b'Innovative partnershipCruisin Thiess has made true the idea that two heads are better than one. Increasingly,Thiess is looking at partnerships to grow in services and regions. But Thiess firstIn 1980, Thiess-Toyota major commercial partnership was certainly left of field: selling cars with Toyota.celebrated delivery of the199,000th LandCruiser intoLes had brought thirteen LandCruisers from Japan onto his Snowy jobstwelveAustralia. The relationshipfor active use and one for spare partsand could see potential for the vehicles for with Toyota has always beenAustralias farmers. So in 1959, against the advice of the board, Les brought twenty-five strong, and in 2024, anotherLandCruisers into the country. By 1960, Thiess-Toyota sales had risen to $200 million chapter began when Thiessthrough dealers appointed in twenty-two country centres. The huge success story that became the first customer to takeis Toyota in Australia had begun.delivery of Toyotas EODev GEH2 hydrogen fuel cell stationaryWe went to what was basically a family factory on a hill in Nagoya [Japan] wherepowergenerator, which is a stepthey assembled the engines, former Victorian State Manager Bob Carter explains. towards decarbonising mining. There were design drawings all over the floor and people everywhere. There was no testing area. It was so basic. We helped out with the production side, and they changed things around so quickly it was amazing. Together, we made the vehicle more practical, and thats when it took off. And take off it did. In 1965, we had 1 per cent market share, moved forty-two units a month and had about twenty staff, says Bob. By the early 1980s, we were moving around 2000 units a month and employed eighty people. By 1968, Thiess Salesthe division of Thiess set up for vehicle salesalso began selling tractors and specific construction machinery as well as cars; in 1971 Hino(a subsidiary of Toyota) joined the Thiess family. At that stage, the commercial relationship was 60 per cent Thiess, 40 per cent Toyota; as success grew, by theearly 1980s Toyota bought out the whole lot, leaving Thiess with a significantreturn and yet another legacy in Australia.This commercial arrangement was the first of many Thiess ownership schemesthat would include public-private partnerships, joint ventures and split shareholdings.One of the famed Thiess-Toyota LandCruisers being fully testedon the job at Tooma Tumut, c. 1958.32'