Practical solutions for complex transport, infrastructure and supply-chain challenges

Eighty8 Consultants is a Sydney-based specialist advisory firm providing practical expertise across freight, transport, infrastructure, supply chains and logistics.

We work with governments, councils, major corporations and small to medium-sized businesses to solve complex operational, commercial and strategic challenges. Our advice is grounded in more than 35 years of senior public- and private-sector experience and is designed to deliver solutions that are operationally robust, commercially sound and capable of being implemented.

Our consultants have held senior executive and operational leadership roles across transport, logistics, rail freight, ports, infrastructure, asset management, property, freight forwarding and government. This means we understand the challenges our clients face from both sides of the table—as advisers and as executives accountable for operations, customers, safety, assets, people, budgets and commercial results.

What we do

We help organisations plan, improve and transform their transport, infrastructure and supply-chain operations.

Our expertise covers the complete supply chain—from long-term strategy, government policy and major infrastructure planning through to detailed operational improvement. This includes distribution networks, import and export operations, freight forwarding, warehouse and terminal design, inventory management, customer service, transport procurement, asset lifecycle management and third-party logistics services.

We understand that successful consulting requires more than producing a report. We work with clients to develop practical recommendations, implementation plans, governance arrangements and measurable outcomes that reflect their operating environment, commercial objectives and available resources.

Where a project requires additional technical knowledge, we engage carefully selected associates with the relevant expertise. This allows us to assemble the right team for each assignment and provide independent, best-practice and scalable advice.

Experience that delivers practical results

Our experience includes leadership and advisory work across some of Australia’s most complex transport, infrastructure and supply-chain environments, including:

Developing and implementing major freight and ports strategies, including the NSW Freight & Ports Plan 2018–2023 and its 130 initiatives.
Developing a national 30-year intermodal terminal strategy covering 139 properties.
Leading and governing transport, terminal, property and infrastructure opportunities valued in the billions of dollars.
Managing major operating budgets, capital programs and asset portfolios across highly regulated environments.
Leading national operations across 63 Australian and New Zealand sites, supported by large employee, contractor and transport networks.
Developing commercial growth and market-expansion strategies valued at approximately $300 million.
Improving customer and operational performance to approximately 98% OTIF/DIFOT.
Delivering multimillion-dollar productivity, technology and operating-cost improvements.
Establishing port, transport and logistics industry forums involving government, regulators, infrastructure owners and major operators.
Developing port community systems, freight-data platforms and technology-enabled operating improvements.
Implementing automated number-plate recognition, machine learning, telematics and operational performance systems.
Leading major organisational integration, cultural improvement, crisis response and business-continuity programs.
Improving safety visibility and accountability through near-miss reporting, safety review boards, workforce engagement and technology.
Advising ministers, boards, CEOs, government executives and major corporate customers on complex operational, regulatory and commercial matters.

Why clients engage us

Our clients typically engage Eighty8 Consultants when they need to:

Develop a new transport, freight, infrastructure or supply-chain strategy.
Review the cost, capacity or performance of an existing operation.
Plan or assess a major infrastructure or capital investment.
Improve operational efficiency, safety, customer service or asset utilisation.
Design, expand or commercialise a terminal, warehouse or distribution network.
Develop a business case, investment proposal or commercial strategy.
Strengthen governance, accountability and regulatory compliance.
Procure or review third-party logistics, transport or maintenance services.
Implement organisational change, new systems or operating procedures.
Improve asset reliability, availability or lifecycle management.
Obtain independent advice before making a significant operational or commercial decision.

We provide objective analysis, clear recommendations and practical support from initial assessment and strategy through to implementation.

Our expertise

Transport, freight and infrastructure
Transport and infrastructure strategy, policy and planning.
Freight and logistics network design.
Ports, rail, road, aviation and intermodal supply chains.
Greenfield and brownfield terminal planning and design.
Terminal demand, capacity and operational assessments.
Port, terminal and landside operational improvement.
Infrastructure commercialisation and investment strategy.
Property and asset commercialisation.
Business cases for major capital projects.
Government, industry and community stakeholder engagement.
Ministerial, Cabinet and executive-level advice.
Infrastructure and operational integration.
Supply chain and logistics
End-to-end supply-chain reviews.
Distribution and transport optimisation.
Import and export solutions.
Freight forwarding and customs clearance.
Warehouse design and operational improvement.
Inventory management and demand planning.
Procurement of transport and third-party logistics services.
Customer-service and delivery-performance improvement.
Supply-chain resilience and business continuity.
Remote and complex supply-chain solutions.
Empty-container and port-interface reviews.
Fleet, linehaul and contractor operating models.
Assets, terminals and operations
Asset lifecycle and investment planning.
Maintenance strategy and provider-performance reviews.
Asset availability, reliability and utilisation.
Terminal and facility master planning.
Terminal capacity and demand modelling.
Operational readiness and implementation planning.
Fleet and mobile-workforce operations.
Safety, risk and contractor governance.
Capital prioritisation and governance.
Technology-enabled asset and operational performance.
Alternative-fuel and future infrastructure planning.
Commercial and customer strategy
Market and customer strategy.
Business development and opportunity assessment.
Commercial propositions and pricing.
Major tenders and procurement responses.
Contract and commercial negotiations.
Customer retention and relationship management.
Revenue-growth and market-expansion strategies.
Strategic account planning.
Commercial due diligence.
Investment and transaction support.
Technology, data and innovation
Data analytics, modelling and performance reporting.
Operational technology strategy and implementation.
Freight and port community systems.
Artificial intelligence and machine-learning applications.
Telematics and fleet-performance technology.
Automated monitoring and compliance systems.
Process automation and digital transformation.
Technology procurement and vendor governance.
Performance dashboards and decision-support tools.
Organisational performance
Operating-model reviews and organisational design.
Lean Six Sigma and process improvement.
Standard Operating Procedures.
Key Performance Indicators and performance frameworks.
Operational efficiency, cost reduction and productivity programs.
Staff engagement and culture-change programs.
Leadership development and executive coaching.
Recruitment and workforce planning.
Organisational integration and transformation.
Crisis response and business-continuity planning.
Governance and advisory
Regulatory and governance frameworks.
Government and intergovernmental relations.
Independent project and operational reviews.
Commercial and procurement advice.
Risk, compliance and performance assurance.
Board and executive reporting.
Stakeholder and industry engagement.
Communications and media strategy.
Ministerial and government briefing.
Policy and regulatory submissions.
Industries we support

Our experience spans a diverse range of industries and operating environments, including:

Federal, state and local government.
Transport, freight and logistics.
Ports, rail and infrastructure.
Mining and resources.
Defence and military supply chains.
Food and consumer products.
Automotive and manufacturing.
Importers and exporters.
Utilities and essential services.
Retail and e-commerce.
Pharmaceutical and healthcare.
Property and major infrastructure development.
Asset leasing, maintenance and manufacturing.
Technology-enabled transport and supply-chain services.
Advice scaled to your organisation

We work with major Australian and multinational organisations as well as small and medium-sized businesses. Our services can be scaled to suit the complexity, timeframe and budget of each client—from focused independent reviews and executive advice through to major strategic, commercial and operational transformation programs.

Talk to us

If your organisation is planning a change, reviewing an operation or facing a complex freight, transport, infrastructure or supply-chain challenge, Eighty8 Consultants can provide the independent expertise and practical guidance needed to move forward with confidence.

Contact us to discuss how we can support your organisation.