Hitachi works for Allworks - Rail Express

Allworks has undergone an impressive expansion over its 25 years, in its corner throughout the journey has been Hitachi Machinery Australia.

Family-owned equipment hire business Allworks operates across the rail, civil, mining and infrastructure industries throughout Australia. The company has more than 300 pieces of equipment with a large selection of Hitachi Machinery in its national fleet.

Allworks has been in operation since 1999, starting with a couple of small machines on a project in South Australia and has grown to its impressive size today in which it operates in all mainland states.

General manager Nick McLoughney said the company turned to Hitachi machines due to the great price point, reliability, aftermarket backup service and parts availability.

The company operates a range of hi-rail excavators, standard excavators, and loaders across its sites.

The 30 Hitachi Hi-rail excavators are used across Australia in a variety of rail construction and ongoing maintenance projects. The smaller ZX75, ZX85, ZX135 and ZX140W are narrow, standard and broad-gauge rail compatible, with the larger ZX170W being dedicated to standard and broad gauge.

The fleet includes 20 Hitachi wheel loaders and excavators and are deployed across projects in rail, civil and mining industries.

McLoughney said the diversity of Hitachi’s range has been a benefit to the company and its expansion across the country.

“We can send those smaller machines up onto narrow sites in Queensland on projects like Cross River Rail for example,” he said.

“Then the 17 tonne or 21 tonne machines can go into the Pilbara to do work there. We were one of the first to develop the 7.5 and 8.5 tonne hi-rail excavators in conjunction with Harrybilt Engineering and Hitachi Construction Machinery and we would have a couple dozen running around now.”

The relationship between Hitachi and Allworks has been mutually beneficial. It has allowed development of these smaller machines to be used on Australia’s diverse rail networks.

Why Hitachi?

McLoughney said the organisation was originally drawn to Hitachi machinery due to the price point, but the appreciation for the machines has grown to be much more.

“The Hitachi is laid out like a standard excavator allowing it to be simple to use and train team members on,” he said.

“When it comes to training our team members or those on site for dry hire, it is far simpler to show them the additional functionality of the hi-rail component as opposed to showing them a completely different machine than what they are used to.

“What also became apparent very quickly was that the support Allworks would receive from Hitachi would help us in our growth and our work.”

McLoughney said the relationship with Dale Smulders, the sales manager working out of the Forrestdale branch for the past 10 years, and Tom Price from Port Hedland, has provided the support the company was looking for from its OEMs.

“As you expect when you work on the sites like the ones our machines go out on, issues are inevitable,” he said.

“Dale and Tom will move heaven and earth to support us with any issues. Hitachi Machinery Australia keeps us up to date on the availability of new equipment as well as changes to models and new technology.”

He noted an example where some machines had been damaged during transport to Australia. Hitachi flew replacement parts from Japan to Australia and the OEM lost no time in the delivery schedule, getting the machines out and working when needed.

“All our Hitachi machinery fleet has been exceptionally reliable,” McLoughney said.

“Any small issues have been rectified by the Hitachi team promptly and professionally. They understand the demands placed on our equipment and our clients, especially in rail where on-track time is often restricted, and windows of work are limited. Reliable machines are critical to project success.

“A majority of those machines also have an extended warranty when we purchase them so we have even more confidence from the OEM that the machines are going to be working around the clock in some harsh environments.”

Safety

McLoughney said that safety is always the focus for Allworks, and is something that is considered when investing in new machinery.

“Our hi-rail excavator fleet has a key safety lockout system to prevent unauthorised actions and ensure the machines remain within designated safe work zones,” he said.

“These additions are especially critical when operating around personnel, other equipment and high voltage overhead electrical power lines in the rail corridor.”

McLoughney said that the familiarity operators get with the Hitachi excavators ensures highest levels of safety are achieved.

“If operators can jump from an excavator into a tipper and any other machine and use similar controls across each, they can usually maximise the safety features installed,” he said.

Supporting the hi-rail equipment

Australian manufacturer Harrybilt Engineering installs the hi-rail equipment for Hitachi and then will provide the backup support in conjunction with the OEM.

McLoughney noted the streamlined process of acquiring hi-rail excavators from Hitachi after the partnership between Harrybilt Engineering and the OEM began.

“In the past our machine would arrive from Hitachi, and we would advise Harrybilt it is in transit and then we would see it six months down the track,” he said.

“We now just have to work with Hitachi. They will organise the machine and can be the point of contact for all issues on both the excavator and the hi-rail equipment.” McLoughney said the reason Allworks goes back to Hitachi again and again is the strength of the relationship between the two organisations.

“I think it is similar to what our customers get with us, we have the confidence and trust to deal with Hitachi,” he said.

“This was obvious when we developed those smaller hi-rail machines. We were able to collaborate with Hitachi and work through any teething issues we had in the early stages.

“We have the confidence to know they are always there to support us and ensure that we always succeed.”

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