Sydney-based construction and earthworks company St Croix has recently switched to the performance, reliability and aftersales support of Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) with its track loader equipment.
Takeuchi construction machinery was added to TMHA’s range of products earlier in 2025, offering greater choice for earthwork and construction customers with a comprehensive lineup of excavators, track loaders and crawler dumpers.
St Croix founder and owner Mitch Lozina started the company as a single-purpose project in 1999, working across the commercial and residential construction sectors on a range of projects big and small.
Also, a Licensed Practicing Barrister, specialising in Building and Construction Law, Mr Lozina has built up his business over the years and recently purchased two Takeuchi track loaders – a TL8R-2 and heavy-duty TL12R-2, the latter of which offers an impressive rated operating load of 5,710kg.
Mr Lozina said he bought his new Takeuchi machines to replace existing competitor products, which represent a step up in quality and performance.
“This is a bit of an upgrade – a lot of an upgrade, to be honest,” Mr Lozina said. “It’s just a better machine all round. It’s got the swing-up door, which is the biggest attraction, we like that aspect of it.
“And for me it was just a question of whether I wanted to upgrade the machines, and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity.”
He added that the decision to choose Takeuchi was based on the quality of the products and feedback from friends.
“I looked at either the Takeuchi (or a competitor), out of the two I know that the Takeuchi is a better machine”, Mr Lozina said.
“I’ve got a friend that runs a ‘Tak’, and he raves about it, so I was quite convinced. And the TLR-2 is pretty much the biggest in its class, it’s the pick of the bunch for me.”
Mr Lozina said he uses his Takeuchi machines for a wide range of purposes – except for digging post holes.
St Croix purchased its two Takeuchi track loaders in order to work multiple job sites at the same time, giving the company the flexibility to minimise machine transport while ensuring a unit is on site if a delivery arrives or work is needed.
The Takeuchi machines have been purchased with long-term usage in mind, with TMHA chosen in part for its reliability, durability and strong aftersales support with a nationwide network of over 400 experienced and knowledgeable service technicians.
St Croix’s purchase was facilitated by TMHA construction area sales manager Braden Dixon, who helped provide a hassle-free and competitive sale and handover.
“Braden is good – he did what you expect what your rep to do, he was good in that sense,” Mr Lozina said.
“At the end of the day, Toyota was really competitive, pricewise it was a good deal, and a good time cashflow-wise and deal-wise.”
Mr Dixon commended Mr Lozina and St Croix for their professionalism, politeness and straightforward communication through the sales process.
“Mr Lozina is very polite and professional, he is a great customer to deal with,” he said. “Just his nature, business ethics and morals, he was great to deal with and very easy to communicate with.”
Since taking delivery of the new Takeuchi track loaders, Mr Lozina has been impressed by their performance and build quality, providing St Croix with high-quality performance day in, day out.
TMHA Area Sales Manager David Taliana with St Croix founder, Mitch Lozina
“The machines are phenomenal – you can tell they are top-notch,” Mr Lozina said.
“To me, they’re the top-of-the-line machine. I think they’re just the ant’s pants and are the reason I got them.
“The machines speak for themselves. You can go read all the reviews and all that sort of stuff, but in terms of performance, they’re fantastic.
“Everyone that’s had one in the past seems to have no problems long-term. Overall, they’re a well-built machine and most people wouldn’t be too hesitant taking the Takeuchi, that’s for sure.”
St Croix's new Takeuchi TL12R-2 Track Loader hard at work