Removalist invests in Iveco trucks for container handling

May 26, 2023

Date: 06.03.2023

A trio of Iveco trucks are the latest additions to the fleet of long-term Melbourne removalists Palmers Relocations

A boom in demand for shipping furniture overseas has prompted the latest upgrade to the fleet of Palmers Relocations.

With shipping containers the storage option of choice for packing and sending furniture to far away destinations, Palmers Relocations need trucks that are more than capable of handling the boxes for all manner of moves.

While their current fleet is predominantly ruled by Japanese brands, the company made the decision to go for a more European influence with its latest acquisitions, with Iveco winning the day.

The results was the purchase of a Stralis 360 ATi (360hp and 1,500Nm) 4x2 prime mover, X-WAY 360 (360hp and 1,650Nm) rigid and most recently, a Eurocargo ML160 rigid with 280hp and 1000Nm of torque.

The IVECO trucks are primarily used to take containers to port, with the Stralis hauling 20 or 40-foot skel trailers while the rigids are set-up to carry a single 20 foot container and tow a pig trailer if required.

For ease of use, the trucks all feature automated manual transmissions which make them easier to manoeuvre and save on clutch wear in heavy traffic.

The trucks are just one part of a family business that has made a name for itself in a tough industry where customer service is paramount.

The company was founded by Greg Palmer and his two brothers in the 1980s to focus on domestic removals.

Having grown up around the antique industry, the trio had developed an appreciation of the care required to protect fine furniture and collectibles – a skill that transferred into a solid foundation for their new business.

Several decades on, Palmer Relocations now employs over 100 staff, and operates 40 trucks from its Laverton, Melbourne site.

Company director and part owner Kieran O’Hara says although the business still offers local and domestic relocations, most of the company’s recent growth had been in global relocations, a service it began providing about five years ago.

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"The move to extend our services to include an overseas offering has been extremely positive – we identified a niche in the market and focused on areas where we believed we could provide a better service than competitors, and we haven’t looked back," Kieran says.

"A lot of the appeal in using Palmers Relocations is that we have an enduring presence in the industry and our employees view what they do as a career not just a job – our care and attention to detail is also second to none.

"Another benefit is that we offer complete solutions to customers by providing associated services to help them make the big move as easy and seamless as possible; these include storage solutions, transport and pet relocation, home cleaning, valet unpacking service, international money transfer and more."

Kieran says he was keen to begin transitioning the fleet from Japanese trucks to Iveco to access the brand’s added refinement, comfort and safety benefits.

"The drivers and I really like the IVECOs – the added comfort was immediately noticeable, yet the power is there, they have torquey engines, good weight distribution and are also great on fuel," Kieran says.

"We also like the look of the trucks, they’re stylish and modern and help present our business in a professional light."

Despite experiencing some challenging times during COVID which restricted population movements and workflow, Kieran says they had retained all of its employees and was now eyeing further growth.

"We’re continuing on a steady growth path and exploring new opportunities, while maintaining the strong core values that have made the business successful for so many years," he said.

"We look forward to more Iveco vehicles joining the fleet in the coming months, and are also very pleased to continue our strong relationship with selling dealer Adtrans."

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