Grace Removals’ Smart Move with the Hybrid Electric

Grace Removals has quite a history in this country. Starting in 1911 as a division of the Grace Bros Department Store, the business began with furniture removals before expanding into household and business relocations. By the 1960s, Grace was operating nationwide.

Today, Grace Removals is Australia’s largest removalist company with 30 locations across the country and part of an international network with a clientele that boasts private, corporate and government.

We chatted with Andrew Wilson, Marketing Manager of Grace Removals, to learn how they’ve become the country’s largest Removalist operation and how the Hino Hybrid Electric has been one of the smartest moves they’ve made.

Growing larger, thinking bigger

Grace Removals does 40,000 moves a year and has grown to become one of the country’s largest-scale logistics operations. It runs a fleet of 450 vehicles consisting of 16-tonne trucks, some towing dog trailers and others 40-foot containers. Andrew details, “We also run several prime movers for rail and road movement and have around 80 4.5-tonne trucks across the country. These smaller trucks are car-license-rated, automatic, very versatile, and used for smaller, local jobs with far higher usage than the larger trucks.”

As a leading player in the records management and logistics sector, a big part of the way Grace Removals operates is with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. One of the many initiatives from this is helping to reduce emissions by transitioning to a lower-emission vehicle fleet.

Making the move to Hino Hybrid Electric trucks

The move to a greener fleet began with trying out a number of electric trucks, including a 4.5-tonne fully electric vehicle. However, the 12-month trial fell far short of expectations. Andrew explains, “The electric vehicles simply didn’t suit our needs. The range was limited, the recharge times were slow, and braking performance was substandard.”

Recognising the need for a more practical solution, Grace Removals turned to City Hino, who introduced them to the Hino Hybrid Electric noting, “they took the time to show us how the Hino Hybrid Electric could contribute to our carbon reduction goals.”

The transition to the Hino Hybrid Electric is a move that has worked well for Grace Removals. Andrew continues, “It was a natural fit for our company’s fleet. Hino’s ongoing service and support, including their environmentally focussed solutions, also reinforced our decision to make the switch to Hybrid Electric. With Hino being able to meet the fleet’s specific environmental targets helped make the transition smoother, especially in terms of sustainability and fuel efficiency.”

A move that makes a lot of sense

While there’s always a bigger picture with the Hino Hybrid Electric trucks, they’re a far more practical fit for Grace Removals too. Andrew adds, “They save a lot on fuel, and these trucks get very high mileage, so the return on investment is quick. We’ve had three of them for a few months now in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane, and the feedback has been positive. They’re comfortable, have plenty of power, and there are no issues with charging. Ongoing, we’ll be looking to move our fleet of smaller trucks to the Hino Hybrid Electric.”

How City Hino helped shift the thinking

As usual with Hino, the support is always ongoing with Grace Removals being no exception.  “Our key contacts at City Hino keep us updated with vehicle developments that may suit our business from both an operational and sustainability view. Hino is one of 3 preferred vehicle suppliers for Grace and with our recent Hybrid purchases, may become a more important supplier in the future”, says Andrew.

While it’s early days for Grace Removals with their Hino Hybrid Electric trucks, the experience has been nothing but good so far. Andrew finishes, “If your business gets good mileage out of their Hino Hybrid Electric, you’ll recoup the investment in no time. And if you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, the Hino Hybrid Electric is a good option that’s value for money.”

We think it’s possibly one of the best moves Grace Removals will make.

To find out more about Grace Removals and how they can help you move if the need arises, visit their website at https://www.grace.com.au/