Followmont Transport has been a reliable freight company for many decades in Queensland and regional New South Wales. It’s now focused on continuing to grow and serve the community around it.
Followmont Transport now boasts 22 owned and operated depots in Queensland and regional New South Wales. Its trucks travel upward of 39 million kilometres each year, making it one of Queensland’s leading freight operators. It all started in the ‘80s through a strike that had positive repercussions for the new business.
“Followmont was founded by my father and a business partner in 1984 off the back of a rail strike,” Followmont Transport Managing Director Mark Tobin told ATN. “They went and bought one truck to start delivering magazines.
“From that point for 10 years it was hard work and long hours.”
After starting off transporting magazine and other media like papers, Followmont diversified into express freight. The family business has grown, with depots littered around Queensland being specifically designed for certain transportation that creates self-sustaining businesses.
Yet Tobin says Followmont has always retained its family feel, and it has remained crucial to its success.
“We place a huge emphasis on our people – I don’t own the business, our people do,” Tobin says. “We’re very big on training and development and putting money into that to create our future.
“We’ve got a clear strategy that all 1,000 of our staff know and we aim to remain clear in our communication while prioritising customer service.”
Despite this simple business method, Followmont’s business matters are the opposite. The company has more than 12,000 customers that it evenly delivers for. Followmont is committed to regional networks in both Queensland and New South Wales, which took decades to establish. Even if some networks aren’t profitable, Tobin is committed to servicing these communities to supply the same service to everyone in these regions.
Customers range from mining companies to pharmaceutical brands to the likes of Australia Post and hardware businesses. Followmont has ensured it remains enshrined in delivering media across its network to pay homage to the industry that helped it first grow and learn as a company.
“We have a number of legacy accounts that we keep because they pushed us to either build a network or a service capability,” Tobin says. “It formed the heart of the business, so it makes sense to have our service stay and continue pushing it to the next level, as these accounts gave us these ideas that competitors can’t rival.”
RELATED ARTICLE: Inside the QTA’s apprenticeship scheme
Tobin says Followmont doesn’t pay much attention to what fellow competitors do, as the company is confident it is growing and operating well.
It all changed for Followmont 12 years ago, when the business found it was being run by its shareholders and not its employees.
“We found we were working hard and not smart,” Tobin says. “We put together our board and senior leadership team, my brother and I got off the floor and began working on business strategies and positioning for growth.”
From there, Followmont built hubs in regional depot prime real estate, including near airports, to escalate its growth. Tobin says positioning has been critical to Followmont’s success.
 |
When employment issues began to hurt companies over the past few years, Tobin knew the company’s focus on people would be key. Remaining positive, Followmont looked to upskill its people and run programs to empower them. It’s paid dividends.
“We developed our own leadership program as well as a safety leadership program,” Tobin says. “We run these at head office every week at every level.
“My goal is in three years I want every person working here to have completed a training and development program.”
Tobin encapsulates Followmont’s people focus. He says he feels incredible pride when he sees someone working on the floor develop into a manager and begin running a major hub. Outside of the business, Followmont also fulfils a deep community drive to give back to those around it.
Tobin says Followmont isn’t a business for profit – instead it looks to reinvest and be philanthropic to the region it serves.
“Our value is that we care,” Tobin says. “Whether you walk into reception or get a delivery from us, it’s about care and being a family.
“We live and die by these values, we aim to be a family and not just a corporate company.”
Along with this corporate social responsibility, Followmont is also investing in sustainability. The company has invested in solar power and LED lighting that remains as efficient as possible while reducing its carbon footprint. Tobin says the company is acutely aware of environmental obligations.
It’s what’s fuelling its investigations into electric trucks, as well as robotics programs in two planned hubs in Brisbane and Sydney. While looking to diversify its employees, Followmont is also focusing on sustainability and growing carefully.
Although Tobin says Followmont wants to continue to grow, he is ensuring the company does it in a sustainable and steady way that makes the family business a freight force for years to come.
“It’s easy to grow quickly as a business, but you can also lose control fast,” Tobin says. “We’re about empowering and educating.
“We’re focused on our core values and keeping our rhythm of growth steady.”