Despite the economic turmoil that shook the world all of last year, Queensland-based Davey Group is expecting a record-year in 2012 – fuelled by a secret new development. During the 2012 ITTES in Melbourne, Davey brand RHINO Trailers will present their new range of Superlite Trailers to the market, which is headed by the Superlight 66.
“We’re very busy at the moment with all of our divisions working at full capacity,” says CEO, Tony Davey, who united renowned brand Lusty Low Loaders and Rhino Trailers under one corporate roof in 2007.
“We’ve used the most of last year to review the way we approach trailer manufacturing, specifically the tippers,” he explains. “We’ve reviewed everything from the raw materials used right through to the entire production process and ended up transforming the entire business into a streamlined production facility.”
Based on the technical expertise and resources available throughout The Davey Group – including illustrious names like Silos, Bins and Tank Engineering, Davey Engineering, AFM, Grainmaster, Traymaster, Homan and Savannah Equipment – Davey was able to tap a wide variety of know-how and come up with significant improvements to an existing design.
“The result is a new range of trailers that are simply lighter, stronger and better than comparable trailers available on the market,” says Tony. “People didn’t think there was any more room for improvement, but we’ve managed to reach a whole new level which makes this trailer perform at the level of much more expensive vehicles, but without the inflated purchase price.”
While Tony does not want to reveal too many details, he is confident that the new model will change the steel tipper market in the long term, due to the “enormous operational savings and advantages” they provide – just like O’Phee’s renowned convertible trailer changed the industry landscape some 30 years ago when it opened up the opportunity to cart general freight and bulk haulage with one single trailer.
In fact, The Davey Group’s roots go all the way back to O’Phee Manufacturing, a Pittsworth-based company that was founded in 1972 and then acquired by Australian Farm Machinery in 1988. In February 2001, AFM – O’Phee Trailers was purchased by the Davey Group and relocated to Toowoomba. “In 2004, we changed the name to Rhino Trailers before we acquired Lusty Low Loaders in 2007 to increase our road transport portfolio,” says Tony.
“This has already brought about an increased emphasis on production procedures, trailer design and improving the finished product. But our latest investment is a real game-changer.”
According to Tony, this development is the logical result of a sophisticated business strategy. “Our backbone is heavy engineering – we specialise in large infrastructural works such as power stations, mining and construction equipment. That expertise is feeding in the Rhino Trailer business, which is taking great pride in a product built for the world’s harshest working environments.
“Regarding our ability to source knowledge from different areas of expertise supports The Davey Group’s claim of strength in design,” he adds. “That’s why we’ve strategically acquired a wide variety of companies over the past decade – we want to provide solutions in fixed and mobile applications.”
When Davey started out in the trailer industry, the company, now employing in excess of 100 people, produced a maximum of 40 units a year. The financial year 2011-2012, however, will see sales exceed 200 trailers delivered Australia-wide, says Tony.
“We’ve allocated a lot of resources over the last 18months, invested a lot of time and money, and now we’re ready to enjoy the fruits of our work. We’ve refined an old favourite and come up with a market-leading product that has operational savings that can be achieved by every owner, regardless of their fleet size. ”
However, the secret new development is only the tip of the iceberg, according to Tony. “Traditionally, our key market is bulk transport equipment. Grain tippers have been a real mainstay in the past, and the knowledge we’ve gained through this process has helped us create a more innovative product range of trailers being released during 2012.
He adds. “As you see, we’re all geared up for a big year, we’ve got the fundamentals right and we know what our product is capable of.”
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