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expansion avenues, Custom says.
The new facility houses new
CNC routers, CNC benders, folders,
laser cutters, tube cutters, robot
welders, and a soon-to-be-installed
powder coating works, the company
confirms.
As it explains, Custom Denning is
slowly increasing its self-reliance by
gradually bringing increasing work
that was once outsourced now under
one roof.
COMMUNITY BOOST
Purchase of the new site has
enabled Custom Denning to
broaden its range of specialised
products, leading to an increase of
skilled labour required, additional
training, and further employment
opportunities for Western Sydney,
the company says.
Contributing to the local
community has always been
important to Dunn and he believes
strongly in local manufacturing,
local production and contributing to
Australia’s long term sustainability,
the company states.
Custom attainted ‘Australian Made’
certification in 2019, it confirms.
NEW MODELS
Tapping into a manufacturing
pedigree dating to 1955 and pitched
as ‘Aussie built for local conditions’,
Custom Denning’s recently released
Adventurer school-charter bus is
described as a game-changer by
national sales manager Mick Neskes.
“We’re extremely proud of the
Adventurer,” Neskes said. “It’s in our
heritage to design the buses that
move Australia and, for us, that
means producing a combination of
technology and toughness.”
From the chassis up, the
Adventurer has taken the lessons
of reliability and toughness from
the past and combined them with
today’s technology, he explains.
It’s suitable for a variety of chassis
makes; the 57-seat Category 4 school
bus is available on a Volvo, Scania,
MAN, Mercedes-Benz or Hino chassis.
The shorter, 43-seat Category 3
Adventurer is available on a Volvo,
MAN, Mercedes or Hino chassis.
MODULAR EASE
Neskes says the Adventurer’s
It’s in our heritage to design the buses that move
Australia and, for us, that means producing a
combination of technology and toughness.
modular components set a new
benchmark.
“We have recently carried out
extensive renovations throughout the
factory, adding new methodologies
to our operation. We have changed
our procedures, so that we are more
efficient, and have improved our
already high levels of quality,” he said.
“Our modernised engineering
process and improved design allows
us now to build multiple upper
body sections extremely quickly, and
being “non chassis specific” means
commonality of parts, regardless of
chassis utilised,” he explained.
“This increases efficiencies for all
involved, but most importantly, for
the bus operators!
“It means the downtime is
reduced if the vehicle needs a
window or panel replacing. We
can hold hundreds of parts, and
we can supply customers with
consignment stock, and they pay
for it as they use it.”
Custom Denning says the
Adventurer was designed using
Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
software, which simulates real-world
wear and tear using a computer
model to find the perfect design.
The FEA analysis covers:
mechanical stress, mechanical
vibration, metal fatigue, motion,
heat transfer, fluid flow and
electrostatics.
Above:
Custom Bus Group has
refurbished its St Marys
facility to expand
throughput and
improve processes.
Left:
Finite Element Analysis
software has been
used to simulate wear
and tear to improve
component design.
Opposite:
Custom Denning’s
new Adventurer
school-charter bus has
been described as a
‘game changer’.
busnews.com.au August 2020 ABC
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