An impressive site visit to The SCT Group in Altona hosted by Pat Kerin, SCT Chief Operating Officer. The SCT Group is a great Australian family freight and logistics success story. It has been a few years since I visited and the infrastructure improvements since that time are impressive.
The SCT Group was established in 1974 by industry stalwart Peter Smith as an East/West rail operator. In 1995, The SCT Group became the first private rail operator in Australia on the main interstate corridor between Melbourne and Perth.
Since that time it has grown into a national, multi-modal transport and logistics company – rail to road, dry freight, refrigerated or bulk. Still owned by the Smith family, it now has offices/terminals in every major capital city as well as many important regional locations.
The SCT Group is also working closely with the Port of Melbourne Port Rail Transformation Project, which is aimed at moving more containers by rail to and from the port. In June, The SCT Group operated their first Port Rail Shuttle via their new eastern connection, a major infrastructure project for SCT that commenced more than three years ago. The connection provides departure lines direct to the Port precinct and the mainline for Brisbane/Adelaide/Perth-bound services and will increase capacity and productivity at the Altona Intermodal facility.
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The Smith family are still integrally involved in the business with Geoff Smith Managing Director, Glenn Smith, CEO and founder Peter Smith an active Director of the Board, which is Chaired by well known Victorian business identity Mark Stone AM.
Each year our infrastructure operators, transport companies and logistics experts deliver about four billion tonnes of goods across Australia – that is 163 tonnes of freight for every person. Melbourne alone requires approximately 15,000 tonnes of food to be delivered every day. It’s important for a range of economic, and social reasons that rail continues to be an important player in that market.
Thanks to Geoff Smith and MATT ERYUREK for organising the briefing.
