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Media Releases for Kenworth |
Kenworth produces 40,000th Australian-made truckPic caption L to R: Barry Maney, Chairman, Barry Maney Group, Joe Rizzo, Managing Director, PACCAR Australia Pty Ltd, Bill Rothery – Chairman and CEO, John Swire & Sons Pty Ltd, Greg Stevenson - Managing Director, Kalari Pty Ltd., Rod McGregor - Kalari Driver, Darren Whyte - General Manager Fleet, Kalari Pty Ltd., Fred Hill, Dealer Principal, Barry Maney Group.
Leading Australian truck manufacturer, Kenworth, today delivered its 40,000th Australian-designed and manufactured truck at its Bayswater plant in Mr Rizzo said at the ceremony that this major production milestone was testament to Kenworth’s commitment to Australian manufacturing and its ongoing support from Australian business. The Kenworth brand in “ Kenworth is the only Australian manufacturer which has the design capability, technical expertise and resources to fully purpose-build trucks for “Our trucks are designed to satisfy these unique needs, such as higher cooling capacities to handle the heavier weights and hotter conditions, more robust construction to manage the roughest roads, and a design philosophy that recognizes the importance of cost-effective maintenance and, above all, reliability,” he said. Kalari takes possession of 40,000th Kenworth Mr Rizzo said it was fitting that the 40,000th Kenworth was built for Kalari. “Kalari has been a long-time Kenworth user and a prominent leader in the transport industry in terms of safety, innovation and productivity. We are proud to be a key partner to Kalari. “Not only is the Kalari fleet highly respected throughout the industry for its quality safety and operation, but Kalari have always been committed to innovating in order to find a better way to meet their customers’ needs,” he added. “We’re very honoured to receive this landmark vehicle,” said Bill Rothery, Chairman and CEO of John Swire & Sons Pty Ltd., owners of Kalari Transport. “We’ve enjoyed a long association with Kenworth. We see it as a real partnership – something we hope to continue for many more years.” Kalari, which is part of the multinational Swire group, is regarded as one of The 40,000th Kenworth is a T608 prime mover, rated to a GCM of 97 tonnes. The truck is powered by a Cummins Signature engine, producing 580 hp and 1850 lb/ft of torque. It features an 18-speed Fuller RTLO20918B manual transmission, Meritor RT46-160 rear axles, Kenworth Airglide 460 suspension as well as a 36-inch integrated sleeper. The new Kenworth will operate primarily on the east coast, including Melbourne-Brisbane, Sydney-Melbourne and Melbourne-Adelaide runs. Configured as a B double pneumatic tanker, it will transport various materials, including powdered plastic, raw materials for the glass industry, such as feldspar, sands and limestone as well as fly ash for the concrete industry. With about 100 in service, the T6 series remain the company’s most popular models. “The T608 is an extremely versatile model which is ideal for us, since we operate a diverse range of B doubles and road trains. We can have a T608 handling tanker work in Since inception in 1976, Kalari has operated a predominantly Kenworth fleet. Today 90 per cent of its 270-strong stable are Kenworth prime movers, including the K108, T401, T408, T408 SAR, T604, T658 and T908 models. The company has tried a number of American-style and European trucks over the years, but it has always continued working with Kenworth. Mr Rothery says Kenworth offers improved productivity and reliability as well as lower downtime and operating costs. “We’ve found over the years that our Kenworths consistently outperform other vehicles. We try to squeeze the most out of our trucks from a utilisation viewpoint, with many covering 10,000 km a week. When you’re running trucks at this pace and subjecting them to unforgiving conditions – reliability and durability are of utmost importance. Kenworth is the only brand that can handle anything we throw at it, year in and year out,” he explained. “The current economic climate hasn’t changed why we buy Kenworth. If anything, it’s just reinforced it,” Mr Rothery said. “In tough times, you have to get the best value for your buck. You need to ensure that whatever you’re purchasing is going to give you good service and it’s not going to cost money in repairs. Now more than ever, when we buy trucks, we are making a decision from a whole-of-life perspective. “Kenworths may cost a little more to purchase, but they deliver considerable savings over the long haul. Our trucks are more reliable and cost-effective to operate, and when it’s time to sell, they always get a higher resale price. That’s why we’ve bought Kenworth, and that’s why we’ll continue to buy Kenworth,” he said. Kalari has been purchasing Kenworths for more than 30 years from Mt Gambier dealer, the Barry Maney Group. Kalari’s business has helped the dealership develop into one of the largest regional truck dealers in “The Barry Maney Group do a lot more than sell and service our trucks,” said Darren Whyte, General Manager of Fleet for Kalari. “They understand our business and they’ve worked with us to develop consistent specifications across our entire Kenworth stable. This gives us the flexibility to use our models for various applications,” he explained Since establishing local manufacturing in 1971, Kenworth has continually expanded its operations to meet growing demand. In 1974, the company achieved its first production milestone – delivering its 1000th truck in Kenworth trucks are designed and manufactured in RELEASE ENDS For further information: Neil Willox Marketing Manager PACCAR Tel: (03) 9721 1500 Media Contact: Neil Willox (neil.willox@paccar.com) |