LIFELINE: Charters Refrigerated Transport is closing its Tamworth depot. Manager Darryl Collister and driver Gary Fairbairn inside the Barnes St depot which will cease operations at the end of the month. Photo: Geoff O’Neill 120912GOE02
A LIFELINE has been offered to seven Tamworth staff who will be out of work following the closure of a 45-year-old refrigerated trucking business.
Charter Freightlines and Storage Pty Ltd, which has depots in Queensland, Coffs Harbour and Tamworth is ceasing operations at the end of the month.
Tamworth depot manager Darryl Collister, who has been employed with the company nine years, said the news, delivered at a staff meeting last week, was “upsetting.”
“We didn’t get much warning, but it was out of our hands,” Mr Collister said.
In a letter delivered to the company’s staff and customers, chief executive officer Paul Campbell said the decision was made reluctantly, but was primarily due to the health concerns of one of the company’s directors.
Stressing the closure was voluntary, Mr Campbell said every effort had been made to transfer staff employment.
Since news of the closure spread, another major player in the Tamworth transport industry has stepped in, with Carey’s Freight Lines inviting applications from the five full-time and two casual employees from Charters.
Carey’s has a staff of 130, operating from a Taminda base and running 60 trucks per day on routes between Tamworth, Sydney and Brisbane.
“It’s definitely good news for our staff,” Mr Collister said.
Planning a barbecue lunch for their last day of operation on September 28, Mr Collister said he wanted to personally thank all the company’s customers in Armidale, Walcha and Tamworth.