Sydney-based Lovatt Transport has a long and proud history of working with Freighter. Lovatt’s Managing Director Billy Lovatt purchased two 40-foot flat top trailers and two 41ft Tautliners from Freighter nearly 40 years ago. Since then it is the relationship with the MaxiTRANS team and faith in the quality of the Freighter product they make that has made the veteran road transport operator stick exclusively with the brand. On the 75th anniversary of Freighter, we talk to Billy about his journey with the brand.
Lovatt Transport specialises in container transport, general cartage, logistics and storage services. For seven consecutive years starting from 2012, the business was ranked the top large carrier for best operational performance at the ports by Sydney Ports Corporation. “At the beginning I used to put 80 hours in over six days a week driving and servicing my equipment. Today, we move containers all around greater Sydney and occasionally country New South Wales. That’s what is rewarding about running your own company – you get out of it what you put in,” Billy says.
Lovatt Transport currently operates a trusting and modern fleet of Volvo prime movers and Freighter trailers. “We currently own 47 Freighter trailers which include B-double combinations, 40ft retractable trailers, 40ft skel trailers and Tautliners.”
“Our journey with Freighter began in the eighties. Since then I’ve only bought Freighter.”
What made Lovatt Transport stick with the brand over the years is the fact that Freighter trailers are a locally-manufactured product and right up the top of the list when it comes to reliability. “We are still with them because we are very pleased with their quality and performance. We rate Freighter as the number one trailer brand in the market so we never buy any other product. They’re good Australian-made trailers, they are reliable and do the job for Lovatt,” Billy says.
“We have a great relationship with MaxiTRANS through their representative Ian Kelly, who ensures the product we order is delivered.”
The skel model features a lightweight chassis, side loader pads, rocker foot landing legs, swinging tyre carrier, rear splash guards and auto slack adjusters. It is ideally designed to suit over height containers – a big tick for Lovatt Transport needs. Meanwhile, the retractable skeletal trailers offer the flexibility to carry various sizes of containers thanks to its different positions of operation: fully extended, semi extended, and retracted. “Over the years their design and functionality has improved. Now they have rollers on their 40ft retractable that has solved a lot of issues for us.”
Freighter’s wide range of quality, heavy-duty trailers are capable of assisting in all types of freight tasks. Combining over 75 years of knowledge and capability, Freighter finds innovative ways to ensure reliable, safer and more efficient operations.
“All our vehicles are reviewed for replacement every five years so that the fleet not only retains efficiency and reliability, but that we also remain conscious of keeping abreast of all environmental advances. We buy the same trailers with our specs all the time and our experience with Freighter has always been great and over the years it has enhanced even further as they manage unbeatable quality control and further advancements in their products. The paint work technique they use now is second to none. We are very happy with the service workshop and how they take care of my company. I wouldn’t go anywhere else for trailers,” Billy says.
