When your business is logistics, efficiency is always of the essence. That’s why Sean Carren, managing director of Goldstar Transport, reckons joining Capricorn was one of the best business decisions he ever made.
“We started this business 20 years ago with one truck and now we’ve got over 430 people employed and over 500 pieces of licensed equipment on the road,” Sean said. “Capricorn’s been a key part of our success story over the last 20 years.”
Capricorn is Australia’s largest automotive cooperative, providing access to a wide range of Preferred Suppliers, finance, operations, diagnostics and business protection products and solutions to 28,000 independent workshop owners across Australia and New Zealand. Having a Capricorn Trade Account means Members can access all the Preferred Suppliers they need and only pay one bill at the end of the month.
Goldstar Transport is a family business that opened its doors in 2004. The company provides transport, warehousing, distribution and logistics solutions across the length and breadth of Western Australia to a wide range of industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, steel and mining. Sean aims to be the benchmark for transport providers in WA. Sean said being a Capricorn Member means the business is able to access “everything we need, when we need it”.
“Capricorn provides us with instant access to everything that we need straightaway without having to go and find the particular part for a new truck or an older truck,” he said.
“It really gives our workshop a significant advantage by bringing down the number of suppliers that we have to deal with. We know if they’re a Capricorn supplier, we can deal with them straightaway, get the part and get our truck back on the road. It just makes things so much easier for our team.”
Capricorn’s list of Preferred Suppliers includes workshop equipment providers and business essentials suppliers for everything from accounting services to telecommunications to training.
When Goldstar opened it had one part-time mechanic. “Back then Capricorn provided the access to a few bits and pieces we needed,” Sean said. “Now we’ve got 30 guys between two workshops, and nine apprentices.
“The training we need, the access to information, the ability to get parts, is one thing, but then to have the relationships with people to be able to get our equipment back on the road as quickly and efficiently as possible – Capricorn is a key part of that foundation of our business.”
Capricorn has solutions for a range of business needs. For example, Members can access business, home and vehicle protection and funding for purchases and business expansion. In 2022/23, Capricorn Finance assisted Members by providing $49.8 million in loans.
Being a cooperative, Capricorn is Member-owned. So, the company’s profits go back to its Members.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Capricorn,” he said. “The account managers that we’ve had over the years, how easy they make it for us to do business… how easy they make it to get our fleet back on the road. Capricorn provides us with a really good advantage.”
Sean urged other business owners in the commercial transport and logistics sector to take a close look at Capricorn to see what it can do for their businesses.