Castor manufacturer Fallshaw gets Covid-19 freight cost reprieve

Only days after Melbourne’s Fallshaw Group complained in @AuManufacturing news of price gouging by freight forwarders CEO Jo Fallshaw has been given a price lifeline.

Fallshaw had been hit with lack of available flights and price hikes of five times for freighting her specialised hospital bed castors (pictured) to the United States to fulfil an order to supply 100,000 urgently needed hospital beds.

Now Fallshaw has been approached by FedEx, DB Schenker and Qantas offering competitive freight options.

Fallshaw said: “We are being offered wholesale cargo rates, but for an express service.

“This means that urgently needed hospital beds are able to be deployed on schedule, and this will save lives.”

“Our US customer has doubled its order as a result.”

The company is now working two shifts and has current orders, expected to rise, for 64,000 castors for the US.

Austrade also stepped in and organised space on United Airlines flights.

Fallshaw said the speed with which the problem of cost and availability of space – there is only one flight a day from Melbourne to the US – had been addressed was remarkable.

“I have been inspired by the reaction of governments and the private sector.”

With Australia behind the US Covid-19 infection curve their peak time for infections will arrive sooner than in Australia.

However in Australia the Australasian Furnishing Association is coordinating suppliers now gearing up to supply local needs.

Picture: Fallshaw Group

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