Mainfreight Limited

Infobox_Company
company_name = Mainfreight Limited
company_
company_type = Public (nzx|MFT)
company_slogan = Special People, Special Company
foundation = 1978
location = Auckland, New Zealand
key_people = Don Braid, Managing Director
Richard Prebble, Director
Bruce Plested, Chairman & Founder
industry = Trucking
Transport
num_employees = 3,193
products = Transport
Logistics
revenue = NZD $965 million
homepage = [http://www.mainfreight.com/ www.mainfreight.com]

Mainfreight Limited (nzx|MFT) is a New Zealand based trucking and logistics firm operating in Australia, China, the United States of America and New Zealand. The firm was founded in 1978 by Bruce Plested who was later joined by Neil Graham. When the firm was founded, it entered a highly regulated transport market. To carry freight over 150km you would need a special licence from the New Zealand Railways Corporation. When deregulation of land transport occurred in 1982, the firm quickly took advantage of the new opportunities presented and won a large percentage of the share of the freight market. Currently, the New Zealand arm of Mainfreight operates over 500 trucks in its various divisions.

The firm listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 1996. Former Minister of Railways Richard Prebble is a director of Mainfreight.

Mainfreight Distribution

The firm's domestic freight and logistics business in Australia arm, Mainfreight Distribution, was founded in 1989, with an operation in Sydney. This operation was expanded with by depots in Melbourne and Brisbane. They now have over twenty branches in Australia.

Mainfreight International

Mainfreight International is Mainfreight's first international sea and airfreight business and was started in 1984 by Bruce Plested's brother Gerald. They established agencies in the early days with Australian, Pacific Island and United States freight forwarders and the established agents in most major trading partner countries of New Zealand. With the takeover of Australian Freight Forwarder ISS Express lines in 1998 they established the Australian International freight business. With the takeover of the Owens group in 2003 they merged Owens International Australia with Mainfreight International to make Mainfreight Owens International Pty. In 2006 the New Zealand Mainfreight International and Owens International businesses were also merged to make Mainfreight Owens International Ltd. Mainfreight has International operations in the USA through its CaroTrans International Inc business, in Asia (four branches China and one in Hong Kong) and in the United Kingdom through Owens.

Owens takeover

In 2003 Mainfreight brought Owens Group Limited, one of New Zealand's largest trucking firms. This takeover was in response to the purchase of Tranz Rail by Australian transport firm Toll Holdings.

ee also

* Transport in New Zealand

External links

* [http://www.mainfreight.co.nz Mainfreight - New Zealand]
* [http://www.mainfreight.com Mainfreight's website]
* [http://www.carotrans.com CaroTrans's website]
* [http://www.mainfreight.com.au Mainfreight Australia's website]
* [http://www.mainfreightinternational.com.au Mainfreight International website]
* [http://www.carotransoceania.com.au Carotrans Oceania website]