For Lactalis Australia, keeping supermarket shelves stocked with dairy products depends on a reliable transport operation.
Behind the scenes, the company’s Victorian transport division manages a complex network of deliveries connecting manufacturing plants, distribution hubs and retail outlets across the state.
At the centre of this operation is a growing fleet of trucks supplied through a long-standing partnership with Penske Truck Leasing, built around modern prime movers from MAN Truck & Bus.
Overseeing the system is Daniel Cooksley, Transport Manager for Lactalis Australia in Victoria, who says the company’s internal fleet has become a critical part of the dairy giant’s logistics strategy.
Daniel’s role focuses on coordinating the company’s internal transport department, which supports manufacturing operations.
“I manage our internal transport department, consisting of 30 drivers, 15 MAN prime movers and more than 30 trailers across our two main Victorian manufacturing sites in Rowville and Bendigo,” Daniel says.
These vehicles move dairy products between factories, distribution centres and customers, operating across a tightly scheduled network designed to maintain product freshness.
The transport operation supports a manufacturing footprint that stretches across the state and connects with the broader national business.
“Our factories are right around Australia, in every major capital city, every state and territory,” Daniel says.
“They’re all localised products made locally and sold locally.”
Within Victoria, Lactalis maintains a number of production facilities supporting its dairy processing network.
“In Victoria, our main factory site is in Rowville, with our two main production facilities in Rowville and Bendigo,” Daniel says.
“We also have smaller factories in Dandenong and Campbellfield, along with several across regional Victoria.”
From these sites, dairy products move through a distribution network supplying retailers and foodservice customers.
The company’s relationship with MAN trucks began in 2017 as Lactalis looked for ways to modernise its fleet, with the first MAN prime movers entered the operation in 2017. “Lactalis Australia was initially exposed to MAN trucks in 2017, purchasing and operating six prime movers directly,” he says.
As those vehicles aged and the company’s operational requirements evolved, Lactalis began reassessing how it managed its transport assets.
Eventually, the company decided to expand its fleet through leasing arrangements rather than direct ownership.
“As our owned fleet evolved and reached end of life, we established a relationship with Penske to initially hire, and then long-term lease, additional prime movers for our predominantly B-double operations,” Daniel says.
That partnership has since grown into a fleet strategy centred almost entirely on MAN trucks supplied through Penske.
Daniel says Lactalis regularly reviews vehicle manufacturers to ensure its fleet continues to meet operational requirements.
“Lactalis has used other brands in the past, and we are constantly evaluating a number of brands for suitability in our operation,” he says.
During the company’s most recent review, MAN emerged as the preferred option.
“Our latest evaluation had MAN trucks on top in regard to economy, comfort, specifications and the support from Penske,” Daniel says.
The decision also aligned with the company’s broader environmental and sustainability objectives.
As part of the global Lactalis Group, the Australian operation places significant emphasis on corporate social responsibility and environmental performance.
“The new Euro 6 fleet has really helped us reduce our fuel usage,” Daniel says.
But the benefits extend beyond environmental targets.
“It’s not just about meeting sustainability targets,” he says.
“Less fuel usage equals less cost, especially in the current fuel supply climate.”
The improved efficiency of the fleet has delivered measurable results across the transport operation.
“We are now using less fuel in our operation than we ever have,” Daniel says.
One of the advantages of working closely with Penske, Daniel says, has been the ability to customise trucks to meet Lactalis’ operational requirements.
The current fleet is built to a dedicated specification tailored specifically for the company’s distribution network.
“We run exclusively MAN prime movers leased through Penske,” Daniel says.
“Penske has been very helpful in having these trucks built to our own ‘Lactalis spec’, with increased safety and mass management options being built in both ex-factory and optioned locally.”
These modifications help ensure the vehicles are suited to the company’s demanding transport tasks, which include hauling temperature-sensitive dairy products across Victoria.
Safety systems and weight management features are particularly important for B-double combinations operating on long regional routes.
For Lactalis, leasing vehicles has provided several strategic advantages compared with owning trucks outright.
Daniel says the leasing model delivers financial stability while allowing a focus capital investment on other areas.
“The leasing option provides us with a consistent financial position, without the need to source and use capital that can be redirected into other business functions,” he says.
Under the leasing arrangement, maintenance and servicing are handled as part of the package, removing unexpected costs and downtime.
“We do not experience surprise repairs and maintenance costs,” Daniel says.
“Scheduled servicing, breakdown and after-hours support are included in the package.”
For a transport operation that runs continuously, this level of support is essential.
“The support provided by Penske is important to our operation where we are delivering temperature and time-sensitive freight around the clock, seven days a week,” he says.
The reliability of the fleet plays a crucial role in supporting the wider dairy supply chain.
Milk and dairy products must move quickly from processing plants to distribution centres and retail shelves.
Any disruption in transport can quickly affect product availability, but by maintaining a modern fleet backed by strong service support, Lactalis aims to minimise these risks.
The MAN trucks also provide comfort and safety benefits for drivers, an increasingly important consideration in a tight labour market. Driver satisfaction can influence retention, productivity and safety outcomes.
Looking ahead, Lactalis plans to continue modernising its Victorian fleet as older vehicles reach the end of their service life.
Daniel says several new trucks are already scheduled to join the operation.
“We have nine new prime movers slated to be commissioned in 2026, replacing end-of-life fleet,” he says.
The company’s logistics network continues to evolve as customer demand and distribution patterns change.
“Our business is constantly evolving,” Daniel says. “I am confident that Penske is in a position to evolve with us.”
The partnership between Lactalis and Penske is therefore expected to remain a key element of the company’s fleet strategy.
Penske Truck Leasing Managing Director, Adrian Beach, is pleased to share that the entire Lactalis Victorian fleet is made up of MAN prime movers on the Penske full-service lease program. “We wanted to solidify a long-term relationship with Lactalis and truly be their exclusive fleet partner,” Adrian says.
“Our branch in Altona North, with its service bay, full-time technician, and rental support vehicles had always been well-positioned to maximise the uptime of their west-side fleet.”
He added that with half of Lactalis’s fleet based in Rowville takes time,fuel and tolls to travel to Altona.
“So, we built a brand-new stand-alone Penske Truck Leasing facility in Pakenham with Lactalis in front of our mind.” As a result, Lactalis’s east-side fleet is merely 20 minutes away from a dedicated technician, parts, and rental support vehicles.
“We wanted to support this customer and solidify this partnership for many many, many years,”Adrian says.
Daniel says the current combination of MAN trucks and Penske support has proven to be the right collaboration.
“We are brand agnostic for our internal fleet,” he says. “But the MAN and Penske service offer is difficult to surpass.”
For a business responsible for moving large volumes of dairy products every day, reliability, efficiency and support are critical.
The combination of modern vehicles, tailored specifications and comprehensive leasing support has allowed Lactalis to build a transport operation capable of meeting those demands.
As the company continues to invest in new equipment and refine its logistics network, Daniel says the current fleet strategy with Penske Truck Leasing is well positioned to support future growth.
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