No System Overload: How CNC Cartage Keeps Its Crane Fleet Running Smoothly
Queensland based CNC Cartage has spent 20 years building a reputation for reliable transport of construction products, moving materials to building sites and hardware businesses across Brisbane and the surrounding region, from Gympie down to Toowoomba and across into New South Wales.
It is a family owned business, and one that has always been quick to adopt new technology rather than stick with old habits.
A Business Built on Efficiency
Chad Brown, Director at CNC Cartage, is straightforward about what drives the way the company operates. Paperwork is something he would rather avoid altogether, and the business has structured itself around tools that cut it out wherever possible.
CNC Cartage currently runs GeoOp and TomTom for fleet management and mapping, giving Chad and his team visibility over deliveries, driver locations and delivery times throughout the day. Drivers are also expected to photograph everything along the way, from the products being loaded through to delivery and the condition of the site itself. All of it is logged digitally.
For Chad, that record keeping has become essential. If a customer raises a concern about a late delivery, a missing item, or damage to their property, CNC Cartage can go back through its records and work out exactly what happened. It protects the business, helps identify where processes can improve, and gives customers confidence that any issue will be looked into properly. It also makes invoicing and service analysis far simpler than it would be with paper based systems.
Investing in Newer Equipment
That same forward thinking approach extends to the crane technology CNC Cartage runs across its fleet. Two years ago, while replacing older trucks, Chad and his team decided the timing was also right to upgrade their cranes. West-Trans Equipment has since supplied CNC Cartage with seven HMF cranes, the most recent being an HMF 1520 Series.
Drivers have responded well to the change. The HMF 1520 comes with a speed control feature that increases the crane’s lifting capacity. It activates automatically as the load moment approaches maximum capacity, giving drivers finer control over the crane’s movements right when it matters most.
The crane’s manoeuvrability has also proven useful on tighter sites, an important factor given how many of CNC Cartage’s customers operate on smaller yards. Across all seven HMF cranes, Chad reports minimal repairs and few faults. The design keeps hose connections concealed, so nothing gets in the way of the unit during use.
Two Decades in the Making
2016 marks 20 years since Chad started CNC Cartage as a teenager fresh out of high school. He began by buying a single truck and delivering timber to building and construction projects, working long hours largely on his own with no sales team behind him. He stuck with it because he enjoyed the work and the role it played in supporting the timber industry.
Today, CNC Cartage runs a fleet of up to 18 trucks, most fitted with HMF cranes, out of its own transport yard, supported by a team of 22 drivers including subcontractors. Chad is clear about what the business stands for. It is a specialised crane transporter of timber, with storage support for customers on top.
That clarity is part of why he values the relationship with West-Trans Equipment. The HMF cranes have delivered strong value and a solid return, while meeting all OH&S requirements. Just as importantly, Chad likes staying on top of industry and technology trends, and CNC Cartage’s approach to fleet management and equipment reflects exactly that.
About West-Trans Equipment
West-Trans Equipment is a specialised heavy vehicle body building company with head office in Mulgrave and branches in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Prestons in Sydney’s north west. For 25 years, the company has led the design and manufacture of skip loaders and hooklifts for the waste industry, and is also the Australian distributor for HMF Cranes.
Phone: 1300 877 411 Web: west-trans.com.au