Foton floors carpet company

Melbourne-based Distinctive Floor Coverings took delivery of a new Foton 45.110 steel tray truck in September 2014, and says over the 30,000 kilometres it's covered so far the vehicle has impressed with its payload, reliability and all-round performance.

Having previously relied on utes and vans, company managing director Wayn Bickerstaff says he was attracted by the Foton's pricing and carrying capacity, which sees the truck cart bigger loads at no additional cost.

"The Foton has been a real revelation," he says.

"I have to be honest, we bought it because of its price, but it has proven itself as a real boost for our business.

"The Foton can carry more than the utes we have previously used, meaning we have to do fewer trips between our office and job sites, allowing our guys to get more done in a day and all for about what we have been paying for a normal ute."

Mr Bickerstaff says the Foton was been received well by his drivers, too.

"Our guys love driving the Foton; we have had no complaints from them at all," he says.

"We have had no problems at all with the Foton; it has performed faultlessly and we are totally happy with it. I will certainly be looking to add more Fotons to the fleet in the future."

The Foton 45.110 SWB with steel tray is powered by a Cummins 2.8-litre turbo-diesel mated to a five-speed ZF manual transmission. With a car-licence-friendly GVM of just under 4.5 tonnes, the model has a maximum payload of nearly 2.4 tonnes.

The Foton range boasts two cab widths, two engines, three wheelbases and GVMs from 4.5 to 8.5 tonnes, with prices starting from $32,990 drive away.

The company recently added a 45.110 tipper model to its range, which comes ready to run with a factory-fitted body.

Made in China, Foton Trucks are backed in Australia by a 23-strong dealer network and a three-year, 160,00km factory warranty with around-the-clock roadside assistance.

Foton claims it's the world's largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, having produced over five million examples since the state-backed enterprise was established in 1996.

For more information visit www.fotontrucks.com.au.