Seeing Double: New Player Signs On With Market Leaders

October 24, 2022

In a huge boost for trucking in north-western New South Wales, Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has welcomed the team at Double R Trucks after the recent acquisition of the former Peel Valley Tamworth Isuzu dealership.

With a foundation of diversity with sales and services across the agriculture, transport, construction and mining sectors, Double R has been in operation for nearly 17 years.

Beginning as an equipment repairs provider, Double R delivered on and off-site maintenance solutions to industry and equipment owners before branching out into new equipment sales.

Big Win for the Regions

Commenting on the changing of the guard in Tamworth, IAL Chief of Sales and Aftersales Ben Lasry welcomed Double R to the Isuzu Trucks family.

“We’re really pleased to have Double R Trucks on board representing the country’s top truck brand in northern NSW.

“The team at Double R have an excellent read on the market in and around Tamworth, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.

“After spending time with the team in recent months, I can say with great confidence that truck customers in regional NSW are in the safest of hands with Double R,” Mr Lasry said.

This is the first Isuzu truck dealership acquisition for Double R and a momentous achievement for the whole team, according to Managing Director, Rusty Russell.

Ready to Serve

We're excited about partnering with Isuzu Trucks is an excessive understatement.

“The excitement and the nervous energy have been bubbling through the Double R team at Tamworth to take on Isuzu Trucks and everything's set to deliver outstanding results.”

The first Double R location sprang up in 2005 in Mudgee, New South Wales, when Mr Russell decided to change paths after a highly successful career with Caterpillar in Australia and overseas.

Within a short span of time, Double R was able to grow from a one-person business with a single service vehicle, to opening the first of many locations in Mudgee, then expanding to include Hunter Valley and Gunnedah in New South Wales, plus Karratha and Leinster over in Western Australia.

And now the trucking needs of Tamworth will be in good hands, with a strong contingent of the former Peel Valley Tamworth team making the jump to join the Double R Trucks Tamworth team.

Skills and Bills

One of the most exciting parts of the acquisition is the sign-on of none other than the famous Hicksta, otherwise known as Brad Hickey, the highly skilled service technician who took out top honours at the Isuzu National Skills Competition in July and somewhat of a local legend.

“We're super excited in supporting Hicksta as he prepares for the global competition. It’s a real win to have him on board with us,” Mr Russell said.

Caption: Brad Hickey, AKA Hicksta, in action at Double R Trucks

Brad and fellow technician Louis Holt from Bendigo Isuzu are set to compete against teams from more than 40 countries in the prestigious Isuzu World Technical Competition, the I-1Grand Prix (I1GP), on November 4. 

The pair are representing Australia, after besting a pool of more than 60 technicians and apprentices in the national competition.

It turns out Hicksta is not the only Isuzu celebrity in the Double R Truck ranks either.

“Drew Murden, our workshop manager, who coordinates the workshop team, was a finalist in the Isuzu National Skills Competition in 2017,” added Mr Russell.

“Drew went to Japan with the Australian team, where they collected the bronze medal.

“It's exciting to have Hicksta and Drew there to offer that senior support and advice to the team. I could not be prouder of the Double R Trucks Isuzu team containing two nationally awarded Isuzu technicians, here in Tamworth.

“It's so exciting to be involved with a brand like Isuzu Trucks to really acknowledge the skillset and the training that is put in by the technicians as they go through apprenticeships and then post-apprenticeship education.”

Full Support

“And that’s why Double R Trucks was so eager to work with Isuzu. They acknowledge the pressure that’s placed on experienced service technicians, and despite skill shortages and labour pool demands Isuzu has proven time and again that they support technicians along with their full range of staff.”

Tamworth is a region undergoing growth and expansion, so it's clear that Isuzu Trucks is the perfect partner to team up with Double R Trucks, to meet the broader transport needs of the region. With plenty of infrastructure and construction jobs underway the team will surely be kept on their toes.

“Thirty-three years as truck market leader is a testament to Isuzu and demonstrates the quality and integrity of the brand.

“Any business that can stand by a reputation of 50 years of trading trucks in Australia is a business that Double R Trucks looks forward to learning from and working with.”