New in the mix of the crowded Kiwi truck market, China’s Shacman brand has been building foundations here for just over 12 months.

The initial work has been done by the X3000 line, a range of dedicated concrete trucks and ready-to-work Hardox bodied tippers in both 8x4 and 6x4 configurations which are giving the marque some presence on the roads of the Auckland region. 

The X3000 tippers, which offer a 12-tonne payload with a 23t GVM, have so far been the favoured choice with Kiwi buyers.

In spite of obvious challenges presented by 2021 Covid-19 lockdowns and global supply chain delays, in most aspects the Shacman plan has stayed on track and the New Zealand distributor rates its first year as very successful.

Shacman NZ director Wei Wang launched the brand in January 2021 with an initial goal of selling up to 20 of its X3000 trucks during year one. That number was achieved thanks to a November-December sales surge, lifting Shacman to 20 registrations and a 0.4% market share. First target achieved then.

While Shacman is a new brand on New Zealand roads, there are some familiar names found under its skin. 

The X3000 has a 440hp Cummins engine, Eaton 10-speed automated transmission, German Grammer seats and ZF steering. All very recognised and regarded brands in the global transport scene. 

In its first year on sale in New Zealand, Shacman registered 20 trucks which is a very impressive feat for any new brand entering our market. The truck we are testing this month was actually the first Shacman to go to work in New Zealand with TT Concrete Ltd. It’s driven by Mal Te’o.

TT Concrete now have another identical X3000 8x4 concrete truck and have added an X3000 6x4 tipper to its fleet.

It’s not often on NZ T&D tests that I am confined to Auckland city driving, but with the life of a concrete truck and its daily work you really don’t go too far beyond the city limits.

The test sees me taking a load of concrete with 26-tonne gross from the TT Concrete plant out the back of Mangere, up the Southwestern Motorway to a housing development at New Windsor.