Local hero

The Australian designed and built ACCO range of trucks has been an integral part of the Australian transport industry since its introduction in the 1960s. Engineered to meet local climatic conditions and stand up to some of the harshest driving conditions in the world, the ACCO is produced at the same manufacturing facility in Dandenong, Victoria, where it was born. The iconic truck has become the de facto platform for the vocational market, such as concrete mixers and garbage collection, throughout Australia. The design combines the requirements of high body strength while preserving a light kerb weight, which allows an ACCO to withstand the stresses associated with having a constantly revolving heavy load on its back while assuring the best efficiency for its payload class.

Queensland-based Greycart Pty Ltd is one company that knows the capabilities of the ACCO well. Ross Books, owner and managing director of Greycart, said that his company uses the eight-wheel version of the ACCO with a 7.6 metre agitator on the back to deliver concrete under contract to Boral. Since buying his first ACCO truck in 1986, Books has added to Greycart's fleet and currently has nine ACCOs driven by his 10 full-time drivers.

Books' drivers not only deliver concrete to a wide variety of commercial and domestic construction jobs, but they are also involved in large-scale or unusual jobs. “Our trucks have been loaded onto barges and sailed over to Stradbroke [Island] to a construction site," Books stated. “We've also been to large infrastructure projects with massive 'raft slabs' requiring thousands of cubic metres of concrete to be laid in a single continuous pour."

Concrete is a versatile product, but as soon as the cement and water are mixed, the chemical reaction starts and there are only a few hours in which to deliver the concrete to the site before it starts to harden in the truck and become unworkable. “Because of these time constraints, I need a reliable truck for delivering concrete," Books stated.

Three of Greycart's ACCOs are based in Brisbane and six are on the Gold Coast. The trucks make a large number of relatively short journeys during their working life with the company. “Most deliveries are no more than 10 kilometres, with an occasional job requiring a 100 km round trip," Books said.

“Hauling concrete is harsh on the vehicles as we clean with an acid wash," said Books. “This is not the kindest treatment for a truck, but the ACCOs stand up to it well so we only have to replace vehicles every five to seven years."

Controlling a vehicle with up to a 17-tonne load that is constantly moving requires specialist knowledge and additional driving skills. “As it is rotating, the centre of gravity changes as the mix climbs the side of the bowl," Books said. “The weight is more on the driver's side, so if you make a left-hand turn too quickly, it's possible for the whole truck to topple over." Iveco has introduced Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to the 8x4 ACCO, further enhancing the capability and safety of the vehicle. ESC continuously monitors steering and vehicle direction. When the system detects a probable loss of steering control it asymmetrically applies the brakes to individual wheels.

Every part of its cab-chassis has been manufactured at the Iveco Trucks Australia Dandenong facility. Since its introduction, more than 79,000 ACCO trucks have been driven off the production line. The engine and drivetrain of the ACCO have been designed to meet the emissions requirements of the ADR 80/03 standard. The engine is one of the latest diesel designs featuring a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, along with ABS brakes, active traction and the latest cooling system