Tom Jung Quarries, Sawtell, NSW: Kevin Smith purchased Komatsu D85A-12 in 1969; under son Ray, the company still operates Komatsu equipment including an HB205-1 Hybrid today.
That D85A was the first Komatsu dozer my father Kevin purchased, after running another brand of dozer for a number of years.Dad decided to branch out and give it a go, based on the fact that Peter White from [then dealer] Wabco offered him a machine to evaluate.
As a result of that, he bought the machine and had it for about five years, carrying out logging and clearing work on the North Coast.
After Kevin sold his D85, he operated other brands for about 10 years, before returning to Komatsu equipment in the mid-1980s, with the purchase of a PC300-3 excavator for his mining-related work.
A short time later, he moved into quarrying after purchasing the quarry from Tommy Jung over a handshake and a beer at the Sawtell RSL.
Those were the good old days of business; they were having a beer together, and dad bought a quarry!
Tommy was looking to retire as he had seven daughters, none of whom wanted to become quarry operators, so he sold the business to us.
And we're very proud that the quarry is still family operated today and we've kept the Tom Jung name. Tommy felt dad was a good choice.
With the quarry purchase, we also took over a couple of 20 tonne Komatsu PC200-1 excavators and a WA300-1.
In the early 1990s, we traded our original PC200-1s for new PC200-6 and PC300-3 excavators.
Today our operation has an output of up to 499,000 tonnes a year of its argillites parent rock (an ancient mudstone/seabed rock), making roadbase and aggregate for asphalt, concrete, roadbuilding and general construction materials servicing the Coffs Harbour and NSW North Coast region.
Our clients range from backyard handymen through to multinational customers; our motto is "from 1 tonne to 1 million tonnes everyone's a customer!"
We continue to operate Komatsu equipment today, with three Komatsu loaders and three excavators loading material into the crushing, screening and washing plants, as well as from stockpiles into road haulage.
Our mobile plant consists of three WA470-X machines, two PC300-Xs and a 20 tonne HB205-1 hybrid.
That Hybrid purchase is our most recent, and we were one of the first buyers in the country. Any future purchases will be 30 tonne Hybrids.
I love the one we have, just on the fuel savings alone we're saving 50% on fuel with it. We've had others here on trial, but the Komatsu one is the best out there.
For what we do, we've gone from the low 20 litres an hour, to 9-10 litres an hour. We're just feeding a crusher, which is ideal for a Hybrid, and exactly what it's designed to do.