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ACCESS in ACTION
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ACCESS IN ACTION • NOVEMBER 2015
Many hire companies, ranging from
personnel and labour hire to equipment
hire, are families in business. Centenary
Hire, one of Queensland’s highly regarded
general hire companies is no exception.
Established in 1981, the business
continues as a family owned and
operated business, based in Brisbane’s
south west. It supplies a broad range of
equipment such as power tools, small and
large machinery, scaffolding and trestles
as well as elevating work platforms. This
equipment is primarily used by builders,
tradesmen and contractors as well as
home owners tackling a major DIY task or
simply mowing the lawn.
Now in its second generation Centenary
Hire passed from the founding father to
his son, General Manager and Director
Matt Gordon who commented if his six
year old son had it his way they would
be training the third generation already!
Matt and his father aspire to continue
as a family business predominantly for
the growth opportunities available. Matt
realises this growth has also become a
necessity as the business has gone from
supporting one family to two families and
potentially more.
Family businesses in Australia are known
for their long-term view and sustainable
approach to growth, which in many cases
gives rise to greater longevity than their
non-family counterparts. The genuine
commitment to improving their family’s
prosperity means many family businesses
place great importance on their long-term
relationships with stakeholders. This
sentiment is evident in Matt’s experience
in the business.
“The high level of customer service
which has come to be expected from
our customers, is often attributed to the
family ownership,” Matt said.
Research indicates family businesses
are highly trusted in the community and
Centenary Hire actively promotes it is
a family owned and operated business,
displaying the Family Business Australia
logo next to the HRIA logo on their entry
doors and displaying the Australian
Owned Family Business emblem on
paperwork.
Matt’s commitment to his family to run
Centenary Hire presented him with an
invaluable opportunity to take part in the
Global Rental Alliance (GRA) Exchange
Program. He was encouraged to apply for
the program which involves a six to eight
week exchange with a rental company
in one of The GRA countries (the United
States, United Kingdom, Canada, New
Zealand, France or other countries of the
European Rental Association). Matt was
placed with Nor-Val Rentals in British
Columbia, Canada and his enthusiasm
for the opportunities and insights the
program provided were palpable.
“You get to know about their business
and ask questions you can’t ask in your
country,” he said. “I had the opportunity
to work in a business larger than ours and
see the differences and where we could
be in the future.”
Matt said one of the greatest challenges
he’s faced being in a family business
has been knowing how to separate work
management issues from work ownership
all the while maintaining not only
amicable but healthy interpersonal family
relationships. He recommends families
intending to transition the business from
one generation to the next open the
conversation sooner rather than later,
involving all members of the family.
Finally, he recommends engaging a third
party to mediate the process.
“Do it now because this process will take
much longer than you expect. Involve
everyone, even if they present no interest
in the business because that way the
process is transparent,” he said.
“Spend the dollars on a professional
who has navigated this process before
because they will be the voice of reason
when emotion is brought to the table.”
Matt has been a long-term member of
Family Business Australia.
“FBA offered me training and professional
development courses which are tailored
to suit a family owned business which
is important because often we will make
decisions based on different criteria
to corporately owned businesses.
Connecting with business owners who
share this component of business called
family has been an advantage.”
To learn more about professional
development courses and social
networking opportunities visit website:
www.fambiz.org.auThe Family Business Advantage
Did you know being a family business has its advantages? One of them is access to
The Family Business Association (FBA) which offers professional development courses,
social networking opportunities and help with issues arising in family run businesses.
Here Matt Gordon from Queensland based Centenary Hire tells us what being a member
of the FBA has meant for him and his family business.
Centenary Hire’s General Manager and Director, Matt Gordon