-
Posted by Daily Cargo News
- |
-
17 September, 2025
AGS World Transport began trading way back in 1985, founded by the late Colin Holben. In 2005, Colin’s close friend Terry Tzaneros bought into the business. As AGS prepares to mark its 40th birthday, Terry speaks about his own journey, the AGS experience and the need for industry mentors.
Beginnings on the wharf
Terry Tzaneros’ career began in the early 1980s, a time when the shipping industry was on the cusp of enormous change. Containerisation had taken root, globalisation was reshaping trade and Australian ports were wrestling with the challenge of modernisation.
In short, it was an environment ripe for fresh thinking.
"We looked at industry [and asked ourselves] what's industry been doing over the last 20 or so years? And essentially it was more of the same," said Terry.
"Back in the early days, by the time a container got to a Woolworths store, for example, it had probably moved three different times before it got to its ultimate destination."
Along with his brother Steve, Terry set about finding a better way, buiding their transport and logistics company, Smith Bros. In 1989, they were the first to develop a landside operation at Port Botany. A few years later they replicated the model at Fisherman Islands in Queensland. These were pioneering moves that providers importers and exporters with more control, speed and efficiency.
"We changed the model. We would pick up their containers and bring them back to our facility and give [the customer] what they wanted, when they wanted it," Terry said.
"And we stripped huge amounts of costs out of the supply chain."
Building better supply chains
That philosophy led to some major breakthroughs for Australian trade during Terry’s time with Smith Bros, where they helped remove the costly double and triple handling of containers, smoothing the flow of goods into their networks. For exporters like CSR, the impact was transformative.
"When we started working with CSR, they were paying $700–$800 per container to get product out of the country," Terry recalled.
"We brought that down to $250 to $300. That gave them global competitiveness overnight. Suddenly, they could move from a few boxes a month to hundreds. It changed their whole export outlook."
These weren’t just operational wins—they were shifts that opened markets, improved margins and enabled greater global trading opportunities for Australian companies.
"We never went in saying, ‘how do we win this client?’ We went in saying, ‘how do we improve their business?’ Terry said.
"If you improve the customer’s business, your own business will grow as a result. That was always our way."
A family story
In 2005, the AGS chapter began for Terry. Having sold Smith Bros to P&O in 2001, Terry remained a director of the company for a further two years, and was considering retiring when a conversation with a close friend, and client, changed the trajectory.
"Colin Holben (the founder of AGS) reached out to me to acquire his business partners’ interests, and I quickly jumped on the opportunity to get back involved in the industry. God rest his soul, Colin passed away in 2011 from cancer."
Terry reflects upon his friend’s successful approach to business.
"Colin built a great foundation, a great business," Terry said.
“He had a clear idea of what it should be – a wholesale-only forwarder, very much focused on clients.”
Colin’s passing 14 years ago was a heavy blow. Terry later acquired the remaining share of the company, bringing the business back into private hands and carrying forward his friend’s vision with pride.
In an industry where many people have drifted into competing with their own customers, Terry draws pride from the fact AGS has never wavered from its position and has stayed true to Colin's wishes.
"A lot of wholesalers decided they also wanted to be retailers," he said.
"We stayed pure wholesalers and I'm very much appreciative that we followed that road ...we're 40 years of purely selling wholesale, and that makes me very, very proud of what AGS has achieved and what AGS is today."
Industry reformer
Terry’s influence extended beyond AGS. At Port Botany, he was instrumental in introducing the time slotting systems for container movements that would later be enshrined in legislation across New South Wales.
"We fought to bring discipline to container movements at Port Botany and across Australia," he said.
"It was eventually legislated with bipartisan support, holding both stevedores and trucking companies accountable. That was a major milestone."
Those reforms, while often taken for granted today, helped bring discipline and predictability to Australia’s container trade. They are part of the legacy Terry leaves, even if he remains modest about it.
"I don’t give many interviews, and I’ve never been one to seek the spotlight," he said, noting he just wanted to make the industry better. "But to see how far we’ve come, that’s satisfying."
In 2020, that quiet influence was formally recognised when Terry was inducted into the DCN Maritime Hall of Fame. "I was very, very honoured" he said. "To be recognised by industry was a very humbling experience."
As an industry elder statesman, Terry believes it is his duty to impart wisdom, recalling the guidance he received from others as a younger man.
"I was fortunate to have a mentor by the name of Kevin Wemyss. Kevin, God rest his soul, was a giant of the industry," he said.
I learned in my earlier days that even if I thought I knew how to handle the situation I'd always question myself and ask somebody that was the very best at what we did".
He fears new industry entrants are missing out.
"Sadly, you don't tend to get [mentorship] these days. Many of the young ones tend to do what they do and they stumble," he said.
"We stumbled too, of course, but [with good mentorship] we ensured all our decisions have always been made very strategically"
Looking forward, looking back
At the time of writing, AGS is preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary and Terry is focused on the future as much as the past. The Worldwide Alliance, of which AGS is a member, will gather in Sydney and the milestone gala is expected to draw some 450 guests from across the industry and around the world.
"It’s more than a celebration of the company," Terry said. "It’s a celebration of the friendships, the partnerships, the people who’ve been with us along the way."
The personal connections have always been at the heart of Terry’s work.
"I call them friends, not clients," he said simply. "Servicing those friendships – that’s what I love about this industry."
You can listen to some of this interview with Terry Tzaneros on our 12 September edition of the DCN Weekly podcast
