And if that means the purchase of a new machine to meet a client request, that is what it will do.
Not only is the company constantly upgrading its fleet and ensuring the most professional working strategies, but the fleet is also continually growing.
Building strong stakeholder partnerships in business is another key to long-term success and the relationship between Fleck Earthmoving and LiuGong equipment and its associated support teams has been close to a perfect match.
Fleck Earthmoving was established in 1988 by original owner Jamey Flecknoe, however, under new Director, Danny Kalischer, and Group Operations Manager, Mike McFarlane, the business has quickly grown from eight machines in its fleet to more than 80.
Based in Box Hill, north-west of Sydney, it is now largely a wet hire company with 64 operators in the field and three in the office, while it also incorporates several other businesses including NextGen Earthworks, NSW Plant Haulage and its newest division, Fleck Plant Hire, which services all dry hire requirements.
The Fleck Earthmoving Group has a fleet of excavators ranging from 0.8 tonne up to 50t, plus dump trucks, dozers and posi track Loaders. Jobs can include everything from backyard swimming pools and redesigns to major agricultural works, complete with the floating of machines, transport and dirt removal in trucks and trailers.
Mike said for LiuGong excavators, the business has maintained a great relationship with Liam King and the team at Sydney dealership, Pacific Machinery Group, where he said the aftercare and support had been amazing. In fact, so much so that he quipped he would prefer they did not contact him, because it cost the business a new machine every time.
Mike recalled Liam’s encouragements to consider the LiuGong excavators and he advised Liam that when they did make the step, “they would be coming in hot,” however he said Liam and the team had been equal to the task and gone above and beyond.
“We were up north on the Moonee Moonee Bridge and I told Liam I needed a 30-tonner delivered Monday to the (Hunter) Valley,” Mike said.
“It was the Thursday and we agreed on a price before I was at the end of the freeway. We had a team fly from Perth to install and test the GPS unit and Liam opened the shop on the Saturday and Sunday and everything was completed, including the machine being stickered and ready to go for floating to site on the Monday morning at 9am.
“Then later I was back up the Valley and we looked at another two 14-tonners – again that we needed by the (following) Monday. The turnaround time has been quite amazing and I don’t think others can do what they have done.”
The LiuGong excavators included a 930E and two 915E machines, powered by the Tier 3/Stage IIIA Cummins engines delivering 216 horsepower and 115hp respectively. The larger rig digs to a depth of 7.3 metres and provides a reach of more than 10.5m, while the smaller machines offer a 5.5m digging depth and 8.3m reach.
Mike said Fleck Earthmoving’s operators had experience with most machines and feedback on the LiuGong excavators had been great.
He said a tier one client of the business also had enquired about the machines after viewing the 30t LiuGong excavator at work on a bulk earthworks job in the Hunter Valley.
The 14t excavators have been involved in a lot of detail excavation works in the city, including for Sydney Water. They also have been used with various attachments, including a wet saw for rock sawing.
The ongoing support from Pacific Machinery Group and the LiuGong team also has continued to impress.
“It is easy to work with the LiuGong crew and Liam knows the industry and our expectations and how important things are if there are any issues,” Mike said.
“One evening I rang him at 7pm with an issue and he had it worked out by 7.15am the next morning.
“On an Anzac weekend, we had a machine in the city that got vandalised and it was on a high profile job, but Liam got the parts from overseas in seven business days and we were back up and running.
“For any other parts we have needed that were not in Australia, he has pulled them off another machine to keep us running.
“You can ring him at 8pm at night and he will pick up. That’s why our partnership and everything has worked so well,’’ Mike said.
