Byford Equipment has centralised its bitumen tanker manufacturing and service centre in Melbourne to closely link to bitumen suppliers and increase productivity.
Since 1975, Byford Equipment has manufactured milk tankers to safely service the dairy industry.
Byford Equipment milk tankers were originally designed with regional road requirements and longer trip times in mind.
Through the years the company has expanded its services and is now using key principles from its milk tankers to create bitumen tankers.
Its latest development in the bitumen industry is Byford’s new manufacturing and repair facility in Derrimut, Melbourne.
The new manager of Byford Equipment’s Melbourne facility, Peter Bedwell, says Byford offers the complete service package for all internal and external repairs of bitumen tankers.
Mr. Bedwell says the Melbourne facility is increasing its focus on customer service to ensure tankers are manufactured to client needs and repairs are available at all times.
“Byford can make tankers to suit regional or metropolitan requirements. In some regional areas, certain tankers are prohibited as the roads aren’t rated for heavier vehicles. We have very specific PBS configurations to suit regional road requirements,” Mr. Bedwell says.
He says the Victorian Government has invested $115 million into infrastructure in country areas, making Byford’s regionally suited tankers a safe and reliable choice.
“We have used an overlay of technology as the requirements between the dairy and bitumen transport industries are similar. This ensures customers can transport higher volumes of bitumen efficiently in outer country areas,” Mr. Bedwell says.
A key consideration for the location of the Melbourne facility in Derrimut was customer accessibility.
“The Melbourne facility is in the heart of where many bitumen suppliers are based. This means contractors come to this area to obtain bitumen regardless, and we wanted to be in a convenient location for repairs and service,” Mr. Bedwell says.
Byford Equipment’s Melbourne service centre also has 24-hour yard service to cater to customers around the clock.
“If a customer needs the tanker off their site, no matter the time, they can bring it to our facility and we will have someone on hand early in the morning to facilitate repairs,” Mr. Bedwell says.
For service and repair, Byford Equipment recognises that alongside the customer, it is their job to ensure vehicles are not a risk to workers or road users.
As bitumen is classified as a Class 9 Dangerous Good, Mr. Bedwell says this increases the importance of regular servicing and compliance checks of tanker fleets.
To service bitumen tankers, Byford Equipment offers decoking, burner tube repairs, internal valve and gasket changes, pump change outs, barrel repairs, mechanical servicing, complete refurbishment and outer-casing repairs.
“There is a high-risk component with bitumen tankers. They need to be maintained to a safe operating condition and serviced regularly,” Mr. Bedwell says.
He says due to the seasonal nature of the bitumen industry, when the tankers are in season, they work at full capacity and companies cannot afford to have vehicles off the road.
“The servicing we do in the off season enables companies to hit the ground running in season, and if something does go wrong we are here to help them,” Mr. Bedwell says.
The new location of Byford Equipment’s servicing facility is centrally located next to Western Ring Road and aims to enable clients to save time and productivity in the height of the bitumen transport season.
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