At the recent Light Commercial Motor Show, Fleet News Group spoke with Archie Cartwright, Business Development Manager at Utemaster, about its plans to build its presence in the automotive industry.
Founded in New Zealand in 2007, Utemaster has built a reputation for manufacturing heavy-duty aluminium tub and chassis products that combine strength, security, and weather resistance. “The main things that drive Utemaster’s growth are our world class quality, product longevity and our capacity to deliver. Our manufacturing processes have also been reviewed and endorsed by OEM” Cartwright said.
All products are manufactured in-house in New Zealand and stocked locally at Utemaster’s distribution hub in Smeaton Grange, Sydney. While the Australian and New Zealand fleet markets share many similarities, Cartwright noted that “some of the industries [in Australia] have a few more requirements to meet in terms of health and safety.”
Re-entering the Commercial Space
Although Utemaster started in the commercial market, the company later found success in the trade and recreational segments. Its TrailCore service body range – previously only available in New Zealand – is now available in Australia “To resolve the challenges everyone faces of load capacity, access to gear, adjustability of layout, stolen equipment, lack of storage, water damage and gear not lasting the distance” Cartwright said.
Key to the design is modularity. “There’s inbuilt T-tracks right throughout the service body… it makes it super modular” Cartwright explained. This flexibility means shelving and tools can be reconfigured as needs change, reducing downtime and making asset utilisation more efficient.
Unique Floor Design for Ergonomics and Safety
One standout feature is Utemaster’s stepped floor design, where the floor sits between the chassis rails. “It’s the only design like it on the market,” Cartwright said. Unlike drawers mounted under the chassis – which raise the floor height and make access harder – this approach lowers the centre of gravity, improves ergonomics, and allows heavier items to be stored further forward to balance axle loads.
For fleets, this design can improve health and safety outcomes by reducing strain when loading and unloading heavy equipment, while also enhancing vehicle handling.
Built for Emerging Ute Platforms
With the rise of plug-in hybrid and battery-electric utes, weight management has become critical. Utemaster’s aluminium canopy for the BYD Shark is a case in point, weighing just 60kg but boasting a 600kg static and 200kg dynamic roof load rating. “Even though customers might not need it to be that strong, it gives them the peace of mind that what they’re buying is designed to last,” Cartwright said.
Designing for strength while keeping weight down has been a long-term focus. “When we designed the Centurion canopy, it was all about how do we make it as strong as possible while keeping the weight down… especially for fleets, they want to try and maximise fuel efficiency.”
Meeting Both Work and Lifestyle Needs
Utemaster’s designs cater to mobile workforces, busy tradesmen and adventurous Ute owners that need tough gear that works. Some configurations allow for shorter canopies with exposed tray space to carry items like spare wheels or fuel tanks externally, meeting diverse operational requirements.
Family Business Expanding Abroad
Utemaster remains a family-owned company, and Cartwright himself grew up working in the business before stepping into a sales role. “I’ve grown up working for the company in school holidays… it is a family company,” he said.
With manufacturing rooted in New Zealand and a growing Australian presence, the company is focused to deliver customisable, durable, and weight-conscious solutions designed to adapt to changing vehicle platforms and fleet needs.
