Isuzu helps carve stonemason’s success

For Mathew Harris, his new Isuzu NPR 55-155 Tradepack isn’t just furthering his business, it’s saving his back.

The Hobart-based stonemason, who emigrated from Britain to Australia in 2018 after taking part in a BBC reality TV show titled Wanted Down Under, says his ute just wasn’t cutting it anymore, so he upgraded to the N Series truck and added a crane that his old ute simply couldn’t hope to accommodate.

“I wanted the biggest crane I could get, but the Fassi crane I opted for would have overloaded a ute, so the Tradepack was a great option for me,” Mat explains.

“It does wonders for my work efficiency—and also my back!”

Mat say the Isuzu also delivers in terms of its hefty payload, with his truck offering a 5500kg GVM and a 9000kg GCM, as well as performance, its 5.2-litre 4HK1 engine pumping out 155hp (114kW) at 2600rpm and 419Nm at 1600-2600rpm.

The NPR Tradepack’s built-in tray includes a heavy-duty headboard with chrome grille and an aluminium body that delivers a lighter tare weight without compromising body integrity or strength.

“The Tradepack still has enough room for my toolbox and building materials alongside the Fassi crane,” Mat says.

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As a ‘banker fixer mason’, Mat specialises into breathing new life into old, historic buildings. After starting out as an apprentice at the age of 16, he went on to work on some incredible projects throughout the UK, including at Oxford University, the Houses of Parliament, and even Buckingham Palace.

These days he’s well and truly in his element in Hobart, working on notable structures like the Tasmania Treasury, St David’s Cathedral, and the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, to name just a few.

“We chose Tasmania because the state is filled with so many old stone buildings,” Mat explains.

“There is so much heritage work to be done and so few banker fixer masons around to offer their services.”

And Mat and his business, Mat the Mason, is in hot demand…

“I breathe life into old stone buildings, using my skills to restore the stone to its former glory,” he says.

“I can work stone into different shapes and sizes with mallets and chisels, replace decayed stone and do new builds if the job calls for it.”

Mat says his Isuzu NPR is nimble and easy to guide around Hobart’s city streets and robust enough to take the odd dirt track in its stride.

“I’m actually surprised at how well it drives,” he says.

“It has great visibility, and the cabin is comfortable and well laid out, which is a bonus.”

Mat purchased the truck from Shane Hilder at Hobart’s Webster Trucks, and says the outlet’s service is second to none.

“The guys at Websters have been a pleasure to work with, and if anything goes wrong with the truck, I know they’ll fix it,” Mat says.

“The Tradepack has been a great investment for my business. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, my work hasn’t slowed down, and I’ve needed the truck to keep up with it.

“Government work has been keeping me busy and with international travel on hold for most of last year, there has also been quite a number of people looking to buy beautiful heritage sandstone homes that have been sadly neglected over time.”

While some believe stonemasonry is a dying art, Mat points out that stone will outlast us all.

“We build with stone not because it is cheap and easy, but because it has true beauty that can last for millennium,” he says.

“My craft is my life and I’ll be happy to leave something behind that will live on for generations.”