FAT TRUCK® Dealer Leads New Innovation in Remote Equipment Deployment

Share

 

Zeal Motor Inc., the manufacturer of the renowned FAT TRUCK®, is highlighting a new innovation developed by one of its dealers, Sudbury-based RufDiamond, in partnership with Cambrian College. The two organizations have developed a deployable lifting platform for the FAT TRUCK® that is now supporting wildfire response efforts in Northwestern Ontario.

The platform allows a FAT TRUCK® to carry a payload of up to 2,200 pounds into locations with no road access, lift the platform off the vehicle, drive out from underneath, and lower the load to the ground — solving a persistent challenge in remote deployment: unloading cargo without cranes or other lifting equipment on site.

The technology has moved quickly from concept to active field use. As of a July 2026 press conference at Cambrian College, the unit was confirmed for deployment to the wildfire crisis in Northwestern Ontario.

“Without Cambrian, this would be factored under a plausible option — potential, maybe one day,” said Daryl Adams, president of RufDiamond, of the platform’s development.

The project recently received $150,000 in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), supporting further use of advanced materials and structural optimization to make the lifting system lighter and more energy-efficient. The same funding will also support a custom drag-behind toboggan for transporting supplies across Arctic terrain. Including RufDiamond’s own cash and in-kind contributions, the total value of the two-year project is $227,500.

FAT TRUCK® vehicles are used across mining, defence, pipeline, hydro, and emergency response applications in terrain inaccessible to conventional vehicles.

For more information, visit: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/cambrian-modified-fat-truck-to-help-fight-northern-ontario-wildfires-12578131

Read full article

Articles that might interest you

Learn more

La protection des frontières dans la mire de Zeal Motor

Article in French: "Le retour de Donald Trump à la Maison-Blanche ravive le dossier du renforcement de la sécurité de l’immense frontière entre le Canada et les États-Unis. Une tâche colossale qui nécessite des équipements de pointe polyvalents. En plein la cible de Zeal Motor.

Learn more

FAT TRUCK® Supports Flood Relief Efforts in Swan River, Manitoba

When floodwaters hit the communities of Swan River and Minitonas, Manitoba, the FAT TRUCK® was there when it mattered most. The Manitoba RCMP Search and Rescue team deployed the FAT TRUCK® as part of their flood relief operations, working alongside partners to assist those impacted and help keep everyone safe. The images speak for themselves — navigating washed-out terrain and flooded areas that would stop any conventional vehicle in its tracks, the FAT TRUCK® proved once again why it is the go-to amphibious utility vehicle for flood rescue and emergency response. We are thrilled to see the FAT TRUCK® serving on the front lines and helping protect communities across Canada.

Learn more

Amphibious vehicles available to save lives during floods in Punta Gorda and beyond

The trucks have big wheels that can make it through high water. The vehicles also float. Supertrak, right next to the Punta Gorda Airport, volunteered their time and FAT Trucks to first responders during Hurricane Helene. "It was a shock, obviously, to know that we were going to help our local residents out," Michael Stanek of Supertrak said. "It was a great honor to go out and actually rescue and see people in distress."

Learn more

First Nation Search and Rescue Operation with the FAT TRUCK® Amphibious Utility Vehicle

We utilized a new tactic we showcased a couple weeks ago with one drone searching for the patient and providing a general overview of the incident, and a second drone operating from within the FAT Truck providing pathfinding and "halo" operations. Through coordinated teamwork HAVFD, Tribal PD and AMA successfully removed the patient from the wooded area and got them off to the hospital for recovery.

Learn more

Zeal Motor Inc. Proudly Supports Hurricane Relief Efforts

Zeal Motor, the leading OEM manufacturer of the FAT TRUCK® off-road industrial vehicles, proudly stands with the citizens of the States affected by the recent hurricanes. We extend our deepest sympathies to the communities impacted by these disasters, and we are honored by the dedication and innovation shown by our team and partners in support of relief efforts.

Learn more

FAT TRUCK® All-Terrain Hauler Goes Everywhere

Fat Trucks from Zeal Motor go where nothing else can. With 5-ft. by 24-in. tires, they float in water, and with only 3 to 4 psi, they also float over most obstacles. Add spikes, and they chew their way across ice. They carry people, cargo and specialized equipment like cranes, water tanks, material spreaders or firefighting equipment.