After carrying out extensive research on the best excavators available, Sydney-based contractor Tim McMurtrie turned to Hidromek and its HMK145 excavator to get the performance and stability he required
Ruby Civil, an excavation company in Sydney, provides services to commercial and residential clients. Most of its work includes subdivisions, residential work, remediation projects, small rural works, sand and sandstone work and horse arenas.
Ruby Civil owner Tim McMurtrie recently purchased a Hidromek HMK145 excavator from national Australian dealer Onetrak. After researching the available equipment and taking the machine on for a trial period, he decided it was the one for him.
McMurtrie has worked on everything from 1.7-tonne to 50-tonne excavators, and currently owns a posi-track loader, an eight-tonne excavator and tipper truck in addition to the new Hidromek HMK145 excavator.
Previously unfamiliar with Hidromek as a brand, McMurtrie began his research online and watched a YouTube video of Onetrak conducting a walkthrough of the Hidromek HMK230 grader, which grabbed his interest.
Reaching out to the Onetrak sales team at Moorebank, Sydney for more information, McMurtrie discussed the requirements of a new project he was quoting for. At the time, he was hiring another excavator that had been giving him trouble and turned to Onetrak to find a more reliable option.
With the Hidromek HMK145 put forward as a solution to get Ruby Civil moving again, McMurtrie decided to take it on for a trial period after being offered an attractive rental price by Onetrak.
Impressive performance
One of the initial factors that attracted McMurtrie to the Hidromek HMK145 was the Isuzu engine – the same as his other machinery.
He says that, initially, he did have reservations about the size of the excavator and its ability to handle the attachments he used on a regular basis, but hoped the hydraulic setup could handle the attachments and that the short tail design and counterweight would provide the stability and high lifting capacity he was looking for.
During the trial, McMurtrie really put the excavator to the test. The site he was working on was particularly challenging, with extremely steep ground, and he was required to utilise all of his attachments, including a large hammer and numerous buckets.
He was pleasantly surprised with the way the Hidromek handled these conditions and performed, especially with its stability on the steep slopes.
McMurtrie says that he found the excavator to be well engineered and easy to manoeuvre, with a lot of thought put into the design of the hydraulics.
Interior maintenance
It was important to McMurtrie that the interior of the machine could be easily maintained. He says that the mats were easy to remove and the interior came up well with a quick wipe down of Armour All, with the cab of the HMK145 also being roomy and comfortable.
“I have driven most of the brands in this weight range and while the cab didn’t have the highest specifications, it had more than was needed and was easily navigated and used,” McMurtrie says.
The decision to purchase a new HMK145 excavator of his own was an easy one for McMurtrie after the success of the rental trial. Having received his new machine in January, the air conditioning was put to the test, and he says he is extremely happy with how it performed.
He says that people ask him all the time about the excavator and where it is from, and although some say that it is an expensive machine, McMurtrie doesn’t believe they are comparing apples with apples.
While the HMK145 is listed as a 14.5-tonne excavator, it actually weighs in at 16.8 tonnes and, size-wise, it performs above its competition in the 14.5-tonne category. Due to its size, it is also easily transported by truck, which helps McMurtrie provide better value pricing to his customers.
On one job he was required to relocate two water tanks for a customer over the course of a weekend. Despite having space constraints to contend with, the HMK145 had the precision and power to successfully complete the job, and far quicker than the week it would have taken using a smaller machine.
With McMurtrie able to complete the job in a day, this saved time and money and meant the customer was reconnected in time to capture a looming rain event.
Building relationships
McMurtrie really likes the fact he has great relationships with the sales, rental and support staff at Onetrak’s Moorebank and Hallam branches.
“All the staff have been awesome,” he says.
“They treat me with respect as a small business owner, they are flexible and it doesn’t feel like I’m just a number.”
He recalls Onetrak rental manager Rhodes Cousland telling him at the start of the process: “Tim, once you drive this machine, like many of our customers, I would be surprised if you didn’t come away wanting it!”
Turns out, he was right.
Onetrak is the official dealer for Hidromek equipment in Australia. Visit www.onetrak.com.au or call 1300 727 520 to get in touch with the Onetrak team.
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