JDM and Hazell Bros cement their future with Isuzu

Tasmanian firm JDM Contracting recently added five Isuzu FYJ 300-350 Agitators to its busy fleet, the order stemming from feedback from the company's own drivers.

When company founder Jarrod Minehan asked his drivers about their preferred tool of trade, they didn't hesitate to answer.

"Jarrod asked us what sort of trucks we like to drive," said Dan Maher, one of JDM's long-term agitator drivers.

"We told him we like the Isuzus – they’re great trucks – so he went out and bought them!"

JDM Contracting and its sister operations, JDM Civil and JDM Concrete, handle all sorts of concreting jobs in Tasmania from residential driveways and slabs all the way up to major civil works, like the current upgrade project for Hobart Airport.

JDM is working closely at Hobart Airport with Hazell Bros, for whom JDM sub-contracts its trucks to assist in a wide range of works. Hazell Bros is heavily involved in civil construction and concrete work, operating state-wide in Tasmania and also in Queensland.

JDM says the Isuzu FYJs fit into the scope of the company's operations well . With a 30-tonne GVM and a 45-tonne GCM, the FYJ 300-350 8x4 agitator produces 257kW at 2000rpm and 1422Nm at 1400rpm. It's also well equipped to handle the sticky situations often encountered in concrete…

"When you get stuck in a boggy situation, you can throw the locks in and the truck will pull itself around," said Dan.

The FYJ has also found favour among drivers for its comfortable, full floating cab, which benefits from coil spring and hydraulic shocks and an ISRI 6860 air suspension seat with lumbar support.

"It's just a really comfortable truck out on the road, especially when you've got a full load," Dan said.

He also cites the truck's excellent vision from behind the wheel as another highlight, along with its numerous practical strengths.

"If we're going a long way, we may have to make the concrete mix a little wetter, depending on what the mix is," Dan said.

"And the Isuzu agitators let us carry a larger water tank, which is really good when you're travelling a longer distance, so you've got extra water to use.

"We've been doing a lot of work up at Tunbridge doing a highway upgrade, which is about 100 kilometres away, so this definitely helps."

The two businesses, JDM and Hazell Bros, have a close working relationship – JDM supplies Hazell Bros with six agitators daily, while Hazell Bros supplies JDM with concrete for jobs such as the Hobart Airport upgrade.

"JDM and Hazell Bros keep each other busy," said Todd Rusher, Southern Production Manager for Hazell Bros.

"We have a really good relationship, and that's what quality service is about – building relationships."

Dan agrees. "Good service is important to every business – and that's what my boss, Jarrod, has done, in my opinion," he said.

"He's picked people who are going to do the job well; he's picked his drivers, who are going to look after the trucks.

"He's picked people who look after both JDM and Hazell Bros."