Isuzu works for Soilworx

Shortly after Chris Ristosvki left high-school in the mid-1980s, he joined his father, Andrew, in the newly established family business, Soilworx supplying quarry products like sand, mulch, soil and rocks to industry.

It was a fairly steep learning curve for young Chris but working at the coal face taught him a lot and, as the business expanded, he moved from an operational role into a leadership role. Today, as CEO, he’s helped grow Soilworx into a large and successful business employing over 100 people.

Chris believes the secret to the company’s success is a focus on customer service.

“We expanded and have multiple locations, which obviously helps, but it’s all about relationships and strong customer service,” he said.

Relationships, delivery and reliability. These are the bedrocks of the business and something Chris looks for in his business partners as well as in their capital equipment – including his truck fleet.

Chris said that’s why 20 of his fleet of 30 trucks are Isuzus.

Soilworx recently purchased three FXZ 1500 6x4 Long autos and an FYJ 2000 8x4 Long to add to the fleet. These are two of Isuzu's very poplular F Series trucks.

“One of the great features on the FXZ is having the auto. It’s user friendly for the drivers, and means there’s less wear and tear,” Chris said.

“We mainly use FXZs and FYJs because they’re tough enough to handle the environments we work in, and we know with Isuzu’s network of service centres, and the relationships we have there, that we’ve got a reliable partner.”

The FXZ 1500 boasts a GVM of 24,000kg, power of 257kW at 2000rpm and torque of 1422Nm at 1400rpm, while the FYJ 2000 has a GVM of 30,000kg with similar power and torque figures.

Both vehicles feature Allison 4430 Series transmission, ABS, Meritor brakes, axles and cross locks, front stabiliser bars, coil spring cab suspension, ECE-R29 compliant cab with Isri 6860 seats with integrated seatbelts – making them workhorses with all the creature comforts.

For Chris, the benefits of buying Isuzus extends far beyond the truck specs and into after sales care.

From Isuzu’s Care Centre – staffed by full-time employees in Melbourne – to roadside assist, factory and extended warranties, a plethora of insurance options, priority service agreements and an outstanding parts and service network, Isuzu trucks keep businesses, like Soilworx, on the road.

And this is the part of Isuzu’s offering that means the most to Chris.

“As Soilworx has grown, we’ve really put the product to the test. And when we’ve needed changes, it hasn’t been an issue. We’ve added split system divides in some of our Isuzus.

“We really enjoy working with the Isuzu and look to have that relationship grow over the years with the business,” Chris said.

Needing his fleet of trucks to run from the depot to a variety of job sites all day, every day, all over Victoria – covering thousands of kilometres a week and carrying millions of tonnes of earthworks per year – means Chris demands not only reliable workhorses with grunt in his fleet but an unparalleled support network to reduce downtime. And Chris says this is what Isuzu provides.

It’s a partnership that started over a decade ago and one which both Soilworx and Isuzu look forward to continuing.