Volvo rocks it for Australia’s Matthews Quarries
CJD Equipment (Associate Member since 2004) reports on the fleet of Volvo machines at Matthew’s Quarries (founding Member of the CMPA)
Back in the mid-1970s, Matthews Quarries bought its first Volvo machines and immediately saw a 50% reduction in fuel consumption versus previous machines. Since then, Volvo machines have continued to help Matthews Quarries develop its position as one of the leading aggregates suppliers in the Australian state of Victoria. With two A45G haulers and an EC750D excavator as part of the Matthew’s fleet, the company is able to boost the efficiency and performance of its operations even further.
Matthews Quarries
For over 30 years, Traralgon-based Matthews Quarries has built its reputation on an ability to deliver aggregates on schedule. With rising momentum in new road and rail projects in Australia, the company has now added numerous Volvo machines to its fleet to meet growing demand and ensure it maintains its hardearned reputation for reliability.
“Producing aggregates is a hard business—literally rock hard. The materials extracted are typically needed immediately,” said Graeme Matthews, who manages Matthews Quarries alongside his brother Rob and sister Sharyn. “It’s one thing to have the product, but you also need to be known as a company that’s going to deliver on time. That is where good, reliable machinery comes into play.”
The company’s existing fleet comprises over a dozen Volvo CE machines that includes seven haulers, five wheel loaders, and three excavators. Together, the machines help extract and haul aggregates including ballast, crushed rocks, sealing aggregates and bedding sand.
The 75-ton rated EC750D is designed for ultimate productivity and increased fuel efficiency. With a bucket capacity range of 3.3 m3 to 5.16 m3, the excavator uses a Volvo D16 engine to deliver 11% increased horsepower, while the excavator’s electro-hydraulic system provides excellent control for faster cycle times. It is now the largest Volvo excavator in the Matthews Quarries fleet and lines up alongside two other heavy-duty Volvos, an EC480DL and an EC380DL.
Falling for Fuel Efficiency
Matthews Quarries is a family-owned and operated company, supplying all areas of South East Victoria with over half a million tonnes of premium basalt per annum. As the quarry has grown over the years, the company has increasingly looked to invest in construction equipment with higher performance, productivity, and reliability to support the business.
“A huge advantage with Volvo machinery is the fuel efficiency – with our first Volvo wheel loaders we literally cut our fuel consumption in half compared with previous machines. This really helped boost our operations.” Matthews said.
Over the company’s three-decade history Matthews said his company has endured the highs and lows that any business experiences but his commitment to high-quality machinery has remained constant.
“Without the proper machinery, there’s no way to extract the materials from the quarry and every piece of equipment relies on the others. So, any breakdown for one machine can have major consequences for the others,” he said. “When buying machines, it was crucial for us to look for reliability and exceptional aftersales service both of which we found with CJD Equipment.”
Matthew’s Quarries rely on CJD Equipment to provide Volvo machines for their other business ventures too, including La Trobe Valley Concrete and La Trobe Valley Sands – a joint venture with the Blackwood family. La Trobe Valley Concrete supply the entire La Trobe region with premix concrete, with the help of the Volvo L90F wheel loader while La Trobe Valley Sands is responsible for providing approximately 300,000 tonnes of sand per annum to various businesses throughout the region.
The La Trobe Valley Sands sandpit operates an EC18D compact excavator, L250G and L150F wheel loader, an A45G and two A40F articulated haulers and an EC480D excavator.
Established in 1974, long-time Volvo CE dealer CJD Equipment employs 500 people across its 20 locations in Australia. With a motto of “Big enough to trust, small enough to care”, the company is one of the leading suppliers of premium construction equipment and trucks in the country.
In addition to investing in premium equipment, Matthews Quarries also places utmost importance on machine maintenance. The company employs a team of highly skilled mechanics to ensure that equipment like the excavators and wheel loaders are kept in tip-top condition. But ease of service is just one of many reasons Matthews says his company is smitten with Volvo equipment.
“In terms of sitting in them, the boys love them, they are comfortable, and they are just capable – really capable,” Matthews said. “We are a big fan of Volvo.”
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