RFW
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Vehicle manufacturing |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Robert Frederick Whitehead |
| Headquarters | Chester Hill, Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Asia Pacific region |
| Products | Custom heavy-duty industrial vehicles including coaches, fire trucks, garbage trucks, road-rail vehicles |
RFW was an Australian manufacturer specializing in custom vehicles, headquartered in Chester Hill, Sydney. The enterprise concentrated on producing heavy-duty industrial vehicles such as coaches, fire trucks, garbage trucks, and road-rail vehicles tailored for the Asia Pacific region. Numerous models incorporated all wheel drive capabilities. RFW provided an extensive range of original drivetrain components sourced from manufacturers including Scania, Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Nissan Diesel UD, Rolls-Royce Diesel, Bedford, and Hino.
History
The company was established by Robert Frederick Whitehead, a former fitter with the Royal Australian Air Force. Its inaugural vehicle, completed in 1969, was an 8x4 configuration based on a KM Bedford cab dump truck. Each truck and bus chassis was meticulously handcrafted by a small team to fulfill distinct customer specifications.
Output examples
- Nine Airport crash tenders supplied to the Royal Malaysian Air Force
- Seven 6x6 trucks delivered to EPT Electric Power Transmission in Maryong NSW
- Twenty-one 4x4 and 6x6 fire-resistant cab bush fire trucks for the Woods & Forest Department in Mount Gambier SA
- Nine coach chassis provided for Ansett Pioneer operating in the Northern Territory
- Three Road-rail vehicles built for Hamersley Iron
- Five road-rail vehicles manufactured for the State Rail Authority
- A 14x14 wheel drive road-legal sewage pump commissioned by the Brisbane City Council
- Catering vehicles produced for Qantas