ISUZU TRUCKS SKY HIGH WITH SHERRIN RENTALS

Australia is a country full of strong characters in the automotive industry with enterprising families and individuals that have goals and dreams to achieve. Sherrin Rentals, comprising one part of the Sherrin Group, alongside Sherrin Equipment, are an Australia-wide truck and equipment hire specialist who fit that bill; with the company currently helmed by third generation Managing Director, Grant Sherrin. This year sees Grant evolving the business to tackle a booming customer base in the earthmoving and civil construction industries.

MECHANICAL ROOTS

Like many industry professionals, Grant’s passion for all things mechanical and metal stretches back to childhood. “I started working with my father during the school holidays, working in and around the yard and at the time he ran tree gangs for tree lopping,” Grant recalled.

“I'd help on the tree gangs by feeding the chipper. Once I graduated from school I started within the business as an apprentice mechanic.” “My father, Mike, started manufacturing elevated work platforms (EWPs) back in the early 2000s, because the demand was so high, and it was hard to get a hold of them from overseas manufacturers. He thought he'd have a go at making his own.” And thus, Sherrin’s highly successful EWP hire fleet was born.

FRR JOINS GROWING FLEET

A touch over two decades on and Grant recently received the keys to a brand-new medium-duty Isuzu FRR 110-260 MWB Auto; the latest edition to the growing fleet. Fitted with a 13-metre elevated work platform, which just so happened to be the 250,000th Isuzu truck sold in Australia, the FRR package is an impressive sight at full stretch. The timely handover of this record-breaking truck coincides with Sherrin Rentals’ 45th year of operation, and Isuzu Trucks’ 50-year anniversary of trading in Australia, in milestone maelstrom of sorts. The auspicious event could not have gone off better as the Queensland sun shone down at Sherrin Rentals flagship facility in Pinkenba, with dealership staff from Brisbane Isuzu in attendance. Pictured from left: Steven Goulding (IAL Fleet Sales Manager QLD & NT), Alan Newcombe (Dealer Principal, Brisbane Isuzu), Oscar Akbar (Truck Salesman, Brisbane Isuzu), Kym Darnell (General Manager, Brisbane Isuzu), Grant Sherrin (Managing Director, Sherrin Rentals)

“We specialise in equipment honed for the application… our elevated work platforms go from strength to strength and are built on vehicles such as the new FRR 110-260. They’re top notch,” Grant proudly stated.

With a max power of 191 kW (260PS) @ 2,400 rpm and torque of 761 Nm @ 1,450 rpm, the FRR 110-260 Auto is a Sherrin favorite and pulls no punches as part of the group’s blossoming fleet. But its matching what’s under the hood with an easily adaptable cabin and chassis that caught Grant’s attention.

“The Isuzu platform is fitted in the warehouse with components and equipment manufactured by Sherrin engineers here on-site. The unit is then prepped, wrapped, and thoroughly checked for quality assurance."

“But one of the key reasons we recently made the decision to go exclusively with Isuzu is because of the total package the brand can offer us,” Grant said.

“While the safety and power aspect of a vehicle is important, it’s the ease of maintenance, and particularly for Sherrin - how easily we can fit a body to the chassis - that is one of the most valuable features."

“Isuzu also has an excellent reputation and we do like to associate ourselves with only the best products.”

CONTINUOUS FLEET DEVELOPMENT

Sherrin Rentals now run a large fleet of over 140 Isuzu trucks dispersed across the country as they look to gradually phase-out other truck brands in their hire offering. Once an Isuzu cab chassis is delivered, it’s put through the rigorous Sherrin process to create a product that is tailored for the calling. Majority of the Sherrin rental fleet find a home in mining, earthmoving, excavation, and civil engineering applications all over the country, from as far south as Tasmania, right up to the vast reaches of the Northern Territory. In April 2020, Sherrin’s flagship Pinkenba site opened its doors with state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing parts and EWPs and maintaining the fleet—a significant upgrade from the existing warehouse. Grant explained the motivation behind the big investment.

“The new warehouse design is extremely streamlined and helps us be more efficient in what we do best—manufacturing specialised equipment for earthmoving and mining,” Grant said.

“The upgraded facility is really something. We now have more overhead cranes to reduce manual labour and we've been able to put in our own spray booths." “The wash bay is much bigger, so we can get through a higher volume of washing of the equipment…the upgrade has been better for business but also creates better conditions for all our staff,” he concluded.

“All our Isuzu's work so hard for us here at Sherrin Rentals as we put them through a lot so having that reliability of product backing us is a comfort”.