We caught up with Jason Brailey of Brailey group who just took delivery of one of the first new Cat® 259D3’s in Australia. Brailey Group specialises in all aspects of earthmoving, excavation, site cleans, driveway dig outs, trenching, yard clearing and levelling, and all forms of landscaping, with a clear vision to be a one-stop shop for their varied-sized clients from south-west Sydney and beyond.
EEM Caught Up with Jason to Hear
first-hand about the huge amount of work Brailey Group has completed in the last five years. “I formed Brailey Group in late 2015 when I purchased my first machine, which was a Toro dingo loader. It seems like a lifetime ago now, so it’s safe to say the time has flown by,” said Jason.
“It was in mid-2016 when I purchased my first Cat machine from WesTrac Equipment, which was a 247B3 Track Loader. I remember back to that time and it was an exciting time, but since then the business has boomed and I’ve purchased one skid steer, four excavators and nine track loaders – with the latest one being the 259D3. Over the last five years our client base and type of services have expanded and developed as significantly as our Cat fleet.”
Jason and his team’s day-to-day often involves site cleans and waste management. They have recently expanded their excavation fleet, so a large amount of their work is site cuts, detailed excavation, demolition and the odd landscaping job.
Examples include the team working on a site cut for Dezire Homes or an excavation job in the source base in Glenbrook. They have also recently picked up work with the Australian Defence Force, which is an excellent achievement.
Having experienced such growth over the last five years I figured Jason must be doing a lot right. “We are an entirely independent business so we are open to complete any task that is set upon us. We aim to be a one-call solution for our clients. This comes down to our full range of machines and highly skilled/trained and experienced operators. We are involved in the projects, from the initial breaking of ground to the final clean-up before handover. We offer skip bin solutions, site cuts, dirt removal, peering, demolition, material delivery, machine hire and landscaping. Having this capability has been a great asset to our business,” said Jason.
Any business in this space is only as reliable as the equipment and after-sales service partner they have chosen. Jason had only positive things to say about Caterpillar and WesTrac Equipment in this area. “Our Cat machinery is consistent and enables us to work efficiently. We have a little downtime, but if the equipment does fail, WesTrac Equipment is prompt with parts and service to keep us moving. It’s been both the quality and reliability of the machines and after-sales service from WesTrac Equipment that has enabled our business to grow. As well as good experience in this area, the development and advancements of the machinery have had a great impact for us,” said Jason.
“Operator comfort is big for our guys because the terrain they work on isn’t always the best, so the more comfortable they are, the fewer breaks they need to take. The standard suspended undercarriage provides superior traction and seems to float over the bumps extremely well. To have tuned suspension in a track loader as well as adding stability means there is a lot less twisting pressure (eventual cracking) on the frame, which adds to the lifespan of the machine. The machines are easy to use, easy to maintain, and the daily checks are easy to do. Having multiple machines allows us complete anything from tight access excavation to bulk excavation and haulage. Sometimes we have four or five machines and three trucks on one site.”
When pressing Jason further about his positive relationship with Caterpillar and WesTrac Equipment, he commented, “The Cat machines are by far the standout in the market. They cop a beating doing site cleans in our line of work. The machine productivity is great and we can get multiple site cleans finished in one day. The machines are effortless – ground speed combined with the vertical lift design provides excellent tipping height and means loading truck and dogs is much quicker and easier for our operators. The sealed and pressurised cab also provides a cleaner and quieter space for our operators.
“My relationship with WesTrac Equipment and my sales rep Adam Bunning has grown quite significantly over the last few years. They aren’t here to just sell me machines – they have helped me grow my business by providing solutions to assist with preventative maintenance, shown our staff the systems that are provided with the equipment and how to use it, and organise parts deliveries if needed. Their parts and technician availability is always satisfactory. We are never waiting on parts and rarely have to wait for a technician to attend site when required. I cannot fault the service response from the team at WesTrac Equipment.”
WesTrac Equipment’s Adam Bunning is the BCP Sales Representative in the south Sydney area and has been with the company for five years. Adam has personally worked with Jason and the Brailey Group for the last 18 months, selling seven machines to Jason in just 12 months, including the 259 D3. “The aesthetic changes on the D3 look great, but it’s the mechanical modifications that have really impressed customers like Jason. A move to a more efficient and reliable brushless style fuel lift pump, along with re-routing the hoses from the undercarriage to the drive motors, which are now straight through with a twist to disconnect fittings and a polycarbonate door, are all welcomed changes/additions.”
Adam puts the success of the pairing down to not only an excellent Cat product, but also great communication skills with Jason and his team to ensure they are utilising the technologies and features onboard the equipment. WesTrac Equipment’s extensive backing of Brailey Group ensures they are in the best shape within the industry for further growth and success.