Exports have always been a vital part of the Queensland economy, as the sunshine state enjoys a particularly large resources and manufacturing sector.
The good news is that exports in the region are currently experiencing the biggest boom for quite a while.
The latest figures, which record exports from December 2017 to November 2018, indicate that over $80 billion dollars worth of exports left our shores during the period. That’s a new record for 12 consecutive months, not to mention that it’s 12.4% greater than the previous year which clocked up a $71.6 billion total.
Driving this growth are increased sales of coal, liquefied natural gas, livestock and minerals to overseas customers. Prices for coal and LNG in particular have undergone a sharp increase, making the total dollar value of our exports higher than ever. Coal alone accounted for $43 billion of the overall figure, which goes to show how big a factor that industry is in the great scheme of things.
The biggest customer of our exports is China, who are celebrating 30 years of a successful Shanghai-Queensland sister state agreement this year.
O’Phee Trailers, part of The Drake Group, is well-placed to service this boom with their range of container-loading models built to help exporters get their goods to port.
The Speedloader is designed to reduce handling and transfer times with its retractable arms that can carry loads of various weights directly from the ground and onto the deck. The operator controls the arm out of harm’s way via remote control.
O’Phee’s Retract-X model is similarly aimed at helping manufacturers reduce loading and unloading times to increase efficiency, with its retractable deck and other time-saving conveniences.
As the export market continues to grow, The Drake Group is ready to provide heavy haulage trailers built tough enough for any job across the state and beyond. Talk to The Drake Group today to see how we can help your business.