Mark Leocata of Leocata Group, being the owner U-Lock Self Storage and Mr Magic Car Wash adds Goodfellows to his Group.
2023 marks a major achievement for Goodfellows Car & Truck Rental in more ways than one.
This year the Shepparton-based family business celebrates its 30th anniversary and a journey from minor player to leader in a highly competitive field.
Back in 1993, Goodfellows had a modest 10 vehicles. Today it boasts a fleet of more than 100 vehicles with depots in Echuca, Euroa and Seymour, servicing a diverse and growing customer base. A flourishing self-storage side-business with nearly 200 storage sheds available for hire has also grown alongside the transport business over the years
From small cars, luxury cars, 4WDs and people movers to vans, buses, trucks and refrigerated vehicles, Goodfellows has a vehicle to handle almost any requirement.
Even more than a sprawling range of mobility and storage solutions, Goodfellows is known for exceptional customer service, a key factor in its consistent growth over three decades.
“We’ve always tried to provide service, whether that’s dropping someone home at the end of their rental, or with our long-term customers, we don’t want them to have downtime with their staff, so we do servicing on the road, to keep everybody moving,” says Mandy Goodfellow. Her father Graham (or ‘Butch’) founded the business in 1993 as Rent a Bomb and she today runs it with her husband Andrew Hodges.
“We know that when you want a vehicle, you want a vehicle; we know everybody’s time is important.”
A new partnership has been created.
Hot off the press is the news that Goodfellows Car and Truck Rental and Self Storage has been acquired by local businessman Mark Leocata of Leocata Group.
Property developer Mark Leocata, being the owner of U-Lock Self Storage and Mr Magic Car Washes and has been building self-storage sheds across the state and into NSW for many years, has recently acquired the Goodfellows car-truck rental and storage business, merging it with his own U-Lock Self Storage and Mr Magic Car Wash operations.
Mark, who was born and raised in Kyabram, began his career with Telford’s Building Systems as an apprentice steel fabractor at the age of 18. Mark’s design and fabrication background led him to bigger things; so much so that he has car washes and self-storage facilities in Bendigo, Griffith and Shepparton totalling over 550 storage sheds. It’s ironic that Mark helped the founder of Goodfellows with the design of the original self-storage sheds that are on site today.
“When I was approached by Butch to potentially purchase the Goodfellows businesses, I immediately thought that it would be a natural fit, given my current business ownership. I look forward to being part of the Goodfellows car-truck rental team, and aligning the self-storage business under the U-Lock self storage banner giving customers more Storage with a Sevice” Mark told Our Goulburn Valley magazine.
U-Lock Self Storage now has North and South Shepparton covered. With the combination of the Shepparton, Bendigo and Griffith self-storage sites, U-Lock Self Storage now has over 750 storage sheds available for rent. The north Shepp facility is currently in the process of expanding another 30 storages, with an eye to expand even further in the south.
The partnership of Mandy Goodfellow, Andrew Hodges and Mark Leocata in the Goodfellow car/Truck rental business stand in good stead with ideas to take the vehicle hire business to new technology levels including EV and charging stations,
For Mandy, being part of the right community has also played its part.
“Andrew and I love Shepparton, love the community and the people we work with, “We’ve been very lucky we’ve had some amazing companies that have stuck with us throughout the many years.”
