A-CIVIL CHOOSES KOBELCO
Kobelco and the team at Australian Earthmoving Magazine recently caught up with brothers Salim and George Matta of A-Civil, on site at one of their latest major subdivision projects in Melrose Park in Sydney, and were presented with a sea of Kobelco blue excavators hard at work. The Australian owned A-Civil expects to be on this project for at least 12 months, as they expand the internal access roads and coordinate the civil work for what will be an exciting new development.
Family Values Leads to Business Success
A-Civil specialises in a range of services from “demolition, excavations, remediation, subdivision—the whole lot” says Salim, with the two brothers working under the mentorship of their father, and the company’s founder, Nasser Matta. Nasser has been in the industry for over 20 years and has built A-Civil into a major player in the Sydney demolition, civil and construction markets. Having started out in labour, Nasser then decided in his early twenties to go out on his own and purchased his first excavator, never looking back. A-Civil now has 15 projects currently underway all over Sydney.
Salim attributes a lot of the company’s success to a business culture of family values, which he explains are reflected in everything that they do. “We have around 80 staff working on jobsites; we love what we do, and treat everyone as family,” says Salim. This attitude is also reflected in how they do business with clients. “We go above and beyond for our customers, which I believe is one of the main reasons for the business’ success.”
George manages the day to day overseeing of projects, while Salim is involved more in the operational side of the business; this gives George and Salim a unique perspective on what makes for a great excavator.
“Coming to know Kobelco was the best thing we have ever done,” says Salim. “I operate the machines myself, so I know how it feels to sit in a machine all day. With Kobelco, the comfort is amazing; with a soundproof cab, they are easy to operate and the operators love them! We keep the machines for five years or when they hit 4,000/5,000 hours, then we trade them up. The machines give us no headaches; we have never had any down time on them and they are always up and working.”
Best-In-Class Performance and Comfort
A-Civil recently took delivery of a new Kobelco SK500LC, Salim notes – having previously owned a 45 tonne Komatsu machine. “The difference between them is amazing! The power that the Kobelco has is unreal compared to our previous machine, and the comfort and performance is a great improvement,” says Salim.
And it’s no wonder why—the SK500LC is a durable workhorse in the 50 tonne class. Manufactured in Japan to Kobelco’s high standards of quality, the SK500LC is as reliable as it is productive, ensuring it will stand the test of time and deliver low cost of ownership. The machine has very impressive digging specifications, with a class leading reach of 12,070mm and a digging depth of 7,810mm. The powerful drawbar pull force of 415kN is also best-in-class, helping A-Civil get the job done faster by providing plenty of speed when climbing slopes or negotiating difficult terrain. As with all Kobelco excavators, the highly efficient hydraulic system minimises fuel consumption, while maximising power.
A-Civil’s operators weren’t just impressed with the performance of the new SK500LC, they also raved about the superior comfort of the cabin. The biggest hits amongst the operators were the vibration absorbing air suspension seat, the cold air conditioning from the automatic climate control system, and the large, spacious cabin—which is sealed and pressurised for operator comfort, and among the quietest in the industry. These features all add up to an operator station that Salim’s team says is the best they’ve experienced in an excavator.
Outstanding Local Dealer Support
In addition to the performance of the machine, Salim also praises the outstanding service of their local Kobelco dealer, Sydney Trucks and Machinery (STM), citing their support as one of the main reasons they choose Kobelco. “We originally used STM to service our trucks. At the time, we had Caterpillar machines; then we decided to get a Kobelco machine; that quickly turned into three, then into 20!” exclaims Salim. “The service and support of STM is unbelievable, if you call for something, they are there. Whether it’s a sales rep or the Director himself—you get what you want, and they make it happen.”