Seeing the Light with Isuzu’s F Series

Mitchell Stokoe started off his excavation career as a coal miner at Helensburgh Mine, situated south of Sydney. After slogging through 12-hour shifts as an underground operator, he decided it was time to hang up the hard hat, see some daylight and have a go at building his own business.

Starting a business from scratch isn’t easy for anyone, and Mitchell’s story is no exception. Slimline Excavations was started in 2016, with Mitchell owning nothing more than a tipper and a trusty Kobelco excavator. He worked Mondays to Thursdays on the Slimline business, and then Fridays to Sundays at the coal mine. Mitchell’s business is now a thriving, full-time operation, working throughout the Illawarra–Wollongong area, and he credits Slimline’s growth to the willingness to tackle any job, no matter what it may entail. “I do the jobs others don’t want to touch,” said Mitchell. “Anything you can think of—site cuts, trenching, plumbing, concrete slabs, high end detailed excavations, all aspects of the construction industry—we’ll take it on. Everything an excavator can do, I’ll do it.” With the rapid growth in his business, Mitchell had to invest in a larger excavator. And in turn, this created the need for an upgraded transport solution. “I needed a truck that could fit the new excavator and move it to site. That excavator was coming in from order soon, so I needed a truck that was ready to go.” With the risk of downtime looming, Mitchell headed to Dwyers Truck Centre in Wollongong to see what could be done. “The guys at Dwyers were excellent. The customer service they delivered was second to none. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a truck or seeking advice.” Dwyers recommended Mitchell look at the long wheelbase Isuzu FSR 140-260 with a custom Tipper body. And just before receiving his new excavator, Mitchell had the keys to a brand new FSR. “The truck is perfectly designed to suit my business, and it’s exactly how I want it. It is a great, practical transport solution, allowing me to move machinery and other loads with ease,” he said. The FSR also provides the power and flexibility that Mitchell needs to stay one step ahead of his competition. Averaging 350 km per week since Mitchell bought it, he says the truck hasn’t lost any of its lustre in the 11 months he’s had the pleasure of driving it. “To be successful in my line of work, my machinery must be reliable. I can’t have downtime—downtime costs money. That’s why I chose Isuzu and bought a new truck. All I have to do every day is turn the key and drive, no fuss!”