Fuso faith builds WA business

After a decade of reliable service, Lee Pritchard (pictured), owner of Perth-based building site preparation firm Elohim, is trading in his FS52 8x4 Fuso for a new Fuso Heavy FV 6x4.

The newcomer will join three other Heavy models in the Elohim fleet, plus two small Canters and three mid-sized Fighters.

Mr Pritchard says the reliability of his FS52, which he affectionately refers to as the 'old girl', steered him towards the purchase of the other Fuso models.

"I just couldn't fault it," he says.

"It never ever let me down, not once."

Mr Pritchard, his son Josh and nine other employees use the trucks to clear building sites. They also carry out underground plumbing work, and so the trucks carry an assortment of equipment, including bobcats and excavators.

The four Heavy models are all 6x4s with tipper bodies that pull dog trailers and were purchased through Daimler Trucks Perth. All of them run 12-litre, six-cylinder engines that produce 455hp and 2200Nm.

"That's heaps," Mr Pritchard says.

"You couldn't need any more than that."

While the FS52 ran a manual transmission, Mr Pritchard also says he's very happy with the 12-speed automated manual transmission in his four Heavy models.

"You get good fuel consumption and you don't have to worry about the gearbox or the clutch," he says.

"The blokes just jump in, put it into gear and go."

The Heavy is the largest truck in the Fuso line-up and is available as a 4x2, 6x4 and 8x4. Mr Pritchard chose the 6x4 because it is easy to manoeuvre and this means his drivers can turn around in relatively tight spaces.

"The turning circle on these six-wheelers is just brilliant," he says.