An ex-army pick-up truck and a vision to start a business and support his family were Francesco Barilla’s introduction to the waste industry.
Servicing Melbourne’s greengrocer and fresh produce markets, Francesco earned a reputation for exceptional service. Seventy years and three generations later, customer service remains the cornerstone of his legacy – Speedie Waste & Recycle.
The company has grown to cater to the wider business sector, offering waste management solutions for commercial, industrial, and domestic customers throughout Victoria and interstate. It employs 103 people and has a fleet of trucks. Francesco’s granddaughter, Jessica Barilla, is at the helm.
Ties that bind
For the past 11 years, Jessica has worked alongside her father, uncles, and cousins to build a company that is driven by sustainable practices to ensure tomorrow.
“We’ve got something to be proud of and to extend the legacy of my late grandfather,” Jessica says. “I’m here every day because of my family. It’s not just a job for me; it’s our company, and it supports my family. But more than that, it supports our staff and their families.”
Jessica cut her teeth in the business watching her father, Vince, and his brothers mould the company as waste streams and community expectations changed over the years. Still, she admits it was a learning curve when asked to take the reins.
She leaned into her family background and knowledge while gaining an understanding of the industry’s intricacies. She also drew on 11 years of management experience in the medical industry.
“When I first walked in, some people were a bit sceptical,” Jessica says. “But I got in and learnt everything my team did. I drove them up the wall at first because I sat with a notepad, watched everything, and asked lots of questions.
“Management skills are management skills; you can apply them anywhere, but a good leader should understand what their team does.”
There’s also an art to balancing a business and family. One Jessica manages with the support of her father and uncles. Being a woman in a male-dominated workplace has also made a difference.
“Women have a different type of strength, and we can balance things differently,” she says.
Moving with the times
The waste industry has changed over the past decade, with a focus on environmental, social, and governance outcomes.
Jessica says sustainability is a core value at Speedie Waste & Recycle. The company takes pride in providing exceptional service and maintaining customer relationships while helping them meet their goals.
“We’re working towards a circular economy and trying to close the loop with recycling and reducing what goes to landfill,” Jessica says.
“Our business is all about offering our customers sustainable waste and recycling options.”
That requires Speedie Waste & Recycle to innovate and adapt, including its fleet of trucks.
The company recently took delivery of two UD Quon heavy duty trucks fitted with STG Global’s Tusks front loader. The latest Volvo FM11-410 is on its way.
Australian manufacturer STG Global has built a reputation for building trucks that can navigate Australia’s versatile and sometimes tough conditions.
The company’s very first truck, a water tanker, was a combination of ingenuity and grit. The latest iterations have been described as ‘smart trucks’ with advanced functionality, including a single digital screen and self-diagnostic capabilities.
The single screen, an iPad Pro that connects with the STG Global app, has everything a truck operator would need at the tip of their finger. If there’s a fault, the truck’s self-diagnostic system will alert STG Global technicians, who can dial in and fix it remotely.
A mix of strength, long-lasting materials and intelligent automation have made the Tusks a firm favourite in the waste sector.
Shane Sinclair, STG Global National Fleet Manager, says the Tusks are a good fit for the diverse customer base of Speedie Waste & Recycle.
“STG understands the challenges of the waste and recycling industry,” he says. “We manufacture truck bodies that optimise payload capabilities, streamline operations, and boost on-site efficiency.
“As a family-owned Australian business, we know the importance of values and maintaining customer trust. We’re excited to be part of Speedie Waste & Recycle’s growth.”
Jessica says Speedie Waste & Recycle is on a growth trajectory, but it’s not about to forget its roots. It will continue to value its customers – large or small.
“It’s not about the size,” Jessica says. “We have big customers; we also service those smaller family-run businesses.
“We’re different from large companies because we have hands-on management and experience.
“We have long-term customers who have been with us 40 to 50 years, and on any given day, we’ll still have one of the uncles in the yard happy to have a chat with them.”
For more information, visit: www.stgglobal.net
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