Strong growth at Linfox has been linked to the company’s aggressive expansion into Asia.
Australia’s largest privately-owned transport companies have had a growing year, according to a revised list of the country’s 500 largest non-listed enterprises.
The IBIS World Top 500 Private Companies, published on Friday in The Australian’s monthly The Deal supplement, shows Australia’s non-listed road transport and port owners have all grown relative to their peers in other industries.
With $2.6 billion in revenues last financial year (up 4 per cent on 2012-2013), Victorian-based Linfox remains the largest private transport operator, ranking sixth in terms of the entire economy.
It has reported a significant 11.2 per cent increase in staff to 27,800 over the year to June 30.
It moved nine positions up in the IBIS World Top 500 Private Companies rankings, from 15th last year.
Part of Linfox’s growth can be attributed to some aggressive expansion in Asian markets over the past few years, but other operators in the Australian market are also growing both revenues and staff numbers.
They may be much further down the list, but each freight mover highlighted enjoyed an improved ranking this year.
South Australia-based Border Express was named the 263rd largest private organisation last financial year, up from its previous ranking of 297.
Kings Group, with revenues of just under $165 million, moved into 309th place, from 340.
Transtar International Freight, which concentrates on air and sea cargo movements, came in at 318 this year, up from 354.
And Allied Express moved up 44 places, from 450th last year to 404th in the 2014 rankings.
Australia’s private port operators also moved higher up the list.
The Port of Brisbane grew its revenue to $286.4 million last financial year, up 11 per cent on the previous 12 months, and rose 40 places to be 180th on the list.
Flinders Ports, encompassing seven facilities along the South Australian coast, rose 55 places to end the year in 239th position.
The IBIS World Top 500 Private Companies List ranks privately-owned Australian organisations in terms of their last reported annual revenues (2013-2014 for most). Commercial, social and non-government organisations are included.