Bulk freight operator McColl’s flirts with change, but decides to stay put in Geelong and upgrade its facilities
August 4, 2011
Construction will soon begin on a new head office for McColl’s Transport after the bulk freight operator signed a long-term lease to stay at its existing Geelong site.
Despite flirting with a change of location, McColl’s opted to stay at Geelong which has been its head office since the 1970s.
The operator says its new head office will provide about 20 percent more space and bring all divisions of the company under the one roof for the first time.
McColl’s Transport CEO Simon Thornton says the deal was brokered in the lead up to the expiry of the existing lease and would accommodate the national transport company’s growth in the years ahead.
“We looked at various options – including moving closer to the ring road to reduce traffic delays in Geelong or even leaving town altogether, but in the end this approach is the best one for the company going forward,” he says.
The new building will house about 55 staff and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year. McColl’s says bringing all its divisions together will also improve communication.
The existing workshop and wash facilities at the Geelong site have already started a major upgrade.
McColl’s says workers have moved to temporary office space on-site while the new office building is constructed. McColl’s Construction, a company owned and operated by the grandson of McColl’s founder Stuart McColl, has been appointed as builder for the project.