With a new branch recently opened in Toowoomba, Australian International Equipment Group is continuing its growth as a trusted supplier of new and low-hour used earthmoving machinery
There’s a new addition to Carrington Road in Toowoomba, with Australian International Equipment Group (AIEG) bringing a yard full of new and used earthmoving machinery to the local area.
Opening in March, AIEG’s new Queensland facility offers a full suite of earthmoving machinery and attachments, including new and low-hour used machinery from overseas.
With locations in the Hunter Valley and Freemantle, Australian International Equipment Group director and general manager Blake Burgess says this is an exciting expansion for AIEG as it looks to grow its footprint across Australia.
“Carrington Road is the machinery equipment hub of Queensland,” he says.
“It’s great that we’re there with a big front yard full of excavators. We also currently have a scraper in there, some dozers, a wheel loader, and a big range of attachments as well.
“We’ve got our offices there which handles all of our administration work for Australia and worldwide, and it’s where our Queensland sales guys are based. We also have our attachment distribution shed there too. It’s a well serviced workshop and shed in a central hub that has a large selection of attachments for excavators and wheel loaders, servicing Brisbane and rural Queensland.”
Offering earthmoving machinery from three tonnes all the way up to 95 tonnes, Burgess says AIEG services a wide range of earthmoving, mining, forestry and agricultural clients.
“At the moment our most popular model is the 13-tonne excavator,” he says.
“We stock a wide range of excavator brands, from Caterpillar to Kobelco, Kubota and Komatsu, as well as scrapers, dozers and wheel loaders.
“We’re currently quoting some Tier One operators to supply their whole fleet of equipment from this yard, and we also cover commercial farming and civil operators such as plumbers and builders for the smaller stuff, even landscapers and arborists.
“At the other end we’ve got a scraper there, which can go into a mining operation for feeding gravel onto roads, or it can go to a farmer who wants to build a massive dam. We’ve got stick rakes and root rakes for the agriculture space and HD rock buckets for quarries and other abrasive environments. We then have grabs and so on, so we cover all industries.”
Solutions focused
Burgess explains that AIEG is a partnership between himself and John Wells that grew from an alignment of similar values, focused around being an Australian brand that offers honest advice, high quality machinery and attachments, and a can-do attitude.
“I worked as a diesel mechanic from 2006 to about 2017 and then managed a hire company until about 2020, before starting up AIEG with John,” Burgess says.
“We bring in machinery from overseas and offer new machinery from multiple brands in the earthmoving space.
“We have very strong relationships with our suppliers in various countries all over the world. John and I visit our suppliers quite often and we’re very selective. We get to go and see the machinery that we want to purchase and feel it and touch it before we bring something to Australia.
“We are ISO accredited and every year we get audited on our systems and processes, not only around the procurement of machines, but also our customer service, our invoicing, our quoting, and the delivery of the machines.
“In house we provide a quote within 24 hours. There are no ifs, buts or maybes – if someone wants a quote, they get a quote straight away. It’s one of the big differentiators for us in the industry.”
With access to international machines, AIEG has the capacity to supply a wider range of models than are imported by OEMs, and in a more timely fashion.
“Some of the machines that we bring into Australia, if you went directly to the OEM you wouldn’t be able to have that delivered for 18 months,” Burgess says.
“We partner with Credit One to ensure our clients have the best machine finance options available from the start. Michael, the owner, and Jordan, the general manager, and their team work closely with our clients to assist with repayments and financial needs.
“They genuinely understand the products we sell, which means their advice is accurate and relevant. On top of that, their service and responsiveness are exceptional.”
Top class attachments
In addition to new and used machinery, AIEG also has partnerships with Roo Attachments and FAE, allowing it to offer a wide range of attachments and customise its machinery to a customer’s needs.
AIEG has been supplying Roo Attachments products since it started, with Burgess saying that Roo’s range provides his customers with high quality, durable attachments for a great price.
“Four or five years ago, when we started to land excavators in Australia, I looked at the market and tried to find the best value for money bucket supplier. I met the owners Tim [Moss] and James [Fishburn] and they’re great guys who do a fantastic product.
“In terms of value for money and the support they provide, it’s the best. I would say it’s one of the most recognised brands on the Australian market right now, and their range is only expanding.
“We’ve had great success through having this partnership. For example, we have a customer in the Northern Territory who does a lot of council work and state government work on the roads, picking up rocks and placing them under bridges and in culverts.
“He burnt through hydraulic grabs and was very reluctant to buy a grab off me. I explained that with Roo Attachments’ grab the structure is made from BIS 400 steel, the cylinders are protected, etc. Eventually I said that if it failed, I’d replace it. That was four years ago – it’s still going strong.
“A more recent partnership is with the FAE Group, distributing and servicing their mulching heads in Queensland. They’re amazing products.
“They’ve thought of everything when it comes to these mulchers. They’re simple to use, very versatile. They don’t require a huge investment in your machine to run them. If you’re in the business of deleting trees quickly, that’s something that you want on the end of your excavator.”
Burgess explains that AIEG positions itself as being a solutions-based company that doesn’t just offer machinery, but can modify it as needed so a customer gets precisely what they are looking for.
“We’ve customised wheel loaders with rippers and stick rakes, excavators with tilt hitches and secondary hydraulic lines – basically whatever you can think of,” Burgess says.
“I always like to say that all things are possible. We’re here to get the right solution, rather than just going: here’s an excavator, deal with it.”
Community support
If you head to AIEG’s socials you’ll see that it isn’t all just machinery and moving dirt – the business also likes to use its platform to support the work of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
In June, AIEG donated $10,000 to the charity and raises funds throughout the year through selling footballs and other merch at trade shows and events.
“We’re a big supporter,” Burgess says of the charity.
“I personally like to get on my dirt bike from time to time and I’ve definitely been at a few places where Westpac Rescue had to come in and provide support, so that’s definitely one that we are prepared to get behind.”
With a new site and equipment ready to go, Burgess says that anybody in or around Toowoomba should drop in and see what’s available at the new facility.
“Even if you don’t want an excavator, come and have a coffee and introduce yourself,” he says.
“Some of the best relationships we’ve got in business started with guys that just dropped in to say G’day, and down the line they end up getting a digger or a bucket. We just love meeting people, so come have a look through our range or feel free to give us a call.”
For more information on AIEG, head to: www.aiegroup.com.au or call 1800 826 015.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news in the earthmoving industry
- Never miss a great deal and subscribe to our monthly magazine
- Download a free copy of our latest digital magazine to catch up on the biggest news and developments in the earthmoving industry