Overcoming Tasmania's remoteness
06 December 2011
WAGGA WAGGA, NEW SOUTH WALES - Located between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, Nixon's Engineering has been in operation since 1959 and since gained a solid reputation in Australia's transport and agricultural industry.
Specialising in the manufacture of flat top and tipping bodies as well as pig and dog trailers for the commercial road transport industry, Nixon's decided on the Delta brand in 2000, when a competing brand was unable to maintain supply at a competitive price. "Ever since, we stick to the Delta brand," says Managing Director, Malcom Nixon. “Delta can offer a superior product at a competitive price, and I like supporting an all Australian company.
“In fact, every truck body we manufacture today is equipped with a Delta hoist. We use the TT series in the gravel industry, and the BT series in the flat top tray market. Our specialty is a 4.5 metre gravel body that usually goes on a bogey drive truck, and we do a lot of flat tray tipper for the rural sector. As result, our material must be able to endure the harshest of conditions.”
According to Delta’s John White, it is a chemical treatment called ceramic densification that gives the Delta product a competitive advantage in the contested hydraulics market. The Delta-C treatment eliminates the porosity and micro-cracking that occurs in chrome plating. It not only prevents corrosive materials from debonding the plating and thus attacking the substrate, but the additional hardness provides a major increase in wearability. According to John, the material has shown no measurable build up on the plating, increases the seal life and tolerates flexing and bending.
Per week, at least two Delta-equipped vehicles leave Nixon's 3000m2 factory in Wagga. "Sometimes I am surprised how successful the product is considering we're based in such a remote area. On the other hand, Wagga has become an important agricultural, military, and transport hub, and we managed to capitalize on that geographical advantage," says Malcom, who is a strong advocate of the seven M's of management — Men, Money, Machinery, Men, Market, Materials, Measurements and Methods. "We want to be a leading force on every level," he says. "And I think Wagga is just the right place to achieve that goal."
