Followmont Legacy

Followmont Transport legacy itself begins 36 years ago when it was co-founded by Bernard Tobin and Alan Salpietro. For 25 years they guided and built the company on an ethos of hard work and strong customer service. More than ten years ago, the four shareholders of the company which includes Managing Director and CEO Mark Tobin, realised the importance of healthy leadership, the significance of having a roadmap and agreed to a goal of working smarter rather than harder.

That was a watershed moment for the business which from that point underwent a seismic change. While the foundation of the business remains service, its legacy now revolves around its people having a real sense of belonging to a family business including the values that come with it.

“Our business has transitioned, as has our legacy,” says Mark. “Our legacy today, whilst the foundation is still service, is around our people having a sense of belonging to a family business and our people feeling empowered, educated and inspired by leadership as opposed to having it demanded by leadership.” Underpinning this is the notion of care — caring at once for one and other and customers while acknowledging everyone is only as good as their last delivery and therefore, last interaction.

The Leadership Conference included a special reveal of the 100th anniversary Legacy Mack Super-Liner. Mack, as part of customising each of the commemorative trucks, made available a year from every one of its last 100. Followmont selected 2016, the same year Mark purchased Followmont thus preventing it from being sold to Toll.

“Where we are now we can be seen as one of the top transport businesses in Australia,” he says. “That is why we celebrate with the newest addition to the fleet family, the 100 Year Mack – Legacy.” With so many of the Followmont Transport team having a close association with the Mack over the years it is considered a fitting addition to the ever-expanding fleet.

The 11-tonne special edition Mack Super-Liner is spec’d for B-double operations. At about 8 metres long it will carry all forms of freight. Based out of Brisbane it is likely to travel up and down the whole of the eastern seaboard.

Belair Spray Painting were authorised to carry out finishing flow and clear coatings by Mack Trucks Australia on all 100th anniversary Limited Edition trucks.

Followmont and VCV Brisbane then commissioned Belair to air brush the custom Followmont branding. The design concept was put together from another print piece with a view of creating something bold that would include the emblem as well as the gradient concept. This was carried out prior to the final clear coats to preserve the artworks for the life of the truck. It’s the third truck that Brand Manager Meg Ellis has been entrusted in to project manage.

King Bars also created a one-off custom Texas Bumper for Followmont based off the original 100th anniversary bumper design. Blingman HQ carried out a few custom stainless and LED lighting creations to further enhance the vision in creating this tribute to the Legacy of the Tobin family within the Followmont team.

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Article reproduced with permission from Prime Mover Magazine. Original article published in June 2021.