A stunning new Cat 938 wheel loader painted Centennial Grey has joined the fleet of Coburn Sand & Gravel, and is turning heads in the yard
In celebration of Caterpillar making and selling machinery for 100 years this year, a special limited edition selection of machinery painted in Centennial Grey was produced – with one Cat 938 wheel loader now the prized possession of Queensland’s Coburn Sand & Gravel.
A family business set up 40 years ago by John and David Coburn, the loader is working in the business’ quarry and yard, loading trucks and stockpiling material as well as undertaking civil earthmoving work with sister company C&C Civil.
Earthmovers & Excavators caught up with C&C Civil co-owner Claire Watt to talk about how the new grey loader is standing out from the crowd.
Growing the business
Starting off 40 years ago with a handful of trucks and loaders, the Coburn family has evolved their business interests over the years to cover the supply of landscaping materials, quarry operation and civil contracting.
Six years ago, when John retired from the business, his grandson Connor joined to co-run operations and set up a side business with Watt to expand the civil side. Both businesses now operate from Tamrookum, about 75km inland from Gold Coast.
The addition of a new Cat 938 wheel loader from Queensland dealer Hastings Deering, painted in Caterpillar’s Centennial Grey as a nod back to the colour of the first Caterpillar machines produced, heralds a period of growth, with Coburn Sand & Gravel having recently expanded its yard.
“Connor and his dad have been buying more Cat gear and expanding the businesses,” Watt says.
“Coburn Sand & Gravel have a little retail landscaping yard and eight truck and dog combos. And then we also run the quarry, which is the main use for our loader.
“Our quarry is a bit special because we have a clay-based product and we recently started crushing our own gravel.”
Special event
Supplying landscaping material and civil services across South East Queensland, the latest addition to the business’ fleet joined at the end of September and was a proud moment for the team.
“We picked it up ourselves from the Hastings branch and drove it home,” she says.
“That was quite a special moment for David because it’s been his life’s dream to have a big, good-looking loader like that. It was a really nice moment to stand back and look at it and know that it’s ours.”
Watt says they were thinking of getting a larger wheel loader for a while, and the 938 stood out to them at Diesel Dirt & Turf earlier this year. However, it was a test drive at a Hastings Deering Dig Day that sealed the deal.
“We were invited out to Yatala, and gave it a test drive there,” Watt says.
“Connor couldn’t stop thinking about it, so he took his dad back down the next day and made him drive it to see if he’d like it. They knew as soon as they drove it that they wanted it.”
The new loader is now on site, moving up to 1,000 tonnes of quarry material a day.
“We were looking for something that was bigger than what we had, but wasn’t huge, because we have a small quarry,” Watt says.
“We wanted more power, a bigger bucket, and the main attraction was having load scales in the loader, which has transformed our ability to sell commercially.”
Cat collection
The Cat 938 loader has joined a collection of Cat machinery, including 920, 924, 936 and 938 model wheel loaders, 310 and 306 excavators, 259 and 255 posi tracks, a 140M grader and a three-tonne roller.
With its striking paintwork, the limited edition loader has been an eye-catching addition to the yard.
“People absolutely love it,” Watt says.
“It’s different, but it looks amazing. Everyone thinks it looks really tough.
“David absolutely loves it and said he can easily work for another 20 years because it’s so comfortable. He’s loving the upgraded technology of the scales and the cab. The upgraded cameras give him extra peace of mind because trucks are coming in and out of the yard all day. Everything’s just 10 out of 10.”
With the Coburn family having been buying machinery through Hastings Deering for over 30 years, Watt says it’s been a long-lasting and productive relationship.
“They keep selling machines and we keep buying them!” she says.
“They’re really good to deal with. Their aftermarket service and parts availability meet all of our needs.”
And as to why Cat machinery has been such a favourite, Watt says it’s a mixture of quality and design that make them stand out.
“Caterpillar have been around for so long that they obviously know what they’re doing, and we just trust the technology over anything else,” she says.
“At the end of the day, operators are so happy to jump in a Cat machine because of the comfort and the tech. Everybody loves a Cat machine, and they look great.”
For more information on Hasting Deering, visit: hastingsdeering.com.au
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