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McColl’s founder passes away

Trucking icon and founder of bulk carrier McColl’s Transport Stuart McColl has passed away aged 95

August 1, 2013

Trucking icon and founder of bulk carrier McColl’s Transport Stuart McColl has passed away aged 95.

The man who established the milk, chemical and dangerous goods company in Geelong with his wife of 70 years, June, in 1952 died on Tuesday.

The couple grew the business from one milk truck to 450 staff and 15 depots across the eastern seaboard with yearly revenue of $100 million.

McColl’s CEO Jamie Bolton says McColl was an inspiration to many in the industry.

“He was an example of what hard work, forward thinking and treating personnel as family can achieve in even the most competitive of industries,” Bolton says.

McColl was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2007 and was given Paul Harris Fellowship Award for his meritorious service.

He is survived by his wife, children Jenny, Susan, Peter and Mark and their families.

A church service will be held at the Wesley Uniting Church in Geelong tomorrow at 11am.

McColl set up his trucking enterprise in a tin shed on Maud Street in Geelong and based himself there for 15 years.

He began carting milk and cream from dairy farms around Geelong and eventually bought a piece of land at Barwon Terrace to build an office.

McColl’s began expanding interstate after it took over the farm milk collection for Nestle in 1988.

McColl retired in 2005 at the age of 87 when his business was sold to ABN AMRO in 2005 and combined with Scott’s Refrigerated to create Pure Logistics.

The private equity venture fell apart in 2008 and McColl’s returned as an independent entity.

The former owners of Scott’s Refrigerated bought the business back from administrators.

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