Minus 1’s eventual nationwide operation was first established in Victoria in 1989.
Founded by Dominic Barba, the cold chain logistics transporter initially handled the storage and movement of chickens across the state, developing a strong reputation for its efficient and reliable service.
The company formed a healthy customer base, warranting the establishment of linehaul operations in 1996, and the business has been skyrocketing ever since.
This momentum continues to carry Minus 1 into the 2020s, to a medley of positive changes. In 2023, Dominic’s son, Billy, assumed the role of CEO and Managing Director and has since worked tirelessly to consolidate Minus 1’s locations in Australia for a new era of company operations.
“I think the largest change since I’ve taken over has been our push to give the team the infrastructure it needs in all states around the country,” he says. “That’s something we haven’t had prior, and it seems to be really paving the way for us at the moment.”
This push for infrastructure has been massive, building upon the presence of Minus 1 depots in Brisbane and Adelaide with the scheduled opening of a new Sydney site in September 2025.
These operational sites are being supported and connected by a fleet of over 430 vehicles active on the road at any given time, comprising a series of semi-trailers, rigids, prime movers and other transport equipment.
Minus 1’s indispensable fleet is the product of the company’s crucial partnerships with an array of industry manufacturers. Of these many partnerships, the company’s collaborations with manufacturing dynamos Vawdrey and JOST have underpinned much of its fleet strength for many years.
In addition to Minus 1’s own application of JOST components in its workshops, JOST’s special-made landing legs are integral components of Vawdrey’s A-double and B-triple Iceliner refrigerated trailer builds for Minus 1’s fleet.
“We’ve been using JOST equipment since the operation started,” Billy says. “We’ve always used their products in some capacity. We use JOST’s turntables on all of our prime movers and their landing legs and kingpins on all of our trailers.
“JOST has cemented themselves as our equipment supplier for landing legs.”
Part of JOST’s Modul series, these landing legs are implemented by Vawdrey to hold up the reefer boxes on Minus 1’s trailers and play a vital role in supporting the fleet’s refrigeration transport capabilities.
Billy, along with Minus 1’s seasoned workshop team, hold great admiration for the JOST landing legs due to their top quality and reliable performance.
“JOST provides an immense amount of strength and longevity with their products,” he says. “The Modul leg is a strong product, and a product that we have confidence in.”
JOST’s Modul series of landing legs are very durable products with high-speed internal gearboxes to assist drivers in lowering landing gear efficiently.
They are manufactured in Germany and arrive in Australia with outstanding corrosion protection, a premium surface treatment through powder coating and long-lasting resistance against environmental influences – making them ideal for Australia’s harsh operating conditions.
“To us, it’s a product that essentially doesn’t need replacing,” Billy says. “Strength and reliability are the qualities that reflect our view on the JOST landing leg.”
This sentiment is greatly echoed by Vawdrey itself which frequently uses JOST’s landing legs and other products for its builds. The two OEMs have fostered a mutually beneficial business relationship for 30 years which, according to Vawdrey General Manager, Alastair Lang, is built on a shared approach to manufacturing.
“JOST is a brand that is widely known throughout the transport industry,” he says. “We at Vawdrey don’t settle for second best in terms of the brands we partner with. JOST is tried, it’s trusted and it’s a brand that is recognised across the sector.
“The JOST Modul landing leg series, with its sealed no-maintenance drive mechanism and easy to use high/low drive, is the preferred landing leg fitment on Vawdrey trailers.”
According to Alastair, Vawdrey has fitted over 13,000 sets of JOST landing legs in the last decade – clearly illustrating not only the reliability of the product but the strength of the relationship between the two manufacturers.
Additionally, JOST’s diligence extends beyond its landing leg offering, according to both Minus 1 and Vawdrey. The component manufacturer offers extremely purposeful aftersales service, ensuring that those who have adopted JOST products are successful in implementing them to their desired effect.
Minus 1’s own workshop has greatly benefitted from this aftersales service, as according to Billy, JOST has established set training sessions with them on a regular basis.
“JOST provides an immense amount of aftersales support that comes in the way of training our workshop teams,” he says. “They provide installation and maintenance training as well as new product training, and that’s something that we’ve collaborated really well on.”
Minus 1’s country-wide presence as a dominant refrigerated transport solutions provider is the result of the company’s ambitious commitment to expansion. Its fleet, supporting the business’ large delivery network, has been crafted by quality manufacturers with quality parts.
JOST’s landing legs, a staple among Vawdrey trailer builds, are no exception, enabling Minus 1’s smooth and cool transport all over Australia.
