the new trailers was the right choice to aid the fleet in carting molasses and liquid supplements for GrainCorp Liquid Feeds.
“It’s a great benefit because you get what you want,” he says. “In Moore Trailers you have a manufacturer that listens to you.”
As part of their freight tasks, the tankers typically come out of the Isis Central Sugar Mill near Bundaberg, Queensland, and travel as far as South Australia, over to Victoria and across all of New South Wales. On top of this, they are also carting from the Marian Mill up at Mackay and into the Port of Brisbane. Throughout these operations, James says the tankers have been amazing.
“The drivers say they are unreal,” he says. “The B-double is a shorter set, so it tracks
really well. The trailers tow great, and a lot of people on the road are commenting on them as well.”
Within its fleet, DDH has already accumulated a drop deck, AB-triple of grain tippers, two A-double grain tippers and a road train compromising of flat tops from Moore Trailers which James says have met all of his expectations.
“They’re amazing trailers and are standing up to what we’re doing,” he says.
“The drop deck is an unreal trailer and it’s seen some pretty rugged terrain. We service some mines up in Weipa, so it’s done many trips up there and it has lasted in those conditions.”
“So, we’ve got a fair chunk of Moore trailers here. Moore Trailers is very open to how you want to customise your trailers and they’re always willing to listen, talk to you and take on advice on different ways of doing things. They’re a great company to deal with.”
Contact Moore Trailers
Ph: 07 4693 1088
Web: www.mooretrailers.com.au
Image: Ray Lawrence Photography.
Air support
Air and Gas Industries, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, flexes a diverse range of vacuum and liquefied petroleum gas tankers with spare part and servicing divisions also on the ready.
This year, Air and Gas Industries has clocked over 50 years in business. The company was conceived into the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry in 1974 when owner, Bill Jenkins, and his wife, Faye, completed their first order of two LPG tankers.
Air and Gas Industries has been closely aligned with this specialty for the last five decades, and during that tenure, it’s also diversified into other industries such as waste. The company’s expansion also saw the need for growth within its own services, and so now, along with offering complete road tankers, it has built up the equipment sales side of the business.
“We have developed a niche equipment sales business as a result of our manufacturing efforts over the last 50 years,” says Air and Gas Industries General Manager, Steve Graham. “We now have capabilities for the supply of equipment which is backed up by a lot of technical and operational experience.”
Through its AGI Equipment Sales
business unit, Air and Gas Industries can supply a whole range of spare parts such as pipes, fittings, O-rings, gaskets, vehicle control and safety systems, compressed air and pneumatics, air quality solutions, combustion systems and controls and much more.
With such a large variety of spare parts, Steve says Air and Gas Industries can help its customers minimise downtime on their equipment.
“We always have parts available, should they be required,” he says. “Not only that, we also offer technical support on the fitment commissioning of those parts installed. I think that’s important – to be able to provide that service.”
In terms of its servicing division, Air and Gas Industries also has a number of mobile assets to support its products.
“We’re based predominantly in Queensland and our product is sold throughout Australia,” Steve says. “So, our spare parts division provides equipment in that area, but we also have a number of
distributors and companies in our network that are able to service and maintain our equipment throughout the other states and territories.”
Air and Gas Industries also offers traditional customer service which caters to its customers, Steve says.
“We have dedicated staff who are available to take phone calls,” he says. “So, when someone calls our company they’re immediately directed to a person who has access to technical support.
“People’s enquiries are handled directly and promptly, and if there’s something that is a little bit out of the box, we’re always keen to assist and put in the engineering effort to develop a solution. I think the key is customer service and the right attitude to want to help, be available and offer up solutions if needed.”
Contact
Air and Gas Industries
Ph: 07 3271 5899
Web: www.airgas.com.au
Evolving with the industry
From humble beginnings in 1981, Liquip Sales QLD has become synonymous with servicing specialised tankers and providing Liquip’s leading transfer equipment to the petrochemical industry within the greater Brisbane area.
Since Liquip Sales QLD’s inception over 40 years ago, the company has earnt a reputation for providing customers with knowledge, products and solutions tailored to their specific requirements. As a proud and long-standing Liquip distributor, Liquip Sales QLD is an important part in Liquip’s nationwide sales and servicing network which helps keep Australia’s energy and resource sectors moving. From collaboration during the design to the construction of pump metering and fluid transferring systems, Liquip Sales QLD is committed to supporting customers and providing excellence in the development and manufacture of specialised vehicles for major petroleum and gas companies
as well as carriers, mining contractors and government agencies.
Ernest Van Soest joined Liquip Sales QLD in 1990 and contributed to the success of the company which allowed the business to achieve strong year-onyear growth during the early days. In 2011, Ernest assumed ownership of the company and continued investing in its facilities and people to ensure Liquip Sales QLD could adapt and excel at servicing the requirements of local markets.
This approach has resulted in steady and at times rapid growth, allowing the company to grow from a single-digit headcount working out of a standalone workshop in 1999 to a thriving team of
58 employees operating out of a new purpose-built, multi-workshop facility in Pinkenba.
Liquip Sales QLD’s current facility is a fully equipped workshop which spans over two sheds, one of which is dedicated for dangerous goods. One of the huge benefits of the site is that it is a drivearound facility. This means B-doubles can be driven in one gate and straight out another without the need to disconnect. Additionally, the company continues to provide customers with superior service through its commitment to safety, use of latest equipment and technology and through the deployment of a total quality management system.
Images: Liquip.
In the early days, a lot of Liquip Sales QLD’s success came from ‘re-horsing’ of tanker rigids and bulk liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) transportation trucks as well as the service and repair of petroleum and LPG tankers and service trucks.
These services formed the core competencies of Liquip Sales QLD which would later be built on and expanded to also include fitting pump and metering systems to prime movers and semi tankers; degassing tankers; Safe Load Pass (SLP) inspections and hydrotests; supply; fit out and testing of fuel and LPG hose reels;
flameproofing with Liquip’s RS400 rollover sensor; hazardous area electrical repairs; calibrations and certification of bulk flow metering systems; and painting of trucks and semi tankers in a dedicated 16m booth.
In addition, being part of the Australiawide Liquip network allows Liquip Sales QLD to access the latest products from Liquip which can be integrated into new fit outs or upgraded during servicing.
A bonus for the end user, Liquip Sales QLD also works closely with its clients to tailor solutions and explain how new
equipment can benefit and improve fleet efficiencies. This includes upgrading metering and dispensing systems to incorporate the DFV series register and level gauge monitor, the Swift delivery system, as well as the Liquip R-Series hose reels which are available in many styles including, manual, pneumatic and hydraulic rewind models.
According to Liquip International, the Swift delivery system is changing the way fuel deliveries are being made thanks to it being a simple yet technically advanced product which is backed by 55 years of innovation. The Swift system uses level gauging to accurately and conveniently deliver multiple products through a single pump to selectable outlets. Liquip states that the Swift system is noticeably lighter and takes up less space than conventional pumping systems, offering increased payload capacity.
Additionally, Swift and standard metering systems can incorporate Liquip’s all-new R-Series drum style hose reels to provide the perfect balance between strength and reduced weight for increased payload capacity.
Working closely with customers to deliver tailored solutions is a fundamental part of Liquip Sales QLD’s service. One instance was where Liquip Sales QLD met with a client to design and manufacture several 8Kl diesel tankers complete with pumping systems for its onsite refuelling business. According to Liquip Sales QLD, this was a huge success for the client as they were able to take delivery of these tankers within their desired schedule and cost.
Being part of the Liquip network is a key part of Liquip Sales QLD’s business. It allows access to best-in-class products, and it can leverage Liquip’s knowledge and portfolio to help it diversify its offering while working alongside fellow distributors to offer nationally standardised solutions and levels of service.
This will ensure Liquip Sales QLD can continue to adapt to and service the evolving requirements of its valued clients.
Ph: 02 9725 9000
Web: www.liquip.com
Bulk stock
Utilising a fleet of Performance-Based Standards tipper combinations from Bulk Transport Equipment , R&K Bulk Haulage has grown from strength to strength with low tare weights, higher payloads and improved productivity.
Based in Jondaryan, Queensland, R&K Bulk Haulage is a family-owned and operated transport company which, since being founded in 2005 by Russell and Karen Strasburg, has grown into a much-trusted transport company within Toowoomba and Queensland.
The business specialises in the transport of grain, cottonseed, fertiliser and cattle feed for the agricultural and farming industries, and with a modern, up-to-date fleet of highly reliable Bulk Transport Equipment (BTE) trailers, R&K Bulk Haulage can maintain service and support in transport 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It was in 2019, when BTE first arrived on the scene in Toowoomba, that R&K Bulk Haulage made its first purchase with the trailer builder. The business decided on a BAB-quad road train which made the ultimate first impression for Russell and his wife who then decided to carry out all of their future orders with BTE.
“We thought we’d give them a try, and we were very impressed,” Karen says. “They did a fantastic job, so we kept going back. We’ve been going to them for every set since the first one in 2019 and we get a new set every three months.”
Since then, R&K Bulk Haulage has accumulated an additional 15 sets of A-double drop deck tippers from BTE which have been deployed to cart grain and fertiliser all over Australia. The units are all Performance-Based Standards (PBS) approved and have been set up exactly as the fleet requested with low tare weights and high payloads.
The trailers, Karen says, are vital to the business.
“We only cart grain and fertiliser, so we need them,” she says. “We chose BTE for the weight factor and because you can cart more freight with them. They put everything on them that we ask for, plus, they’re PBS so we can run them straight in and out of Brisbane without unhooking them.”
Operating day-in and day-out, R&K Bulk Haulage has had a flawless experience with its BTE fleet.
“The trailers perform great,” Karen says. “Their durability is really good, we’ve had no dramas with them.”
BTE’s chassis tippers are built tough and to last. While the company produces a standard range of trailers, many of its special application designs incorporate features such as Domex 700MPA high strength chassis rails, reinforced rear uprights to swing tailgates, stock feed trailers, waste equipment and its signature range of rigid and dog tippers.
In addition, it also offers a range of floor thicknesses and utilises QuickSilver liners where necessary. Other features such as remote-controlled steering systems are also included to allow better access to the most difficult sites for some of the specialised equipment they manufacture. And, although BTE offers five-year warranties for its chassis tipper builds,
Image: R&K Bulk Haulage.
Karen says the trailers have been so reliable that R&K Bulk Haulage hasn’t needed to use it.“They’re pretty good trailers,” she says. “They haven’t caused any problems for us at all.”
R&K Bulk Haulage is very passionate about promoting awareness for causes close to the business, and this is something that BTE has also helped the company with. It did this through one of its A-double combinations which was built around promoting breast cancer awareness.
“BTE did a fantastic job with it,” Karen says. “People on the road are always commenting on it. We get good feedback all the time.”
Since BTE first opened its Queensland manufacturing site in Toowoomba in 2019, it has been able to further service the growing national market with increased production and workforce capabilities ever-expanding.
Now, it will be building on this with the launch of a new Toowoomba facility which will effectively double BTE’s manufacturing capacity in Queensland and streamline the trailer builder’s final finishing process by dedicating a separate warehouse for it.
The new facility will also allow BTE to increase its turnaround times even further to get products into the market quicker, and on top of that, will look to double the company’s workforce within the location over the next six months.
Having gained significantly from BTE’s already impressive turnaround times, the new facility will benefit R&K Bulk Haulage which is awaiting on the arrival of another A-double tipper combination as well as another five on order for the rest of the year, which are all set up in the same spec as the present 15 in the fleet.
“BTE’s turnaround times are pretty good,” Karen says. “They tell you when the trailers are going to be ready, and they’re always being delivered when they say they will be – sometimes they even before then.
“We have a great relationship with BTE. Their aftersales service is very good and it’s a great company to deal with.”
Web: www.bte.net.au
Ph: (03) 9794 0313
Line them up
E-Plas’ floor liner options are manufactured to best suit tippers and their specific freight tasks.
While E-Plas may be most recognised for its renowned QuickSilver liners, the TIVAR range is not one to go unnoticed. TIVAR 88 and 88-2, distributed locally by E-Plas, have been recognised as premium, toptier lining grades for over 40 years. And, being catered for non-moving equipment such as hoppers, liners and shoots, they still maintain their reputation.
TIVAR 88-2 is a grade of UHMW-PE and can be fabricated and welded to provide a solution for nearly any application. This covers receiving hoppers, surge bins, dust collection hoppers, storage bins, vibratory feeders and dribble chutes.
It also promotes reliable bulk material flow with no moisture absorption. It is wear, chemical and corrosion resistant as well as UV resistant, which prevents premature degradation of material.
In tipping, sticky bulk materials such as coal, bauxite, synthetic gypsum, sand, iron, fly ash, clay, overburden and others require a slippery surface in order to be transported efficiently. TIVAR 88 and
this nail on the head by having a low coefficient of friction (COF) that permits such materials to move freely and discharge without hang-up.
In applications that are not mobile, it therefore increases productivity by allowing operators to send more product through their hoppers.
“TIVAR 88-2 is a weldable grade of UHMW-PE, so you can actually weld it together if you need to,” says E-Plas National Technical Sales Specialist, Rupin Joshi. “It’s got better flow and has a very distinctive blue colour about it too, which is what it is known for.”
Like QuickSilver, enormous safety benefits are brought to applications with the TIVAR88-2 range.
“Some hoppers and chutes are quite small in size and have limited access to them,” Rupin says. “In some cases when hoppers have blockages, one would be required to have training and tickets like Confined Space and Working at Heights to get access to clear them up.
“Using our premium lining material, the issues of material hang up are minimised.
TIVAR 88-2’s low COF prevents the product from sticking in the hopper, and hence there is very minimal to no requirement for someone to access these hoppers.”
QuickSilver is TIVAR 88-2’s sister product for truck and trailer combinations. Generally used in end tippers, side tippers and for quick-release applications, the ultimate state-of-the-art industrial strength UHMW-PE continuous liner also eliminates a number of problems for operators.
For starters, QuickSilver ensures that trucks are durable, safe and productive. And according to E-Plas, it is a “proven industry performer” across several sectors such as bulk handling, mining, minerals, agriculture, grain and transport.
QuickSilver’s material was designed and engineered specifically for intense applications, evident with its superior toughness and durability. E-Plas commends its ability to haul and tip
TIVAR 88-2 hit
Fast fact
TIVAR 88-2 is a grade of UHMW-PE and can be fabricated and welded to provide a solution for nearly any application. Meanwhile, QuickSilver weighs less than steel and aluminium and outwears both. Its abrasion, impact and corrosion resistance protect the integrity of the original equipment, extending the life of a truck body. It can be fitted in less than one day and requires no ongoing maintenance.
any material with ease in any climate or environment, acting as a great long-term investment for fleets.
QuickSilver also increases the lifetime of a product by preventing corrosion. For example, if a trailer combination is carting iron ore with moisture in it, the liner will prevent rust in the truck from developing which could then damage the panels.
“It helps the truck improve its life, because it’s not actually corroding on the body itself,” Rupin says. “It’s a liner that sits on top of the body. So, once the liner is worn out, you can pull it out and put a new one in again.”
QuickSilver also reduces downtime and expenses, and is most effective in preventing instances of trucks not being cleared out properly due to products sticking.
“Residual material can end up costing businesses in terms of profits,” Rupin says. “If the truck hasn’t been cleared completely and there’s still some residue, the next time it fills there won’t be as much space available and therefore businesses will miss out on better payloads.”
As a result, it also reduces the risk of injuries for businesses who will need to spend more time cleaning their truck out manually.
Based on the individual capabilities of the TIVAR and QuickSilver ranges, E-Plas rests assured in distributing two quality product lines that it knows the Australian transport industry can rely on.
“They’re all-rounders when you fit them,” Rupin says. “Whether it’s a dry product, whether it’s something with moisture, or whether it’s with something abrasive, they do the job.”
Contact E-Plas
Ph: 03 8361 1791
Web: www.eplas.com.au
Images: E-Plas.
Quality through the roof
Krueger utilises Capral Aluminium’s sheet and custom extrusions across all of its semi-trailers to offer an extremely high-quality product which customers can depend on.
Krueger, as many may know, is a familyowned and operated business with an impeccable 46-year history of quality and innovation. The trailer builder is at the forefront of modern trailer design, with its versatile ‘Kurtainer’ curtainsiders, open decks, skeletal trailers, freezer vans, dry vans and other custom builds with detailed engineering and enhancements to optimise safety and higher productivity.
Krueger’s ability to produce extremely high-quality trailers (which according to the company lasts decades on end) can largely be attributed to the business’ aluminium of choice. For the roofs of all its trailers, Krueger selects Capral’s aluminium sheet and custom extrusions.
“We’ve been using Capral’s aluminium for over 20 years,” says Krueger Supervisor – Purchasing, Daniel Hunt. “That’s as far as my records go, but it’s probably been a bit longer than that because we’ve been using Capral for most of our 46 years in operation.”
“It’s been an enduring and positive long-term relationship based on Capral being innovative with a deep knowledge of product and material. That product
knowledge, materials knowledge and innovation is always available to us as we look to develop our product offering to our customers.”
Krueger purchases Capral’s aluminium sheet metal for its trailers – primarily the curtainsider units – as well as custom aluminium extrusions which are produced to the particular profile Krueger requires. With both companies manufacturing their respective products locally in Melbourne, the collaboration works well for Krueger’s operations.
“You need to reflect that Capral has had a long-term presence in the Australian market, and that market has changed over time,” Daniel says. “The amount of supplies has changed over time, but Capral has remained strong. They also have a local presence, like we do, and we always seek to support Australian producers of materials. Because Capral is local and they produce the items we acquire, we’re able to get them from an Australian producer which is important to us.
“Those are factors of our continued dealings with Capral, but it also comes down to their technical support and
product knowledge. We don’t simply buy a commodity from Capral, we also collaborate with them to produce items to our designs. That ability to collaborate technically and across our product offering is why we choose them.”
Capral’s aluminium extrusions run the full length of Krueger’s trailer roofs, and on either side. Spanning up to 14 metres in length and 2.5 metres wide, these trailers are built to be both light and robust.
“The aluminium we use from Capral is utilised in the production of our roof components and our roofs overall,” Daniel says. “Like all aluminium products, it has to be lightweight but also be able to withstand the impact of travelling for long distances over a long period of time. Our trailers last up to 40 years, so those roofs have to be able to withstand in a highstress environment and then be able to maintain their strength and their integrity, and that’s what we see in the aluminium supplied by Capral.”
Having a one-piece extrusion in the shape and profile that it requires allows Krueger to produce semi-trailers efficiently, at high strength and as one piece with ease.
“Aluminium is key to our operations,” Daniel says. “By having that length of product and having it available to our operations from a local supplier which supplies just-in-time (JIT) in the quantities we need, it allows us to have both minimal inventory and maximum support.
“Getting that one-piece extrusion particularly allows us to keep our costs as low as possible and our complexity low, while producing what our customers want. It means we can produce a trailer that is robust and endures for the lifetime that it does.”
Capral’s ability to serve all of Krueger’s direct needs, Daniel says, has been key.
“Capral has excellent products and innovation, and that’s their key selling point,” he says. “The basics are always addressed, such as delivery in full and on time, but they also support our unique needs for a large product.”
Meanwhile, Daniel says the implementation of Capral’s lower carbon aluminium option, LocAl, is on the horizon.
“We’re starting to explore the use of LocAl and that’s been the discussion point for 2024 with Capral,” he says. “Our customers, in particular our larger corporate customers, are starting to enquire around it as they seek to fulfil their obligations to lower emissions and source materials which support that.”
LocAl’s two lower carbon aluminium options, LocAl Green and LocAl Super Green, are among the lowest carbon aluminium options available in the world. The global average for carbon emissions per kilogram of aluminium is 13.9kg, which compares to LocAl Green’s 8kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e)/kg Al and LocAl Super Green’s 4kg CO₂e/kg.
In recent times, Capral displayed its
Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC).
The partnership integrates LocAl into ISC’s rating scheme, and by being officially listed on its ISupply database, it provides project developers with robust, environmentally friendly material options that support their sustainability objectives.
Capral ties this commitment in with a relentless dedication to customers such as Krueger which rely on its materials to such a large scale, and in turn, the support to deliver them.
“Capral’s service is excellent,” Daniel says. “We’re always reaching out to them for their support with short-term needs or unique products. That’s what we find when we go to Capral, they’re always able to support us and are always willing to work with us.”
Contact
Images: Krueger.
Allied forces
Gorski, which relies on SSAB Hardox 450 for all of its steel trailer builds, has just become the latest Hardox In My Body member.
Gorski is a well-known manufacturer of tipping trailers and truck bodies based in the suburb of Somerton within Victoria.
The business was established in 1975 by Ken Gorski, and is now led by his children Timothy, Jeremy, Amelie and her husband, Paul, as the company approaches a milestone of 50 years of operations.
For many years, Gorski has been primarily using SSAB’s Hardox material. As Amelie recalls, she and her father initially met the SSAB team in the early 2000s and from there, Gorski became SSAB’s first tipper customer in Melbourne.
“We started buying Hardox as one of the first body builders in the country,” she says. “I was selling all units at that time with Dad, and so we spent the next year
educating our customers on this new type of plate as it made its way on our trailers.”
Since then, Gorski has been using Hardox 450 for 100 per cent of its steel builds. The company manufactures in excess of 550 units per annum, 400 of which are manufactured with 5mm, 6mm and 8mm Hardox 450 wear plate. The remaining trailers are made with aluminium.
In having such a large product output, Gorski General Manager, Paul Baker, says it’s essential that the business has a material it can rely on.
“When we’re building the volumes that we do, we need to be comfortable that what we’re putting into the field has been tested, proven and will stand up to what
our market demands,” he says. “Hardox 450 is our go-to product and it will be for the foreseeable future.”
Gorski was just recently approved to be a SSAB Hardox In My Body member. Having incorporated Hardox into its operations since it arrived in the Australian market, Gorski has consistently valued the robust product while embracing the exceptional strength and quality that comes with it. Now, it can display that to the market through its new allegiance with SSAB.
“It’s a pretty big deal for us and for them,” says SSAB Regional Sales Manager, Ryan Sanders. “The Hardox In My Body program introduces Gorski as brand ambassadors, and it has just
Image: Gorski.
strengthened our relationship even more.”
The Hardox In My Body program is a quality membership made for manufacturers with a drive to aim higher and make their customers more competitive. All members are thoroughly assessed prior to joining, and once accepted earn the right to display the Hardox In My Body logo on their trailers.
While the process of becoming a member may be stringent, Paul says it has been worth it for Gorski.
“The services and support that we’ve received from SSAB have been pretty good,” he says. “They’ve given us access to custom plate sizes from the mills, so we can get better finishes and quality on what we do. From that, we also get gains through manufacturing processes because we can build trailers faster with less people.”
To become a Hardox In My Body member, trailer builders need to be exclusively using Hardox in a particular product that they manufacture, and Gorski ticked this box.
“It’s a pretty rigorous process,” Ryan says. “You must be utilising Hardox only, and then that enables you to join the network for that particular product. Gorski
manufactures a wide range of products. So, we start off with one specific product and then we continue that through the rest of the customer’s product program.”
By successfully joining the program, customers gain access to an exclusive range of benefits that would not typically be available to the general public.
“This includes smarter ways of procurement, extra aftersales support, technical support, assistance with upgrading and access to developing products like Hardox 500 Tuf,” Ryan says. “It just gives them that closer working relationship with us.”
These advantages are already applied throughout Gorski, with the trailer builder trialling Hardox 500 Tuf wear plate on its combinations. 500 Tuf is the latest addition to the Hardox range, and with exceptional strength, hardness and toughness, it combines the best properties of Hardox 450 and Hardox 500 into the one product.
“We have touched on the Hardox 500 grade in some of our heavy-duty applications,” Paul says. “There’s multiple units out there with it, and it’s working for us. So, we have been prototyping it but we haven’t rolled it out across our whole
range yet.”
Ultimately, by using SSAB steel – and more specifically Hardox 450 for such a long period of time – Amelie says the Gorski name has become synonymous with quality.
“We get product consistency through a material that is formable,” she says. “We are still using Hardox steel from when it came to Australia, and that speaks for itself.”
Paul agrees, explaining that by choosing SSAB’s Hardox 450, Gorski unlocks the reliability of working with Swedish steel.
“We believe our trailers represent quality when they have the Hardox name on them,” he says. “Our motto is ‘built tough’, and that aligns with the quality, technical support and processes of SSAB who is a one-stop shop for us.
“SSAB is ingrained into our business throughout product developments, designs and future orders. They’re not just a supplier, they are a partner in everything that we do.”
Contact
Email: australia@ssab.com
Web: www.ssab.com
L-R: Matthew Spiteri, Timothy Gorski, Jeremy Gorski, Amelie Gorski, Paul Baker and Ryan Sanders. Image: SSAB.
Moore bang for your buck
By heavily incorporating JOST into its manufacturing process, Moore Trailers has unlocked greater productivity, profits and efficiency at an OEM level.
Moore Trailers is a trailer builder based in Pittsworth, Queensland. With a very extensive portfolio of combinations ranging from tippers, flat tops, drop decks, tilt trays and extendables to livestock trailers, fibreglass and steel tankers, conveyor floor units, convertible trailers and dollies, it has many requirements to fulfil for customers across several industries.
The business was established in 1988 by Lionel Moore and his son, Shayne. Lionel had already worked in the industry for over 25 years at the time, and when the opportunity came to start out on his own, he set Moore Trailers up with his son.
In the early days, the business was mostly repairing the odd bin or crate for old trailers – until it was tasked with its first new trailer build in 1992. From there, Lionel and his sons built and moved into the business’ first workshop two years later on the outskirts of Pittsworth and enjoyed the growth that would follow.
While Lionel retired last year after a total of almost 60 years in the industry, Shayne took the reins as Managing Director to guide the business forward. His brother, Grahame, who has also worked with the
company since the early ‘90s, joined his side in a senior position of Chief of Operations.
While maintaining a consistent product output as well as the core values which Lionel established, the business has its eye on even more growth. It’s currently building another factory adjacent to the company’s current 13,500-square-metre facility which opened just five years ago, which will add an extra 6,000 square metres to the location while consolidating Moore Trailers’ entire blast, prep, paint and finish operations into the one area.
“Once our new workshops are built, we will have one of the largest trailer manufacturing sites in Queensland,” Shayne says. “We are hoping to achieve levels of approximately 600 trailers and 200 dollies per year when fully operational.”
The new facility will feature two blasting areas, two preparation areas and three full spray/bake booths, creating a throughput operation that will create great efficiencies in the business’ overall manufacturing process.
“The current production process is very inefficient because we’re moving product
between our production, blast, paint and finish divisions,” Shayne says. “These divisions are currently scattered between our old and new sites, so the time savings alone and the add-on of a larger paint and finish division will increase our output capacity by up to 25 per cent.”
As things start to change at Moore Trailers, with the company preparing for the facility’s launch mid next year and the way its operations will differ, one thing will remain the same. Its builds will continue to heavily feature JOST components, Shayne says, because it’s the only choice for Moore Trailers.
“Fitting JOST on all of our units is a nobrainer,” he says. “Their products adapt into all of our trailer models seamlessly. JOST has great products with impressive longevity, and the support is there when needed.”
For over a quarter of a century, Moore Trailers has chosen JOST as its preferred supplier when it comes to fifth wheels, landing legs and hoists. JOST’s landing legs are fitted to every single semitrailer that Moore Trailers builds, with its turntables being standard fitment on all A trailers and dollies and its hoists making
Images: Moore Trailers.
regular appearances too.
“We fit up to 40 sets of JOST landing legs and over a dozen turntables a month,” Shayne says. “All of their products are robust and are designed to cope with harsh Australian conditions. We find that there is very little feedback from all of our clients, meaning the products leave here with the peace of mind that they are going to do the job our customers require from them.”
Some recent examples which have just rolled out of Moore Trailers’ factory include a road train set of side tippers fitted with JOST’s foundational trailer landing gear series, the A400 Series landing legs, coupled together with a JSK 37CZW turntable. “These units will operate in some of the harshest conditions in Australia, but with the JOST products, we and the customer know they will stand up to the test of time,” he says. “The two-speed legs are a sturdy product with a quick gear change to lift heavily laden trailers with ease, while the turntables have an easy-to-access handle which is less strenuous to uncouple. The lock tab visibility on the turntables also gives the end user a quick guide that the coupling is correctly coupled.”
With JOST equipment heavily featured throughout Moore Trailers’ production process, Shayne says the business experiences increased turnaround times
and enhanced productivity levels.
“We can almost guarantee next-day delivery for most items if we run out of stock, so that really compliments our needs,” he says. “This obviously gives us the ability to minimise our stock levels and keep our cash flow buoyant.
“We keep a fairly large stock level of the items we use, so having regular orders being met in a timely manner is a bonus. We also deal directly with JOST in Brisbane, so we are assured that we get the best price and service.”
Shayne is certain that he will be recommending and fitting JOST products into the future, as he anticipates what the business relationship between JOST and Moore Trailers will look like in the years to
“Our relationship with JOST spans over more than 25 years,” he says. “We have created not just a business relationship with the people at JOST but friendships that will last forever.”
Contact
JOST Australia
Ph: 1800 811 487
Web: www.jostaustralia.com.au
Plug away
ABS Trailquip has achieved impressive time savings in the production of its dollies by standardising custom wiring harnesses and lighting products from Lucidity Australia.
Since establishing in 1981, Lucidity Australia has become a leading Australian manufacturer for the transport industry. With a complete product portfolio of lighting, wiring and electrical products backed by over 40 years of experience, it can deliver for many requirements with a vast array of solutions and custom offerings.
This ability is clear in its latest project for ABS Trailquip, where Lucidity was able to develop a solution that was best catered to the customer’s needs.
ABS Trailquip started out as an air brake equipment supplier 20 years ago, known at the time as Air Brake Services. It originally specialised in just air brake valves, fittings and trailer brake control systems until 2008 when the business decided to branch out into axle and suspension setups for trucks and trailers under the business name of ABS Trailquip.
From there, it expanded its offering even further – this time into the production of dollies in 2013.
“The dolly was a fantastic trailer to complement the gear that we were selling,” says ABS Trailquip Managing Director, Michael Green. “We were able to start building dollies from start to finish with everything that we already had in stock. So, the dolly was a great way to put
a lot of our gear on the road.”
Since the introduction of the units, ABS Trailquip has increased its production output to around 18 dollies per month, in part with collaborating with Lucidity for its plug-and-play system.
In an effort to reduce labour and shorten delivery time, Michael considered getting an effective wiring harness solution from Lucidity and the benefits that it could bring to his manufacturing processes.
“When we were doing installations, we were having to cut, splice and solder wires to put the whole lighting system together,” he says. “So, we approached Lucidity in regard to a wiring harness that we could very easily incorporate into our dollies. The thinking behind this was that with a bit of slight modifications to some of the brackets and other parts, we could have a pre-made wiring harness that could be rolled out, fed through the body of the trailer and simply be cable-tied into place with no cutting, soldering or anything like that.
“From there, we would simply plug the cable straight into the light and the job would be done. That’s what we wanted, and Lucidity was able to give us that feature and specifically to what we needed.”
The harness itself is tailored to suit ABS
Trailquip’s dollies by being manufactured at the exact length required. ABS Trailquip achieved this by providing Lucidity with a simple mud map drawing of what it wanted, and from there, the lighting specialist was able to make the harness based off of that. With Lucidity keeping the harnesses pre-made and in stock, ABS Trailquip is also able to completely avoid delays and downtime.
“Lucidity understands what our usage is and they have them ready to go,” Michael says. “So, we’re not waiting for stock because they’re always making sure that they have them available on-hand for us. Because of that, there’s never a delay due to cabling.”
As a result of the harness, ABS Trailquip now also fits the Lucidity Link series of tail lamps and side marker lamps, as well as its LED license plate lamps as one complete plug-and-play package for all of the dollies it manufactures.
“We basically get a box, and inside that box are the two taillights, the number plate lights, the side marker lights and the harness,” Michael says. “Everything’s there. We roll the harness out, cable tie it into place and plug it in.
“The lights are fantastic. They’re nice and bright, they look good and they’re wellknown too. We’ve been using them for
five- to six-and-a-half hours wiring lights and electricals on the dollies,” Michael says. “With Lucidity, we have the wiring done in under two hours. So, we’ve saved roughly four to five hours’ worth of labour for each build.
“Building dollies is a very competitive market, and we’ve always been very conscientious of the time it takes to build a dolly. We have a very strict build time that we try and make these trailers in. This way, the dollies can be sold at a competitive price and in a shorter build time which allows us to pass savings onto our customers.
“So, ultimately it all comes down to labour – putting the dollies together and being able to put more dollies through production. Every hour that we can save on the build of a trailer means we could possibly put another dolly through production.”
Another advantage of the plug-and-play package can be seen when it comes to
of lights being damaged, his customers can simply remove the old light and plug a new light into the wiring harness, and the problem is fixed.
“You’re not having to cut any wires, rejoin, solder or tape up any lines because it simply plugs in,” he says. “So, the key feature with Lucidity and the praise that we get is the plug-and-play setup.”
For ABS Trailquip, the cherry on top is that the products are also pre-tested by Lucidity.
“Knowing that Lucidity always test their wiring harness and lights before dispatch gives us confidence that when they go on the dolly, they always work,” Michael says.
According to Michael, his customers are also big fans of the Lucidity equipment they get with their dollies. The fact that they can
play solution, he says, is a big win.
Through continuous innovation and its extensive work in designing solutions to real world transport industry hurdles, Lucidity is a tough and reliable contender in the market.
All products are designed in-house in Australia to ensure they are as efficient and effective for the Australian market, and based on their success with customers like ABS Trailquip, they’ve proven to be worthy investments.
Contact
Lucidity Australia
37 Paraweena Drive
Truganina VIC 3029
Web: www.lucidityaustralia.com.au
Ph: 03 9219 4074
Images: ABS Trailquip.
Recognising excellence
The 2024 Women in Industry Awards bestowed Swietelsky Rail Australia Managing Director, Anne Modderno, with the Excellence in Transport award.
The 2024 Women in Industry Awards night, hosted by Prime Creative Media at the Doltone House Hyde Park Ballroom in Sydney, acknowledged several women across a range of industries for their outstanding achievements.
This year’s lineup of award categories included Rising Star of the Year, Business Development Success of the Year, Industry Advocacy Award, Mentor of the Year, Safety Advocacy Award, Excellence in Transport, Excellence in Manufacturing, Excellence in Engineering, Excellence in Mining, Excellence in Construction, Woman of the Year and the inaugural Excellence in Energy award.
At the gala dinner, the Excellence in Transport award was presented to Anne Modderno, who is the current and first female Managing Director of Swietelsky Rail Australia.
Since her appointment in May 2023, Modderno has led significant progress in her role. She spearheaded the development of the company’s sustainability strategy, reflecting her dedication to driving positive social and environmental impact.
Beyond her professional achievements,
Modderno actively advocates for inclusivity and diversity within the transport sector by promoting initiatives to increase female participation and close gender pay gaps. Her contributions extend to industry publications, where she highlights topics such as diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and safety.
Taking the stage to accept the award on the night, Modderno commended all of the finalists for their achievements.
“I found it really tricky to think about what to say tonight, because if you ask any of my staff, my family, or the wonderful people over on table 29, they’ll tell you I have no trouble speaking at all,” she said. “But, when I thought about having to come up here and take credit and be grateful for something that I’ve done as an individual, I found it really uncomfortable and nerve-racking.
“It’s easy for me to talk about the things that we do in our business and the things we do with our team, but I found it really tricky to think about, ‘Wow, I’m actually getting up here amongst all these wonderful finalists in this room full of incredible men and women tonight and taking this award.’
“And then I thought to myself, ‘This is
why we need awards like this.’ This is why we need all the sponsors tonight to make these awards possible, because we need to get comfortable about being uncomfortable to talk about what we achieve. Because if we can’t project it and show it, then no one else will see it and no one else will want to be it.”
Across her career, as an authentic leader and program director, Modderno has showcased an unparalleled capacity to efficiently manage and deliver large-scale programs of major maintenance and capital projects. Drawing upon her extensive experience, she has consistently navigated complex project landscapes – ensuring successful outcomes while maintaining a steadfast commitment to excellence.
One of Modderno’s most notable strengths lies in her ability to build and lead high-performing teams in multidisciplinary environments. Through her leadership skills, she has fostered positive team cultures and instilled a sense of purpose and cohesion among team members. Her ability to inspire and motivate others has been instrumental in driving forward Swietelsky’s objectives and achieving results.
Swietelsky Managing Director, Anne Modderno, and Kenter International Logistics Managing Director, Emily Jackman.
Image:
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Registrations open to attend MEGATRANS2024
MEGATRANS2024 will take place September 18-19 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Australia’s largest integrated conference and exhibition dedicated to the logistics industry returns to Melbourne this September.
MEGATRANS is an interactive expo, reserved for companies offering advanced technology technologies and services, grouped by their contributions to the sustainable supply chain.
MEGATRANS continues to lead the way in fostering innovation and sustainability within the supply chain, this year focusing on fleets of the future, the zero carbon warehouse, the traceable supply chain and cold chain solutions.
From electric industrial equipment through to renewable energy solutions, the event will bring together companies offering zero carbon solutions. It
will welcome warehouse managers, commercial real-estate developers, and leading e-commerce companies who are seeking to implement sustainable solutions into their next major development, or retrofit their current operations.
Chartres, says the event will be an opportunity for like-minded industry leaders to connect and discuss the role of sustainability in the future of the supply chain, and how they will be a part of the solution.
to witness innovation, it’s an interactive experience and I really encourage people to engage with everything the event will have to offer,” she says.
insightful conference sessions by
To register to attend, visit www.megatrans.com.au/register
Image: Prime Creative Media.
Road upgrades & new developments
What you need to know about Australia’s biggest road projects this month
Additional $4.7M dedicated to Tasmanian road safety improvements
A further $4.7 million is going to nearly 40 projects around Tasmania to improve safety on local and rural roads.
The funding comes from the latest rounds of the Vulnerable Road User Program (VRUP) and the Safer Rural Roads Program (SRRP), both part of the State Government’s Towards Zero Action Plan 2020-2024.
“This round saw submissions received from 19 different councils, with each council having at least one successful application,” said Tasmania Minister for Transport, Eric Abetz.
“The wide range of successful councils will allow for road safety improvements to be spread across Tasmania.
“Including co-contributions from councils, the projects see a total investment of $8.2 million to deliver infrastructure treatments, across 38 different projects.”
This latest round of funding will see Huon Road in South Hobart treated with shoulder sealing, and footpaths built on Reeve Street in Campania, Swanwick Road in Coles Bay and on the Channel Highway in Snug.
“This latest funding demonstrates our ongoing commitment to road safety, saving lives and reducing serious injuries on our roads,” Abetz said.
SA Government commits extra $80.1M for road projects
$80.1 million is going towards speed cameras and other safety initiatives in South Australia, as revealed in the 2024-25 State Budget.
The SA Government will invest $2.6 million towards installing new variable speed signage at priority locations near crossings where a new 40km speed limit will apply.
Coming into effect from 2025-26, an additional 30 road safety cameras will also be installed at priority push-button crossings throughout SA as part of a $38.7 million investment over four years.
As part of this, 12 additional red light speed cameras are due to be installed in 2024 to 2025 and three additional point-to point cameras between 2025 and 2026.
The locations will be determined by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport in consultation with South Australia Police (SAPOL) and will be based on several factors including crash statistics and driver behaviours.
Determined to reduce dangerous driving behaviour, Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Dan Cregan, emphasised the importance of the investment in reducing road trauma and improving safety.
“These measures target speeding and dangerous drivers who put themselves and other road users at risk,” he said.
“This investment, backed by better driver behaviour, will go a long way in reducing road trauma.”
The additional safety cameras are expected to be online from mid-2026.
$33.3M Black Spot funding announced
The Australian Government has announced $33.3 million in funding towards improving 56 known crash sites under the 2024-25 Black Spot Program.
The latest round of funding is set to include traffic lights, safety barriers, roundabouts, line markings as well as pedestrian safety treatments at locations where serious crashes have occurred or are at risk of occurring.
The projects supported by the investment aim to make a significant contribution towards reducing road toll on Victorian roads.
Following previous investments across the states to improve road safety, the Australian Government has substantially increased Black Spot Program funding from $110 million to $150 million per year.
This is part of its response to the worsening road toll which includes doubling Roads to Recovery funding from $500 million to $1 billion a year and delivering a nationally harmonised set of data to inform road safety decision making.
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Carol Brown, said that the investment will have a significant impact to roads across the state as well as helping to avoid further road tragedies.
“I am pleased to announce this latest round of Black Spot projects in Victoria, which will improve roads across the state,” she said.
“Every death on Victorian roads is a tragedy and could have been avoided.
“Local communities know where their most dangerous road locations are and their ability to nominate projects under this program and work with state and local experts in reviewing nominations is why this program is so successful.”
Winning logistics gold
While the focus of the build-up to the 2024 Olympic Games may have been around the athletes and the events, CEVA Logistics was very busy behind the scenes to ensure everything was in place.
When the CMA CGM Greenland sailed into the Old Port of Marseille to join in welcoming the Olympic torch to France, it was a huge day for the Games – but it was also a triumphant moment for the shipping company, marking a step closer to its own finish line.
To prepare for the launch of the global sporting event, CMA CGM subsidiary, CEVA Logistics, moved more than 1.3 million items of furniture and almost a million pieces of sporting equipment – just a few of the tasks that were involved in producing an event of this magnitude.
Awarded the title of official logistics partner for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, CEVA began planning more than three years ago.
CEVA Logistics CEO, Mathieu Friedberg, told the media in April that the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games would represent a pivotal moment to demonstrate the company’s know-how.
CEVA’s mission has included freight services, international transport, customs clearance, storage, delivery, site logistics, special freight and IT system integration. The pressure was certainly on with 10,500 athletes counting on a seamless event,
and 10 million spectators to watch every moment.
When the CEVA team sat down to decide the best way to tackle the event, they quickly realised that one of the first tasks would be establishing warehouses in Paris with enough space to accommodate the Olympic organising committee.
Three logistics platforms of more than 80,000 square metres were then eventually established in the region, one which would allow for reception, storage, preparation and customs clearance of goods and equipment from the Games’ organising committee and staff.
Another of the Paris sites hosts furniture, athletes’ sports equipment, medical equipment and other goods, while the third is used to store additional logistics for the transition and dismantling phases of the Olympic and Paralympic sites.
There is also additional storage available in Tahiti, which is hosting the surfing competition.
“We have prepared our operations to manage a broad spectrum of items, encompassing furniture, broadcast materials, medical and sports equipment,”
CEVA said in one of its early media updates. “There are tens of millions of items projected to be in our inventory – including more than 100,000 chairs, 15,000 beds and numerous other products.”
Transport involved in the event setup has included ocean, air, road, rail and even river transport.
Event mobility was also CEVA’s responsibility, with more than 650 advanced mobility vehicles and almost 3,000 electric vehicles assembled and stored.
CMA CGM said it would be leveraging its transport and logistics solutions, powered by LNG, biofuels, electricity or sustainable fuels, as well as barge transport for intra-city deliveries, to reduce the carbon impact.
Once the events – both the Olympics and Paralympics – have finally drawn to a close and the celebrations have died down, CEVA employees still won’t be done. With every assembly comes disassembly and, in many cases, items that were delivered will need to be transported back to where they came from
A game-changing delivery system
By popular acclaim, the SWIFT Delivery System from Liquip is the industry’s simplest, lightest, smartest and – yes –fastest fuel-delivery solution.
The SWIFT’s innovative metering delivery system uses level gauging to accurately and conveniently deliver multiple products through a single pump – whether the method of delivery is gravity-fed, bulk-drop or hose reel.
Make the SWIFT Delivery System the star of your fuel-delivery production!
King of the hill
Hills Tankers’ relentless commitment to efficient transport services continues with its latest investment in fleet equipment.
Since establishing in 1960, Hills Tankers has grown into one of Australia’s largest transporters of liquids and Dangerous Goods (DG). It’s now a widely recognised transporter that, by maintaining the core values set up more than 60 years ago, has earned its reputation as a trusted carrier and logistics service provider.
These standards don’t go unnoticed on its equipment, as the fleet is always investing in new trucks and trailers for its freight tasks. Hills Tankers now maintains a fleet of over 260 total trailers, 42 of which are Performance-Based Standards (PBS).
“We run everything from triple road trains down to singles,” says Hills Tankers COO, Scott Cullen. “We have one of the largest PBS fleets with a mixture of 20m to 26m quad B-doubles and up to 30m A-doubles. We’ll buy PBS equipment to suit the job, and we won’t just stick to one type of trailer – it depends on the job it’s going on.
“We also have a full-time PBS worker we’ve employed who does all of our PBS permits, so we’re heavily invested in this area.”
Hills Tankers always has its eye on the prize – carting the most amount of fuel with the least amount of equipment. Just recently, the company took delivery of a new Kenworth T659 and Western Star 48X. The Kenworth is part of an order of four units which were purchased for the fleet’s triple road train work in Townsville, Queensland, where it is carting fuel out of mines and to service stations with payloads of 106,000 litres. Featuring a 600hp Cummins X15 engine set at 2,050 lb ft torque and SAF-Holland Neway suspension, Scott says the T659s were chosen for their toughness and were spec’d with a 155-tonne rating for a “potential new combination coming”.
“The reliability under the conditions that these trucks run on out of Townsville is great,” he says. “They’re a long way from anywhere and you want them to get home. They’re just built for this heavy work, in my opinion.”
Meanwhile, Hills Tankers’ new Western Star 48X from the X-Series is the first of seven to arrive this year. The 16-litre, 48-
inch bunk features a 600hp Detroit DD16 engine rated at 2,050 lb ft torque.
It has been deployed in Hills Tanker’s linehaul division and transports lubricants from Brisbane to Newcastle, NSW, and Newcastle to Melbourne.
Scott says the 48X is set up in a similar spec to the Kenworth, with inverted microwaves, fridges and freezers to accommodate all of the needs of his drivers.
It joins a total of 15 other X-Series Western Star prime movers in the fleet which range from 13-litre day cabs up to 48-inch bunk interstate cabs.
“They’re going well for us as a company,” Scott says. “Driver acceptance for local work has been great, too. The day cabs have been very well-accepted and drivers are requesting them in some depots. They’ve been reasonably trouble-free overall.”
Utilising its new equipment, Hills Tankers is locked on increased payloads as well as reductions in fuel wages and carbon emissions
Image: Hills Tankers.
Truck Shows & Field Days 2024
Pencil in some information on dates and venues of various truck shows, field days and road transport industry conferences both locally and internationally.
Got an upcoming event? Then let us know about it – email
August
Victoria
Sheepvention Rural Expo 4–5 August Hamilton, VIC Visit: www.hamiltonshowgrounds.com.au
Western Australia
Mingenew Midwest Expo 8–9 August Mingenew, WA Visit: www.mmwe.com.au
Dowerin Machinery Field Days 28–29 August Dowerin, WA Visit: www.dowerinfielddays.com.au
September
Western Australia
New South Wales
Henty Machinery Field Days 17–19 September Henty, NSW Visit: www.hmfd.com.au
Victoria
The MHD Mercury Awards 18 September Melbourne, VIC Visit: www.mercuryawards.com.au
Germany
IAA Transportation 17–22 September Hanover, Germany Visit: www.iaa-transportation.com/en
Victoria
MEGATRANS 18–19 September
October
Victoria
Elmore Field days 1–3 October Elmore, VIC Visit: www.elmorefielddays.com.au
Wandin Silvan Field Days 11–12 October Melbourne, VIC Visit: www.wandinsilvanfielddays.com.au
New South Wales
Murrumbateman Field Days 19–20 October Murrumbateman, NSW Visit: www.mfdays.com
Victoria
VIC Major Projects Conference 2024 29–30 October
Holmwood Highgate is a 3rd generation family owned & operated business located in both Queensland and Victoria. We specialise in bulk liquid transport solutions, with a tailor made feel and personal touch experience for our customers nationwide.
Quality is in our DNA, with our history as a company spanning 7 decades and hundreds upon hundreds of happy owners using a Holmwood Highgate tanker on the daily. We understand reliability and dependability is everything for a logistics company, thus we ensure every product we make is manufactured with reliability as a key focus to keep our tankers on the road for longer than our competition.
We specialise in multiple facets of transport, including Fuel, Bitumen, Ammonium Nitrate, Mining, Waste Oil, and more. Our capability in recent years has also seen an expansion into specialised applications such as Aviation refuellers and Military grade transport modules.
Holmwood Highgate has also expanded our capability to include the importation and distribution of LPG and Dry Bulk tankers. These new options add to our current repertoire and help us cater to more businesses needs than ever before.
