Three’s Company

In the world of business, co-operative organisations stand out for their unique company structures which strive to cater to the needs of its members.

Simply put — and as the name suggests — co-ops are owned and operated together by those who work for them, aiming to achieve common interests through shared company control.

Problems are heard and solved, while profits are allocated evenly among members, as opposed to a few external investors, for the betterment of the company.

In this way, co-ops have a rich history of ensuring fairness and equity across many industries and contexts, one of them being Australia’s plumbing sector in the form of Plumbers’ Co-Op.

Established in Sydney in 1955, this co-op was formed in the face of entities which threatened competition in the plumbing profession, according to its NSW Operations Manager, Dan Campbell. “Plumbers’ Co-Op was founded to keep two big monopolies in the industry honest, and to make sure every worker was given a fair go,” he says. “We always want more members, too — the more, the merrier.”

Throughout its 70 years of operations, Plumbers’ Co-Op’s righteous role in the industry has attracted many members, necessitating a spread along the country’s east. The organisation now boasts 27 branches between New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, offering delivery services, trade-counter services and sales support to many plumbing communities.

An encompassing value proposition like this one has enabled Plumbers’ Co-Op to endure its fair share of market changes, which are tethered to the different demands of each plumber within the organisation.

“The market we’re in is continually shifting,” Dan explains. “We’re a high-service industry. We feel that we’re flexible and nimble enough to keep up with the demands that occur on-site, from our tier-one builders right down to the guys who just need a little water heater delivered. We play in all of these spaces, and we make sure they’re represented for our members.”

But playing in all of these spaces as Dan puts it is a tall order. Enter Fuso, with the help of the STM Trucks & Machinery (STM) dealership. Plumbers’ Co-Op began its partnership with Fuso some 20 years ago, when one of its members and fleet management employees was on the prowl for an efficient and reliable equipment carting service.

“One guy on our team was looking for some durable units to help move tools and materials between sites,” Dan recalls. “While looking, he found Fuso through STM. And we’ve been strongly acquainted with both companies ever since.”

Having played the role of a middleman in the partnership for decades, STM works diligently to communicate the equipment and design needs of Plumbers’ Co-Op to Fuso, and the resulting truck orders have greatly contributed to the organisation’s operational tenacity in the face of changing demand.

“The guys at STM are instrumental in helping us deliver what we promise to our members,” Dan says. “And the reliability and durability that Fuso provides us is second to none. These qualities are a must in our operations, as our trucks are getting beat up every single day when they’re on the road.”

This reliability and durability is present across 20 Fuso trucks of varying applications in Plumbers’ Co-Op’s 27-unit fleet. The smaller but no less essential six Fuso Canters were delivered to the organisation in two batches between August and September of this year.

Affectionately known as the workhorses of Plumbers’ Co-Op’s operation, the new Fuso Canters have been specially ordered to take on a constant workload, carting an assortment of equipment primarily across Sydney — as well as up and down Australia’s south coast — every day.

“Our six Fuso Canters work as our class of light vehicles, running around and doing everything for us on a day-to-day basis,” Dan says. “They’re extremely versatile, being physically flexible enough to complete runs in tighter metropolitan areas, while also being reliable enough to move some bigger pieces of equipment when needed. This quality gives us options with how to use the trucks, so they’re tasked with completing deliveries across a very wide range of sites.”

The Fuso Canters are fitted with Fuso’s own three-litre turbo diesel 4P10 engines and, while boasting a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 8.5 tonnes, have been de-rated to allow as much use as possible among Plumbers’ Co-Op’s members who only have standard car licences as opposed to heavy rigid licences. The Fuso Canters contain a standard 4750-milimetre wheelbase, as well as a customised 6.5-metre-long extended aluminium tray for carrying a range of plumbing equipment.

“Our Fuso Canters cart pipes up to six metres in length, so the inclusion of that customised tray on the Canters is critical for us,” Dan emphasises. “But the trays also help with everything else that we carry.”

This ‘everything else’ is an extensive list. It includes boxes, general fittings, pump stations, toilets, basins and concrete products, among other items.

“There’s no plumbing item that we won’t carry in these trucks,” Dan continues. “We move some really weird and wonderful things.”

The Fuso Canters’ carting allowance is further bolstered by the fitment of Lyco Loaders. These loaders, mounted to the trucks’ aluminium trays, are manually operated tailgate lifting devices which use cable winches to lift and carry hot water heater bodies specifically.

All of this payload is supported through Fuso’s lightweight chassis builds, which, in the eyes of STM Sales Manager, Bruno Gerace, gives the manufacturer and corresponding customers a competitive edge in the industry.

“Fuso champions the lightest chassis on the market,” he says. “This gives Plumbers’ Co-Op the biggest payload possible in that specific size.”

While this efficiency is integral to Plumbers’ Co-Op’s operations, Dan and the organisation’s members are just as satisfied with the Fuso Canters’ safety and comfort.

“Given the amount of time our team spends on the road, driver comfort is very important to our operation,” Dan says. “The Canters, while being comfortably designed, further deliver this comfort and peace of mind by being safe to use. “The Canters feature a three-point touch design and drive very well. Our drivers haven’t faced any mechanical issues while on the road. This keeps our guys happy when they’re doing their jobs, which is essential.”

While the Fuso Canters are used for Plumbers’ Co-Op’s everyday operations, the organisation also runs other Fuso trucks, equipped with different customisations for more niche uses. Plumbers’ Co-Op’s Fuso Fighter 1124s, for example, offer a heavier-duty application with a GVM of 11 tonnes and a seven-metre tray for carting larger plumbing materials. Meanwhile, the largest Fuso trucks in the organisation’s fleet accommodate a maximum 24 tonnes nose to tail, and include a crane mounted between the truck’s body and cab to move particular tools and materials.

While the applications for all of these Fuso units can take them across very demanding distances as part of Plumbers’ Co-Op’s interstate network, the trucks are all entitled to quality care which specifically maintains longevity.

“Fuso runs a five-year, 200,000-kilometre warranty, and 30,000-kilometre service intervals for its units once a year,” says STM Sales Executive, Angus Williams. “This is more than any of its competitors.”

The decades of service from Fuso and STM have been vital to the operations of Plumbers’ Co-Op and its many members. This trifecta is tried, true and not going anywhere anytime soon.

“We at Plumbers’ Co-Op have a safe and secure fleet, but we’re certainly open to upgrading when needed,” Dan says. “There are some older trucks which are doing just fine now but may need replacing soon. When that time comes, and we need a new unit, we know exactly who we’ll be going to.”