NSS Director Todd Emmert calls the business ‘the best stevedoring company in Australia supported by the best port operators’.
Like all NSS board members, he speaks from experience.
Mr Emmert heads up Qube’s bulk division which is focused on the Australian resource sector. The fledgling division he joined 20 years ago now turns over more than a billion dollars in revenue and employs more than 2,500 staff running 700 trucks.
NSS staff and management earned the praise by virtue of their commitment to excellence said Mr Emmert who has seen the business from all angles.
“I was a manager of NSS for four years, in the early to the mid two-thousands, and what impressed me the most was the quality of the people, right from the stevedores at the work face, to the maintenance staff, to the logistics team,” he said.
“The quality of the people really never ceases to amaze me up there at NSS.
“It’s important they have an awareness of what their role is and what the impacts or value can be released from performing their role well or not performing their role.
“Because NSS is operating in a supply chain, which by virtue of the connotation means that you’re relying upon people either side, including yourself to deliver the services.”
‘My message to staff is to keep doing what they’re doing at NSS, which is delivering really quality services to regional Queensland importers and exporters. And I’d encourage them to continue to work hard at being the best at what they do there.”
The NSS leadership was well established Mr Emmert said.
“Definitely the skill sets there are fairly mature and developed. Obviously (General Manager) Mark (George) is a very experienced logistician,” he said.
“He’s been around industry for a long time, so not only has he a good mature leadership style, but also technical knowledge.
“He’s obviously surrounded by a team of managers including Jeff Weightman and his team who have a long-term history of the operations in Townsville and the hinterland there and have extremely good technical knowledge and capabilities.”
The success of the business indicated a strong culture at NSS Mr Emmert said.
“I don’t think it’s difficult to identify culture. There has to be a shared vision that everyone subscribes to and there has to be a shared set of values.
“That exists at NSS. They do have a vision to be the best that they possibly can in the supply chain there and you know that they’ve got a range of values and the right attitude.
“It doesn’t matter who you’re dealing with, they’ll always deal with you with integrity and transparency.”
Business was always evolving and NSS was taking on new standards as part of being a corporate leader in the region, he said.
“You have to sustain the capital base of the business and it’s important that you’re working with productive equipment, productive tools, and that it’s not only productive in terms of getting the job done safely and efficiently, but also productive in terms of some of the other environmental aspects.
“I know recently that NSS Management team have been investigating and investing in hydrostatic frontend loaders to reduce their fuel burn, and that’s important that they continue to invest in their equipment fleet to be productive and efficient.
“I would love to see the company continue to grow its integrated supply chains across regional Queensland.
“Like continuing to do more of what they’re doing, including integrating well with the rail piece in Townsville to growing their land site logistics operations.”