Forklift News - Meetings increase knowledge on supply chains

Lance Hockridge, CEO of Queensland Rail

The International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association (ICHCA) will hold luncheon meetings in Victoria on 19 May and in NSW on 22 May.

The meetings serve to increase knowledge of ways to improve the efficiency and economy in the handling and movement of goods, from origin to destination, by all modes and at all phases on the transport chain.

Guest speaker at the Victoria meeting is John Begley, chairman of the Victorian Freight and Logistics Council, who will speak about moving cargo in Victoria in an address titled "What the state needs to meet the challenges ahead".

Grant Gilfillan, CEO of Sydney Ports Corporation, is the guest speaker at the NSW luncheon and will be discussing the future direction for Sydney.

At a luncheon meeting held in Brisbane a fortnight ago, guest speaker Lance Hockridge, CEO of Queensland Rail (QR) outlined bold plans for growth of the organisation amid predictions that national freight demands will more than double by 2020.

Hockridge said the organisation was hoping to capture up to 30% of the AUD5 billion intermodal market. "We currently have around 10%, so it’s going to take a concerted focus for us to achieve those goals."

He said one of the keys to future success will lie in the optimisation of supply chains and the creation of better value for the customer. "We have embraced the concept of intermodalism as the way of the future and now we need to respond with the solutions."

He listed infrastructure as the key starting point for rail to rise to the challenges. "With the recent establishment of the Infrastructure Australia Advisory Council, rail will come under even closer scrutiny for its role in a national approach to solving the nation’s transport needs.

"QR will be watching closely and, where possible, having input into the decision making for future investment in infrastructure."

Hockridge said that QR has the potential to double the size of the business – in terms of tonnage, revenue and profit - within the next five years. "Our vision is to be the national transport and logistics industry leader by 2012."

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