Express transport and logistics company Cochrane’s Transport has moved into its newly constructed $20 million depot in Gillman, providing efficiency and growth and was setting parcel and pallet delivery records within days.
From humble beginnings in founder Peter Cochrane’s backyard in 1975, with two trucks and the contract to deliver Women’s Weekly, the family-owned South Australian company now operates out of a purpose-built 37,000sqm facility. The move has already delivered significant fuel cost savings and reduced handling and haulage times, while providing better access to key metropolitan and regional routes and growing industries.
“Just days after relocating we had set new records for the number of parcels and pallets of freight that we delivered.” said Cochrane’s founder and Managing Director, Peter Cochrane.
Buoyed by a surge in online shopping for Christmas and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter Cochrane will help steer the company through what he expects to be period of strong growth, “The business has gone from strength to strength, necessitating the relocation to a more advanced, fit for purpose depot.”
While plans for the new depot were already underway, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant increase in the delivery of packages to people who have turned to online purchasing to meet their shopping needs at home, which has continued throughout the Christmas period.
Newspapers The Advertiser, The Australian and The Financial Review are distributed by Cochrane’s to newsagents and other retail outlets across the state every day.
Peter Cochrane is optimistic South Australia’s economy has a bright future, saying the relocation moves Cochrane’s closer to the growth industries.
“Our next day express freight, to virtually all of South Australia, has and continues to be a service in high demand. The new depot incorporates a semi-automated parcel sorting line, to reduce handling times, to get parcels to their destination sooner, we also provide a daily parcel delivery service to regional South Australia, more than any other operator, and this service needs to be as streamlined as possible.”
“Relocating to Gillman will help Cochrane’s to leverage access to the port and the defence precinct which will undergo significant growth in the coming years, and there are now only two sets of traffic lights between our new Gillman depot and the regional town of Port Augusta.”
“Our new depot represents an investment in our company and in South Australia. Our largest volume customers are now based predominantly in the northern suburbs, so it was important that our location enabled us to service them as efficiently as possible. The new Gillman depot has significantly more capacity for growth and expansion.”
Cochrane’s new Gillman depot provides 30 percent more storage capacity and improved workflows, providing opportunities for revenue growth through Cochrane’s warehousing services.
Other features of the new Gillman depot include a drive-through truck wash, onsite mechanical workshop for maintenance and repairs, onsite gas and diesel fuel supply, axle weigh bridge and adjustable loading dock.
The new depot was constructed by fellow South Australian company, Woolcock Constructions. Cochrane’s employs approximately 250 staff across its South Australian operations, with depots in Gillman, Whyalla and Port Augusta. The company acquired Northern Kope and Scholz Transport Services in recent years to support its growth.
