Digging Deep

Big things often start small — and for Rocco Di Martino, it began with a single excavator and a few extra jobs on the side.  

At the time, he was working in landscaping, but as demand grew and projects became more complex, he made the leap and launched his own earthworks business in 2016. 

Word soon got around Melbourne, the business grew quickly, and the need for a truck and heavier equipment was rising.  

It was around a year later when Rocco brought his brother Louie on board to help, looking after operations and now as a partner in the business. 

Today, Di Martino Earthworks has grown to become one of Melbourne’s most sought-after and go-to solutions for site and civil works. Whether it’s bulk earthworks, drilling, or full-site preparation, Di Martino has it covered.  

The business now has 250 clients they work with throughout the year, with a mix of developers, builders, plumbers, concreters and landscapers. 

Taking on the extra load 

Rocco’s family-owned trucks, and that’s where he got familiar with the Hino brand. While he chose to start out with another brand of truck, the service fell short of expectations.  

After chatting to a few mates who let him know that Hino looks after you, the call was made to go with Hino.  

“I rang Prestige Hino in Dandenong, and the salesperson, Brad, was really helpful,” Rocco says.  

“I wanted to know what happens if something goes wrong. Warranty, service, that stuff matters. That’s where I found Hino was great.” 

For Rocco, it was the Prestige Hino approach that impressed him from the get-go.  

“Any good salesman isn’t trying to sell you something you don’t need; they just ask the right questions,” he says.  

“Brad did exactly that. What do you want to do with it? What are your expectations?’ I told him what I needed for earthmoving. Brad suggested I test drive the Hino 700 Series. It made a big difference to be able to try before buying. It sealed the deal.” 

Even more impressive has been the ongoing after-sales support and service Rocco has received from the team. Down the track, when the 700 Series had a turbo issue and was still under warranty, Hino got straight onto the problem.  

“I rang, and they said, ‘no worries, we’ll sort it out.’ They got it picked up within an hour and a half and took it to Dandenong,” Rocco says.  

Not long after, it was back on the road with a brand-new turbo. 

Fit for the job 

The reliability, performance and safety of the Hino 700 Series has seen it prove itself as a dependable and durable workhorse for Rocco.  

Testament to its performance is one of Di Martino’s biggest undertakings ever: a triple basement in Caulfield, which is three levels down.  

The trucks were pivotal in helping to remove around 27,000 cubic metres of material.  

“I like the wheelbase length; it’s a good fit for what we do,” Rocco explains.  

“Ours has a five-metre-long bin, about 400–500mm longer than usual, but still easy to get into driveways.” 

Di Martino also runs a twin-steer tipper with a longer wheelbase, but it still enables the drivers to get into tight spots.  

Rocco is impressed with the tech, particularly the features of Hino’s SmartSafe package like lane departure warning and fatigue monitoring.  

“As someone who’s not driving it every day anymore, that gives me confidence that the boys are staying safe,” he says.  

“They’re easy trucks to drive and turn. Just really usable.” 

It’s clear that Di Martino Earthworks is a business on the rise. Built on strong relationships, reliable service, and a dedication to getting the job done right, they’ve continued to grow alongside their clients year after year.  

“We’ve got clients from the first year I started who still call us now,” Rocco says.  

“Some of their projects have grown with them, so we’ve grown with those clients too.” 

For Rocco, Hino has been a choice that’s helped set the business up for growth. 

“They’re easy to drive, good, safe trucks. For price point, service, usability, they’re spot on.”

Learn about Hino Australia exploring autonomous trucks.