Sawtell & Sons Marks 90th Anniversary & 5 Decades Using Volvo Trucks

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Queensland bulk hauliers Sawtell and Sons are celebrating 90 years in business and a decades-long partnership with Volvo Trucks with the purchase of a new Volvo FH16. (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

Sawtell and Sons, bulk hauliers based in Currumbin, Queensland, celebrated their 90th year in business this year as well as five decades of almost exclusively using Volvo trucks. The firm marked the occasion by—you guessed it—purchasing a new Volvo FH16 truck.

A Destined Partnership

The first Volvo was produced in Sweden in 1928. Five years later in 1933, Percival Sawtell and his two eldest sons bought the only transport business on the southern edge of the Gold Coast. It was just one year after Volvo came to Australia in 1972 that Sawtell bought their first Volvo, an F86.

Today, Sawtell and Sons spans four generations and runs a fleet of 60 trucks with 80 employees. The company does both local and interstate work, transporting sand, gravel, and fertiliser.

“Business relationships that span decades are a rare thing in any industry,” says Volvo Trucks Australia Vice President Gary Bone. “The relationship that has been forged with the Sawtells and Volvo speaks volumes and is a true testament of the resilience, determination, and integrity of the Sawtell family across the generations.”

About The Volvo FH16

Sawtell and Sons’ FH16 700 will be part of the interstate tipper fleet, transporting potatoes and fertiliser from South Australia to Far North Queensland.

The FH16 is powered by a D16 engine, which comes in Euro 5 and Euro 6 versions with up to 700 horsepower (515 kilowatts) and 3,150 newton-metres (2,323 pounds-foot) of torque. The truck is equipped with Volvo’s I-Shift automated gearbox with options to add crawler gears, ultra-low crawler gears, and multi-speed reverse gears for control in any conditions.

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Sawtell and Sons Joint Director Ken Sawtell remembers when his family’s firm bought its first Volvo—it was 1972, the second year Volvo built trucks in Australia. (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

Volvo Dynamic Steering helps drivers avoid skidding and unintentional lane changes. Drivers can set their preferences and the system also offers remote steering control. The adaptive high-beam headlights adjust automatically to oncoming traffic and vehicles in front of the truck to improve visibility and safety at night.

Comfort On The Road

Buyers can choose from three cab sizes, including two cabs that sleep up to two people. Cabs are insulated and have blackout curtains to help drivers get needed rest. The cabs also offer ample storage, entertainment and audio functions, and the option to add refrigerators.

The dashboard’s digital instrument panel has four view modes to give the driver key information at any moment, including focus (for checking essential functions), navigation (for route directions and other driving information), and load (for checking the status of axles and other details).

A 9-inch display with touchscreen on the right-hand side of the dashboard controls media and communication functions as well as camera views and modules for vehicle and superstructure functions, and more. The display can be controlled using the touchscreen, steering wheel controls, buttons on the dashboard, or voice commands.

Find Volvo Trucks For Sale

You’ll find a large selection of new and used Volvo trucks, including Volvo FH16 models, for sale every day on TruckWorld.com.au.

Source: Volvo