Phil McLennan
Phil McLennan is married to Cathy and together they own McLennan Earthmoving. Established in 1992 they specialise in transport, quarrying and civil construction. Phil was born in Grafton in 1961, he grew up by the Clarence River, where his family had a dairy farm and produced lucerne hay.
Phil started out in agricultural work, running ground spreading trucks dispersing fertilisers etc.
This grew to include a couple of spreaders, expanding his reach and allowing him to venture to Murwillumbah, Dorrigo, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and Ballina. When he first transitioned to tippers, Phil built a custom spreader that was interchangeable with a tipper body.
Later Phil was engaged to operate a truck and dog tipper, carting aggregates in the Brisbane area including to the Brisbane Airport during construction. Around the same time, he started doing tipper work for the forestry which led to further local contracts for supplying and delivering quarry materials and purchasing crushing and screening equipment. More truck and dogs were added and the business diversified into civil and earthmoving work.
Today the business operates from multiple depots and quarries within the Clarence Valley while the fleet includes more than 180 pieces of machinery. The trucks are modern and well-maintained from a range of manufacturers including Kenworth, Volvo, UD, Hino, Isuzu and most recently a Freightliner. When it comes to tipping bodies and trailers, Phil has consistently purchased these from Hercules, who provide a high-quality product and service.
Phil embraced Performance Based Standards (PBS) and other NHVR initiatives; improving safety, productivity, and sustainability, always open to new ideas and technologies that could improve the business. Some of his best times though were before the industry was so heavily regulated and he could work unlimited hours, of his own choosing.
His work also took him overseas, providing opportunities to network and learn about the industry on a global scale, some highlights were The IAA Transportation show in Hannover, Bauma in Munich, and CONEXPO in Las Vegas. Other trips included Egypt, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Sweden, England, Ireland, America and included many manufacturing facility tours.
Phil is a well-liked and respected member of the community, building local roads and facilities, supporting local businesses and providing local jobs with very low staff turnover. Some of the projects Phil has undertaken include the construction of subdivisions, nursing homes, highway upgrades, hospital upgrade, hockey fields and other sports fields, horse and greyhound racing tracks, council facilities and parks.
Phil enjoys and takes pride in his work, he is known and sought out for his exceptional skills as an operator and he thrives on the intricate projects, which are what he likes best. Time spent with Phil will be spent sharing knowledge, as that is something he truly values.
This family owned and operated business has grown to include Phil’s nephew and his children. Phil is still at the forefront of the operation, though every now and then he mentions he wouldn’t mind slowing down a bit. On the weekends, Phil can be found behind the wheel of one of his Ford Mustangs.
