City Timber has added two new IVECO S-Way AS 550 prime movers to its Melbourne-based fleet, continuing a relationship with the truck manufacturer that stretches back almost five decades.
The timber wholesaler now operates 15 IVECO vehicles, including S-Way, Stralis and Eurocargo models. Its connection with the brand goes back to company founder Con Peluso, while a 1980 FIAT-IVECO 130 NC is also being restored by the family.
Established in the 1970s and now overseen by Con’s sons Tony and Joe Peluso, City Timber operates its main distribution facility at Clayton South in Melbourne, supported by warehouses around Australia and a Queensland sawmill.
The business supplies products including cladding, flooring, decking and linings to timber merchants, with around 55 people working across the operation.
The latest S-Way prime movers are based at Clayton South and operate across metropolitan and regional Victoria, with some work extending into South Australia and southern New South Wales.
Coupled to flat-top single trailers, the trucks carry timber packs that are loaded and unloaded by forklift.
For City Timber, the latest additions are expected to work hard. Tony Peluso said drivers are covering between 4,000 and 5,000 kilometres each week, making driver comfort, safety and reliability important considerations.
“Drivers are accumulating between 4,000 and 5,000 kilometres a week in them, and the comfort and quietness they offer are two things that we love about them; the trucks are easy on the back,” Tony said.
“Safety is top notch as well – it’s important we look after our drivers.”
Power for timber transport
The S-Way AS 550s are powered by Euro 6 Step E engines producing 550hp and 2500Nm of torque, matched with 16-speed automated manual transmissions.
Tony said the driveline suits City Timber’s combination of heavy loads and metropolitan running.
“It’s important we have enough grunt; the S-Way has good power, and the 16-speed Automated Manual Transmission make the trucks smooth, responsive and easy-to-drive, especially in start and stop traffic,” he said.
Reliability is another priority because delays can quickly affect customer deliveries.
“Reliability is also a key measure for us; we can’t afford late deliveries in our line of work,” Tony said.
“Over many years we’ve never had any major issues with the IVECOs we’ve operated, and the latest S-Ways are also performing well.”
Keeping maintenance in-house
City Timber employs its own mechanic to handle much of the fleet’s servicing and maintenance, with additional support available through the IVECO dealer network.
Tony said the company also continues to use genuine IVECO parts rather than looking for small savings through aftermarket alternatives.
“We always opt for genuine parts – we’ve had a great run out of IVECO and for the sake of saving a couple of dollars on aftermarket parts, I just don’t think it’s worth the risk,” he said.
The company’s long association with IVECO is also reflected in the trucks it has retained. Tony said some older vehicles remain in service with between 500,000 and 600,000 kilometres recorded.
While the newest S-Ways are now tackling City Timber’s regular delivery workload, the Peluso family is also working to return its 1980 FIAT-IVECO 130 NC to the road — linking the company’s trucking history with its latest fleet investment.
