Blooming Business: Jeffries Expands Compactor Fleet With Isuzu

It hasn’t always been the case for all Australian businesses, but thankfully as time goes on, green habits such as recycling and re-using, composting and using organic materials are becoming more of a priority. ​ 

Championing the cause is South Australian business Jeffries, who service just about any forward-thinking customer from those in the landscape and building industries through to councils, schools and everyone in between. 

These garden and recycling experts have had hands in the soil for generations, with the Jeffries family first moving to Australia in the 1800s. Like many families in South Australia at the time, they entered into farming with the 1920s seeing industrious members of the large family branch into transporting goods and materials for nearby farms. ​ 

This consequently led to the very beginnings of their Isuzu truck fleet, which like the Jeffries family business, has evolved impressively over time. ​ 

Their newest trucks are two medium-wheelbase Isuzu FVY 240-300 Autos with green waste compactor bodies, collected recently from Northeast Isuzu in Adelaide. ​ 

They join a fleet of other medium-and heavy-duty Isuzu trucks including FVY 240-300 compactors, tippers, trailer and water trucks, an FVY 240-300 with agitator, a Gigamax EXY 260-520 fitted with a quad dog trailer and tipper body, and an additional Gigamax for the heaviest of grunt work. 

“The first generation of Jeffries in Adelaide had 13 children, and our branch of the family are descended from the youngest child,” said Lachlan Jeffries, Executive Chairman of the Jeffries company. ​ 

“As you can imagine, there wasn't a lot of the family farm left to work on… by the time of the Depression in the 1920s, the family had diversified, purchasing trucks to cart manure and firewood to businesses in the area. ​ 

“The foundation of Jeffries today comes off the back of that transportation and trucking for those industries.” 

Versatility in Action 

On the trucking front, it’s clear that Jeffries’ firm favourite is the Isuzu FVY 240-300 Auto platform, recommended by their local Northeast Isuzu dealership for its robust combination of power, payload and size that can be tailored to the host of applications that the business conducts: from tipping to towing, compacting and agitating. 

The FVY is specified with a GVM of 24,000 kg and a GCM of 36,000 kg, which leaves plenty of payload for collecting organic material or delivering horticulture supplies to busy growers. 

It’s powered by Isuzu's bulletproof 6HK1-TCS 6-cylinder 24 valve engine, which outputs 221 kW (300 PS) @ 2,400 rpm and 981 Nm @ 1,450 rpm. 

The versatility offered by their Isuzu fleet is vital to the smooth running of the operation. Those trucks fitted with a compactor body collect organic material from grocery stores and produce suppliers, compacted on-board for eventual processing at the Jeffries’ facility. This material is then processed to become compost, soil, mulch and fertilisers to be used at farms and vineyards across South Australia. 

“We need our Isuzu compactor trucks to be able to manoeuvre in the CBD, but we also want to have maximum payload, so that we don't make unnecessary trips back to the site to load up,” Lachlan said, regarding their truck of choice. 

Their tippers can also be seen on the road daily transporting soil, compost, mulch and fertilisers to Jeffries’ many and varied customers across South Australia, and their water truck is on site for dust management during construction activities. 

Future-focused Technology 

Some of the most popular updates for Jeffries’ drivers to the hearty Isuzu medium-duty models has been the introduction of the MyIsuzu Co-Pilot AudioVisual system featuring a 10.1-inch HD touchscreen installed in the dashboard. This makes for a modern workspace and an enticement for staff to get behind the wheel, explained Lachlan. 

“Comfort is an important factor for the drivers because they are getting in and out of the truck roughly a hundred times a day. 

“Compared to competing brands on the truck market, they find the Isuzu trucks easy to operate and comfortable to drive. ​ 

“Jeffries really values the reliability of Isuzu Trucks and the rigour they apply to technology updates and overall improvements to the driving environment,” Lachlan continued. 

“We think there is a good balance between innovation and reliability of the product, which is why we continue to partner with them.” ​ 

Carts Away 

Since their storied beginnings, Jeffries have developed a unique combination of products and services that are in demand from a wide range of clients. ​ 

These include a thriving brand of organic composts, soils and mulches—many of which are the product of collection partnerships with the council, local supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and food processors keen to find an alternative for their organic material disposal. 

The demand is so high that Jeffries have designed their own state-of-the-art recycled organics sorting system, fondly known as R.O.S.S. 

“We have large customers who generate organic resources, including government and city councils, and we partner with major waste companies such as Cleanaway and Veolia,” detailed Lachlan. ​ 

“We also have bulk products that we sell to a range of landscape supply yards. These products go back to home gardeners and landscapers and are used in small domestic projects through to large-scale jobs like parks and recreation areas. 

“We think we play a key role in moving Adelaide towards a more circular process where items are either reused or recycled,” he continued. 

“Our purpose is to create value out of that material and also provide value for our customers who find a home for their organic materials. ​ 

“We pride ourselves on having safe and well-performing quality products, particularly in the farming sector.” ​ ​