Primary Connect – the supply chain arm of Woolworths – awarded Jim Pearson Transport and Goldstar Transport at the eighth annual Primary Connect Virtual Transport Safety Day for their outstanding performance in safety, compliance and service.
Held yesterday, the event recognised Jim Pearson Transport as Large Carrier of the Year, while Goldstar Transport was awarded Small Carrier of the Year.
Jim Pearson, Managing Director and owner of Jim Pearson Transport, who had also received the same accolade back in 2014, said the recognition was very exciting and unexpected.
“It’s always a great honour to receive this award. We try very hard every year to achieve it and have come close most years,” Pearson said.
“We were recognised as an essential service and the role we played in the community. It’s a credit to the extraordinary efforts of our team throughout COVID,” he said.
Pearson continued that their team were focused on what needed to get done and were the first to roll up their sleeves when communities needed essentials.
In a statement, Primary Connect said the team quickly learned how to be COVID–safe and adapted to a new way of working, whether it was wearing masks to enter a distribution centre or office staff working from home.
For three months, volume levels were comparable to Christmas levels due to increased demand during COVID. Last summer’s bushfires also created additional transport and storage requirements for the business.
Sean Carren, Managing Director of Goldstar Transport, said the award recognised all the good work his team had achieved during COVID and thinking about the end customer and what they needed.
“It’s a big accolade to even get nominated but to win it this year is very special for us,” Carren said.
“I take so much pride in our people and the job that we do,” he said.
“Everyone wanted to show up and do a good job safely and adhere to the new procedures, even when they were changing daily.”
Carren said this year showed just how important the transport industry was in our communities after being declared to the nation as an essential service.
Goldstar Transport has also received the same award twice, once back in 2016.
Chris Brooks, General Manager Domestic and International Transport for Primary Connect, said both carriers had demonstrated an unwavering commitment to safety, compliance and service throughout this unprecedented year.
“Both Jim Pearson Transport and Goldstar Transport have played an integral role in helping us provide our customers with essential items during the pandemic and we couldn’t be prouder of our partnerships,” Brooks said.
“As a collective transport function within the ecosystem of Australia’s largest food and drinks supply chain, we’ve overcome many challenges together,” he said.
He continued that together they have been able to support the needs of the community while continuing to put safety first.
“On behalf of Primary Connect and the Woolworths Group, we thank you,” Brooks said.