On the occasion of the company’s twentieth anniversary, Goëvia wanted to bring its teams together. All the employees, from those who have been with us since the beginning to the younger generation still in training, met for a day to celebrate this wonderful adventure launched in 2001 in Bordeaux. It was also an opportunity for the founders, Joël and Eve Gonzalez, to go back over the choices and encounters that enabled the freight transport company to develop and reinvent itself to become Goëvia.
Parcel and pallet transport, where it all began
Benjamin Gonzalez, supported by Maxime and Victor his brothers, took over from Joel and Eve Gonzalez in 2015. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of thefreight transport company, the 3 brothers wanted to celebrate the action of their parents but also of all those who participated in the adventure since 2001. Thus, for one day, the historical employees and the artisans of the first hour were invited to return to where it all began, in Bordeaux! A lot of emotions surrounded these reunions even if some meetings could only be made from a distance. The latest recruits were able to meet and exchange with those who were at the origin of this crazy adventure as well as Joel and Eve Gonzalez who lived a day punctuated with surprises and joys. This anniversary gave everyone the opportunity to remember the day, 20 years ago, when the first parcels landed on the dock of the newly created company. The adventure ofshipping packages and pallets was launched.
A start with 7 employees and only 1 customer for the Bordeaux-based carrier
It took a lot of energy on May 7th 2001 to launch the GLS machine. Joël and Eve, accompanied by their first 7 employees (including Benoit Alvarez, today in charge of the daytime operations at the Vayres agency) had to invent everything, adapt, train…
“At the beginning we had to improvise and not sleep too much”, Eve Gonzalez tells us, thinking back to those first days.
This small team has learned to work together while dealing with the hazards (IT in particular) and constraints (very limited equipment at the beginning) to perform all the tasks of the logistics and transport chain.
When asked how to start a freight transport company from scratch, Joel Gonzalez answers: “with a lot of work, all the involvement possible, a great deal of confidence in the employees, sometimes shouting, but above all a lot of solidarity!
A company adventure, but above all a human and family adventure
From the start, strong values have guided the creation of the company and the team: to blossom and surpass oneself in the work, to choose the know-how before the know-how, to give a chance to each one and to accompany them by training, listening and trust.
For Joël and Eve: “a company is rich in the talents that make it up, it must be a place of integration, valorization and blossoming.”
Their driving force throughout the 20 years? Do not disappoint and live up to the trust placed in us by our customers and employees, respecting all the links in the chain, every day, every moment. Then came the time to let the children in when they were ready. Not to stifle their visions and ambitions to keep theparcel and pallet shipping company ahead of the curve. But also to live with the times, to understand them and to anticipate their evolution.
The proof is, with a touch of emotion, the founders of the company note the attachment of their collaborators, even the latest arrivals with whom they did not work. When the time came to change the name of the company, the employees chose to pay homage to them: in the name Goëvia there is the borrowing of the first names of Joel and Eve, and the name of the Gonzalez family.
The founders are proud of the path Goëvia has taken, proud of their employees and very proud of the talent and involvement of their children who are now at the head of the company.
Discover their testimonies on video over the last 20 years. Emotions guaranteed!
