National transport and logistics firm to integrate local and overseas networks
Northline is marking its 35th anniversary with a major international expansion which is says will see the Adelaide-based company represented in more than 100 countries by year’s end.
With more than $90 million invested over the past four years to establish a state-of-the-art domestic multi-modal transport and national warehousing network, Northline is turning its focus to the international market.
“The integration of Northline’s domestic and international network will help fuel the company’s future growth by meeting the changing needs of its customers and their customers,” the company says.
“Northline is already providing end to end supply chain solutions for import and export in key markets such as China, UK, Europe, US and the Middle East but will soon further expand into Asia with the company’s international freight business growing 20 per cent over the last year.”
Northline’s international team recently returned from visits to partners in Dubai, Portugal, UK, Europe, Thailand and Vietnam.
Vietnam and China are proving particularly strong markets through the importation of white goods, building products and furniture.
Despite the lure, the company is committed to retaining its customer service centre in South Australia.
“The industry is being shaped by new technologies, changing consumer buying habits, new Free Trade Agreements, fluctuations to Australia’s balance of trade and rising fuel and energy costs,” Northline CEO Craige Whitton says.
“Our global reach integrated into our extensive well-established domestic network provides customers with an efficient, cost-effective and reliable partner.
“Customer service is more important than ever and this has been extremely beneficial for Northline – a privately owned and operated company which retains a personalised customer service culture.
“This is best illustrated by us retaining our very first customer, Speedy Wheels, and by 60 per cent of our customers being with us for more than five years – no mean feat in the logistics industry.”
The year so far has also seen Northline invest in new technologies with a new app launched this month to provide greater consignment tracking, barcode scanning and status updates with customers able to track freight in real time.
Investments have also been made in ‘the last kilometre’ with sign-on glass technology used for all local and CBD deliveries.
Improvements are also to be made in employee programs and the company’s long-standing graduate program that “is developing the next generation of leaders and attracting more women into the largely male-dominated industry”.
“Our ‘no challenge is too great approach’ has served us well as we expanded into northern Australia then nationally, and now internationally.”