Power on demand: Big Chief Hire bolster offering with Isuzu generators

Since opening the roller doors 10 years ago in Adelaide, Big Chief Hire has built themselves a stellar reputation, with a dry hire machinery range and truck fleet that simply gets the job done.

As Dry Hire Sales Manager Mark Foley points out, they ‘never say never’ to expanding equipment lockers to help clients find their ideal match.

“At Big Chief Hire, we hire out heavy earth moving machinery, trucks, scissor lifts and more,” Mark said.

“We never like to say we can't supply something just because it isn't in our core fleet just yet.

“Power generators are in high demand for civil engineering, as many locations have site huts or demountable buildings that require remote power with no grid in the area yet.”

Dry Hire Sales Manager at Big Chief Hire, Mark Foley

To meet this growing need for off-grid power generation, the business recently teamed up with Isuzu Power Solutions (IPS) to expand its hire offering.

“Isuzu Power Solutions generator sets are the first remote power solution product we‘ve stocked,” explained Mark.

“The Isuzu name is well known in the industry and is popular with our customers, so it seemed like a safe bet to meet customer demand with IPS product when enquiries came in about remote power.”

One of Big Chief Hire's IPS GS020PTY 20 kVA / 16 kWe (Prime) generator sets

Off-grid reliability 

Big Chief Hire has expanded from their South Australian roots into Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, with further locations in the works including a depot in Perth flagged for the near future.

They currently have a number of compact IPS GS020PTY 20 kVA / 16 kWe (Prime) generator sets available for hire at hubs in Adelaide and the Gold Coast.

Powered by the rock-solid Isuzu 4LE1 engine and with a rated voltage of 415 VAC / 50 Hz, these 20 kVA generators sets are an excellent match for use in powering construction sites and other mobile applications such as trade services.

No matter where Big Chief Hire's customers are operating, their power generator won't be affected by external environmental conditions as IPS generator sets feature all-weather canopies that are constructed from thick gauge steel with a powder coated finish for heavy-duty and long-life operation.

“When we plan for our fleet procurement there is a strong research stage to gather information on viable OEMs and ranges of equipment—we also forecast as to what we may need to add to or remove from the fleet, which is vital to our procurement model,” explained Mark.

“The generators need to be dependable enough to power the site without fail.

“The 20 kVA generator sets began as a bit of an experiment for us but have proven to be very popular.”

Importantly for staff who are working nearby and for worksite noise pollution, IPS have designed their generator sets with sound suppressant technology, redirecting both incoming and outgoing air through a series of sound attenuated baffles.

This acoustic insulation throughout the canopy and crafted exhaust housings works to reduce noise, balancing high and low frequencies for a sound output rating of 51 decibels at seven metres—quieter than the average conversation.

“We are now in the testing stage at the moment for trailer mounted IPS generators, making them mobile from the get-go and broadening the range of purposes they can be used for,” Mark said.

“We will also be expanding our offerings in the future with 37 kVA and 50 kVA IPS generators for more heavy-duty requirements.”

Service is chief

Regularly serviced equipment is an important aspect of risk assessments for Big Chief Hire’s commercial customers and is therefore keenly monitored by Mark.

He explains that preventative maintenance is key to ensuring that equipment performs at peak efficiency, and vital to the smooth running of their hire process which requires that service histories are up to date for regulatory compliance.

Much of the fleet and machinery is serviced by in-house technicians at their own depots, but in the case of the new generator sets, they rely on the expertise of service technicians at Northeast Isuzu in Adelaide to ensure that work performed meets stringent quality standards.

“The most important thing customers look for when selecting dry hire equipment is the reliability of the product, because they want to access it quickly, do their job and not worry about it breaking down on them,” Mark said.

“When a customer rings to book equipment we coordinate with the workshop to have it cleaned and inspected before it can be handed to the customer, and ready to go.”

“Our IPS generators are brand new and there's been nothing but positive feedback on them.”