WHERE ARE THEY NOW: TRUCK OF THE YEAR GRAND PRIZE WINNERS

Adding a bit of fun to your workday can bring a smile to your face and reduce stress. Plus, entering a competition celebrating truck ownership and hard-working Aussie truck drivers, is a great way get positive recognition for your business.

It's been almost three decades since Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) launched its Truck of the Year competition.

Originally the competition was run through Isuzu’s long-running Truckpower customer magazine. Competitors would then have to wait for the print magazine to hit their letterbox to find out if they’d won the monthly draw or the annual grand prize winner for the year.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GRAND PRIZE WINNER?

It can be hard to know what the TOTY judges are looking for when it comes to being a grand prize winner.

Showing how you put your Isuzu truck to work in a creative way through photography and a captivating quote gives the judges a glimpse of your business and how you value your Isuzu.

An eye-catching wrap or paint job that makes your Isuzu truck stand out from the crowd can also impress the judges and score your beloved truck the recognition it deserves.

Adding a bit of humour to your entry can also give you an edge. Businesses big and small are encouraged to enter - think of it as your moment to shine.

PAST GRAND PRIZE WINNERS

Let's take a look at some past Truck of the Year grand prize winners to see where their businesses and their trucks are now.

CRANEWORX

The Craneworx team were ecstatic to win Truck of the Year in 2022.

Known throughout the greater Adelaide region for their bright yellow Isuzu FYJ 300-350 cranetuck and their reliability to answer calls rain hail or shine, Craneworx has a solid reputation in the southern state.

The timing for winning Truck of the Year was impeccable, just two weeks later Craneworx added to their growing Isuzu fleet with an NQR 87-190 AMT proudly named “Mini Me”. In the same bold yellow wrap as its older sibling, Mini Me has an important role to play at Craneworx. The NQR 87-190 is used as a rigging and counterweight truck to support the cranes that the team operates.

Hayden Ramsay and the team at North East Isuzu have been supporting Craneworx and keeping the fleet in top shape.

ADELAIDE LIQUID WASTE SOLUTIONS

Suzanne Magro and Ben Harris from Adelaide Liquid Waste Solutions were the 2021 Grand Prize winners, with their impressive vacuum truck that solves Adelaide's liquid waste dilemmas.

The team have a FYH 300-350 AUTO on the way, due for pick up in April with 16,000 litre tank capacity making it able to tackle bigger jobs. Adelaide Liquid Waste Solutions' FYH 300-350 is twin steer, making it easier to handle in a huge range of environments. Suzanne and Ben anticipate it will quickly become the star of the fleet because of its tank capacity, and ease of use. Ben and Suzanne had a long-standing relationship with North East Isuzu before opening Adelaide Liquid Waste Solutions, so starting a new Isuzu fleet when the business took off was a no brainer.

The fleet has expanded to five Isuzu F Series vacuum trucks since winning Truck of the Year, and truck number six has just been collected, handled by Sales Manager Darren Calvett, who has been a great support for the business.

From the outset Adelaide Liquid Waste Solutions has kept their trucks in perfect condition and squeaky clean, sending the message that their top-notch Isuzu trucks reflect their business approach. Their drivers take massive pride in the fleet as well, because they know without a doubt they operate the slickest looking vacuum trucks on the road!

POWERED INNOVATIONS

Being the Grand Prize winner for Truck of the Year 2019 was a huge highlight for Martin Cordina and the team at Powered Innovations.

This popular industrial electrical and mechanical business is in the process of building things up after the pandemic-related lockdowns in New South Wales. The memorable electric blue wrap and super impressive field service build not only stood out to the Truck of the Year judges but also keeps clients calling. Customers often comment on the professionalism of the Powered Innovations’ enticing looking NPR 65-190, which acts like a shed on wheels with everything that Martin needs to get the job done and all without needing to leave the jobsite.

Now that borders are open all over Australia, Martin and Powered Innovations are investigating adding another Isuzu light-duty truck to the fleet and taking on more employees.

With these expansion plans in place, Powered Innovations are looking towards a brighter 2023.

BIGGER & BETTER THINGS

Whether it is a boost of confidence for having your hard work and your hardworking truck recognised, the satisfaction of a competition win out of a hundred plus entrants, or the sense of achievement found from putting your business out there – there is a lot to take away from being a Truck of the Year Grand Prize winner.

Needless to say, the future looks particularly bright for Craneworx, Adelaide Liquid Waste Solutions, and Powered Innovations.

If you want to see your business as the next name in this line up, then be sure to enter the Truck of the Year competition.