For Queensland-based demolition business Ferguson Demolition, the right choice of loading ramps is crucial to the success of its operations.
Headquartered in Bundaberg, the family-owned company carries out a wide variety of professional demolition jobs across the Wide Bay, Burnett, Gympie and Sunshine Coast areas, extending to the north and surrounding areas.
Owner James Ferguson said that prior to establishing the business, he had been working on demolition contracting assignments in Brisbane, with the experience of working across diverse sites giving him an understanding of the demolition business, its regulatory framework and associated earthmoving tasks.
Guided by this contracting work and knowledge gained on demolition, James launched his own contracting business around three years ago.
“While there were other demolition companies operating in my area, I felt confident there was plenty of work to support another supplier,” he said.
“Today our services include removal of old, dilapidated or unwanted items from structures, including internal work such as non-structural walls, wall and ceiling sheeting, kitchen and bathroom strip-outs, and external work such as sheds and decks.”
James said his expert team carefully removes specific rooms or sections of a site structure such as non-structural walls and ceilings, cupboards, wardrobes and furniture, without damage to the remainder of the property.
“We work to state OHS requirements and are licensed, insured and certified by the Queensland Environmental Authority to professionally remove bonded (non-friable) asbestos and transport asbestos waste,” he said.
“Initially it was economical to hire machinery that was appropriate for each job and this approach has worked well, until recently.
“It became apparent that efficiency and profitability would benefit from owning our own equipment. I had a close look at what I was spending on renting machines, and with the projected workload it made sense to invest in my own machinery.
“In hindsight, delaying investment in our own gear was a good strategy because it gave me time to be certain about what equipment was really needed and what machines and tools worked best for the way we operate.”
The right gear for the business
Ferguson Demolition own a Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter tipper truck and a 3.8 tonne Achilles excavator, a combination which has proven to be ideally suited for its work.
Soon after acquiring this equipment, it quickly became obvious that the use of robust and efficient loading ramps were going to be essential for site safety and for saving time to get on and off jobs.
“Our original loading ramps were unsuitable as they didn’t fit in the back of the truck and were unwieldy to handle, taking unnecessary effort and time,” James said.
“Until that time I didn’t really know much about loading ramps so I shopped around quite a bit to decide on what loading ramps would be suitable.
“After looking around for the best solution, I discovered Jetland Ramps, which had just what I needed.
“When it came to the purchase and delivery, everything was quite easy and they were great to deal with throughout the process.”
A great ramp solution
James said he found it reassuring to locate a ramp supplier like Jetland, which “obviously knew what they were talking about, were professional and had clearly done their engineering homework”.
“I’m totally satisfied and would unreservedly recommend these Jetland ramps to anyone with a similar equipment requirement to mine,” he said.
“Not only were they easy and efficient to handle, but their ramps slotted neatly into the truck along with the excavator.
“The Jetland ramps are of a very robust construction, giving us confidence in the safety and ease of unloading and loading the excavator on any job site.
“Despite being rigid, these ramps are still light enough for me to handle with ease, which is especially important when you’re doing this every day.
“I have only had the machine and ramps for a couple of months and already I know I have made the right decision that has contributed to ease of operation for my business.
“The benefit of the Jetland loading ramps is their rigidity and light weight, which enables me to contain the regulated truck and trailer weight within the critical five-tonne limit. ”
Jetland Ramps has been providing reliable solutions to businesses that involve many industries, with the ramps often considered the best loading solution.
Observe all safety instructions
Jetland Ramps emphasises that the correct use of loading ramps is critical in providing safety and efficiency when loading or unloading my equipment.
A spokesman highlighted the importance of observing all instructions for correctly positioning ramps and following load recommendations to minimise risks, such as following of manufacturer’s instructions for correctly installing and using securing systems.
In addition to its standard range, Jetland can custom build ramps to suit any particular situation or application.
Examples of these include removalist ramps, rolling ramps, wheelchair ramps and other tailored solutions.
All Jetland’s ramps are manufactured from the highest quality materials and to an engineered design that makes them ideal to operate efficiently and safely throughout the toughest conditions, including those found in industries such as mining and construction.
Jetland’s priority is safety and meeting and exceeding compliance with ramp safety standards, all through their design and manufacturing stages.
All ramp models are made with anti-slip surfaces.
Specially designed and tested locking pins ensure that ramps cannot move once ramps are locked in place for use.
Jetland ramps are covered by a 12-month warranty, and Jetland has a free Australia-wide shipping policy to make ramp purchasing processes hassle-free.
The company’s customer service team is fully equipped to support ramp users with any information or questions, while further information about the full range of Jetland loading ramps may be found at www.jetlandramps.com.au.