orangeLJ Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 If its not super top secret, why the long design process on LHDs? Are you a new company trying to break into the market? or are you re-designing for better functionality and reliability? I know one thing though, Big toys are the most fun! I was down at Botany the other week driving round in a 50 tonne fork. (which was dwarfed by some of the mobile harbour cranes down there) We just downsized to 4.5litre 4 cylinders in our light trucks, used to used 6litre inline 6s (cummins 6BTs) but euro emmissions pushed us to change to the QSB4.5 which has a little less torque, but suprisingly similar outputs all round.
Hiro Protagonist Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 If its not super top secret, why the long design process on LHDs? Are you a new company trying to break into the market? or are you re-designing for better functionality and reliability? I know one thing though, Big toys are the most fun! I was down at Botany the other week driving round in a 50 tonne fork. (which was dwarfed by some of the mobile harbour cranes down there) We just downsized to 4.5litre 4 cylinders in our light trucks, used to used 6litre inline 6s (cummins 6BTs) but euro emmissions pushed us to change to the QSB4.5 which has a little less torque, but suprisingly similar outputs all round. The company has been around for a few years as a hire/maintenance company for Eimco, Wagner and PJB/SMV, as well as mine personnel. Last couple of years has seen our side of the company (we're a group owned by 3 brothers) concentrate on the LHDs, which aren't technically a new vehicle (since they're an existing Atlas Copco product), but the re-design for coal and powertrain improvements will give us an extremely competitive vehicle that is substantially newer, better and more efficient than just about any other on the market. Shorter (height and length) and narrower for the same tonnage, adaptability and attachment variety, the list goes on. We've got mines lining up to buy them at the expense of the other local manufacturers (some who haven't sold a vehicle in the last year), but we're getting very close to the end of the tether, and further delays of more than a few months will result in us losing customers and possibly having to can the whole project
Trev Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 The company has been around for a few years as a hire/maintenance company for Eimco, Wagner and PJB/SMV, as well as mine personnel. Last couple of years has seen our side of the company (we're a group owned by 3 brothers) concentrate on the LHDs, which aren't technically a new vehicle (since they're an existing Atlas Copco product), but the re-design for coal and powertrain improvements will give us an extremely competitive vehicle that is substantially newer, better and more efficient than just about any other on the market. Shorter (height and length) and narrower for the same tonnage, adaptability and attachment variety, the list goes on. We've got mines lining up to buy them at the expense of the other local manufacturers (some who haven't sold a vehicle in the last year), but we're getting very close to the end of the tether, and further delays of more than a few months will result in us losing customers and possibly having to can the whole project Anything to do with skillpro?
Hiro Protagonist Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 Anything to do with skillpro? Nope.
orangeLJ Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 The company has been around for a few years as a hire/maintenance company for Eimco, Wagner and PJB/SMV, as well as mine personnel. Last couple of years has seen our side of the company (we're a group owned by 3 brothers) concentrate on the LHDs, which aren't technically a new vehicle (since they're an existing Atlas Copco product), but the re-design for coal and powertrain improvements will give us an extremely competitive vehicle that is substantially newer, better and more efficient than just about any other on the market. Shorter (height and length) and narrower for the same tonnage, adaptability and attachment variety, the list goes on. We've got mines lining up to buy them at the expense of the other local manufacturers (some who haven't sold a vehicle in the last year), but we're getting very close to the end of the tether, and further delays of more than a few months will result in us losing customers and possibly having to can the whole project We are experiencing pretty similar problems at the moment, although not with hold ups in the design process.... our place more likes to design things WHILE they are being built... its a hit and miss affair most of the time. Our problems are with order backlogs. Some orders were taken 12-24 months ago, and were done at, what was then, a competitive price. However now, with the market falling down around us, prices for materials have skyrocketed and where we once had VERY healthy margins we now face losses on something like 60% of orders. Something about ringing up customers and asking for another 100k never sits well and has resulted in the cancellation of a fair few orders as a compromise (we don't penalise them for pulling out, they don't make us follow through with a loss creating venture) But many customers have simply walked away from their orders due to us taking so long to produce trucks. I have one customer whos unit is now overdue by 499 days... long time to be without what you need!
67Rolla-Ken Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 It's been a long day. I got a phone call from my wifes mobile about 10:30am while I was at work. Was some lady telling me Nay (my wife) had been in a serious car accident and was about to be taken to hospital. I got to the hospital as fast as I could (sorry to the dozens of people I cut off), It sux to see loved ones in pain and not be able to help much :P Nay was driving along a main road at 100kmh, a 4WD came out of a side street as she was passing it. She had time to touch the brake pedal, but didn't wash any speed off. She hit the side of the 4WD square on spinning her car around and throwing the 4WD back the way it came from a good 15-25m. There were 2 babies in the 4WD, the yongest (about 6-8 weeks old) was thrown out of it's capsule into the cargo area. Somehow neither of the babies were badly injured. Nays car burst into flames after impact, somehow the doors were still working fine and she was able to get herself out. An off duty nurse helped Nay away from the fire and looked after her till the ambo's came. She said there was also a nice young guy that was holding her hand and looking after her. Two cement trucks pulled over and used the water pumps on their trucks to put the car out. Nay is in hospital overnight, has bad wiplash/bruising and a very sore right ankle but all the scans are showing no major injuries. Firstly, thank you God, I'm amazed that anyone can walk away from an impact like that, and was so relieved to hear the babies were ok. Secondly, I would like to thank those strangers who stopped and help out. I would like to think most people would do the same, but your heros in my book! Well I'm absolutely wrecked!
Rich_Rolla Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 It's been a long day. I got a phone call from my wifes mobile about 10:30am while I was at work. Was some lady telling me Nay (my wife) had been in a serious car accident and was about to be taken to hospital. I got to the hospital as fast as I could (sorry to the dozens of people I cut off), It sux to see loved ones in pain and not be able to help much :P Nay was driving along a main road at 100kmh, a 4WD came out of a side street as she was passing it. She had time to touch the brake pedal, but didn't wash any speed off. She hit the side of the 4WD square on spinning her car around and throwing the 4WD back the way it came from a good 15-25m. There were 2 babies in the 4WD, the yongest (about 6-8 weeks old) was thrown out of it's capsule into the cargo area. Somehow neither of the babies were badly injured. Nays car burst into flames after impact, somehow the doors were still working fine and she was able to get herself out. An off duty nurse helped Nay away from the fire and looked after her till the ambo's came. She said there was also a nice young guy that was holding her hand and looking after her. Two cement trucks pulled over and used the water pumps on their trucks to put the car out. Nay is in hospital overnight, has bad wiplash/bruising and a very sore right ankle but all the scans are showing no major injuries. Firstly, thank you God, I'm amazed that anyone can walk away from an impact like that, and was so relieved to hear the babies were ok. Secondly, I would like to thank those strangers who stopped and help out. I would like to think most people would do the same, but your heros in my book! Well I'm absolutely wrecked! Woah. That's deep. It's good to see there's still good people out there.
SoulSearcher Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) It's been a long day. I got a phone call from my wifes mobile about 10:30am while I was at work. Was some lady telling me Nay (my wife) had been in a serious car accident and was about to be taken to hospital. I got to the hospital as fast as I could (sorry to the dozens of people I cut off), It sux to see loved ones in pain and not be able to help much :P Nay was driving along a main road at 100kmh, a 4WD came out of a side street as she was passing it. She had time to touch the brake pedal, but didn't wash any speed off. She hit the side of the 4WD square on spinning her car around and throwing the 4WD back the way it came from a good 15-25m. There were 2 babies in the 4WD, the yongest (about 6-8 weeks old) was thrown out of it's capsule into the cargo area. Somehow neither of the babies were badly injured. Nays car burst into flames after impact, somehow the doors were still working fine and she was able to get herself out. An off duty nurse helped Nay away from the fire and looked after her till the ambo's came. She said there was also a nice young guy that was holding her hand and looking after her. Two cement trucks pulled over and used the water pumps on their trucks to put the car out. Nay is in hospital overnight, has bad wiplash/bruising and a very sore right ankle but all the scans are showing no major injuries. Firstly, thank you God, I'm amazed that anyone can walk away from an impact like that, and was so relieved to hear the babies were ok. Secondly, I would like to thank those strangers who stopped and help out. I would like to think most people would do the same, but your heros in my book! Well I'm absolutely wrecked! HOLY CRAP!!!!! Her car caught fire? WOW and she walked away from it? Someone up there ^ is obviously watching over her.... I know how scary it is to be told you're loved one has been in an accident, it's absolutely horrible not knowing what exactly has happend and can't talk to them to make sure they're ok.. Thank God your wife, the babies were ok...what about other passengers nothing too serious I hope? Good work champ, for keeping it together, I imagine your adrenaline was pumping! It's so sweet that someone held her hand, she's just so lucky....she should buy a lottery ticket!!! :P Edited February 21, 2009 by SoulSearcher
JiP Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Posted February 20, 2009 Hey good to hear your wife wasn't injured. So was the 4wd in the wrong? And if the baby came out of the capsule then it wasn't buckled in. I think we have the parent of the year!
67Rolla-Ken Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 Thanks guys. I don't think luck had anything to do with it... I perfer the someone watching over her (and me getting in there) idea. :P The first corner pulling out from work I got everything wrong, overtook someone in the outside lane then flicked to the inside lane to get past a truck while entering a 90deg turn and excellerating... car got sideways, have no idea how I kept it in one lane. :) Nay was the only one with serious enough injuries to require a transfer from Rockingham hospital to Fremantle, so I'm sure the other people are all ok. She hasn't come out uninjured, but as far as we can tell at this time, nothing that a couple weeks R&R and a few months chiro and physio wont fix. Her back and neck were just starting to recover from the last crash. :no2: She's now been in 3 crashes, none her fault. The other 2 were while stopped at red lights (I was driving for one of those). The 4WD was definately in the wrong (there were loads of witnesses who all told her :P), failed to stop at the intersection (I'm pretty sure there would have been stop signs on there street). But with two kids in the car to distract you, these things happen.. I'm sure no parent would do that intensionally.
Trev Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 Certainly not a phone call that you wanna receive, Glad that she is all ok.
Jason KE30 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Posted February 20, 2009 Wow, really glad to hear that your wife, and everyone else is ok! The big guy in the clouds was definitely watchin over her.. Something similar happened to our family about 10 years ago. We were on our way to the grandparents house which was in the country. All six of our family were in the one car, an XF Falcon station wagon. I was in the middle bench seat in between my mum and dad as I was the youngest. Anyway we were travelling along at 100km/ph when a car decided to pull out in front of us. There wasn't enough time to brake and we were heading right towards the other drivers door. Luckily my dad had the reactions to swerve to the left slightly and hit the rear passenger door. Their car span around a few times, as did ours. We both settled in a ditch. Un-believably no one was seriously injured. Considering there was 6 people in our little car I am amazed we all survived. And if my dad didn't swerve that little bit we would have killed the other guy. I was only 5 at the time so I wasn't entirely sure what was going on. I wanted to do it again! :P
JiP Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Posted February 21, 2009 So Ken, do you know yet if the other driver is insured? Are you insured? What was your wife's car?
JiP Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Posted February 21, 2009 My dad had a crash back in the 70's similar to Jason's. He wasn't in the wrong but had i think 6 people in the car (a 5 seater) so didn't persue the other driver for damages.
Lexxi[ke35] Posted February 21, 2009 Report Posted February 21, 2009 Wow, that's bad, that would've been the worst thing to hear from the other end of the phone. Glad everyone's ok though :P
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