Major trucking company announces shock closure as brutal message is sent to its 300 staff

Don Watson Transport will wind up operations after 77 years of trucking, with an internal memo revealing bosses no longer believed the business to be viable. 

The family company had more than 300 staff operating 310 vehicles nationwide. The company covered an estimated 22million kilometres per year. 

The company will make final collections on Monday and drivers will finish their last trips with the business this week. 

The company began in Melbourne as a stock transport company using ex-military Austins in 1948. It later expanded across the nation’s east coast. 

The business was passed down to the third generation of the Watson family and most recently managed cold storage and refrigerated transport nationwide.

Managing director Lyndon Watson confirmed the closure to staff in a memo last week. 

‘We understand that this may come as a shock but we have formed the view that is simply no longer possible to continue to operate,’ the memo read.

‘To be clear, all employees will be impacted by this decision.

‘All employees (that are made redundant) will receive all of their entitlements in full in accordance with the terms of relevant legislation and enterprise agreements.’

The company transported a large amounts of chilled and frozen meats and vegetables, conducting business with several large export meat processors in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.

More to come.