True Blue Power – CG Civil
As the dust settled on the epic paint job of the CG Civil Kobelco, it was hard to imagine a better-looking machine. Then, after several hours experiencing the power and work capacity of the SK380XDLC-10, it became clear the Kobelco brand had evolved yet again.
Rob Kennedy has been the Operations Manager and owner of CG Civil for the past 15 years or so. Originally a concreter, Rob has always had machines. In 2019 he steered away from concreting and pushed the machines harder.
“Today we run a number of Kobelco excavators ranging from five-tonne to 40-tonne,” said Rob, “along with a large variety of attachments, hammers and GPS.”
It’s straight away obvious Rob’s a no-nonsense, salt-of-the-Earth-type bloke who’s not afraid to make his machines stand out from the crowd.
Rob’s machines all feature a very cool Australian-flag paint job across the cab and boom, with the flag looking like its tearing through the robust Kobelco steel.
Rather than running with numbers like most to identify his numerous Kobelcos, Rob has named his machines after his kids and family, a great way for fuel trucks and support staff to identify and find the right excavator.
“Seeing my machines out on site with my kids’ and family’s names and the Australian flag flying is something I’m proud of,” grinned Rob. “I’m a proud Australian, and I’m proud of my Kobelco machines, which I’ll happily stand beside and back 100 per cent, every day of the week.
“I can confidently say they’ve proved themselves to me many times over, and I know I can rely on them, along with my staff, to be the backbone of a successful business. The productivity and fuel efficiency of the Kobelcos, along with the operator comfort, is second to none. I’ve compared all the specs and stats of all the other machines, and nothing comes close.”
Rob Kennedy, Operations Manager and owner of CG Civil
“We specialise in civil works, earthworks, and commercial works with a talented bunch of operators to bring out the best from our Kobelco fleet.”
Rob continued, “Today we currently own 12 Kobelco machines and we’re growing. In fact, I’ve just purchased another one today and will be ordering another three or four in the very near future. I purchase my Kobelcos through Melbourne Tractors, and my rep at Melbourne Tractors is Simon Gillespie, a great bloke, and the dealership has always accommodated us quickly and professionally in the repair and maintenance of our machines. I see Melbourne Tractors’ role in our relationship is to keep me up to date with new technologies and machine features that can benefit my business, as well as keeping the Kobelco machinery in A1 condition.
“I can’t fault Melbourne Tractors with its efforts and ability to deliver so far. Needless to say, we are happy with our experience and quality of service.”
Rob’s latest purchase is the new SK380XDLC-10, which weighs in at 37,700kg, making it the heaviest excavator in its class.
With innovative technology, substantial build quality and an extended major component warranty of four years/6000 hours, it’s no wonder Rob has made such a long-term commitment to the Kobelco brand.
“Kobelco’s GEOSCAN telematics system is something we use each day and is provided free of charge,” he explained. “We love the simplicity, usability, and reliability of this tech. It allows us to keep up to date with the maintenance, service, and of course, our fuel. The fast-digging cycle times, along with the impressive breakout force of 244kN and best-in-class tractive force of 331kN, all single out this machine as the benchmark for this class. It’s been beefed up in numerous areas to produce a robust and hardworking machine capable of extremely impressive workloads.”
Like many business owners, Rob put down his biggest day-to-day challenge as finding highly motivated and great operators with the same passion for the industry as himself.
That’s why staff retention and looking after his operators is very high on his priority list.
Rob’s goal is to build his business up to 20 Kobelco machines and to start introducing 50-tonne machines to his fleet.
“By continuing to build my team of operators and introducing even bigger Kobelco machines we will be able to complete works and projects faster, while also taking on larger projects. Cheaper interest rates and good operators will help us achieve this.
“Also, while we continue our relationship with Melbourne Tractors and Kobelco, and the A1 service we receive from both to keep our machines in A1 condition, the world is our oyster!”
With works continuing at a solid pace, Melbourne is going to keep most operators very busy for many years to come.
