Avijohn Contracting is a family-owned company that has been in business for over 34 years. It began as a civil contracting company in the Sydney metropolitan area, predominantly constructing car parks, driveways, playing fields and similar projects.
In the last 15 years, Avijohn has evolved and concentrated on training and honing its expertise in asphalt paving.
Michael Kennedy is the operations manager at Avijohn Consulting, and it was his parents that started the business all those years ago.
“These days, we mostly do asphalt work for local government and private contractors,” he said. “We also do a lot of profiling work, ripping up roads and material recycling.”
Avijohn has invested in plant and equipment designed to meet the specific requirements of asphalt paving work. Its management and crew are trained and experienced in providing high-quality outcomes for its customers. Ongoing crew training and the upgrading of equipment and plant are essential parts of Avijohn’s operational philosophy to ensure its high standards are maintained.
Upgrading equipment
Avijohn has a significant fleet and recently purchased a Trout River trailer from their local MaxiTRANS dealer in Campbelltown. The trailer is a specialised live-bottom unit, which offers operators an enhanced solution for bulk transport applications.
The capability to empty its content using an interior conveyor belt system offers operators a safer and more versatile alternative to conventional tipping, unloading in environments with low structures and overhead obstacles, while also practically eliminating the chance of the trailer tipping over. The tri-axle semi-trailer is perfect for what Kennedy and Avijohn handle.
Kennedy has found the Trout River Live Bottom Trailer an excellent acquisition.
“It’s been brilliant and very reliable,” he said. “Normally, I would expect trailers, asphalt, and profiling equipment to have minor issues with them. It tends to occur when there are so many moving parts to some equipment. There’s an expectation for some small teething issues, but we have experienced very few.”
Benefits of Trout River trailers
The trailer has lower sides, which makes loading and profiling much easier. Image: MAXITransLive-bottom trailers are unique because they have a conveyor belt at the bottom of the trailer tub. The belt is designed to push the material out of the back of the trailer at a controlled pace so the trailer does not have to be raised to deposit the materials.
“One of the best parts of the Trout River Live Bottom trailer is that the conveyor belt is reversible,” Kennedy said. “That’s great if we don’t need all the material in the trailer. For example, if it’s the last load of the day, it is very helpful to be able to reverse the belt backwards.”
A unique feature of the trailer is the inclusion of weight scales for both the truck and the trailer. Making sure the maximum weight is not exceeded is vital for maintaining the machines and keeping them on the road.
“What is also good is the lower sides to the trailer,” Kennedy said. “That makes loading and profiling much easier and more accessible. It also increases the speed of loading and unloading the trailer.”
It’s worth noting that live bottom trailers tend to be more stable, which minimises the risk of the trailer tipping over during the unloading process.
“It is just as important to us that our employees’ safety and workplace relations are always considered and maintained.
“We foster an environment focused on ensuring that all work is carried out harmoniously without interruption caused by industrial relations issues. A healthy, happy workplace assists us in achieving outstanding results for our company and customers.”
Customer service
What is often not discussed is the influence of high-quality customer and after-sales service from a seller.
“With MaxiTRANS we’ve found that their team is fantastic at following up,” Kennedy said. “We have not had any major issues with the trailer, and with the one minor issue, the team had it fixed within about four hours. We had it back on the road that night.”
When it comes to equipment from MaxiTRANS, Kennedy believes Avijohn made the right choice.
“The team at MaxiTRANS has been professional and more than helpful. We are looking to purchase some more trailers in the next financial year, and there is a good chance we will choose some of their trailers.”
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