Rhino Trailers is well prepared for the major growth spurt in its Toowoomba home, thanks to the support of suppliers like component specialist, Fuwa K-Hitch.

The city of Toowoomba, Queensland – also known as ‘The Garden City’ – is blossoming. Heavy investments in the region from government and private entities alike will pump upwards of $1 billion into infrastructure and roads, much of which will directly benefit the heavy vehicle road transport industry.

One such project is the Toowoomba Enterprise Hub (TEH), which claims to be one of the most significant transport, logistics and business hubs in Australia, encompassing an internationally capable airport and a major freight facility with more than 2,000 hectares of industrial land. On top of that, access for heavy vehicles is being improved thanks to the $1.137 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC) project, which is making progress with Stage 2 of the Gore Highway works at Athol and the Warrego West interchange projects now underway.

Local trailer builder, Rhino Trailers, is already riding the wave of the region’s growth with an order book brimming with requests for its trailing equipment. Scott Arnold, General Manager of Rhino Trailers, says requests for its tippers and low loaders have been particularly strong over the last two years – also thanks in large part to the trailer builder’s close proximity to the Darling Downs and its significant grain production.

“Rhino Trailers has a strong focus on manufacturing tippers and road transport equipment with low tare weights and short lead times. Demand has certainly grown recently, we have 80 units on order and it’s absolutely crazy here,” Scott says. “The market is doing well, and thanks to our diverse trailer offering, we were prepared for this shift and are ready for any future fluctuations in demand.”

Scott says that when Rhino Trailers is in the thick of it, it turns to its suppliers for their support and on-time deliveries.

“When we’re dealing with such hectic times in the business, we need suppliers we can rely on to provide the right equipment at the right time that will perform – no questions asked,” Scott says – adding that a significant quantity of his fifth wheels, landing legs and axle and suspension units come from Fuwa K-Hitch.

“Fuwa K-Hitch makes a good, durable product that is known country-wide. As well as building quality components, it has a nation-wide after sales service that is always really good at giving us the help we need,” Scott explains. “Although we mostly deal with the Brisbane guys, every now and then it will fly someone up from the Melbourne head office to lend a hand if we need, it’s just fantastic.”

Fuwa equipment is Rhino’s standard fitment, Scott says, adding that other brands can be fitted on customer request. “It’s important to offer our customers a choice to ensure they receive a trailer that suits their needs. It’s part of our tailored manufacturing promise.”

That custom promise is echoed throughout the Fuwa K-Hitch offerings, explains Jayson Federico, Sales Manager Queensland and Indonesia. “Fuwa K-Hitch has every axle dimension covered, from general-purpose on-highway gear in the standard nine to 13 tonne range to extreme off-road equipment in the 20-tonne and beyond category,” he says. “On top of that, we will always go that extra mile to tailor a package that will suit the individual client, which is incredibly important in a time like today if you want to be able to add value.”

Jayson says Fuwa K-Hitch is very much a locally focussed business, aiming to deliver trailer builders like Rhino Trailers high-quality yet cost-effective equipment with no time to waste. “We place huge value on holding stock locally to ensure the quickest possible turnaround times from order to supply, which means we react quickly to our customers’ requirements while reducing their own inventory costs and reliance,” he says. “We have also forged close relationships with many trailer manufacturers locally to offer them the best possible pricing and service.”

Mirroring Fuwa K-Hitch’s customer focus, Rhino Trailers has recently expanded its service to encompass all its client needs, from small repairs right through to full refurbishments at its 11-acre facility in Toowoomba. “We’re really starting to push full refurbish and major crash repairs to ensure we can offer as much to the end user as possible,” says Scott.

He adds that Rhino’s location is a real drawcard for the transport operators working on the massive local infrastructure projects, with the most common alternative a two-hour drive away in Brisbane.

“We’re right on the doorstep of the construction, which is handy for people who don’t want to travel for repairs. Plus, our facility can handle combinations up to AB-triples right to the gate, otherwise to get to Brisbane they’d have to split the trailers,” Scott says. “Toowoomba is growing, and we’re growing right alongside it.”