Linfox’s accomplishments are founded in the dedication of our people, the trust and support of our valued customers, and innovative collaboration with suppliers and industry partners.
These relationships form a strong foundation for shared success, enabling us to navigate challenges, while remaining true to our purpose: to create a safe, secure, efficient, sustainable future.
Resilience in the face of uncertainty
We are living in challenging times. Two years of high inflation and rising interest rates in Australia and New Zealand have depleted consumers’ discretionary spending. Many people are doing it tough.
Adding to this, rising geopolitical tensions, including intensifying turmoil in the Middle East, a faltering Chinese economy, and global market volatility, is dampening consumer confidence and creating greater economic uncertainty.
Trust has become one of our most important attributes, as we continue to do what we do best – ensuring the community has access to essential goods such as food, medicine and fuel.
Careful planning and strategic decision making have ensured we are in a strong financial position, thanks to robust capital and long-term investment in property and fleet. While not immune to challenging times, our business is resilient and reliable even during these uncertain times.
Our sustainability journey
Fifteen years ago, I attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15). It was a perspective-shifting experience which changed the way Linfox operates.
Linfox is now well into our sustainability journey, having made our first commitments in 2007. We continue to invest in our electric fleet, creating sustainable warehouses, and moving freight onto rail.
In collaboration with long-term partner, Volvo Trucks Australia, we recently welcomed two battery electric prime movers to our fleet – the Volvo FH Electric and FM Electric – the largest and newest available in the Australian market.
Linfox has been an early adopter of electric trucks, having successfully operated a fleet of electric rigid vehicles for three years.
These two vehicles are just the beginning of our electric vehicle expansion plans, and I look forward to announcing exciting developments in the coming months.
No journey however is without its barriers and setbacks, and more needs to be done by us, the industry and government, if we are to realise our goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
We continue to work with partners, including the Electric Vehicle Council and the Australian Logistics Council, to advocate for heavy vehicle electric charging stations and a unified approach to access route maps to allow heavy-duty BEVs to travel interstate.
As we acknowledge our progress, I remain acutely aware of the need for further innovation and investment.
Psychosocial hazards: asking the hard questions
We must involve our people in the conversation, if we are to deliver on our commitment to provide a physically and psychologically safe working environment.
Earlier this year, we conducted Linfox’s largest and most comprehensive wellbeing survey.
The survey asked team members to identify and rank workplace psychosocial hazards. It was completed by more than half our workforce across 150 sites in Australia and New Zealand.
Overall, the results were generally positive, despite the identification of some localised issues and risks. Importantly, we identified several key themes and, armed with these insights, we will address them head-on through targeted workshops, training and resources.
These efforts will be supported by existing initiatives, including organisation-wide mental health training, new partnerships with specialist psychological counselling services in Australia and New Zealand and our continued partnership with Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds.
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey for sharing your experience of working at Linfox.
Linfox International Group continues growth
I am pleased to announce that our team in Thailand has begun construction of a state-of-the-art facility in Bangkok. This flexible new development is designed to service customer partners in the quick-service restaurant and cold chain sectors, with the potential to expand into temperature-controlled healthcare services in the future.
The first phase of the build, set to be completed in June 2026, will accommodate 28,000 pallets across multiple temperature zones, offering potential for further expansion.
The distribution centre will be Linfox’s first wholly-owned facility in Thailand and will significantly enhance our cold chain warehousing and distribution capabilities in the region.
The project builds on the success of our ambient facility in Hanoi, Vietnam, which caters to a major multinational FMCG customer, as well as several retail clients.
Early this year, I was honoured to separately meet with the prime ministers of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos as part of the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in Melbourne.
During our conversations, I reiterated Linfox International Group’s commitment to our South East Asian operations and to building a safe, efficient and reliable supply chain.
I was also honoured to be announced as one of ten Business Champions to represent Australian interests in ASEAN nations. I have been assigned to Thailand, where Linfox has proudly operated since 1993.
Additionally, I am proud to share some exciting news. Linfox has been recognised with four prestigious awards at the recent Spirit of Australia Awards, hosted by the Australian Thai Chamber of Commerce (AustCham) in Thailand.
- Most Outstanding Company Award: This award acknowledges Linfox as a multinational company for excellence in operations, multinational presence, and contributions to the business community. It celebrates global leadership, cross-border contributions, and social responsibility.
- CSR Community Service Award: The award celebrates measurable contributions, CSR integration into business strategy, and meaningful engagement.
- Excellence in Manufacturing, Export & Logistics: Linfox is honoured for exceptional success in international trade. The award recognises significant growth, effective export strategies, partnerships, and positive impacts on the local economy and brand recognition.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award: This award recognises Linfox’s dedication to an exceptional workplace. It prioritises employee wellbeing, fosters an inclusive culture, and provides opportunities for growth.
All of these awards reflect the hard work, dedication, and innovative spirit our team in Asia bring to our company. Your collective efforts and commitment have truly made a difference. I cannot express enough how proud I am of our team for achieving such remarkable recognition.
Finally, I want to acknowledge and thank the thousands of Linfox people who continue to navigate the challenges of our industry with resilience, teamwork and commitment.
