VINTAGE KOMATSU STILL MAKES THE GRADE

"It didn't concern us that it was old; we knew it'd still be able to do the work."

A Victorian landfill company has proved that age is no barrier to ability after employing an ancient Komatsu grader to support operations in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

While it may seem like the 30-year-old GD625A Grader should be retired from duty, John Ruth of GB Landfill is sure the old Komatsu Grader has plenty of life left in it yet.

"When we bought it 18 months ago, it was already a very, very old machine," he said.

"It didn't concern us that it was old; we knew it'd still be able to do the work."

While the three decades of use would test any machine, Mr Ruth says his GD625A doesn't give much away to its newer competitors.

"It really is a tough bit of gear," he said.

"It doesn't founder where you think it might; it just keeps soldiering on regardless.

"Everything still works even the air conditioner; our only expense over the past 18 months of ownership was a new set of tyres for the drive wheels."

G.B Landfill has also owned and operated a Komatsu excavators, including PC350-6 Excavator and D85 dozer.

Komatsu has produced the gold standard in heavy equipment and machine tools since its inception in 1921.

In 1952, Komatsu continued its determination to build the best tool for the job when it began constructing graders.

G.B Landfill's GD625A is the product of 30 years of research and development by Komatsu, which has given the grader the durability necessary to survive another 30.

Now, with more than 60 years' experience in graders, Komatsu's range of machinery takes the toughness and raw ability of graders like the GD625A and combines it with class-leading fuel economy, technology and safety.

For Mr Ruth, the vintage GD625A has earned its place on his fleet for a while yet.