Gary & Sandra Penn
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2010.
In the modern business world, where simple values are easily lost in competitive battle, Gary and Sandra Penn are unique. Their family transport business was built and continues to succeed on a few basic and some might say, old fashioned principles. Truck & Bus Magazine.
Gary and Sandra Penn established Penn's Cartage Contractors in 1969 with Gary's brother Neil. With a couple of secondhand Bedfords and a Chevy Maple Leaf, they hauled just about everything that went into and out of rural stations from general freight to livestock, wool and fuel. 1975 saw Gary and Sandra take the business on their own and over the past 35 years have cemented their place in the West Australian transport industry. The first big truck, a Mercedes Benz 1418 prime mover was purchased in 1976. The second 1418 bought still works today pulling a dog trailer and carting fuel and has travelled over 1,528,000 kilometres, many of these on arguably some of the roughest and most remote roads in Australia.
In between raising five children (all involved with the business) Sandra helped Gary with the driving, doing fork and crane lifts around Kalgoorlie and managed the bookkeeping. Gary became a committee member of the Livestock Transporters Association of WA and in 1995 he was awarded the Jack Mitchell Award for outstanding contribution to the livestock industry. As years passed Gary and Sandra diversified by taking on bulk fuel, heavy machinery logistics and mobile crane hire.
In 2009, Penn's Cartage was the first transport company in WA to become a fully licenced Emergency Responder with their own response trailer. All maintenance is completed onsite including engine replacements, unless under warranty. Completed in 1998, their new fully bitumenised depot at West Kalgoorlie spans over six acres.
Strong business ethics, a cash only policy when acquiring assets and a dedicated marriage has seen the steady growth and success of a disciplined and viable business with the ability to provide the best customer service.
