Not only does Rodney ‘the lifter’ Kempthorne – of family-run Heavy Metal Haulage fame –have a determined work ethic and a passion for the trucking industry, but he was almost born in the cab of his dad’s truck. He is certainly a Southpac Legend.

You could say that Rodney was destined to be in the trucking world. His father founded and ran E.E Kempthorne, a rural carrying business, and his two older brothers, Alan, and Max, also made the transport industry their careers. However, the clincher would have to be the unconventional way he came into the world.

Rodney says, “when we were kids, our parents had a carrying business in Ngāhinapōuri, and the old man was so busy working that when mum went into labour with me, he had to drop her off at the hospital in his truck.”

His father ‘got out of the trucks’ when Rodney was about nine years old, selling the business to another local firm. But a few years later his brothers bought the business back and renamed it Kempthorne Transport, and that’s when Rodney says his affinity with trucks really began.

“As a child I spent a lot of time with my older brothers,” he says. ”I was riding shotgun with them as a young fella, during school holidays and whenever possible.”

As it turns out, school was a bit of a moot point for Rodney, as according to him, academia didn’t quite capture his interest. So, he left secondary school after just two years, eager to embark on a path of his own. He initially worked in a timber yard building houses, and as soon as he was old enough to go driving, he went to work for Waikato Market Transport, which is now Turners and Growers.

“I drove for them for a short while and then bought my own truck to become an owner driver for my big brother,” Rodney says.

His first truck was a 1984 Fuso 320. it was 12 months old but had done bugger all work, so was practically brand new. Rodney set about carting livestock for the business, a role he says was more involved than carrying produce.

“It’s the most ‘unpaid job’ there is,” says Rodney. “A stock truck driver is more than just a truck driver. A lot of people can’t handle the stock let alone deal with the farmers.”

He adds that it was there that he gained his nickname. “Some guys refer to me as `the lifter’, which is a bit of a joke as I was always lifting bobby calves.”

The mid-1980’s was evidently a busy time for the young Rodney. Not only did he start out on his own, but he also married his already long-standing girlfriend Daryl, big steps for a 19-year-old.

Rodney successfully operated as an owner-driver for a remarkable 18 years. Then, in 1996, he purchased another truck and trailer tipper unit, and contracted to the Perry Group.

“I was still driving my stock unit and I had a young driver, Daryl Olsen, on it. He drove the truck for about four years and then Perry’s changed their business and got rid of the owner drivers.”

This setback arrived around the same time as tragedy struck the Kempthorne family, Rodney’s father died in an accident at the Frankton sale yard.

“On March 7th, 2000, my father got hit by an animal in the sales yard and he died,” Rodney says.

Rodney was at a crossroads point of his life and decided to make a big change. He said he wanted to do something for himself that involved the tip truck, but his brother said there were already too many tip truck businesses out there.

“But a few months later I decided to do it anyway,” says Rodney. “My father would’ve called this a mad rush of shit to the brains.”

The business started modestly to say the least, with just Rodney, his wife, and Daryl Olsen in the truck they ‘repurposed’ from the Perrys contract.

“We couldn’t afford to own the truck, let alone get it repainted,” Rodney recalls. “So, we just pulled the Perry sticker off the door, and changed the stripping a wee bit. I ran my stock truck for a few more years and then sold that to one of my brothers. I bought another tipper and went from there.”

Rodney says that he couldn’t use his name because Kempthorne Transport was still going, so after a few beers with one of his mates, his friend said, ‘why not call it Heavy Metal?’.

“I hated it for a long time. But it’s good now, a real brand,” says Rodney.

With determination and perseverance, Rodney’s business flourished, expanding its fleet, which initially consisted of mainly Mitsubishi trucks and later diversifying into DAFs and Kenworths.

He says, “the boys like the Kenworths, they have their place in the fleet. The reason we got the first one is because the Mitsi’s were only 50T rated and we needed something heavier. It was a 9-axle unit. Then we got more and more.”

But it’s not just the fleet that’s expanded, the staff has too. However, Rodney believes that Heavy Metal Haulage is a real family affair (both figuratively and literally). Not only is it owned and operated by him and his wife, but one of their daughters Kerri is Office Manager, and their son Scott is in charge of dispatch and oversees the fleet management – working

closely with the mechanics.

Kerri’s husband, Blair works closely with Rodney taking care of the technical side of the business and doing all the things Rodney hates. He is also involved in dispatching when required.

“My wife Daryl works on the accounts, and she’s been a huge part of this. I’m a truck driver but she’s the brains behind it all. Lots of guys can drive trucks but they can’t get the accounts out and that’s where they fall over.”

Rodney is proud to have his family working with him, saying that it’s about the trust and support.

“They’ve grown up with it and seen how hard it’s been over the years. It’s great having them stand beside you.”

But his credit doesn’t stop there. He says he’s always looked up at his older brothers and watched what they’ve done, ‘they’ve always had a sensible head on them’, and praises his long-term drivers, particularly Daryl Olsen (the original driver).

“Daryl’s been with us for 28-years!” Rodney exclaims. “Honesty and loyalty is a big thing with me and I think that shows with our staff, I don’t have a big turnover of staff, we get on pretty well. It’s a (big) family-oriented business.”

Rodney believes that the industry has changed over the years, joking that there’s no fun in the game anymore.

“Maybe I’m getting old, but now there’s so much red tape and the fun’s gone out of it. Before you could simply drop off a load of metal. Now you’ve got to check with the quarry that they’ve got it, and it’s the right specs, and has all the right forms.”

He adds that drivers are getting hard to find, and prices are going through the roof.

“We got some really good drivers with us, but they grew up the same way I did. Spending time as kids in the truck with their fathers or uncles and that’s how they get their love for it. We’re starting guys that have never been in or around the industry before and they don’t know the basics. To me it’s common sense, but if you haven’t grown up around it...”

Although these comments may seem negative, Rodney’s view of the industry is quite the contrary, wryly saying that ‘the people are good though’ with a big smile.

Rodney is still a way off hanging up his boots but says that the succession path is in place “so long as everyone keeps going.”

“We had a good accountant years ago and his main thing was that we needed to have a plan for the future. Not just about the business either, for Daryl and I too.”

So, when not at work, they do a bit of fishing and have a small farm, something Rodney always wanted.

“People ask, ‘why would you buy a farm when you’re slowing down?’ But I love the farm and play with it after work. The boys take care of the day-to-day here, so I just turn up at about 8am when the cows are moved, put out the fires and go home again,” Rodney laughs.

Things may be good now, but of course they haven’t always been easy. He says that years ago, when he first bought his stock truck, the freezing works used to go on strike for weeks on end.

“We’d struggle to make ends meet for a long time. Interest rates went up to 25%, and our kids were little. Those were hard times.”

He says that it’s hard to believe that they paid 25% interest, he looks back now and thinks how stupid it was.

“You had to be really passionate about this industry to continue to stay in it back then.”

And passionate he remains, as four decades later Rodney is still in the industry.

“There are easier ways to make money but I’m not a scholar – we’re workers, grinders. I can’t read or write to save myself, but I have always been good with numbers. I’d rather pick up the phone or work on a handshake than send emails.”

Thankfully he was born with a humble personality too.