At the 2025 IPWEA Fleet Conference in Brisbane, one of the most thought-provoking presentations came from Steve Williams, National Manager – ICT & Fleet at Komatsu. With the backing of Komatsu as a Platinum Partner, Steve’s session titled “Moving Focus from Efficiencies to Value Creation” was a deep dive into how the company has transformed its approach to fleet management—by shifting the conversation from cost savings to customer outcomes.
Here’s a wrap-up for those who missed it—and a few reasons why you’ll want to be in the room when IPWEA moves the fleet conference to Melbourne in 2026.
From Broken Machines to Valuable Moments
Steve opened his session with a refreshingly simple question: “How do we create a better customer experience when servicing machines?”
Most of Komatsu’s earthmoving equipment is still powered by internal combustion engines, which means scheduled servicing is non-negotiable. But for Steve and the Komatsu team, value starts when you can fix a problem on the first visit. That means having the right tools, skills, and—critically—the right information before anyone even heads out to the job site.
The ability to diagnose and prepare ahead of time has a direct impact on machine uptime and customer satisfaction. And it all hinges on data.
A Decade of Digital Transformation
Back in 2016, Komatsu began a data integration journey that would eventually cut the time to assess machine condition from 45 minutes to just 60 seconds. Through telemetry, oil and coolant samples, and maintenance logs, they created a centralised view of each machine’s health.
But it wasn’t enough to collect data—it needed to be accessible. Komatsu launched a tool called Insight in 2018, allowing staff and technicians to view real-time machine information on desktop and mobile devices. Over time, the use cases snowballed. Supervisors, sales teams, service schedulers—even customers—began using the system to better understand what was happening with their equipment.
The question changed from “How do we fix this?” to “How do we make smarter decisions?”
One View of the World
After years of internal success, Komatsu made its reporting tools available to customers in 2024. For the first time, customers had access to a single interface showing machine location, maintenance history, fuel consumption, and performance benchmarks.
That’s no small feat—Komatsu has nearly 30,000 connected machines across Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. The ability to compare machine performance across that fleet, identify inefficiencies, and have real-time conversations about fuel usage or potential operator training is, as one customer put it, “valuable in itself.”
As Steve said, “Just having the conversation means we’re already delivering value.”
Evolving Fleet Management Tools
Steve ran through the natural evolution of fleet management—from whiteboards and Excel spreadsheets to cloud-based platforms. And the future? It’s all about integration.
Komatsu’s systems now pull in ISO-standardised telemetry from machines, weather data, and location info to give a 360-degree view of what’s happening on the job. That means less time gathering data, and more time acting on it.
Fleet managers aren’t just tracking machine hours—they’re predicting what’s next.
Fuel, Emissions, and the Push for Electrification
It wouldn’t be a 2025 fleet conference without a conversation about emissions. Steve noted that large organisations are increasingly being required to report Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions—not just voluntarily, but as part of regulatory compliance.
Komatsu’s hybrid excavators have been delivering up to 20% fuel savings for years. Now, with fully electric models starting to hit the market, there’s even greater potential for operational and maintenance cost reductions.
That said, Steve cautioned that electrification changes everything, especially service routines. Traditional 250-hour checks are being replaced with 500-hour cycles—or skipped entirely—so fleets will need to think carefully about how they manage defect detection and preventative maintenance in this new world.
From Data to Decisions
One of the most powerful takeaways from Steve’s presentation was how Komatsu is using condition-based maintenance to move from scheduled services to smarter interventions. By monitoring diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and air filters in real time, they’re proactively avoiding costly breakdowns—especially in remote or high-dust environments.
Even something as simple as real-time terrain models, generated by the machinery itself, is changing the game. One Queensland mining customer now uses this feature to validate progress claims, manage subcontractors, and generate reports for regulators—all through Komatsu’s system.
It’s About More Than Machines
At the end of the day, Steve reminded us that machines are just a means to an end. Whether it’s moving dirt, crushing rock, or building roads, what matters is the outcome. That’s where true value lies—not just in being efficient, but in making informed decisions that drive results for customers and communities alike.
Why You Should Be in Melbourne for 2026
Steve Williams’ presentation was a masterclass in how fleet management is evolving—from a focus on mechanical reliability to delivering data-driven insights. Komatsu’s story is one of constant innovation, but it’s also one of collaboration—across departments, with customers, and throughout the industry.
If you’re serious about fleet transformation, the 2026 IPWEA Fleet Conference in Melbourne is where you need to be.
You’ll come for the best practice. You’ll stay for the value.
