Smedley's Industry Icons
In 1983, Neil Cooper joined a Victorian trailer manufacturer where he worked building trailers and truck bodies and learning his craft. At this early stage in his career, Neil wouldn’t have imagined that he would eventually be starting his own trailer building...
Smedley's Industry Icons
Through his long and celebrated career with Freighter, Ivan has seen many major industry changes, ranging from the launch of the first Tautliner curtain-sider in Australia, to the introduction of the B-double. Now in his early 70s, Ivan continues to work for Freighter...
Smedley's Industry Icons
Having grown up next door to a drag racer, Ken developed a love for cars and engines. “I loved all things mechanical and still love my cars. I fell into trucks when I went to Volvo for work experience. Cars and trucks are similar by nature but I could never get over...
Smedley's Industry Icons
On 16 August 1965, Noel Beavis, a trainee draftsman, began his employment with Freighter Industries. It was an association that lasted over 16 years. “I can remember thinking, why do they need draftsman?” he recalls. “Every trailer looked the same to me. Then you get...
Smedley's Industry Icons
When Bob Edwards signed on as a heavy vehicle mechanic apprentice in 1962, he had no idea how influential his efforts would be in driving better standards for the South Australian road transport industry in the decades to follow. After a 14-year stint of maintaining...
Smedley's Industry Icons
With a background in mechanical engineering, Alex Stables arrived in Australia as a £10 migrant and worked in development of retail petrol pumps before moving his career at a nuts and bolts manufacturer in Sydney. He decided to move on when the company consolidated... 