TEAM MEMBERS

Andrew Smith

I started with Daily Freight in January of 2003 straight from the 7th Form.

My introduction saw me start on the depot floor. Sweeping and tidying for the first few weeks was a bit of a test!

But it’s just the Mainfreight culture as I quickly figured out. My time on the floor accounted for the first two years of my Mainfreight Group career at Daily Freight. Here I learned the art of loading, unloading, inbound freight coordination, daily stock takes etc and being part of a great team of people who were just so dedicated to doing things the right way.

I kept working hard, asking questions and putting my hand up to take on new challenges as I was very keen to learn every aspect of what I now saw as a very exciting industry where no two days are never the same. The opportunity came to spend some time with our busy transport team, helping coordinate our local owner driver fleet and general transport duties. From there I spent the rest of the year in our busy Customer Services team.

Customer Services was certainly the biggest learning curve, different questions and challenges came my way every day. here I learnt a lot about why certain procedures are in place, and the reasons why we do the things we do to please our diverse customer base. One important factor was finding out how important it was for our whole team to perform no matter what role each person undertook to ensure we were giving the best service possible.

I have now been in a Sales role for the past year, (yet another big challenge). All the knowledge I had previously gained in the business enabled me to go out and sell Daily Freight in a confident manner. Also knowing I had the backing of a great team enabled me to sell the value of using the best freight and logistics company in New Zealand

I'm looking forward to my career growing in the Mainfreight Group. The people that Mainfreight employ are just great, the culture provides an environment where you enjoy coming to work, and the opportunities that come out of working hard are unbelievable.

Darryn Scurr

I have been with Mainfreight since early 1994. I started with Daily Freightways about a month before Mainfreight completed the purchase of the business.

I stayed on as a casual storeman while decisions were made as to the future of the Hastings branch. Once this had been firmed up I joined the team as the store supervisor. I then moved through the various positions over the next two years, finishing as the Branch Manager in Hastings.

At the end of 2004 the opportunity arose, due to changes in the Napier and Hastings Logistics teams, to join the two Hawkes Bay Transport branches into one more streamlined operation. Since that time I have been the Operations Manager at Mainfreight Napier.

While there have always been other opportunities in the industry I have not seen another player that has the belief in its philosophies that Mainfreight has. This belief is what brings the best out of its team members and instills the loyalty that is so important for a business that plans on being around for a long time to come.

GRADUATES

Riyaz Jordan

Currently responsible for revenues of $USD15 million and manages a team of 26In 2000 I was given the opportunity to start my career with Mainfreight after finishing my BSc.  As part of the Graduate Programme, my first year was spent loading and unloading freight at our Auckland depot.  The transition from varsity life to a work environment was made easier by the fact that I was placed on the afternoon shift which meant I didn’t start work until 1.00pm. This encouraged my sleep in’s and late nights which all students become accustomed to.

After mastering the art of loading and unloading I was given the opportunity to learn the Customer Service and Pricing side of the business with the intention of moving into Sales as my knowledge increased. This was around the time that I hit a roadblock in my career as I wasn't too interested in the Domestic Transport part of the business. Luckily for me, my manager at the time saw this and to keep me challenged and stimulated, sent me across to the Logistics division of Mainfreight (Third Party Logistics – 3PL - in those days was the new and exciting catch phrase).

From here I continued to learn the business from the ground up. After a few months on the warehouse floor I realised that this industry excited me and decided to learn more about the whole 3PL business and what was required to service this industry effectively and efficiently.

Progression through the business was also easier as I was given a mentor who gave me side projects to complete which I enjoyed doing in my own time. This assisted in my move into the Logistic's Sales Team.

The promotion from within policy gave me my first true test as I was given the opportunity to become a Branch Manager of a Logistics facility.  At only 26 years of age this was a scary move but it provided a great opportunity for me.  It gave me a chance to learn leadership skills plus help grow the business into profitability.

As time progressed and more changes came along, I moved from Branch Manager to the Logistics National Support Team. With the growth in the Australasian market, in 2005 another career change came my way, this time to move across the ditch and assist with the development of our Logistics Business in NSW.  Again I had no hesitation in saying yes to this new and exciting role and made the move from New Zealand to Australia.

2005 - 2008 saw new and exciting developments in the 3PL industry. We went from having one warehouse facility in Sydney to three warehouses. During this period I had the opportunity to oversee these three branches and saw new talent (graduates) emerge into the business.  Mainfreight has always encouraged the promotion from within policy and it was great to see graduates who had started on the floor make their way into Branch Managers roles.

For myself, I decided to change my career path once again mid 2008. This time around it was more the personal need to travel and experience the world.

Mainfreight once again looked after my interests by offering me the New York Branch Managers role for one of our businesses in the USA - Carotrans International. This has given me the opportunity to stay within the Mainfreight Group and progress my career, whilst at the same time experiencing a different culture on the other side of the world.

Looking back I would have never imagined ending up in New York.  Over the past nine years I have changed roles eight times (all of them good), and have had the privilege to work with some great people and leaders, and have grown with a business which is fast becoming a global identity.

This career path has given me a complete overview of the supply chain business and strengthened my knowledge of our industry. This would not have been possible if it wasn't for Mainfreight's flexible attitude. It’s all about having fun and enjoying yourself whilst still performing to the best of your ability . Mainfreight creates a working environment that makes this all possible, which makes me think of the famous Mainfreight catch cry - "With Passion Anything is Possible".

Rachael Moore

I arrived at Mainfreight’s door five years ago in 2002 completely by accident. I was fresh out of University and keen to start my career. Like a lot of Graduates I had no idea what it was that I wanted to do in my career. Completing a Bachelor of Commerce didn’t qualify me instantly for any particular role, so instead of what ‘job’ appealed to me, I started looking for companies that I wanted to work for.

What sold me on the job was that Mainfreight has a very strong culture. Sitting in an office waiting to be interviewed, through the driveway would pour immaculate blue trucks with black tyres. Team members walking through the depot in pristine uniforms, driving blue “Mainfreight Forklifts”. A bubbly receptionist who was delighted when the phone rang every 5 seconds, and was just as happy to greet the next caller as the last.

My first role in Mainfreight was in Customer Service at Mainfreight Transport. Even though I was ‘starting from the ground up’ I was astounded by the responsibility I, and the other team members had, and the number of decisions that I was allowed to make – decisions which didn’t and don’t need to be passed through five sets of managers first. We delight the customer first and then asked questions later.

After six months I was then given the opportunity to be Customer Services Team Leader. While my experience grew, so did my thirst for knowledge.

I was lucky to have a lot of ‘old hands’ around me, who knew the business from the ground up and shared their knowledge and skills with me. Each of the teams that I worked in, I was then given the opportunity to lead.

During my time in Christchurch I was offered many different roles in many different branches in different cities. Mainfreight promotes from within, we grow our people organically, and because of that there are so many opportunities for people with entrepreneurial, energetic and motivated attitudes and personalities; there are no boundaries to what your next role in Mainfreight will be.

Twelve months ago I accepted a role in the Mainfreight Australian Human Resources Team. Predominately training in Logistics, Mainfreight again has allowed me to increase my knowledge in the business. My role includes people development, recruitment and training. The most special part of my role is meeting and spending time with our team all over Australia, helping them develop their strengths, and helping them push the bar to ensure we are always doing our jobs better than the day before. I love what I do, but Mainfreight being Mainfreight, I know it isn’t the last thing I will be doing!!!

Shannon Hegan

Following the completion of my Bachelor of Commerce and Master’s of Business I began my career at Mainfreight working on the floor at one of our Christchurch Logistics facilities.   

My initial role involved picking, packing and dispatching orders for a variety of clients, and learning a variety of concepts used in stock control.  Now pleasantries aside, the first few weeks were hard slog, I found myself saying “I have spent the last four and a half years studying, and I’m doing this?”  Whilst this was an initial set back I soon learnt and understood that I was literally building my Mainfreight career from the ground up.  The first couple of months on the floor taught me the core principals of what makes this such a unique and successful company, things such as hard work, team work and the ownership team members are given even at low levels within Mainfreight.   

Three months into my career and I was managing one of our warehouse’s marquee customers in Ecolab Hygiene, and along with it, three team members.  Suddenly I was faced with a challenge, not only was this a valuable client to our warehouse and Mainfreight in general, but I had never had to worry about anyone’s performance but mine.  The ensuing weeks and months were a very steep learning curve, most of which involved developing the ability to balance customer demands and those being placed on you by team members in both a firm and fair manner.     

Seven months of hard work later and I got the call I had been waiting for.  Mitch Gregor, at the time our National Supply Chain Manager rang me and offered me a role in the Supply Chain National Support Team in Auckland, specialising in Business Development. At first I thought it was a joke, because what sort of company would let a 23 year old deal with major clients on a day to day basis, seek out new business and even negotiate terms of engagement?  Fortunately for me it wasn’t and two months later I donned a shirt and tie and walked into our Auckland facility for the first time to begin my new role in Business Development.  Now as I write this from my desk just two months into my new posting, I find myself looking back at the past 14 months and see how much I have progressed and can’t fathom what the next 14 months have in store for me.

SCHOOL LEAVERS

Amanda Rhodes

I am part of the Customer Services Team at Mainfreight International Auckland and I was proud to be given the "Rookie of the Year" prize at our annual Awards Dinner.   Mainfreight broke every stereo type I had about a large company - no offices, everyone treated equally, ‘team' not staff.  A very special thanks to my workmates, who no matter how many questions I asked were always willing to help and give me easy to understand explanations and answers.

I love the fact that there are opportunities available to anyone that wants to apply themselves.  Eighteen months after starting at Mainfreight I began my journey of tertiary study.  I am studying part time and in five years will have completed a Bachelor of Business Management.  I have come to realise that Mainfreight really is a special company, with special people, and I am loving being a part of it

Lisa Haycock 

I am now based at Chemcouriers Auckland, but I started at Daily Freight where I was part of the Customer Services Team.  There has been a lot to gain by leaving the security of school and joining the workforce.  I love the Mainfreight culture and all the interesting and funny people I get to work with.  You receive as much as you give.

Josh Chellatamby

I started at Mainfreight International Auckland as a Customs Junior. Walking into the open plan office with my shirt tucked in and shoes shined felt different for me.  I was used to strolling into class wearing the school uniform whichever way it ended up on me that morning. At school I knew my teachers as ‘Ms' or ‘Sir' so calling Team Leaders and Managers by their first name was a big change.

From the first day everybody has been so welcoming and tolerated every mistake I made and silly question I asked.  

After five months I changed roles and became the LCL Seafreight Delivery Co-Ordinator. I plan to continue working with the Customs Team, start and complete University whilst hopefully obtaining my Customs Broker PIN number.  My long term goal is to be in Sales and possibly work in the USA for Mainfreight.