A DL320-7M wheel loader has proven to be a star performer among the fleet of Develons helping a Bundaberg concrete recycling business and quarry grow in stature.
The earthmoving industry is well and truly in Dean Kleidon’s blood.
Ambitious enough to start up his own excavating company in 2013, he’s now expanded his business to include a concrete recycling operation as well a raw materials works by purchasing his own quarry.
And commensurate with that progression has been an increase in the size of his fleet of equipment, which he ensures is stocked with only the best machines he can find.
“After starting out working in the construction industry as a labourer working alongside machines on a daily basis, I knew that I wanted to end up in machines myself,” Dean said.
This interest was amplified when, at the tender age of 20, Dean was lucky enough to buy into a partnership, which utilised two skid steers, a 3.5t excavator and two tippers.
“I did this for a year or so before moving into the mining industry. I worked for little gold mine not too far from home in Bundaberg, Queensland, and then relocated over to Western Australia working in the Pilbara in an iron ore mine,” Dean said.
“When my now wife fell pregnant, we decided to move back to Bundaberg, working for Downer EDI for about five years before the downturn in 2013.”
Not one to feel sorry for himself, Dean used the redundancy as impetus to become the owner of his own company.
“I used the payout to help finance the purchase of a Caterpillar 226b skid steer loader,” he said.
The business, Kleidon Excavations, commenced with just that machine and “a little old single axle tipper”.
In due course, an attachment trailer and a 1.7t Caterpillar excavator were added to the arsenal.
As the adage goes, perseverance and performance bring prosperity, and as the company’s list of clients and project grew, so too did its reputation, encouraging Dean to place his finger into other pies.
“In 2019, I started Kleicon Recycling, a concrete recycling facility located in Bundaberg, and last year Gin Gin Quarries was formed, after we purchased our own quarry located on 250 acres in Gin Gin,” he said.
Kleicon has become renowned for being the region’s only concrete recycling plant, which employs eight staff.
“Ultimately, we receive concrete waste and crush it back into reusable materials, road base, aggregates, crusher dust, etc. We also offer mobile crushing services, and have completed quite a few contracts with different councils around the Wide Bay area along with construction companies on large scale projects,” he said.
Currently, with so much on his plate, Dean’s equipment inventory has increased to include four front end loaders, 13t, 18t and 40t excavators, 2000l and 10000l water carts, an articulated water cart, two tippers and a truck and dog, an impact crusher and screening plants, a variety of attachments such as concrete pulverisers, hammers and more.
Digging the Develons
The saying goes that nothing rhymes with the word “orange” … but in the earthmoving industry, perhaps a phrase that is synonymous with the colour is “Develon excellence”.
The tangerine titans are renowned for their horsepower, bucket lift and torque, and it’s for this reason that Dean’s fleet includes a fair amount of them.
“I had noticed them around over the years and had always heard good things, so thought I would give them a go myself, having owned many other brands of excavators already,” he said.
Dean bought his first Develon — then named Doosan — in 2021, a DX180LCN narrow-tracked 18t excavator which he uses for the concrete recycling company.
The machine delivers outstanding performance and offers superior productivity with increased torque and fast cycle times.
“Initially I bought the DX180 as it was priced right and I thought for the work we do, it was a brilliant machine,” Dean said.
“I chose the DX180 narrow track so we could still move it around ourselves on our tri-axle tag trailer with ease, and it has been a brilliant addition.”
Dean said that in the beginning, the initial DX180 just a well-priced machine which suited his needs.
“But I ended up so impressed with it that I haven’t even looked at or priced any other brands since the purchase,” he said.
“We then moved to the next in the class, a DX380 excavator which is used to free dig rock at our quarry and loads crushers and screens.
“Eventually I aim to purchase a new Develon excavator around the 50t mark.”
But while the excavators have made their mark, the Develon wheel loaders have really shone for Dean.
“Our DL320 wheel loader is an absolute beast of a machine and a real pleasure to operate,” he said.
The robust and multi-purposed model offers unrivalled power and high load capability as well as mobility whilst still capturing detailed controllability.
“We use it to load trucks and pull material away from crushers and screening plants and stockpile materials,” Dean said.
“This year we added a new DL200A wheel loader to our fleet, which is based at our concrete recycling facility and is the perfect sized machine for what we do over there: pushing up concrete, loading trucks, pulling material away from crushers and screen and stockpile machines.
“All of my Develons are comfortable to operate, and have excellent power. My favourite is the DL320; I absolutely love that machine and eventually would like to end up with a DL420 as the business continues to grow. It is just such a smooth and powerful machine with excellent stability.”
Connecting with Clark Equipment
Dean acquired the Develons from sales representative Andrew McLeod at Clark Equipment’s Acacia Ridge branch, and he couldn’t be happier with the service.
The Australian-owned company has been supplying and supporting equipment for more than 60 years. Today it’s in the BRW Top 500 Australian list, with sales in excess of $200 million, 500 employees, and over 20 branches across Australia and New Zealand.
“I have formed a great relationship with Andrew. He has always provided me with excellent and honest service and he quite often makes contact just to see how everything is going even when he knows I am not in the market for machines.
“He’s my guy for excavators and wheel loaders. I can see a Develon moxy truck in my possession in the near future.
“If you are in the market for any new gear, give him a call: you will not be disappointed with the service or the Develon range of machinery.
“They have looked after me on numerous occasions with different things. The guys at Clark Equipment have been honest from the beginning, offered excellent advice and have always ensured they have matched me up with the right machine for the job at hand.
“The after-sales support has always been great, and I actually have not had to purchase any parts yet, other than general maintenance service kits.
“I do get Clark Equipment to service my machines as well, and they have always done a fantastic job and worked in with us well to avoid minimal disturbance to our daily operations.
“I will most definitely be increasing the number of Develons in my business as it grows in the future.”
Andrew remembers the initial meeting well: “I sold Dean the DX180, which he put a pulveriser on to crush up all his recycled concrete,” he said.
“I travelled up to Bundaberg and completed a handover and noticed he was struggling with some loaders in the recycling yard, so I mentioned that we also supplied loaders.
“We kept in contact and we discussed his preferred business model and production.
“I was the first person he called to discuss his purchase of the DL320-7M wheel loader for his new quarry.
“I travelled to Gin Gin, mentioned that we had a few second hand 40t excavators and he purchased one six months later.
“Again we kept in contact regularly and he contacted me when his loaders were playing up and I sold him the DL200A-7M wheel loader.
“Overall I have sold him four machines. It’s been fantastic working with him to support his business model and provide the right equipment.”
