On The Right Track: Anric Backs Isuzu for On-Site Support

It doesn’t always grab the headlines, but pound-for-pound, Australia’s rail network does some serious heavy lifting.

Passenger movement aside, in 2024–25, rail carried approximately 447 billion tonne kilometres of freight, compared with 253 billion by road, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

Behind that huge national freight task, and the passenger networks Australians rely on every day, is the ongoing work of building and maintaining critical rail infrastructure.

For rail and civil construction specialists, Anric Group, whose work includes Sydney’s metro developments and maintenance of the Sydney Trains network, that means having the right people and equipment ready for the task.

Keeping its machinery working across multiple project sites requires dependable support on the ground, including fuel where and when it’s needed.

That approach has led the Anric team to an Isuzu FVD 170-300 re-fuelling unit, fitted with a dedicated refuelling body to keep its on-site equipment supplied and productive.

It’s a practical and efficient addition to a business that puts considerable thought into every piece of equipment it operates.

Building on experience

Anric’s story began more than 40 years ago as a bricklaying business, working predominantly on Housing Commission projects around Sydney.

From there, the work expanded into foundations, machinery and residential subdivisions, eventually developing into the broader contracting and civil infrastructure operation it is today.

For Anthony Spinoza, Operations Manager for Anric Group, that progression has unlocked plenty of opportunities to contribute to projects with a lasting impact.

Today, Anric’s work includes involvement in Sydney’s metro developments, Western Sydney Airport and ongoing maintenance of the existing Sydney Trains network.

“We love contributing to the greater good of the state and the country, building things for everyone to use,” Anthony explained.

With roughly 300 employees, depending on workload, Anric brings together project managers, field crews, machine operators, mechanics, technicians and fabricators.

The company’s contracting division is complemented by a substantial plant hire business, supplying equipment and operators to customers requiring the combination of industry benchmark equipment and the skilled workers to go with it.

The right tool for the job

The range of projects that Anric and its customers undertake requires an extensive fleet, from excavators and compaction equipment to dozers, dump trucks and specialised rail-tracked machinery.

Part of Anthony’s role involves acquiring this vast array of equipment and this process starts with understanding exactly what every machine and piece of plant needs to achieve.

“Performance is the key,” he said.

“Then after that, I’d say definitely operator comfort and ergonomics.

“We like to have the best kit for the best people, so they’re comfortable and they enjoy what they’re doing.”

Anric modifies equipment to suit particular applications and develops some of its own rail machinery and systems through in-house design, engineering and fabrication.

The aim is to provide customers with equipment that can meet the task and perform consistently.

“The clients we work for expect the very best,” Anthony explained.

Delivering to this standard involves considerable engineering, maintenance and operator training, particularly in the rail environment, where compliance requirements are particularly stringent.

Taking control

Ensuring that infield equipment is fuelled and lubricated is another important part of the broader operational picture.

With equipment spread across Sydney and its outer reaches, Anric wanted greater control over when and how its machines were refuelled.

Project on-boarding requirements and the volume of equipment needing fuel made relying on external providers increasingly harder to manage.

“The reason we decided to look after our own refuelling on-site is there’s quite a lot of compliance and on-boarding for different projects,” Anthony said.

“This way we can provide for our machinery, which means we’re servicing our customers better by keeping uptime to the maximum.”

With the tanker body developed by Capital Fleet Manufacturing, the new FVD is intended to refuel more machines in one visit, particularly at locations where Anric has a concentration of equipment.

It can also deliver other fluids and lubricants, giving the team a broader support capability when it appears on-site.

Purpose-built capability

The FVD 170-300 provides the platform for a refuelling body carrying more than 9,000 litres, alongside a separate 500-litre AdBlue dispensing system, while an onboard air system and greasing equipment extends its practicality.

The capacity of the new unit gives Anric room to accommodate future demand, with fuel requirements varying considerably across its machinery fleet.

Some smaller machines have tanks of around 100 litres, while larger equipment can consume between 500 and 700 litres during a shift.

Under the skin, the FVD combines a 17,000 kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) rating with Isuzu’s 6.7-litre DB6A-TCC turbo-diesel engine, producing 221 kW of power and 984 Nm of torque.

An Allison 3000 Gen 6 six-speed automatic transmission and Hendrickson HAS230 rear airbag suspension complete a neat specification well suited to the task at hand.

For Anric, the truck brings the required load capability together with the type of usability Anthony values across the fleet.

Comfort behind the wheel

Anric already operates Isuzu trucks in its transport fleet, giving the business experience with the product before adding the refuelling unit.

“I think the reliability of the Isuzu is its strongest trait,” Anthony said.

“They’re easy to maintain and comfortable to drive.”

Automatic transmissions are now the preferred choice across Anric’s truck fleet, supporting ease of operation for its drivers.

The FVD’s cabin features build on that practicality with an ISRI air suspension driver’s seat featuring heating and ventilation, automatic climate control and electric power steering.

Advanced Emergency Braking and Electronic Stability Control are just some of its standard safety suite and contribute to peace of mind for Anric management, that they’ve specified and put into operation a vehicle featuring the performance and features that support the everyday demands of the role.

Supporting the people on-site

Importantly, the new refuelling truck reflects the same priorities that guide Anric’s wider equipment decisions, being dependable performance, practical operation and better service for customers.

For Anthony, who has spent more than 22 years with the business, that commitment has a lot to do with the team.

“We have a lot of dedicated people here that love what they do and love their work,” he said.

“We’ll go above and beyond to make sure we do everything we can to help our clients out.”

ends