Clear a plot of land and build a hard stand area within a week? For Perth-based civil and earthmoving business Raw Civil, it was just another day on the job.
When Raw Civil owner and director Jayden Grewar received the call, he took it on with confidence; knowing his team had the reliability, skill, and machinery to pull it off without delay.
We caught up with Jayden and one of Raw’s site teams as they worked through grading, dozing and levelling the site using a trio of Komatsu machines: a WA320 wheel loader, a GD655 motor grader, and a D37PXi dozer.
“Our client needed the site established for their office and parking bays, and they were on a tight timeline,” he said.
“With our gear and our team, we knew we could meet the brief-and we’re actually delivering a few days ahead of schedule.”
Jayden credits Komatsu’s smart technology for helping deliver efficiency.
“Their intelligent systems help us stay on spec, right from the cab. It’s streamlined, safe, and means less manual interference around heavy gear,” he said.
Whether it’s setting out designs from inside the cab, reducing ground crew around operating machinery, or increasing first-pass accuracy, the integration of Komatsu’s systems into Raw Civil’s workflows has helped lift productivity and safety without overcomplicating operations.
“We’ve always believed in using smart tools to back up good operators,” Jayden said.
“That’s the real edge-skilled people supported by solid, reliable equipment.”
Built from the ground up
Jayden’s roots in the industry run deep, but not in the traditional way.
His father ran a small Bobcat and truck operation, mostly house pads and site cleans.
“I grew up around machinery, but we weren’t a big business. It was simple, honest work,” he said.
When his parents bought a farm, Jayden moved out there at 11, learning the value of hard work early.
“After finishing school, I did my trade and moved to Perth with (wife) Breeanna. We were both grinding away, building our careers, but we always kept one foot in earthworks, running a small Bobcat and truck business on the side with dad,” he said.
At that stage, the work was still part-time – something Jayden’s dad ran while pursuing his true passion for farming.
“Farming was dad’s dream. When I joined him, it was still a side gig – but I had a natural knack for it, and I pushed hard out of the gate,” Jayden said.
“Before long, I was flat-out. Dad loved the land and ended up moving to his mother’s farm in Queensland for a few years, but I told Breeanna, ‘I’ve got no choice, I’ll make this work.’ And from that point on, it just snowballed.
“Dad left, and I had no choice but to keep going and follow through on the work we’d already won. I threw myself into it, took the hits, and just kept moving.
“I didn’t really have much, just enough for a machine and the dream to make something of it. I hired what I needed and said yes to whatever jobs I could handle.
“You get knocked around at the start. But I never quit. You wake up, go again, and solve the next problem. That’s the game.”
From hustle to headquarters
That persistence paid off. From humble beginnings, Jayden and Breeanna built a business known for delivering high-quality work, with a focus on communication, reliability, and long-term partnerships.
As demand grew, so did the team. Skilled professionals came on board, and in 2023, Raw Civil opened its new headquarters-a major milestone for a business that started with a Bobcat and a borrowed trailer.
“The people around us are everything. We’ve built a culture where everyone has room to grow,” Jayden said.
“You’ve just got to be prepared to work hard, own your outcomes, and keep improving.”
One example of this is Jayden’s sister Emily, now a full-time operator with Raw Civil.
“She was doing her own thing out bush, but wanted a change. I told her, come in, find your space – and she’s made it her own,” he said.
“We don’t box people in. I’d rather give someone the whole paddock and see what they can do.”
For Emily’s part, she is enjoying working in an industry she loves and operating smart machines from the comfort of her cab.
“My family’s always done earthworks, so I’ve always like had a general understanding of different soils and operating machinery,” she said.
“I started in a loader five years ago with another company and that was simple work on bitumen and the like.
“Once I got more advanced, I changed to other equipment.
“And then with Raw Civil, I was very interested in operating a dozer and that’s what I’m working as now.”
Emily acknowledges that she is a rarity in a male-dominated field.
“There’s not many job sites that I go to where there is another female on site,” she said.
“Nine times out of 10, I am always the only female there so it can be a bit nerve-wracking sometimes.
“But it can also be nice because many guys just take you under their wing and they look after you. I am just proud to help empower women working in the industry.”
Emily said it was a joy to use the Komatsu dozers.
“It’s so easy. The controls are smooth. The intelligent computer system in it is not too hard to figure out,” she said.
“For example, I showed up on site with the dozer at the start and made a job plan with the system, all inside the cab.
“I made a couple of points around the design and then with the ramp I made it on a three per cent floor over 30 metres, then I could cut that out with the machine.
“Without this system, everything would be a bit more difficult, involving physical work, string, lines, lasers, and a lot of hair-pulling.”
Backed by Komatsu
Jayden’s first major investment was a Komatsu PC138 excavator.
“It wasn’t fancy, but it was mine-and it got me started. From there, we’ve built a relationship with Komatsu that goes beyond just buying gear,” he said.
Today, Raw Civil operates a well-equipped and rapidly growing fleet that includes seven trucks, seven work utes, and 31 machines-most of them Komatsu-along with a mix of compactors, rollers and excavators.
“We’ve built the fleet to suit the work we take on, and we’ve stuck with Komatsu for most of our machines because they’re reliable, backed by good people, and they keep us moving,” Jayden said.
Jayden credits Shane Ovens, Komatsu’s Business Development Manager, with being a real partner through the journey.
“I was 24 and just trying to figure things out. Shane made us feel welcome, answered my questions, brought my family into it,” he said.
“It wasn’t just about selling machines – it was about building trust.”
That trust has become the foundation for a strong supplier relationship.
“When we’ve got a job to do, we need gear that won’t let us down, and support that’s there when we need it. Komatsu’s always backed us in.”
Shane echoed the sentiment.
“Jayden’s commitment and work ethic stood out from the beginning. He believed in what we do, and we’ve been proud to support Raw Civil as they’ve grown,” he said.
“We appreciated that Raw Civil chose Komatsu as the OEM they wanted to partner with through the growth of their business,” he said.
“Obviously they recognise Komatsu quality and have made it their preferred brand.
“In turn we do a really good job at supporting them in terms of emergency breakdowns, regular preventative maintenance clinics and generally just being a big part of the of the growth of their business, particularly for our service and our smart construction teams.
“When things do go pear-shaped, there’s always someone on the other end of the phone from Komatsu who can help to get it right.”
Shane said Komatsu offered longer warranty periods than many other manufacturers.
“We’ve got models with 36-month, 6000-hour warranties, some models go up to 48 months,” he said.
“And field service is really important to both businesses. We know that in this really harsh environment, things will go wrong.
“So we make sure that we’ve got the right guy on the other end of the phone to pick it up and deal with the problem; and that we get on to site and get the problem diagnosed and repaired quickly, minimising interruption.”
Shane reiterated the importance and usefulness of the innovative technology that Komatsu constantly brought in.
“Jayden has opted for a combination of sensors, GNSS and 3D design data to accurately determine and track the position of construction equipment on a job site,” he said.
“The system just gives him improved accuracy for when he’s having to do that final trim and get within millimetres of final grade.”
Shane said the D37PXi was a little powerhouse dozer, and because it was under nine tonnes, could be easily moved around.
“Before he got this dozer, Jayden would have been using tracked skid steers with a box grader attachment and some form of GPS or LPS system fitted to that,” he said.
“We’ve been able to deliver our intelligent dozer, which is going to give him twice the lifespan of the skid steer or the track loader arrangement, with greater accuracy and being able to do greater amounts of work over a much shorter period.”
What’s next
Jayden’s focus remains on steady, smart growth.
“We’re not chasing shiny things. We’re focused on building strong foundations, good relationships, and making sure every job is one we’re proud to put our name on,” he said.
With a loyal team, trusted partnerships, and a never-quit mindset, Raw Civil is setting the bar for what a hardworking, honest civil business can look like.
“We don’t need to be the biggest. We just want to be the best at what we do,” Jayden said.