As you all know, the landscaping game isn’t easy. It’s physical, outdoor work in all weather that demands a lot from its workers and equipment. To lighten the load, Nigel Monk has several aces up his sleeve in the shape of a fleet of FUSO Canter Tippers
Nelson Tasman-based New Vision Landscapes is good at turning dreams into reality, but to do that it needs exceptional gear. Thankfully for founder and managing director Nigel Monk, his ideal light-duty truck is no fantasy.
“We’ve been using FUSO Canter Tippers for the past 10 years now,” says Nigel. “We’ve currently got a fleet of seven.”
For the first five years, Nigel used a ute and a trailer before transitioning to the six-tonne FUSO tipper.
“I started buying them as Japanese imports, but now we only buy New Zealand new. We’ll sell them on after five years or so, as their resale value is so strong. I’m always recommending them to other landscapers, too.”
Support his growth
At the beginning, it was just Nigel and one other person. He now employs 34 staff in admin, construction and maintenance roles, servicing the Nelson Tasman region across residential and commercial jobs.
“Our commercial landscaping client base has grown a lot. We used to do mainly residential, but commercial clients come to us because they know we can get jobs done on time.
“After we finish a commercial job, we’ll normally take on a two-year maintenance contract. The Canters are superb for that work. You can get a crew of three in, all the tools you need and have the site looking great in no time.”
As sections get smaller but demand rises, the versatile Canter has become more important to Nigel. A lot of the smaller areas still require heavy, bulky materials or equipment, which is exactly what the Canter excels at carting around.
Versatility is key
“We can carry a 3T payload on a normal driver’s licence, or we can tow a trailer with a 1.5T digger on it, so having a fleet of Canters is a no-brainer for us.”
The Canter’s compact size and limited slip diff also makes navigating slippery sites a breeze.
“We can fit them in between a fence or squeeze them beside a driveway. It’s very unusual if we can’t get them into a spot, which makes life so much easier for our crews. They can get to the site with all the gear and materials required for the job.”
Nigel says that another part of the Canters’ appeal is their availability. “I found it very interesting that FUSO still has trucks available, because getting my hands on materials and other equipment is often a nightmare!“
Looking ahead to the rest of 2024, the Canters will be working harder than ever to keep up with the pace set by Nigel and his team, as they continue to meet demand while maintaining their high quality.
Your local FUSO dealer can provide advice on finding the right truck for your business and help with any body build requirements. Go to fuso.co.nz/range/canter for more information and contact details.