Business acumen keeps the wheels turning

ARRIVING in the Goulburn Valley in 1993, the family-run business, Goodfellows Rental and Storage Solutions has continued to thrive.

Owner of the business, Graham Goodfellow, started out as Rent-a-Wreck with 10 vehicles after a 23-year career with Victoria’s Road and Transport Authority.

Today, the company is run by Graham’s daughter, Mandy Goodfellow and her partner, Andrew, who control a fleet of more than 100 vehicles.

“We’re constantly upgrading our fleet and our service offering,” said Mandy. “Freight has been non-stop since Covid and our business has been well supported by a great account base of clients like AusPost, Star Track, and more, which has been amazing for us.”

They have grown their team to eight dedicated employees, and as the transport industry at large has continued to expand, Goodfellows has benefitted from the revitalised demand and by extending their services. In addition to providing a range of small to large cars, single and dual-cab utes, refrigerated vans, trucks, people-movers and buses, Goodfellows also manage pick-up and drop-off to depots in Euroa, Seymour and Echuca, and provide on-site storage facilities at their Kialla site on the Goulburn Valley Highway.

The amazing community spirit in

Shepparton is what FAMILY BUSINESS KEEPS ON GROWING... Pictured from left, Goodfellows Rental and Storage Solutions keeps our team eager administration officer Matthew Spencer, storage administration officer Damian Hunt, manager Mandy Goodfellow, operations manager Andrew Hodges, and owner/director Graham Goodfellow. Photo: Kelly Carmody.

to continue to grow.

“The amazing community spirit in Shepparton is

Mandy Goodfellow what keeps our team eager to continue to grow and meet new and regular clients' needs, who have been great supporters of our business,” said Mandy. “Our storage sheds and shipping containers have been incredibly popular. We are developing the back area of this location to meet the demand and to provide more storage solutions.”

Forty years in the making

THE Goulburn Valley has over the years, become the transport hub for Victoria and a leading entity in that foray has been Keating Freight Lines under the careful stewardship of Ken Keating and his family of sons and grandsons.

Ken has been involved in transport since he was 15 in Bendigo covering VIC, NSW and SA and established Keating Freight Lines forty years ago while his brothers established similar hubs in Bendigo and Swan Hill.

The philosophy Keating Freight Lines are taking is “steady as she goes” as transport companies look to the future with changes in how trucking will evolve as climate change regulations take hold and the price of fuels and additives cause a transition to alternative drive trains.

Keating Freight Lines have a solid local client base of well-known brands and with 26 vehicles in the fleet, are not engaged in long haul interstate contracts allowing them to settle on modest power trains around 500 HP. Ken and the family is looking at how that will translate to encompass electric vehicles in the future as manufactures start to invest in that sector.

Ken said, “As each year passes, trucks are getting more sophisticated, and we are constantly looking to keep the fleet up to date with new trucks coming and others being retired each year. We will be keeping a close eye on what the unknown future holds.”

Like many other industries, labour in the transport sector is becoming an issue and while many on the team have been with them for several years the company is always looking for experienced drivers.

Like the trucks in the fleet, Ken is also working on succession planning for the company that will help keep the company in the forefront of business into the future.

Keating Freight Lines comprises of the Shepparton operation encompassing transport operations, distribution centre and large warehousing facilities supported by the Melbourne freight terminal.

STEADY AS SHE GOES...Keating Freight Lines comprises of the Shepparton operation encompassing transport operations, distribution centre and large warehousing facilities supported by the Melbourne freight terminal. Pictured from left is Ken, Stephen, Mark and Ashley Keating. Photo: Kelly Carmody