Trucks
Trucks
Danny Matic knows more than many about turning dreams into reality. He arrived in Australia in 1993 and in 2002 he started a transport company together with his wife – with just one truck. Twenty-two years later, they have grown Matic Group to more than 200 trucks and some 800 pieces of equipment.
With a background in performing and playing music, Danny Matic left his home country Bosnia and Herzegovina for Australia with plenty of dreams. But even he admits that what has happened since has surpassed even his wildest hopes.
“I’ve always loved a challenge and if an opportunity arises I will take it on,” smiles the Managing Director of the Western Australia-based haulage group.
Starting out as a truck driver in his new home country, Danny always had a firm belief that hard work, respect for others, working with reliable partners and taking calculated risks would prove to be a successful strategy. And that’s exactly how it has turned out.
In 2002, Danny and his wife Katia decided to start their own company. They sold their house to buy their first truck, which they used for supplying the building, mining and construction industry. Today, the Matic Group serves the transport and warehousing sectors, employing some 400 people across eighteen sites across three states (WA, SA and NT). With headquarters in the Perth suburb of Bibra Lake, Matic deals with domestic and international freight, pneumatic tankers, car carriers, tire trailers, specialized air freight, express freight, as well as heavy and ultra-heavy haulage.
Although operations have diversified considerably from the beginning, the business is based on a relatively small number of blue-chip companies. “The aim is to get good, large clients and grow internally, especially in the mining sector,” Danny Matic says. And the strategy is paying off, with the group enjoying significant growth since forming. Nevertheless, says Danny, the company’s five guiding principles remain the same across the entire operation: safety, respect, teamwork, customer, and performance.
“It’s very important that whichever division we’re in, the messaging is always the same. Safety first, and respecting others are the most important factors,” says Danny.
He admits that their growth hasn’t come without its challenges though, not least during the pandemic when operations had to be completely reorganized so that each depot could function independently. Despite the complications, the company actually saw an uptick of some 25% during those Covid years, thanks in part to prudent financial management, according to Danny. His strategy of choosing large, reliable partners has paid dividends, including on the financing side, where Matic’s relationship with Volvo Financial Services is critical.
“It’s been great working with Volvo Financial Services over these past five years or so. I’ve always thought if I have solid clients, I will have support from Volvo,” he says. “It’s all about the relationship. They know where we’ve come from, and what we’re doing. For me, it’s important to provide Volvo with confidence about where the money’s going. They understand what we need to go forward.”
I’ve got a lot of dreams, and having the support of Volvo Financial Services has given me the confidence to grow the business”
With plans to update and expand the fleet, the relationship between Volvo Financial Services and Matic Group will grow even closer, according to Danny and Rob Munro, Western Australia Finance Manager at Volvo Financial Services.
“We’ve had a very close relationship over past five years. Matic is a well-managed, employee-centric company with a strong customer focus. They’re a proven transport provider thanks to good leadership and their strong relationships with key customers,” says Munro.
For the business, Danny Matic prefers to use a popular chattel mortgage product, which accounts for some 90% of financing done in this market, according to Rob Munro.
“Our relationship is based on mutual trust and respect. Volvo Financial Services provides Matic with a line of credit facility that’s reviewed annually. At the start of each year, we sit down to find out what trucks they’re thinking of adding to the fleet and we work around that. Our first task is to ascertain customers’ requirements and once you understand that you can tailor a solution that makes it easier for the customer and dealership,” says Munro.
Using Volvo for financial services offers the customer several benefits in comparison with traditional finance providers.
“One of our main advantages is that we’re a one-stop shop,” says Rob Munro. “We offer a dedicated finance manager, so that customers don’t have to deal with call centers. We specialize in transport and construction equipment financing and work with customers throughout the different business cycles, offering them a real diversification factor where they can preserve their existing lines at the same time.”
Looking forward, Danny Matic is clear about the next dreams to realize, with the transition towards electrification top of mind.
“Electric trucks is our next big thing. That will take us to the next level. How we start replacing trucks with electric ones is my biggest focus right now,” he says. “We need to be making our trucks electric for our local fleet – the sooner the better. We’ll start small, then look at bigger long-haul trucks.”
Given what Danny and Katia Matic have achieved so far, the Group is well positioned for the next step.
“I’ve got a lot of dreams, and having the support of Volvo Financial Services has given me the confidence to grow the business!”
Interested in discovering how Volvo's financial services can benefit your business? Visit our Financial products section to find out more.
