A major Queensland earthmoving company dedicated to regional communities tenders council contracts with confidence inspired by Komatsu Komplimentary Maintenance and Scheduled Servicing.
With over 25 years' experience in civil construction, the Ardnox Group are the largest earthmoving company in the Brisbane Valley and Somerset Region.
Australian owned and operated, Ardnox Group works primarily on council and government contracts specialising in regional road works, gravel roads, culvert works and floodways, alongside boulder and block wall building,
landslip remediation and agricultural projects.
Employing 25 staff and operators on permanent and permanent casual basis', Ardnox Group maintains a distinct set of three corporate values; Integrity, Reliability and Service. The business has a unique focus on supporting regional communities and growing local employment and services.
Craig Eastment, the owner and Managing Director of Ardnox Group said that the company aims to boost the economies of the communities in which they operate.
"We try to help people and help keep money in the communities that we go to" he said. "We stay in local hotel and pubs, we donate money to local schools, and we get employees from local areas rather than flying them in. We fill up our cars with local fuel, fit local parts and eat local food."
"We like to give something back, and the various councils we work for appreciate that we aren't just coming in solely for our own benefit."
Based in Harlin, 130 kilometres northwest of Brisbane, the company services an area within a three-four hour travel radius of their depot. In tendering council and government contracts, the company has noted a distinct preference for businesses with fleets of equipment that are demonstrably reliable.
With a large fleet of utility equipment comprised mostly of Komatsu machines, Craig believes that a name for reliability is the key to winning work.
"Komatsu gear's reputation means councils respond better to tenders because they know you can get the job done reliably with the machinery you have."
"Komatsu do an unreal job of looking after the gear, my maintenance is always done exactly to the hour; 250, 500 and 1000 hours under Komatsu's Komplimentary Maintenance program for the majority of the gear."
Komatsu resident fitter Todd Pradella does the majority of work on Ardnox Group's fleet.
"We are vigilant with servicing because oil and grease is a lot cheaper than spare parts."
"Todd is a good and thorough fitter. He always takes the time talk everything through with me as assess individual parts. We are very lucky to have him."
With much of Ardnox Groups success attributed to Komatsu utility equipment, service and support, Craig only complaint is that he cannot replace his entire fleet with Komatsu products.
"Komatsu has made me, really" said Craig.
"Being able to rely on the backup has helped us to grow this business. They have the right people, you ring one person and say 'we need this this and this', they order it and they get it out here, and away we go."
"The Ardnox Group and in turn our customers have truly benefitted from being able lean on Komatsu's knowledge, expertise and reliability."