Shaping Tasmania With Andrew Walter Constructions And Isuzu

With a string of high-profile civil, industrial and rural construction projects to their name, Andrew Walter Constructions (AWC) is fast becoming Tasmania’s most respected contractor.

From humble beginnings in the civil construction industry, Andrew Walter established his construction business back in 1991. Since then, AWC has grown exponentially, taking on key Tasmanian infrastructure projects like the South Arm Road, Rokeby Main Road Stages 1 and 2, Lake Binney Dam Wall Modification and West Tamar Highway. This level of experience has seen AWC grow into industry experts in Tasmania, fluent in a range of disciplines such as subdivision, road construction, road rehabilitation, pipelines, dam construction, and crushing and screening. To tackle all of this, AWC employs 90 professional staff. One of these employees gets the honour of driving AWC’s latest Isuzu truck, the 2018 Isuzu FYJ 300-350, which is fitted with a six-metre live bottom trailer. With ‘live’ internal floors, live bottom bodies are an alternative to traditional tippers, with the chance of a tip-over being eliminated. This design allows users to discharge materials while on the move and on uneven ground. This also allows the operator to unload indoors and work under low structures, removing potential height-limitation issues. This Isuzu-powered solution came into its own at AWC’s project on Richmond Road, Cambridge, an important arterial passage in southern Tasmania, around 13 kilometres east of Hobart. The area has been a major site of residential development in recent years and is a popular tourist route. The Tasmanian government awarded the tender for the road upgrade to AWC. AWC dove into the project soon after, equipped with their fleet of Isuzu trucks, including the FVR 165-300 and the FYJ 300-350. The power of the FYJ 300-350—with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 30,000 kg, power of 257 kW @ 2,000 rpm and torque of 1,422 Nm @ 1,400 rpm—means that AWC can make the most of the payload and maximise time spent on-site. “The FYJ really suits our core application. The truck’s horsepower stacks up perfectly, the transmission is great—and not to mention the tare weight, which is also really important,” said AWC’s Fleet Manager, Grant Wardlaw. Caption: Grant Wardlaw pictured in image The FVR 165-300, fitted with a Fassi crane and tipper body, is also a boon for the company. With its 16,500 kg GVM, it allowed AWC to take on multiple civil construction duties, while providing outstanding manoeuvrability and driver comfort. “When undertaking projects with tight deadlines like the Richmond Road project, reliability is key for us. With Isuzu, you just turn the key and they’ll be ready to go.” The trucks’ reliability, alongside the hard work and commitment from the team at AWC, has the project on track to be completed ahead of schedule. Grant credited Webster Trucks sales professional Shane Hilder for his know-how and ability to match the right trucks to the desired application. “One of the biggest benefits of buying an Isuzu is that we have a dealer we can talk to and partner with. Webster is really good at what they do and they address any issues straight away. “We really enjoy the comfort from knowing that they always have spots for our trucks when our own servicing workshop is full.”