Brancatella Plant Hire

Brancatella Plant Hires continued expansion

Long-standing Brisbane construction and civil engineering business, Brancatella Plant Hire, has extended its inventory thanks to machinery specialists BrisVegas Machinery.

Brancatella Plant Hire, which started in 1973 and is now one of Brisbane’s longest-running family-owned businesses, has recently added a whopping five new Kobelco excavators to their fleet, delivered by their local Kobelco dealer, BrisVegas Machinery.

The purchase of the crawler excavators — two large SK260LC-10s with a 1.2cu.m bucket capacity and 7m dig depth; a 30-tonne SK300LC-10; an SK135SR-7 model perfect for tight operating spaces; and an SK235SR-2 with a 1.0cu.m bucket — introduces new levels of productivity to the Brancatella fleet.

These Kobelco machines boast improved fuel efficiency, easier control functions for reduced operator fatigue, and in the case of the SK135SR-7, now available with an Isuzu Tier 3 engine, no AdBlue is required.

The SK135SR is the #1 selling excavator in the 14-tonne class and was an easy choice for Brancatella to add to their machine line- up. This short radius excavator has been a winner amongst operators, setting a ground-breaking benchmark for operational efficiency and operator comfort.

The cabin layout is designed to deliver a new experience in excavator operation, starting with a 10-inch colour monitor – the largest in-cab visual information screen within the excavator industry.

These additions join Brancatella’s current fleet of more than 80 machines, which has expanded in line with the company’s growth in the construction and civil industry.

Brancatella’s equipment is offered for wet hire in Brisbane, regional and remote areas of Queensland and aside from excavators, includes truck and dog combos, tippers, moxy, graders and backhoes.

The company’s success is based on its wide range of machinery available and on its operational focus on earthworks, demolition, drainage and concrete, land clearing, roads and subdivisions.

Owner Vito (Bill) Brancatella said that about half of its business comes from general hire and the other half from civil contracting works.

He emphasised that when purchasing machinery, it’s about more than the machine’s price.

“To us, it is the after-sales service that is the most important,” he said.

“That means more to us than any price you pay for a machine. Bad after-sales service means downtime, loss of work and more.

“It’s not easy to find out what a business’s after-sales service is like, so ask those in the industry who have purchased from them and find out how quickly they respond to issues, can they get a technician on site within a reasonable amount of time and do they have a well- stocked spare parts department.

“Those sorts of things could cost you more than the savings you made on buying a less expensive machine.”

That is one of the main reasons Brancatella deals with BrisVegas Machinery.

Brancatella’s story began when Bill, originally a hairdresser, moved to Brisbane from Melbourne and learned of a well- paying council contract job. He then learned how to operate an excavator and later a backhoe, purchasing his first used backhoe in 1973. As the business expanded, he needed a second machine, and the equipment inventory continued to grow.

And then the Global Financial Crisis hit. The business made radical changes and changed many of its suppliers and cut thousands of dollars from its expenses “by looking at the small things.”

By the end of 2013 “the business was well and truly on the path to recovery. We were back in the game.”

Bill explains that running a business is hard “and if you want to see results you have to work hard.”

“Don’t just take any work that comes at you, be smart in your dealings,” he said.

“We have turned down numerous contracts because we have received bad credit information.

“We are very strict with our terms, and because of this stringency, we may lose customers and work at times. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Customer service should also be a priority. We like to ensure we can provide the best service before we overextend ourselves by taking on work we don’t have the capacity to fill right then and there.

“Many businesses are too quick to expand and that is where you can run into trouble.”

Written by: Australian Earthmoving Magazine | BrisVegas Machinery