Thrifty WA Celebrates 30 Years as a 'Family Business'
Thrifty WA, one of Western Australia's largest vehicle rental companies, today celebrates its 30th anniversary. Founded by WA's Bedell Family, Thrifty began as Osborne Truck Rentals, a small suburban enterprise serving the mining sector and the local community.
In 30 years, the company has flourished into a booming franchise of Thrifty Car Rental, servicing 14 Western Australian locations with over 2,500 vehicles.
"Thrifty WA's journey has been fraught with challenges. The vehicle rental industry is highly competitive, and sustainability and growth are strongly linked to the fluctuations in Australia's economy. However our strategy of focusing on meeting the specific demands of the Western Australian marketplace has proved successful." said Thrifty WA founder Keith Bedell.
Keith's passion for the industry has not been a lone journey. Helen Bedell remains a director of the company and sons Craig and Stephen are also part of this family enterprise, with Stephen serving as Pilbara Operations Manager and Craig as General Manager. Justin, the third son, was previously with the business for ten years as the Southwest Operations Manager.
"The essence of this company's longevity has been keeping it a family business. My entire family has worked together and invested in the business to create the thriving company that Thrifty WA is today. Every employee of Thrifty WA embraces the passion, drive and enthusiasm for delivering top customer service which reflects in our 30 successful years of operation," said Keith.
Thrifty WA, originally known as Osborne Truck Rentals, began in 1978 with seven four-wheel drive vehicles at a single location. By 1981, the company had expanded across the region, with branches in Welshpool, Fremantle, Derby, Kalgoorlie and Kununurra.
The eighties and early nineties were characterised by further growth, with the company rebranding as Osborne Rentals and winning a number of major corporate clients. During this period the fleet had expanded to a wider portfolio of vehicle including cars, utes, trucks and buses.
The company's most significant event came in May 1997 with the acquisition of the Western Australian Thrifty franchise to become Thrifty WA.
Today, Thrifty WA boasts a substantial metropolitan and regional property portfolio, including the 11,500-sqm Bassendean head-office complex, arguably the best purpose-built car/truck rental development in the southern hemisphere.
With a branch network of 14 locations across the state, Thrifty WA is a thriving local family franchise business with links to the strength of the national and international Thrifty brand. This combination of local knowledge and global strength positions Thrifty WA to continue on its path of growth. Certainly a true WA success story.