Local Mix expands Iveco ACCO fleet

Geelong-based concrete business Local Mix recently purchased two new 8x4 Iveco ACCO agitators, the acquisition bringing the total ACCO fleet to a total of 20 vehicles.

Founded in the early 1970s by Trev Richardson, these day's it's Trev's son, Stuart, at the wheel of the family business – a business that has been built on the back of the ACCO right from the start.

Proud reminder
That first ACCO ‘Butterbox’ might now sit quietly in the equipment graveyard at the rear of the company’s Moolap, Geelong facility, but such is Local Mix’s passion for the ACCO nameplate that it was never scrapped, just left to gain patina and serve as a reminder of the business’s early days.

The majority of the company's 32 agitators are ACCOs in both 8x4 and 6x4 configuration – there are 20 on fleet – while a Powerstar is also used in tipper and dog applications.

"We tend to keep our trucks for a long time; we look after them well and get an excellent run from them,” Stuart said.

"There’s still a 1997 model ACCO in service and not that long ago we retired a 1993 model – the ACCOs are really built to last."

Experiencing steady growth in recent years on the back of strong residential and commercial building activity in the greater Geelong region, Local Mix has been growing its fleet by two or three trucks per year, and the company is now the largest concrete supplier in Victoria's second-largest city.

Fit for purpose
"It's hard to go past the ACCO for agitator work; it's a fit for purpose truck," he said.

"They're tough, simple to maintain, easy to keep clean inside and out, manoeuvrable and have the tare weight we need.

"The drivers like them as well because they're easy to drive with the auto transmission, they're lower to the ground so that makes it easy for them to get in and out of and with the airbag suspension they're also comfortable. Electronic stability control also makes them safer to handle on the roads.

"They're not fancy, they're not covered in chrome but they're well equipped where it matters."

The two new trucks feature 8 cubic metre bowls and are providing the extra capacity to help Local Mix on the bigger projects that the company is increasingly undertaking.

Local loyalty
Stuart said the fact that Iveco ACCOs were manufacturer here in Australia was another factor in the company's ongoing loyalty to the nameplate.

"Local Mix is a local Australian company and we employ over 70 people full-time across all our sites," he said.

"Both Trev and I have a firm belief that it's important to support local manufacturing and Australian jobs; it's something we're proud of.

"Our Dealer Adtrans and Iveco as a company has also been excellent to deal with over the years. On the rare occasion that there's been an issue, it's been sorted out very quickly for us.

"Over the years we've owned around 30 ACCOs and we'll be buying them for many years to come."

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