Victorian container carrier Rocke Brothers has seen the industry change tremendously over the last decade.
Longer hours, increased volumes and crippling road congestion are just some of the issues the family business now experiences.
Sons of prominent industry veteran Paul Rocke, brothers Michael and Paul Rocke, who started the company with their now retired brother Matthew in 2003, move around 84,000 TEUs each year.
Wharf cartage is a trade that’s been running long in the family.
Located at Tottenham in Melbourne’s west, the company operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“I’ve probably learned that in this game you have to be very resilient; at one stage you’re in someone’s boardroom then you’re out there in the yard,” Michael says.
“I think you have to try emotionally to stay quite stable because you’re working long days and you’ve got a lot of different operational situations going on throughout the day.
“One of Dad’s greatest strengths was he treated people all the same – the guy who was sweeping out the container to the ceo in the business. He tried to treat them all the same and he had a great skill of always remembering people’s names.”
See the full story on the Rocke Brothers in the September issue of ATN, and subscribe here to secure your copy.