About Us

Built tough, backed by 18 years of Power Transmission Knowledge. 

TuffTarp is the truck tarping arm of Motordrives Australia Pty Ltd, a fully Australian owned and operated supplier of industrial power transmission products, including electric motors, gearmotors, and gearboxes used across agriculture, farming, manufacturing, and heavy industry right around the country that all began in 2008. 

We launched TuffTarp 13 years ago after spotting a clear gap in the local market. Tipper truck operators were sick of paying for motorised tarping systems that burnt out within six months of hard use. We knew we could do better, because we already had the answer sitting on our shelves: heavy-duty Italian-built electric motors and gearboxes from our trusted European suppliers, the same components we'd been distributing to industrial customers for years.

So we built a tarping kit around them. The result is a system engineered to handle the real-world punishment of Australian tipper work: dust, heat, corrugated roads, daily cycles, and loads that don't care about spec sheets.

What we do

We design and supply complete electric truck tarping kits, available in 12V and 24V, that convert manual roll-over tarps into push-button automated systems. Our kits are turn-key and can be fitted by any mechanically minded person, with options to suit compact tippers right through to super heavy-duty applications.

Why operators choose TuffTarp

  • Oversized Italian transmissions. We deliberately spec our motors and gearboxes larger than the job requires. Less strain, less heat, far longer service life. Many of our earliest kits are still running strong nine-plus years on.
  • 3-year warranty. We back every TuffTarp truck tarp motor system with a 3-year warranty, which is uncommon in this category and a fair reflection of what the gear actually delivers.
  • Ongoing customer support. When you ring us, you speak with people who know electric motors inside out. Not a call centre. We help with sizing, fitting questions, troubleshooting, and replacement parts for the life of your kit.
  • Thousands of trucks, Australia-wide. Since day one we've supplied thousands of tipper trucks across the country, from owner-drivers to large fleets.

Come and see us

We're not an offshore drop-shipper or a faceless online brand. We're a real Australian business with two physical locations you're welcome to visit:

Melbourne: 88 Technology Dr, Sunshine West VIC 3020 (03) 9312 4722

Operating Hours: Open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.

Queensland: Unit 5/12 Nyholt Drive, Yatala QLD 4207 (07) 3800 0103

Operating Hours: Open Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM.