At the recent Brisbane Truck Show, held from 5 to 8 May, 2011, Volvo unveiled its new FMX on-road truck for the construction, mining and quarrying industries to the Australian market.
Gary Bone, general manager of Volvo Trucks, remarked that ?it?s not every day we get to launch a whole new truck, and when we started assessing the FMX for launch in the local market, we agreed that as we?ll be building these trucks locally, we needed local input. We quickly realised that the Brisbane Truck Show would be the perfect opportunity for our engineers to talk to customers about their specific requirements.
?The Volvo FMX is unique. It?s designed for heavy construction, mining services and quarrying duties, where the main requirement is for pulling heavy loads over rough terrain and up steep gradients. Obviously, there?s enormous demand for vehicles with this capability here in Australia, so we?re really excited to be able to offer a Volvo specifically for this application.?
The FMX has already been released in Europe and other Volvo Trucks markets around the world. Gary believes that Volvo?s ability to design and build the FMX locally to suit local conditions will be a major factor in continuing this success in Australia.
?The FMX represents a new direction for Volvo Trucks, and with our local manufacturing facility at Wacol, we have the capability to make an Australian version of the FMX, designed to suit local conditions. What we need now is to hear from our customers about how they?d use this truck and how they?d like us to set it up.?
Tailored for the rough and tumble of construction and quarrying operations, the FMX has new features such as a heavy-duty central towing member, specially developed rear-view mirrors, new work-lights and a new air intake.
?Volvo has produced a truck that?s a true specialist in the quarry,? said Gary, ?now we want to take it one step further. Our Australian engineering and product experts at our stand at the Brisbane Truck Show talked with customers about the features and specifications they believe they need to make the FMX the best quarrying and construction truck in the Australian market.
?This is the big advantage of having engineering and manufacturing right here in Queensland. We have global resources coupled with local engineering and this combination ensures that our trucks are always the right trucks for the job.
?Once we?ve gathered input from our customers, then we?ll make a decision on when to launch the truck officially in Australia,? said Gary Bone. ?In the meantime, we encourage anyone who works in quarrying or construction to let us know their feedback. This is a Volvo that loves getting dirty, so if you never previously wanted to drive your Volvo into a quarry, it?s time to think again.?
Source: Volvo Trucks