Case Study

CJD Equipment QLD & Tenkate Plant Hire

Anthony Tenkate, CEO and owner of Tenkate Plant Hire, currently has over 120 Volvo machines in his fleet specialising in articulated haulers.This level of dedication speaks volumes about his level of satisfaction for not just Volvo machines but the relationship with CJD Equipment. The fact that the Tenkate operators prefer to operate Volvo machines goes to show that it’s a multi-levelled appreciation for not only the Volvo range of dump trucks and excavators but also the experience and service provided by CJD Equipment.

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IT ALL BEGAN IN THE SEPTEMBER OF 1976
Anthony’s father “Frank Tenkate” in September 1976, took a gamble on the then-new and unproven in Australia, 6×4 860 Volvo Articulated Dump Truck (ADT). These Volvo 860 ADT’s proved themselves robust, capable and efficient on several critical largescale projects that put Tenkate Plant Hire on the map not only in Queensland but across the entire East Coast of Australia.

Early success came from significant projects like the Kawana Waters deep canal estates on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland near the Tenkate’s hometown. After this success, the ensuing years saw large scale projects like the then-new Brisbane Airport, Sanctuary Cove and surrounding canal estates and luxury golf courses. All of which pushed Tenkate Plant Hire from strength to strength with each successful project completion.

A UNIQUE HISTORY OF GROWTH AND PROGRESSION
Tenkate Plant hire has grown from a machinery perspective, progressing alongside Volvos expanding range of Articulated Dump Trucks.It has been over 50 years and 50 tonnes of advancements and progression since the very first Volvo 10 tonne hauler went to work utilising the sturdy and powerful Volvo engine and technologies. Over this time, Tenkate moved onto the Volvo 861’s, the 5350 A’s and B’s, the A25 series, A25B’s and C’s. Next, Tenkate stepped up into the 35’s, and in the year 2000, the same year his father passed away, Anthony purchased the first of the ‘40s. As of today, Tenkate owns in excess of 95 20/30/35 and ‘40s recently adding the 45’s and now his brand new A60H’s, which both Anthony and the Tenkate team are very proud of.

The Volvo A60H is all about performance, safety, and profitability. It is reducing the cost per tonne with a higher payload—the state-of-the-art design allowing for more capacity while improving fuel efficiency so you can move more for less. This is the ultimate hauler, with 100 per cent off-road performance, proven with Volvo technology. The matched drivetrain, automatic drive combinations including 100 per cent differential locks, all-terrain bogie, hydro-mechanical steering and active suspension, 16 litres, six cylinders straight turbo-charged diesel engine with four valves per cylinder, with overhead camshaft and electronically controlled unit injectors, will more than have you covered with 492kW/673hp of grunt and power.

As I stood in front of two of Tenkate’s brand- new Volvo A60H ADT’s (they have another four on order along with 4 x A40G’s and 2 x A30G’s), it is safe to say that Anthony is a Volvo man born and bred. Of course he has tried and tested other brands over the years but every time has ended up not being completely satisfied with certain aspects or features, which only confirmed his long-standing belief that the Volvo ADT’s, excavators and wheel loaders are the very best in the market for his requirements.

Chatting with Anthony about his passion for the Volvo machine, he said, “We’ve tried them all over the years (referring to other OEM’s), but when it comes to the durability and performance of our Volvo plant, you just can’t match it. They just keep going. Our service and maintenance technicians like working on them because of the high-quality components and engine build quality. Looking at these two new A60H’s and the high level of comfort and driveability, it’s not surprising our operators love being in these machines. We see a big future for these A60H’s in the mining sector, and these first two, along with the other four on order, will be based out of our Mackay office for that reason. Volvo has worked hard over the years developing their machines to this level, and it is a credit to them that they have taken on board the feedback from the earthmoving community over the decades. We see our new 60H’s as the progression for the industry for this size machine. The Volvos are the most reliable ADT on the market, and we have proven that over the years, time and time again.”

Anthony continued, “From my early days of being a 13-year-old kid working for my dad to today, I’ve been playing in the sandpit for a while now and having the access to the CJD Equipment team has been a great benefit for all of us. I view my relationship with Queensland General Manager (Construction Equipment Division), Mark Weekes, as being of significant value and importance over the years. We regularly catch up to share industry insights, needs and news from each other’s perspectives, and we have each learned a thing or two from one another. After working almost exclusively with the Volvo product now for 45 years, we know how the Volvo machines work, and we will continue coming back to CJD Equipment and Volvo for their reliability and performance.”

PIONEERS IN AUSTRALIAN EARTHMOVING
Tenkate Plant hire stands proud as one of the pioneers in the Australian earthmoving industry and today are the forerunners of the earthmoving plant hire industry. With one of the largest fleets of six-wheel drive articulated dump trucks in Australia, their fleet is made up of 6×6 dump trucks, 6×6 water carts, excavators (up to 75 tonnes), wheel loaders and tool carriers, compactors dozers and low loaders. So, it makes sense that Anthony’s relationship with Mark Weekes from CJD is as strong as it is. You would struggle to find a Volvo/CJD Equipment customer who has more work experience on the Volvo range than Anthony.

Chatting with Mark about CJD Equipment and Tenkate’s history, he shared, “We are fortunate to have a customer like Anthony here on the Sunshine Coast. I look forward to our catch-ups. Anthony is honest and open, and that is what we value. No machine or supplier is perfect, no matter how hard you try, it’s how you deal with any issue’s that may arise that counts and our experience with Anthony and his late father Frank have always been one of solving solutions together and moving forward with a positive attitude. This is a philosophy that has always fitted in perfectly with the core beliefs of CJD Equipment. You don’t “sell” to customers like Anthony. Our approach has always been about understanding his needs and providing him with what we see as the best solution to every requirement.”

TENKATE RACING TEAM
Apart from his business, Anthony’s other passions are car racing and adventure motorcycling. His bright green Mustangs with blue Tenkate signage are well recog- nised in the racing community around Australia. Often competing against a younger generation of driver for the podium, Anthony gives as good as he gets and isn’t a stranger to the winner’s podium. Racing on average once a month anywhere up and down Australia’s East Coast. Anthony’s pit crew often includes his youngest daughter Mia, who has aspirations to one day become a mechanic and work on the Tenkate Mustangs.

The future is shining bright for Tenkate Plant Hire with their top-shelf range of Volvo haulers, excavators and wheel loaders that look set to continue to exceed both Anthony’s and the industries expectations. Proving themselves to be a force to be reckoned with, with potentially another six A60H’s to be ordered in 2022, Tenkate Plant Hire looks to continue to be Australia’s largest supplier of articulated dump trucks.

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