National freight business SCT Logistics has marked two years in the Scenic Rim by more than doubling freight volumes through the terminal and quadrupling its workforce.
SCT Logistics started with 5000 dry tonnes a week and no container freight at its Bromelton facility in January 2017 and is now averaging 12000 dry tonnes and more than 120 containers per week.
The Bromelton site now provides 115 full-time jobs, up from 34 when it first opened.
SCT’s thriving presence at Bromelton came about after owners the Smith family decided to build on land they had previously acquired in the area.
SCT Logistics is now the signature logistics tenant in the Bromelton State Development Area, sitting on a 130 HA site. The company’s continued growth in the Scenic Rim has not been without its challenges (namely the single-lane Mt Lindesay Highway) but SCT has got its eyes on a bright and efficient future.
Eyes on inland rail
When SCT Logistics State Manager Kevin Turnbull sits in the Bromelton boardroom, he sees the site’s future illustrated on the wall in the form of a double-stacked train.
The future, as SCT Logistics sees it, is in longer trains and double stacking.
Their future is inland rail, and inland rail is what they have built in preparation for.
“In a nutshell, inland rail equals efficiency and that’s our vision for the future,” said Mr Turnbull.
SCT: where people want to work
When growth is so strong and the future so optimistic, it’s little wonder people want a job at SCT Logistics.
Two years in, interest in working at SCT Logistics is still high.
“We still haven’t had to advertise, and we endeavour to employ people in the Scenic Rim and surrounds,” said Mr Turnbull.
“People visit us every day wanting to leave their resume. A lot of Scenic Rim people would love to work closer to where they live.
“They’re just coming to us because they see it as a good opportunity. We put a fair bit of time into training and development.”
The company’s focus on training and development resonates strongly with Mr Turnbull, who was a 28-year-old tradie when he got his start in transport as a salesman in 1980.
He has been in the industry ever since, working for TNT Australia, K&S Freighters and Linfox before he joined SCT.
Opportunities like nowhere else
Forklift driver Mark Myatt, 22, is one of SCT Logistics’ staff success stories.
“Mark has become a fantastic forklift driver, he’s proud of himself and he’s doing well – Mark’s a classic example of development here,” said Mr Turnbull.
Mr Myatt said he had learned skills he wouldn’t have been able to learn anywhere else locally.
“I gained my forklift license externally, but I’ve learned how to unload a rail wagon and how to load a truck – I could not do that elsewhere around Beaudesert,” said Mr Myatt.
“It’s the conditions, environment and people that make me want to come to work each day.”
Forging strong local connections
From the start, SCT Logistics has forged strong connections with local Indigenous communities.
Before the company even stripped the topsoil to start constructing its Bromelton centre, it engaged with local groups about the cultural significance of the site.
Local Elders were on site during topsoil stripping to look for items of cultural significance, and these items are now on proud display in a purpose-built cabinet that each visitor is able to view as they enter the SCT site reception.
In consultation with the Elders, works were adjusted to avoid food trees and suspected graves, and local Elders and community leaders were part of the official opening.
It’s a connection Mr Turnbull is proud to have forged, along with the company’s other community connections.
Building capacity
Mr Turnbull said it was important to be prepared for growth.
“We’ll get to this time next year and the 12,000 tonnes we’re averaging now will be 17,000. We can move it! It’s just a matter of gearing up with additional rail services, labour and trucks,” he said.
“We operate 24 hours a day, five days a week as a minimum, and currently our business is at a point where we move nearly as much freight at night as we do during the day.”
Mr Turnbull said the company’s growth at Bromelton had been bolstered by take-up from key Queensland brands along with large national and global manufacturers and retailers.
He said the sheer size of the Bromelton facility enabled efficient shifting of freight.
“Being able to get the train in a straight line through the shed, is a huge advantage and means we don’t require as much in terminal train shunting as some other sites,” he said.
Future looks great
As the amount of freight being shifted through the Bromelton facility continues to grow, so too do SCT Logistics’ plans for what’s next.
In the near future, they plan to double the size of their container handling area and install a refrigeration facility.
Mr Turnbull said the team at SCT Bromelton was always looking out for new opportunities.
“We’ve had multiple enquiries from notable clients, and as time goes on we will see more customers set up here,” he said.
“I’m very confident the future is positive at SCT Bromelton.”
