in for the long haul

1024 682 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Herb Blanchard Haulage

373 Fry St, Grafton, NSW 2460

www.blanchard.com.au

Visit Clarence Valley Northern Rivers-01
in for the long haul

If you happen to be in the ‘jacaranda city’ of Grafton or its surrounds and you see a big blue truck out on the roads, the chances are its part of the Herb Blanchard Haulage fleet.

These iconic vehicles are likely to be transporting power poles for one of several clients that serve the vital infrastructure of the Northern Rivers.

“Our major customer supplies the electricity industry with timber power poles across the eastern states of Australia,” says Herb Blanchard Haulage CEO, Robert Blanchard.

Robert is the son of the business’s founders, Herb and Noreen, who started out in 1955 with just one truck driving fresh fish between the Northern Rivers and Brisbane. The Grafton-based company now employs about 30 people and has even established a separate arm of the business, Blanchard’s Bricks and Pavers, serving the local building industry.

“My mother, my brother and I took over the running of the business from our dad after his passing in 1984,” says Robert. “The business has grown significantly over this time thanks to gradual growth as well as business acquisitions.”

Herb Blanchard Haulage is firmly at the heart of Grafton’s community. In 2015 the company’s sponsorship of the Grafton Cup race meet resulted in the cup being named the Blanchard Haulage Cup for that year, while the business takes its role as both a service and an employer in the Northern Rivers very seriously.

“While we know just how important our customers are, we also never underestimate our employees and how much they give to the business.”

He adds that the growing population in the Northern Rivers is helping businesses such as his to thrive. As the area expands, Robert believes, “more goods and services will be required to build more homes and industry.”

As a long-term resident and businessman in the region, Robert is well placed to gauge how far the Northern Rivers, and the Clarence Valley in particular, has changed over the decades – and now seems to be as good a time as ever to be operating in this idyllic area.

“People are moving here so the construction industry is in good health and we also are seeing the benefits of the Pacific Highway upgrade, along with the second bridge over the Clarence River in Grafton and the new Grafton Correctional Centre.

“All of these major infrastructure projects are adding to the Clarence economy strength.”

Just remember the basics, says Robert: “Be close with your accountant, be close with your bank manager and have good, reliable suppliers.”

Share this story

Read more stories

building a good reputation

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Brett Harley
When the only pub in town burns to the ground, it’s a big responsibility being the one chosen to rebuild it. The success of Uki’s new Mt Warning…

tripadeal_byron_bay

fastest growing, remains humble and local

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

TripADeal
For TripADeal, the figures speak for themselves: revenue in excess of $100million for 2017; 75,000 travellers sent to various…

From cobblestones to all-terrain cranes

 1200 900 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Wicks and Parker
Fast approaching 100 years old, the Wicks family business has helped build motorways and carry out emergency bushfire repairs, but it once hammered out steel bands for horse-drawn carriage wheels.

Hovering across the wave of success

 1139 749 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Fliteboard
It was meant to be an extended break for David Trewern and his family. A chance to rest and reset in Byron Bay after decades of building and selling fast-growing digital marketing agencies. But as he looked out over Belongil beach in 2014, an idea struck him.

biggy pop sings support for matilda

 2048 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital
In 2020, Iggy Pop received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys; in the same year his pet cockatoo, named Biggy Pop, became the founding patron of Byron Wildlife Hospital…

A community cornerstone bouncing forward

 2048 1260 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Coraki Post Office
For all that has been thrown at the small town of Coraki in recent times, the owners of the town’s post office are rolling with the punches.

the power of the win-win-win sustainability approach

 2560 1707 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

ENV Solutions
In less than seven years environmental consultancy ENV Solutions has grown from a one-man band in Ballina to a multi-award winning business with more than 25 staff across three locations…

meme productions featured image

world class creatives

 1000 750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Mememe Productions
The piece of advice that dirtgirlworld creator, Cate McQuillen, likes to share with other creative entrepreneurs in the region tells much about her story…

Feeding Pets with a Passion for Purpose

 1947 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Frontier Pets
Diana Scott was more than a bit annoyed at being unable to find a premium quality food for her dogs that was also ethically produced, so she did what all great entrepreneurs do – she created it.

northern_lights _ballina_northern_rivers_001

let there be light

 2000 1333 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Northern Light
“I eat a pot of honey every day and I’ve been stung more than 70,000 times,” says Jeffrey Gibbs, founder of Northern Light, an organic beeswax…

Townsend taproom breakthrough brews

 1123 627 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Sanctus Brewing Co.
When Sanctus Brewing Co. began life in 2019, there was no indication that the brewery would go on to enjoy the immense success it has over the last three years.

Delivering top service, come hospital or high water

 870 652 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

McLeans Freight Service
When Leisa Blok’s father, Laurie McLean, began running urgent nighttime blood deliveries from Lismore airport in 1992, he mightn’t have expected the one-man gig to expand into a 50-vehicle courier fleet, delivering across the entire northern NSW region.

Keeping it real in the Tweed

 1706 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Tweed Real Food
Tweed Real Food is a business launched in 2018 from a desire to be resilient. Little did founder Julia Foyster know how prescient her plan would turn out to be.

glass lab tweed heads 002

riding the wave of success

 1000 661 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

The Glass Lab
Adam Wessel may have worked in surfboard factories since the age of 16, but it was a stint in the luxury yachting industry that sowed the…

Three generations of style

 940 627 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Scarboroughs
Running a small clothing shop in a country town is a fine art. It requires balance, delicacy and an open mind to serve the needs of locals, tourists, the area’s workers and more.

Dance call for Kyogle

 1473 828 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Ascent Dance
Starting a dance school just five weeks before the onset of a pandemic might have dampened the spirits of some new business owners, but Haylee Holliday took it as a sign that Ascent Dance Studio had to succeed.

Brothers spirit and legacy lives on

 1920 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

J. Notaras & Sons
J. Notaras & Sons owes its existence, strong identity and ongoing success to the dreams of two brothers of Greek ancestry.

growing community, growing business

 1600 1066 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

The Farm
It’s a typical Saturday morning at The Farm, on the outskirts of Byron Bay. Families line up for freshly made pastry and coffee. Every table in the…

You can judge a book by its cover

 1440 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Charlie & Fox
When Jess Tunnage’s mother-in-law gave her a sewing machine for Christmas a few years ago, she had no idea how to use it.

grafton_physio_business_story_001

let’s get physical

 2000 1165 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Grafton Physio + Sport
You know you’re in good hands when you visit your physiotherapist and she turns out to be a world-class athlete. That’s the case for those who…

Start Typing

X