Garwood International managing director Daniel McHugh is clearly proud of the company’s contribution to the waste industry with its range of mobile waste equipment, but it’s been a lot of hard work to get the company where it is today after its founding in 1993.
Its equipment has been developed with a sharp focus on practicality, versatility, and customer needs. It’s a range that includes everything from small, low-profile trucks that can handle basement waste collection in built-up urban areas, right through to the largest rear loaders in Australia. The ability to respond to such varied demands has given Garwood a unique position in the market.
“We’ve got the largest range of mobile waste equipment in the industry… there’s so many different designs, sizes, shapes and add-ons – from our little MINER unit that’s made for underground basements, to light-duty rear loaders, to medium- and heavy-duty rear loaders, to Dualpacts, Sideloaders and Frontloaders,”
McHugh said.
Understanding the challenges faced by local councils, private contractors and urban planners is core to Garwood’s success. In many communities, particularly those in remote or tightly built areas, standard waste trucks are too large or inefficient. Garwood’s commitment to developing specialised, compact models that suit these environments reflects a wider strategy of innovation driven by real-world problems. In regional communities, for instance, large six-by-four units are often inappropriate due to the relatively low volume of waste collected and the limited road infrastructure.
Smaller units offer substantial benefits. They are less costly to operate, consume less fuel, and cause less wear and tear on roads. More importantly, they allow local authorities to tailor their waste collection fleet to better suit the physical and logistical constraints of their area. This isn’t about shrinking the functionality of the truck; it’s about maintaining all the essential features in a more agile form.
Garwood’s size and approach also make them particularly nimble. The company thrives on problem solving and adapting its products to suit unique circumstances. In one example, McHugh recounts a situation with a major city council where their standard ten-cubic metre rear loaders were not a good fit.
“They said the width of the back end of these rear loaders was too wide for their narrow alleyways,” said McHugh. “We made what we call a narrow track version… brought the width in about 200mm. They can now safely and efficiently back these units up in tight alleyways.”
That spirit of flexibility runs throughout their engineering ethos. When designing trucks to navigate underground basements, Garwood not only ensured the overall vehicle height stayed under 2.1 metres, but also developed new lifters that could operate efficiently within that restricted space. These lifters were specifically designed to allow the full range of wheelie bins – 120 to 1100 litres – to be tipped within the basement without breaching height limits. The problem was compounded by limited cab chassis options, requiring the team to build the body as light as possible to meet payload and safety requirements.
Garwood has extended this kind of thinking to a number of specialist trucks, including its well-known dual pack units. Designed to collect two waste streams at once, these vehicles offer operational efficiencies, particularly in urban areas where multiple waste types need to be collected in a single run. Initially developed with a single tailgate, the original design led to some cross-contamination between waste types. Garwood addressed this by engineering a twin-tailgate version, effectively separating the two streams. The team also applied lightweight design techniques to reduce the additional mass of dual sweeping packs, lifters, and tailgates.
“We started the dual pack with a single tailgate… but you get a lot of cross-contamination doing that. So we went to the two tailgates, split tailgates, which cured the cross-contamination issue altogether,” said McHugh.
In addition to adjusting truck size and weight, Garwood also adapts control systems and workflows. Its Sideloader, Litter Pack range, for example, evolved from a manual ‘step-out’ model to a joystick-operated unit. This means the driver no longer needs to leave the cab to collect bins. Even in these smaller units – some just 5m3 to 12m3 cubic metres – the functionality now mirrors that of the larger trucks, right down to the automated grab arms and tipping mechanisms. Designing this level of functionality into such compact vehicles presented a series of mechanical challenges, but Garwood’s engineers rose to
the occasion.
The company doesn’t stop at general waste. It has also developed trucks for secure document collection. Meanwhile, another model, painted in a distinctive orange, is enclosed and designed to carry up to six 240-litre bins inside a special compartment built into the body. This design enables staff to leave empty bins in high-rise buildings and transport full bins to the truck without requiring multiple trips. The inclusion of side-access storage doors and a separate internal bin bay has improved efficiency and eliminated unnecessary labour for drivers.
Another innovation in development is a new food waste truck designed to meet growing demand for sealed, hygienic collection of organic materials. Because food waste often includes liquid components, this model features a top-loading system and full water-tight seals. Concept design work is already underway, and the prototype includes a washdown system integrated into the top of the truck body. A stainless-steel pipe runs along the roof with fire hydrant-style fittings, allowing emergency services to flood the inside of the body should a fire occur.
“We’ve actually designed a water pipe system along the top of the truck… if there is a fire and they can’t get the tailgate up, there is that inlet valve for the firies to attach their fire hose,” said McHugh.
Garwood’s attention to detail also extends to bin lifters, offering what McHugh describes as the largest range on the market. These include wide-comb lifters, split lifters, Grab lifters, and even platform lifts that fold down flat to accommodate bulky, hard waste. This diversity gives operators more options in terms of safety and efficiency, which is particularly important when dealing with large or awkwardly shaped refuse.
The company avoids limiting itself to a single truck supplier. Bodies are designed to be compatible with all major cab chassis, allowing customers to choose their preferred truck manufacturer without compromising the design or integrity of the waste equipment. Whether a client prefers Isuzu, Hino, or another brand, Garwood works to ensure seamless integration.
“We can’t align ourselves with one supplier… our bodies will go on to all of the cab chassis, and they’re made to fit all,” said McHugh.
This open, customer-led approach defines Garwood’s position in the market. Whether it’s designing specialist units for city centres, innovating fire safety systems, or creating multi-purpose trucks for regional councils, the company’s reputation is built on collaboration and customisation. The design process typically begins with concept sketches between engineers, sales staff and customers, and often ends with a vehicle that solves a specific, real-world problem.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all products, Garwood prioritises adaptability and listens closely to feedback from those who operate the trucks day in, day out. It’s this connection to the realities of waste collection – whether in alleyways, basements, bush communities or high-rise office blocks – that has made it a go-to provider for clients with complex or unusual requirements.
“We do that all the time, and we enjoy doing it… we look at it as product development as well,” said McHugh.
Garwood’s future appears equally focused on innovation. With new designs emerging to meet environmental, logistical and regulatory demands, the company is positioning itself not just as a manufacturer but as a development partner to councils, contractors and cities across the country.