Two of Primary Connect’s long-standing transport partners have been formally recognised at the eighth annual Primary Connect Virtual Transport Safety Day for outstanding performance in safety, compliance and service.
Jim Pearson Transport and Goldstar Transport awarded carriers of the year by Woolworths Primary Connect. Primary Connect operates one of Australia’s largest supply chains with more than 7,000 truck movements per day for Woolworths Group.
Jim Pearson Transport was awarded Large Carrier of the Year while Goldstar Transport was awarded Small Carrier of the Year. This is the second time Jim Pearson Transport has been awarded Large Carrier of the Year having received the accolade in 2014.
Jim Pearson, Managing Director and owner of Jim Pearson Transport, said the recognition was very exciting and unexpected.
“It’s always a great honour to receive this award. We try very hard every year to achieve it and have come close most years,” Jim said.
“We were recognised as an essential service and the role we played in the community. It’s a credit to the extraordinary efforts of our team throughout COVID. They were focused on what needed to get done and were the first to roll up their sleeves when communities needed essentials.”
The team quickly learned how to be COVIDsafe and adapted to a new way of working, whether it was wearing masks to enter a distribution centre or office staff working from home. For three months, volume levels were comparable to Christmas levels due to increased demand during COVID. Last summer’s bushfires also created additional transport and storage requirements for the business.
With its 260 prime movers and 400 B-double trailers, Jim Pearson Transport delivers inbound into our Sydney, Wyong and Brisbane distribution centres and outbound to our Supermarkets, Metro, BWS and Dan Murphy’s stores in NSW and QLD.
Jim Pearson Transport began its partnership with Woolworths in 1999. This year Jim Pearson Transport moved 1.4 million pallets for Woolworths and completed 47,000 loads.
This is the second time Goldstar Transport has been awarded Small Carrier of the Year after receiving the accolade in 2016.
Sean Carren, Managing Director of Goldstar Transport, said the award recognised all the good work his team had achieved during COVID and thinking about the end customer and what they needed.
“It’s a big accolate to even get nominated but to win it this year is very special for us,” Sean said. “I take so much pride in our people and the job that we do.
Sean said this year showed just how important the transport industry was in our communities after being declared to the nation as an essential service.
Goldstar Transport also has a passion for encouraging women, young people and people from diverse cultural backgrounds in transport.
Goldstar Transport began partnering with Primary Connect in 2012 and operates out of Kewdale in WA. It services our Perth Regional Distribution Centre (PRDC) with inbound and outbound deliveries. Temperature controlled transport is a new investment for Goldstar Transport as part of its growing partnership with Woolworths.
Chris Brooks, General Manager Domestic and International Transport for Primary Connect, said both carriers had demonstrated an unwavering commitment to safety, compliance and service throughout this unprecedented year.
“Both Jim Pearson Transport and Goldstar Transport have played an integral role in helping us provide our customers with essential items during the pandemic and we couldn’t be prouder of our partnerships,” Chris said.
“As a collective transport function within the ecosystem of Australia’s largest food and drinks supply chain, we’ve overcome many challenges together.
“Together we have been able to support the needs of the community while continuing to put safety first. On behalf of Primary Connect and the Woolworths Group, we thank you.”
The awards were held virtually on 9 December 2020 with carrier partner representatives and industry professionals attending the live stream.
Primary Connect delivers to more than 3,000 Supermarkets, Metro, BIG W, BWS and Dan Murphy’s stores nationwide and relies on its 66 carriers to ensure products arrive freshly and safely in stores for our customers.