Once a household name in general freight, Freightways has evolved into a logistics giant. We trace its journey through New Zealand Couriers, the company’s flagship brand.
When I was a teenager, Freightways were an iconic transport company with an equally iconic orange and red livery. A few years later Freightways became Freightways Express, and a somewhat less desirable plain white livery was adopted.
When Freightways Express ceased operating as a general freight carrier, the once ‘world famous in New Zealand’ name disappeared from our roads.
So, what happened to Freightways when these trucks disappeared? In the background the Freightways Group turned into one of New Zealand’s biggest providers of express package services. The group acquired many familiar brands, utilising hundreds of vehicles ranging from cars and vans to full size truck and trailer units (not to mention aircraft).
We are going to look at the trucking side of the group, and in the first instalment we are featuring Freightways’ flagship brand, New Zealand Couriers (NZC).
Freightways acquired NZC in 1977, but the company was actually founded in 1964 when Jim Corkill started the company with two Auckland based courier vans. Several years and a couple of joint ventures later NZC became New Zealand’s first national courier services carrier.
Contractors have been used throughout the supply chain and that model remains to this day with single owner operators through to large fleet owners contracting to NZC throughout the company network. Over the last few decades linehaul contractors have primarily opted for European trucks with Volvo and Scania being heavily represented through the ranks.
Today, NZC have 22 branches nationwide, run more than 500 courier vans, 70 trucks and four cargo planes that cover an impressive 99.9% of New Zealand. NZC also have a guaranteed overnight delivery service to all the main centres and remain one of the most recognised courier brands in the country.
Next month, we take a look at some more transport arms of the Freightways brands, which includes some other large courier company names.
Images by Dean Middleton