Australia has its challenges when it comes to collecting and processing the waste that is generated through its construction sector. Isuzu is one company that makes sure the transition from building site to processing facility is as smooth as possible due to its range of trucks designed for such tasks.
According to the National Waste Report, building and demolition waste is one of the largest sources of recovered materials in the country. Unsurprisingly, it’s also the largest source of waste.
Operators like Jumbo Skip Bins in Brisbane – with its fleet of medium- and heavy-duty Isuzu trucks – step in with solutions to tackle processing much of that unwanted waste.
Rory Crundall, director of Jumbo Skip Bins, sensed an opportunity in this. With a background as a heavy machine operator in Western Australia, he started out in the skip bin service in 2016 with fresh eyes and a solo chain lift truck, working seven days a week to get the business going.
His goal of delivering consistent service has seen the Jumbo operation grow to a present-day fleet of 10 trucks, 10 drivers, and 17 staff.
They cover a service area of Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, offering residential and domestic hire, specialising in demolition disposal for the construction sector.
Commercial skip bin hire makes up to 90 per cent of turnover for Jumbo Skip Bins, and it also provides add-on options such as crane bins, forklift bins and the standard wheely bins for high-rise construction.
Crundall has worked hard to change the way waste disposal is conducted in the local area and acknowledges that it’s a work in progress.
“Historically, we’ve found that most construction companies haven’t been interested in how much of their waste is being recycled but that is changing,” Crundall said.
“The Queensland waste levy has incentivised companies to divert as much as possible from landfill, especially common materials such as bricks, concrete and soil, so we are moving more and more into this space.
“Even though it has taken more time and work to make it happen, I have always had an interest in environmental outcomes and have been willing to make the effort to deal with waste, separate it and recycle it into different streams.”
Crundall said the goal of providing a cleaner, greener service has come with challenges in cost and logistics.
He is keenly aware that fleet choice has a knock-on effect to the business, saying that he wanted the support of a truck brand that provided a range of product, capable of tackling a punishing roster and staying out of the repair workshop.
“I had intentions to grow into a large fleet and did a lot of research, asking mechanics and other trucking companies which brand they preferred.
“The answer I got was Isuzu about ninety per cent of the time,” Crundall said.
“I thought it’d be silly if I went any other way; you want to get off on the right foot from the beginning.
“As a business owner, I wanted that peace of mind and comfort, so Isuzu’s warranty and roadside assistance terms are a massive incentive.”
The team at Brisbane Isuzu in Eagle Farm assist Crundall with fleet choice, recommending models that are sized and specified to suit the skip bin task.
Jumbo Skip Bins has taken delivery of two new chain lift trucks within the past six months – a FXZ 240-350 and a FVR 165-300, both fitted with West-Trans
body equipment.
This takes the fleet up to nine Isuzu trucks in total from a fleet of 10 trucks, ranging from a medium-duty FSR 140-260 chain lift skip loader, through to the heavier FXZ 240-350 chain lift and hook lift trucks.
Crundall’s eventual goal is to run an all-Isuzu fleet, presenting a united front to clients and consistency in performance across the business.
In addition to working a full roster with Jumbo Skip Bins, Crundall said the trucks are commandeered for double duty, collecting concrete waste for sister company, Moreton Bay Recycling, which is located 50 metres across the road from Jumbo’s base in Narangba, QLD.
As of 2022, Rory became co-owner and director of Moreton Bay Recycling, essentially combining two well-matched businesses and the fleet that supports both.
It makes for a pleasingly circular operation that offers a cleaner, greener outcome for those clients in the construction sector –coincidentally some of the largest concrete waste producers in the country.
Once concrete waste has been collected from a site, either a Jumbo truck or one of the Moreton Bay Recycling trucks deliver it back to the facility, where it is processed into a quality product for use in future construction projects.
Crundall said the versatility of the combined fleet equates to an efficient service that saves the client money and also offers the businesses time and delivery cost savings.
“Our customers at Jumbo often need products that are produced from the recycled concrete, so we’re able to fill it up at Moreton Bay facility and then drop it off with their Jumbo skip bin, which saves them the cost of an extra delivery.
“It’s vice versa with our Moreton Bay customers – when they order aggregate, they will often need a skip bin.
“Our drivers can be trained on both the Isuzu skip and tipper trucks, which gives us great crossover and means we’re frequently able to utilise our skip trucks to deliver material,” Crundall said.