When you look at the transport operations of Cement Australia, the company services high volume requirements in areas ranging from local deliveries to some of the toughest operating regions in the country.
Cement Australia is the largest supplier of cement products and services in Australia and operates a huge truck fleet renowned for efficiency and productivity as well as presentation, despite the rugged conditions the vehicles operate under.
It is a big Kenworth customer and Brown & Hurley has long been the supplier of trucks to meet Cement Australia’s requirements in Queensland, and when the 100th unit was delivered to the company, sold by Brown & Hurley at Darra, it was a day of celebration.
Customers taking 100 trucks are automatically issued with membership to the Brown & Hurley Club 100, an exclusive and highly regarded honour recognised with the presentation of a plaque carrying the chassis number and date of delivery. This is accompanied by a glass replica of a truck and trailer recognising the 100th purchase and presented by PACCAR Australia.
Delivery of the truck was made to Cement Australia South Queensland Manager, Mark Harrison, and driver Mick Screen, with the presentation of the truck and Club 100 plaque made by Brown & Hurley salesman Chris Palethorphe and Kenworth Sales Manager Brad Cumerford.
Brown & Hurley has many Club 100 members in its customer base, enjoying repeat business from some of Australia’s top road transport operators loyal to both the dealer and the Kenworth product.
Truck 100 is a T658 and was quickly placed into service working out of Cloncurry in North Western Queensland where it has undertaken a role in an extremely rugged operation pulling an AB Quad or triples over some difficult country. The truck handles road train operations on arduous routes running from the ‘Curry’ to places such as Cannington Mine, Kynuna, Karumba and Gunpowder.
The truck is rated at 140 tonnes and power comes from a Cummins EGR Signature engine rated at 620hp, driving through an Eaton RTLO 22918B 18-speed transmission to Meritor RT52185 rear axles, with a ratio of 4.89:1, and riding on Neway AD246 suspension.
Accessories include a Groeneveld auto greasing system, Stoodley FUPS compliant bulbar and turning night to day are Lightforce HID bull lights.
The T658 usually carries ISO containers to and from the railhead for Cement Australia customers, schedules dictated by requirements to isolated centres and regions across the rugged Queensland outback.
According to Cement Australia North Queensland Manager Jim Thompson, based in Townsville, the truck has provided reliable operation on its road train duties.
“It is operating very well regardless of where we send it and is normally pulling four trailers. Based in Cloncurry, the Kenworth sees some fairly rough roads but has the power to handle the job efficiently and provides comfort for the driver,” Jim says.
Cement Australia operates road train combinations of three and four trailers depending on the job, including Kenworth number 103 purchased from Brown & Hurley which is based in Townsville and regularly carts to Hughenden and Winton. This truck is currently pulling three trailers on those hauls and with triples now able to come to Stuart, on Townsville’s outskirts, significant productivity increases have been achieved.
“Access close to Townsville and the port has been welcomed as it allows us to better service both our requirements and those of our customers. It is vital we have the equipment able to handle the work with peak efficiency and the Kenworths deliver that,” Jim indicates.
Presentation is a hallmark of Cement Australia, regardless of location or weather conditions. The company spends considerable time maintaining the fleet’s appearance at all times.
As the largest supplier of cement products in the country, Cement Australia operates in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. Operations include the mining of raw materials as well as manufacturing and distribution of various cements and associated products.
It has a large fleet of road and rail tankers and ISO tanks transporting bulk materials from manufacturing plants to customers across the country. The truck fleet is mainly Kenworth working as single trailer and B-doubles as well as the road trains for outback haulage.
The company has a long standing relationship with Brown & Hurley as evidenced by membership of Club 100. Cement Australia continually operates a modern fleet to continue its envied reputation for reliability and dependability across every sector of its transport operations.