Draining Day's Work Made Easy: Isuzu Teams Up With Gregory Plumbing and Excavation

With Melbourne in lockdown during most of 2020 and 2021 you would picture mornings spent sleeping in, or working from home, or trying to manage the ups and downs of remote learning. ​ 

Instead, Lachlan Gregory, from Gregory Plumbing and Excavation, was on the road at the crack of dawn, seven days a week to meet the demands of renovations and home improvements of house-bound Melbournians across the Yarra Valley and South Melbourne. 

“I pride myself on the end result,” Lachlan says while reflecting on his work ethos and his ability to get the job done from start to finish. 

It’s a mum and dad operation at Gregory Plumbing and Excavation, which means Lachlan holds himself to an impeccable standard. ​ ​ 

Lachlan’s wife, Savannah, handles the admin and advertising side of the business and the dynamic duo knows how to ‘make things work,’ with business demand at an all-time high. ​ 

“We don't mind a bit of hard work. Savannah handles the financials and all the rest of the advertising and day-to-day admin. 

“I’m never short of work and I'm booked right out, so I’m currently working every day.” Lachlan states. ​ 

Working ‘round the clock, seven days a week and with a plethora of specialised equipment in tow, Lachlan eventually made the jump and invested in a light truck rather than relying on an overstretched ute and trailer set-up. ​ 

After some assessment, and the realisation that the size of truck he was originally considering was under-powered to tow his excavator, Lachlan landed on Isuzu’s popular NPR 65-190 Tipper. ​ 

When it comes to variables such as towing capacity and payload, size really does matter. Lachlan’s NPR 65-190 is equipped with Isuzu’s popular 4HK1-TCC 4-cylinder 16 valve engine, delivering a handy 140 kW (190PS) @ 2,600 rpm. ​ 

Affording operators maximum control across Isuzu’s Tipper range, many, including Lachlan’s NPR, are available with Isuzu’s MZZ-6F six-speed manual transmission. ​ 

It’s out the back though, where the hard work gets done. Isuzu’s NPR 65-190 steel tipping body comes with drop sides, auto release two-way tail gate, shovel racks, rope rails and non-slip safety steps. 

Add to that a 3.0 m³ cubic volume load, a swift 20-second raise and lower mechanism, and the efficiencies for a smaller operation become apparent. ​ ​ 

So much so that rather than any lulls caused by the multiple lockdowns over 2020 and 2021, Lachlan found he was in more demand than ever. 

“If anything, the rolling lockdowns meant that we became busier. The workload, the emergency callouts, the sewer blockages. There were more renovations as well because everyone was at home and turning their attention to home improvement.” 

Positive reviews for Gregory Plumbing and Excavation are growing thanks to the constant flow of contracts that the Melbourne lockdowns drummed-up, not to mention the attention to detail and customer service of Lachlan and Savannah. 

Whilst timing can be everything, Lachlan explained that clever business decisions have played their role as well, namely the timely procurement of capital equipment. ​ ​ 

“One of the main reasons I got the tipper, was so I could remove concrete from job sites after I have cut up an existing house slab for new plumbing. Then I need to be able to easily dispose of it at the tip sites. It was about getting more done throughout the day,” he said. ​ 

“There’s plenty of room, so I also use the truck to carry all my tools. ​ 

“I've got the toolbox between the tray and the cab as well, which fits everything in. It's been perfect.” 

Lachlan described his Tipper as a ‘forever truck,’ which is clear from the level of customisation that has gone into it. From toolboxes to in-cab appointments, Lachlan has all bases covered, making for a striking on and off-road presence. ​ 

The eye-catching wrap design was originally mocked-up by Savannah then developed into what we see today by the team at Vanda Graphics, a Melbourne based graphic design company. ​ 

Rolling down the highway or accessing side streets, the deep blue design on Lachlan's Tipper catches the eye and helps build on what word of mouth already says; that Gregory Plumbing and Excavation is as memorable as it is reliable. ​ 

“My Isuzu can handle just about any job because it's really practical for my bigger excavator and it's a real workhorse,” Lachlan added. 

“With my Isuzu I can get more work and bigger, better jobs!” ​