Proven in the field by councils across Australia, LiuGong machinery is earning a reputation for performance, reliability, and value.
LiuGong Australia has continued to make a strong impact in the roads industry nationwide, supplying reliable, high-performance construction equipment tailored to the demands of road building and maintenance.
With dealerships located across most major capital cities, contractors and councils involved in roadworks have convenient access to the full range of LiuGong machinery, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum productivity on the job.
Recently, local councils in both Western Australia and South Australia have expanded their fleets with LiuGong equipment, recognising the brand’s value in road construction and maintenance projects.
In a short period, both councils have experienced the LiuGong difference, machines that deliver efficiency, durability, and the capability to complete roadworks quickly and effectively.
Out west
The Shire of Nungarin is one of the latest local governments in Western Australia to purchase a piece of LiuGong machinery.
Dave Nayda, is Works and Services Manager of the Shire, which oversees about 180 and 370 kilometres of bitumen and gravel roads respectively.
Upon joining the team, Nayda was excited to update some of the equipment onsite, immediately perusing LiuGong’s suite of machinery.
“Our fleet was in need of an upgrade, but when we looked at the cost of some other brands, we realised that was not possible,” says Nayda. “We did the price comparisons, and the savings were huge.”
After hearing feedback from other shires who use LiuGong loaders, Nayda and the team made the decision to purchase a 856H LiuGong wheeled loader, powered by a turbocharged and air-to-air intercooled, six-cylinder Cummins Stage III engine.
The wheel loader offers up to 217-horsepower, speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour and a tipping load of five tonnes.
Other key features include a German countershaft and power shift transmission, which provides four forward speeds and three reverse speeds.
Quick hitch buckets are also now standard on LiuGong’s wheel loaders. The high specification model uses a 3.5 cubic metre bucket, while a three cubic metre size is used on the standard model.
The LiuGong 856H wheel loader also includes an auto-greaser.
“It can do a lot of clearing work along the sides of roads and loading of trucks with gravel,” says Nayda.
“It’s definitely as good as other machinery, if not better, for pushing power. It’s brilliant pushing the pile.”
Although the team was planning to upgrade a range of equipment when Nayda came on board, he says initially there were no plans to upgrade the shire’s old grader.
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When they discovered it would cost $40,000-$50,000 in annual repairs and maintenance, resulting in considerable downtime, they knew a new machine was required.
After positive results from the wheel loader, the team also purchased a LiuGong grader, making the shire one of the first in Western Australia to add a LiuGong grader to its fleet.
The 19-20 tonne LiuGong 4230D motor grader features a 9-litre Cummins engine which, Nayda says, has stayed as efficient as ever, even after chalking-up more than 650 hours of operation.
“It doesn’t lack any power and it’s doing a good job,” he says.
“The guys have all come out of other machines into the LiuGong and they are extremely happy.”
The LiuGong machines were purchased through local Merredin dealer, McIntosh & Son, which Nayda says has offered continuous support to the Shire of Nungarin.
“The support has been absolutely superb from the team at Merredin, and they continue to carry out our major machine services,” he says.
Nayda and the team are now looking to purchase a second LiuGong grader for the shire.
Down south
The District Council of Franklin Harbour recently purchased a LiuGong motor grader to be used for patrol grading of rural roads across the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia.
Darren Zechner, Works Manager of District Council of Franklin Harbour, says the LiuGong 4230D motor grader had a significantly lower capital investment compared with other brands.
“We couldn’t afford not to take a punt, and we have been pleasantly surprised,” he says. “If you can keep $200,000 in the bank and still get a machine that can do the job, it’s a win.”
The 4230D motor grader is primarily being used across the municipality’s 600-kilometre network of unsealed roads.
Impressed with the machine, District Council of Franklin Harbour also invited Adelaide-based LiuGong dealer, Lewis Ag & Construction to participate in a tender to replace a new grader in its fleet.
Zechner says the council was aware LiuGong machinery had increasing traction in the construction and mining industries.
Following a visit to LiuGong’s showroom, the council was impressed and excited about the build quality and flourishing future partnership.
The council’s other 20 tonne grader, now six years old, is used for constructing sealed roads and re-sheeting roads. Zechner says the LiuGong 4230D motor grader is a simplified machine when compared to others, something appreciated when it comes to maintenance.
“The gear ratio selection is the main difference between the LiuGong and the older grader, with the LiuGong having a six-speed transmission instead of 12 speeds.’’
Zechner says earthmoving is about power and weight, two things displayed beyond a doubt in the 4230D motor grader.
Operator comfort is a high priority for LiuGong, understanding operators will be using its equipment for extended periods of time.
For the District Council of Franklin Harbour team, which is on the road for nine months of the year, operator comfort is a must.
This article was originally published in the November edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
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