Isuzu delivers for Hanson

Building materials heavyweight Hanson says Isuzu's FYJ 2000 Agitator is delivering the goods in the high-pressure construction industry, where the inherent demands of premix concrete necessitate tight timeframes and total reliability.

The company, which is a part of the massive multinational Heidelberg Cement Group, recently procured several more examples of the FYJ 2000, which are now part of the Australia-wide firm's 1500-strong truck fleet.

According to Hanson's General Manager of Logistics, Tony Pearson, in a company of this size and success there's simply no room for mistakes.

"It's certainly a large operation with plenty at stake," he says.

"Ultimately, we produce and deliver a 'live' or perishable product, so efficiency and reliability is critical in everything we do.

"Our delivery expectations are 'to the minute', with concrete having a shelf life of about an hour in the back of a truck."

Mr Pearson says Isuzu's FYJ 2000 has shown it is well up to the task, with its powerful SITEC Series III 350 engine and Allison 4430 fully automatic six-speed transmission proving a winning combination.

The 9.8-litre six-cylinder engine is said to produce 257kW at 2000rpm and 1422Nm at 1400rpm, while Isuzu says the 4430 is a step up from the 3000 series Allison offered in many comparable trucks.

Mr Pearson says Hanson's Isuzu FYJs are handling their demanding role well.

"Isuzu provides a high quality, versatile and reliable product that meets our daily needs in a harsh operating environment," he says.

"We've worked closely with Isuzu to pull together a product that reflects the nature and rigour of the work we undertake every day."

Isuzu Australia Limited says the FYJ 2000 has been locally engineered with the Australian agitator market top of mind. The model employs some clever load-sharing solutions to achieve legislated GVM allowances of up to 11 tonnes per front axle, thereby making full use of the truck's 30-tonne GVM.

The load on the two front axle suspensions is 'shared' by a rocker and includes a damper to improve handling under duress. It's a design unique to Australia, says Isuzu.

The FYJ 2000 also boasts an effective emissions reduction system that adopts exhaust gas recirculation with a diesel oxidation catalyst.

As a member of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Program and Energy Efficiency Opportunities Program, Hanson says it takes environmental concerns very seriously.

"Fuel and emissions reduction is a major component of our Energy Efficiency Opportunities Action Plan, where we've managed to reduce 'dead running', or the amount of empty trucks being transferred between plants," says Mr Pearson.

"And we've also got training in place to promote more environmentally conscious driving techniques amongst our operators."

Hanson and Isuzu are also actively collaborating to improve rollover stability – a critical safety issue for agitators, with their inherently high centre of gravity and constantly shifting loads.

"It remains an area we need to continue to focus on both in terms of driver behaviour and training, as well as truck design," says Mr Pearson.

"We’re currently working closely with Isuzu and suspension suppliers, Hendrickson, to get further improvements in this area."

Meanwhile, Hanson says the FYJ 2000 is proving popular with its drivers. Comfort is enhanced by the standard ISRI 6860 driver's suspension seat and a coil-sprung cabin with hydraulic shocks.

The cab itself complies with ECE-R29 standards for strength and there's an ADR-compliant sleeper for longer trips, while the DAVE (Digital Audio Visual Equipment) unit, with 6.2-inch touchscreen, offers DAB+ digital radio and Bluetooth-equipped, hands-free telephony.