Quality Fabrication & Engineering (QFEAUS) continues to grow, with the company now setting its sights on the United States, with fresh patents in hand. QFE’s David Lockwood and Glenn Hardiman explain what the move means for the company’s new era.
Expansion is nothing new for Quality Fabrication & Engineering (QFE).
The company’s forward moving aggregate spreader, the Road Ant™, has seen exponential growth and interest since its launch six years ago. The Road Ant has formed the bedrock of the company’s success locally and now is leading a push overseas.
Not only has the Road Ant seen wider use across Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, it’s also been adopted by major contractors, including some of the industry’s premier tier one providers.
Its very existence can be attributed to the foresight and innovation of QFEAUS.
Prior to the Road Ant’s introduction, traditional reverse-tipping aggregate spreaders posed significant safety risks, including operator fatigue and accidents caused by limited visibility when reversing. The Road Ant’s forward-moving design eliminates such hazards.
“Non-reversing on work sites is now becoming more important in Australia,” says Glenn Hardiman, QFEAUS General Manager. “There’s been a number of fatalities and injuries on road maintenance work sites in Australia, and quite a few of them directly related to reversing machinery.
“Having met with industry contractors about what worked and what didn’t – and with the risks of reverse tipping spreading become better understood – we overcame those shortfalls with the Road Ant.”
Designing an Australian-first forward moving spreader opened many doors, including the possibility of developing a global first.
“Forward moving was a new concept in Australia. Because it was unique, we decided to get a patent in Australia,” says David Lockwood, Head of Sales – QFEAUS. “We then did a global search, which is where our patent strategy turned into a global one.
“The Road Ant is a novel and unique Australian invention and it has been recognised internationally as well with a USA patent issued already.”
Push overseas
With global patents issued in New Zealand, as well as process developments in Canada and Europe, QFE is making a strong charge into international markets.
Among these expansions lies the United States (US), a market that QFE had been targeting for some time.
It’s features like the dual-control rear cabin, which allows operation from either the left or right side, that QFE believes will enable the Road Ant to stand apart from current market solutions. While it improves visibility, it also makes the unit adaptable for both US (left-hand drive) and international requirements.
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The improved visibility allows operators to sit directly above and in line with the aggregate, also helping to increase accuracy and consistency for output, while again optimising safety and awareness of surrounding objects and people.
The Road Ant also interfaces with global vehicle systems, specifically the CAN (Controller Area Network) bus system, common in US and European trucks, ensuring easy adoption without technical hurdles.
A streamlined and simplified control system, as well as optimal safety and comfort, helps to reduce fatigue for operators and potentially even increase retention for skilled operators.
“It’s less stressful to operate,” Hardiman says. “It’s so simple in fact that many operators we hear from say they feel like they can operate the unit for longer. It’s one of the many reasons why the Road Ant has been accepted so quickly by industry.
“It’s features like this that could potentially lead to the Road Ant having appeal right across the states.”
Despite the geographical distance between its base in Australia and new market opportunities in the US, QFE has already developed plans to ensure that customers in the States can receive constant support.
“As part of that, we’re currently working on a training video, which will be featured in the unit itself,” Hardiman says. “This video will be able to be viewed on the control touchscreen and will talk the operator through how to operate the Road Ant, how to troubleshoot and just generally help to steer them in the right direction.”
Lockwood adds that the establishment of US connections will also help to support local customers throughout the States.
“Once we sign with a licensee, who knows the territory and is also up to speed with the unit, they’ll be able to help customers should any issues arise,” he says.
The use of global software systems will allow for remote troubleshooting and software updates, meaning many issues can be resolved without the need for onsite visits.
QFE is now exploring potential licensee or partner companies, with 2026 set to be a significant year of growth and market impact for the organisation.
Looking ahead, Lockwood says QFE is confident that this international push will help to transform the global road construction and maintenance market.
“We’re very proud of the design and the feedback that we’ve received already,” he says.
“Ours is really a story of Australian ingenuity, mixed with global technology and aspirations.”
This article was originally published in the February edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
