Barker Trailers wins VTA award
Matthews Steer congratulates the team at Barker Trailers for winning the ‘Investment in People’ Award at the Victorian Transport Association’s twenty-ninth Australian Freight Industry Awards (AFIA).
Brothers and skilled tradesmen, Ernie and Arthur Barker, began manufacturing custom semi trailers in Woodend in 1974. Since those humble beginnings they have expanded to more than 200 employees and a total factory size of more than 30,000 square meters in Woodend and Maryborough.
More than 10,000 trailers, and 44 years later, the business has remained steadfast in its passion for building great trailers with great craftsmanship, for great customers, underpinned by great people.
Since becoming a client in July 2016, we’re proud to have helped the Barker Trailers team navigate the challenges of their journey in what is now a third generationfamily business.
As a local manufacturer of world-class semi trailers, Barker has always prized craftsmanship and placed significant value on its people, investing heavily in safety, skills, diversity, leadership and partnership. That commitment has underpinned their expansion and sustained success.
“It truly is an honour to be recognised among industry peers for our investment in people, who are – by far – our most valuable asset,” said Barker Trailers CEO, Simon Meadows. “Congratulations to the team at Barker Trailers, and thanks also to the Victorian Transport Association, who do a wonderful job across the industry.”
The AFI Awards are among the most coveted accolades in the Australian transport industry, recognising achievements across a range of categories and sectors. The 2018 award winners were announced at Crown Palladium in Melbourne in August with 700 leading freight operators and delegates in attendance.
One of seven awards on the night, the ‘Investment in People’ award recognises innovative programs or initiatives that focus on recruitment and up-skilling people.
In selecting Barker Trailers as the winner of the ‘Investment In People’ award, the judges looked for whole of company approaches to training, innovative training or recruitment programs, innovative HR practices, career pathway strategies, or succession planning.