NEW ZEALAND’S CIVIL CONTRACTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
O C T O B E R 2017
Growth from adversity Bond Earthworks’ new Vo¨gele Super 1703-3 paver on the job in Christchurch
INSIDE: New water intake plant built on the mighty Waikato river Supply risks prompt new water treatment plant for Fonterra New research looking at affordable water proofing for roads Looking back to 1820 and the construction of our first road
$8.95
CLOSE TO OUR CUSTOMERS
Unbeatable team. www.wirtgen-group.com/technologies
ROAD AND MINERAL TECHNOLOGIES. With leading technologies from the WIRTGEN GROUP, you can handle all jobs in the road construction cycle optimally and economically: processing, mixing, paving, compacting and then rehabilitation. Put your trust in the WIRTGEN GROUP team with the strong product brands WIRTGEN, VÖGELE, HAMM, KLEEMANN, BENNINGHOVEN and CIBER. WIRTGEN NEW ZEALAND · 10 Oak road, Wiri · Auckland www.wirtgen-group.com/newzealand Road Technologies: Mark Joubert · Mobile: 0278082605 · mark.joubert@wirtgen-group.com Mineral Technologies: Gary Payne · Mobile: 0278082530 · gary.payne@wirtgen-group.com
CONTENTS CONTRACTOR
20
INSIDE: Regulars 4 Editorial 6 Upfront 8 Contractors’ Diary 12 NZ Heavy Haulage Association Conference 2017 coverage 18 On the cover 50 Classic Machines 58 Innovations 62 Civil Contractors NZ update 62 Advertisers index
Comment 42 Peter Benfell Connexis 44 Peter Silcock CCNZ 45 Charlotta Harpur Heaney & Partners 46 John Pfahlert Water New Zealand 47 Janet Brothers LifeCare 48 Rob Sellars
Eighty4 Recruitment
Highlights / Features 20 On the side of the mighty Waikato
The City of Hamilton draws raw water from only one source – the Waikato River.
26 Solving it with containers
Replacing Queenstown’s iconic Kawarau Falls Bridge with a two-lane bridge including the use of containers.
28 Quarry contract awarded
RedBull is providing blasting services for all GBC Winstone’s quarries across the North Island.
30 Supply risk calls for new water
treatment plant
An ageing water plant at a large dairy processing site required a fast solution.
36 L egal opinion Introducing the new CCNZ Subcontract.
ON THE COVER Canterbury firm Bond Earthworks is an ‘earthquake company’ – established in response to the huge workload in the region following the quakes, the company continues to grow. See page 18
38 S olving pavement water damage New research is looking for affordable methods of waterproofing our road surfaces..
40 H istory: Our first road Twenty years before the Victorian English claimed New Zealand, our first road was built.
54 E quipment selection with the
use of basic maths How you should use basic maths ideas to select between two types of heavy equipment.
50 OCTOBER 2017 3
CONTRACTOR EDITORIAL
Politics and treatment plants It is unfortunate that Kiwi elections come around every three years, which has to be one of the shorter terms of any country on the planet, because they are very disruptive. The weeks leading up to the election go dead, apart from the ear-chewing blatherings of incessant political commentary. And when the Government changes – departments and ministeries undergo intense stress and staff changes. This year’s election also had an unhealthy focus on two party leaders, as if any single person can possibly run a country. Even Bill English joked to CCNZ conference delegates this year that, when he became PM, he found out his role was to swan around the country taking the credit for what other people did. In reality, this country actually functions through the labour and skills of a vast army of non-elected civil servants and workers like you. Franklin Roosevelt noted government is actually ourselves and not an alien power over us. “The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” And what happened – they got Trump. As Winston Churchill wisely observed “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversatsion with the average voter”. I also like Charles Bukowski’s (a 20th century German-American writer) observation that the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don’t have to waste your time voting. But to things more practical – water treatment plants. We have the making of two treatment plant projects in this issue and, for the first time I can recall, no roading project. These projects came out of the CCNZ/Hirepool Contruction Excellence Awards 2017 entries. Water is a very topical subject at the moment and these projects feature a lot of very clever innovation from our industry as councils across the country contend with ageing infrastructure and depleting rate revenues. The city of Hamilton draws raw water from only one source – the Waikato River – and this supply is under threat by lower river levels than normal in dry years when Lake Taupo is low. The resulting Low River Contingency Building Works project was awarded to Brian Perry Civil and involved a floating platform and pump system on the banks of the Waikato that can pump water into the intake structure when river levels get too low for the existing outlet. It was an extremely challenging project – working on a riverbank over fast flowing water and within a ‘live’ existing treatment plant. The second project involves a treatment plant for one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest dairy processing sites – the Whareroa Fonterra site, with the capacity to produce 13.8 million litres of milk per day. It’s ageing treatment plant, built in 1972, posed a serious risk to the manufacture of what amounts to nearly 20 percent of Fonterra’s production output. The $17 million solution was awarded to Beca and Fulton Hogan, and they were faced with the task of meeting an extremely tight deadline. The first water had to be supplied by August 1, 2016, giving the contractors 11 months to plan and construct a plant that was capable of producing up to 30 million litres of water per day. Other content in this issue includes another historic perspective from our award-winning contributor Hugh de Lacy. Our first road, he explains, was built 20 years before the Victorian English claimed New Zealand by a small number of soldiers and crew from a naval ship. The road provided access to kauri trees and spars for the British Navy. His story includes a 20-gun frigate called Dromedary, William Bligh “that Bounty bastard”, the missionary Samuel Marsden, and the 15-year-old son of chief Hongi Hika. On page 36 there’s an important article from Kensington Swan’s Major Projects and Construction Team and who worked with Civil Contractors NZ to develop the new CCNZ Subcontract. Keep on shifting dirt for a better future. Alan Titchall Editorial Manager 4 www.contractormag.co.nz
PUBLISHER Contrafed Publishing Co Ltd Suite 2.1, 93 Dominion Road, Mt Eden, Auckland PO Box 112357, Penrose, Auckland 1642 Phone: +64 9 636 5715 Fax: +64 9 636 5716 www.contrafed.co.nz EDITORIAL MANAGER Alan Titchall DDI: 09 636 5712 Mobile: 027 405 0338 Email: alan@contrafed.co.nz GENERAL MANAGER David Penny DDI: 09 636 5710 Mobile: 021 190 4078 Email: david@contrafed.co.nz REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Mary Searle Bell, Richard Campbell, Hugh de Lacy, Cameron Officer, Richard Silcock. ADVERTISING / SALES Charles Fairbairn DDI: 09 636 5724 Mobile: 021 411 890 Email: charles@contrafed.co.nz ADMIN / SUBSCRIPTIONS DDI: 09 636 5715 Email: admin@contrafed.co.nz PRODUCTION Design: TMA Design, 09 636 5713 Printing: PMP MAXUM
Contributions welcome Please contact the editor before sending them in. Articles in Contractor are copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the shareholding organisations.
www.linkedin.com/NZcontractor @NZContractormag nz contractor magazine nz contractor magazine The official magazine of Civil Contractors NZ www.civilcontractors.co.nz The Aggregate & Quarry Association www.aqa.org.nz The New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association www.hha.org.nz The Crane Association of New Zealand www.cranes.org.nz Rural Contractors New Zealand www.ruralcontractors.org.nz The Ready Mixed Concrete Association www.nzrmca.org.nz Connexis www.connexis.org.nz
ISSN 0110-1382
PAY A GET A LOT LITTLE
2.99
%
p.a. FINANCE OVER
36 MONTHS*
PURCHASE FROM A RANGE OF NEW CAT® COMPACT MACHINES AND GET 2.99% FINANCE OVER 36 MONTHS. Applies to: • Mini Excavators • Skid Steer Loaders • Multi-Terrain Loaders
• Compact Track Loaders • Compact Wheel Loaders
Contact your Territory Sales Manager today for more information. *Terms & Conditions apply.
YOUR GOUGH CAT MACHINE SALES TEAM - BY REGION Northland Jimmy Brewin 021 860 074
Taranaki & Manawatu Carl Southee 021 981 850
Auckland North Raymond Beetge 027 559 0820
East Cape & Hawkes Bay Heath Stewart 029 247 3929
Auckland Central & West Greg Vaughan 027 559 0346
Kapiti Coast, Wairarapa & Wellington Dean Gough 027 438 1850
Auckland South Bryce Mason 021 682 403
Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast Scott Bonnington 029 200 8382
Waikato James West 029 299 8909
Canterbury Matt Holloway 029 208 0423
Rotorua & Bay of Plenty Shayne Kennedy 029 200 7270
Otago Brent Duncan 029 222 4682
Central North Island Paul Roche 021 954 376
Southland Pete Shaw 021 277 6597
Branches Nationwide | Phone 0800 93 39 39 | GoughCat.co.nz |
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Waikato Expressway bridges
Beams being placed on the Morrinsville Rd Bridge.
Bridges that will cross the Hamilton Section of the are expected to open to traffic before Christmas 2017. The first – the Morrinsville Road Bridge – is expected to open in late October, followed by the Gordonton Road Bridge in December. The Matangi Road Bridge is expected to open in February 2018. These bridges have been built ‘on the ground’, with the expressway route to be excavated beneath the bridges this summer. A fourth bridge – the East Coast Main Trunk Rail Bridge at Ruakura – will be opened to construction traffic only, by Christmas 2017. Construction has been affected by wet weather and difficult ground conditions. Kay Road was originally expected to reopen to traffic before Christmas 2017 but will now open in June 2018.
Contractor magazine online www.contractormag.co.nz
Our online content is running hot with the most popular story over the past month being the Transport Agency’s presentation at the CCNZ conference in Dunedin. Chris Hunt, Senior Manager Project Delivery for NZTA, delivered the agency’s annual update on behalf of Tommy Parker, general manager of the NZTA’s System Design. The agency is going through a restructure and the conference message was ‘Working Together Better’. Remember we have lots of interesting stuff on our YouTube channel with its customised URL-https://www.youtube.com/c/ NZContractormagazine. Our Instagram account is getting more traction and our account handle is @nzcontractormagazine. Most content that we print is archived on our website, which is great for reading Richard Campbell’s classic machine columns. He has been writing them monthly for the past decade and more! So get online and enjoy!
6 www.contractormag.co.nz
Crane Trainee of the Year, Henery Heta from Prolift Crane Hire, addressing delegates at the Crane Association’s conference.
Recognising crane excellence In the last issue of Contractor (page 27) we got the caption wrong for this photograph. It is Norman Kete receiving his PTE Crane Trainer of the Year award at the Crane Association’s conference held in Rotorua, from Lance Riesterer from the Skills Organisation.
RIMS 2018 beckons The organisers of the Road Infrastructure Management Forum (RIMS) 2018 say the NZUAG will be launching the second CODE review at next year’s event. The National CODE of Practice for Utility Operators’ Access to Transport Corridor has a profound effect on corridor management and utility operators, they say, and this is a chance to get in on the ground floor of the review process. Your engagement is essential to ensure the CODE’s continued relevance and practicality to your part of the industry. The closing date for abstracts for RIMS 2018 is October (contact joanne@conferenceteam.co.nz, phone 03 359 2600). Written papers are not required but you must submit a 300-word maximum abstract and include three key points of learnings. The organising committee says it is looking for presentations that will be topical and of interest to forum attendees. The forum will be showcasing ingenuity, with examples of leading best practice and thinking around adapting to current issues, innovating and managing better with what the industry
has. This is a chance for you to share your experiences and knowledge with your peers. There are three options to choose from: A 20-minute presentation plus time for group Q&A; a 12-minute presentation plus time for group Q&A; and a table presentation, where each presenter will speak for eight minutes to one of 10 tables, followed by table discussion. The table presentation is to be repeated three times and is not to be a ‘sales’ session. If your abstract is accepted, it is a requirement that you register and pay to attend the forum, but you get a discount of $100 off the published registration fee. An Innovation Award will be made from the forum presentations in four categories – Road Infrastructure Management, Corridor Management, Optimised Decision Making and Procurement and Performance Monitoring. This is judged by the attendees. RIMS 2018 will be held at the Palmerston North Convention Centre, March 21-22.
‘First-ever’ 3D-printed excavator unveiled A fully functional, full size 3D-printed excavator made its debut at Conexpo this17 in Las Vegas. The 3D-printed excavator, known as Project AME (Additive Manufactured Excavator, affectionately pronounced ‘Amy’) is a joint collaboration between several US organisations - the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA), the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP), the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Tying in with the show’s theme of ‘Imagine what’s next’, attendees were able to view a demonstration of the six-tonne excavator digging up dirt on the show floor. Printed entirely in low cost steel in just five days, Project AME is said to show how multiple 3D printing processes can be used in conjunction with standard materials to product high quality machinery for the construction industry. According to reports, the idea to build the excavator had been in the works since 2014, when CCEFP members viewed a 3D-printed car on display at another trade show. The CCEFP received a US National Science Foundation grant
for the project, before commissioning the ORNL’s manufacturing demonstration facility to lead the printing of the machine. Funding was then acquired by the USA Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Advanced Manufacturing Office. Graduate engineering students from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Illionois and the University of Minnesota developed the excavator’s cab, work arm, boom, bucket, heat exchanger, cooling system and hydraulic oil reservoir. Only certain parts of the excavator were 3D-printed - the boom, the cab and the heat exchanger. According to reports, these parts were printed at a rate of 3kg per hour. The graduate students then witnessed their designs taking shape on the 3D-printing equipment at the DOE’s manufacturing demonstration facility at ORNL. This kind of technology has the potential to shape the Australian quarrying industry in the years to come, as the potential to produce cheaper product prototypes through 3D printing will likely accelerate innovation in the quarry equipment manufacturing sector. First published in Quarry magazine.
YRCO.CO.NZ
MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW.
New KATO Branded Excavators ‘Coming Soon’
Current IHI Branding
Youngman Richardson & Co Ltd the New Zealand distributor for IHI construction equipment has confirmed that Kato Works Ltd has acquired the business interests of IHI Construction Machinery Ltd and will in future come under the KATO name worldwide.
OCTOBER 2017 7
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Tracking milestone Aggregate trucks, puppies, pizza and pines are just a few of the 100,000 assets Teletrac Navman now tracks across New Zealand and Australia. The 100K in this region marks a milestone for the global fleet and asset management solutions provider, whose beginnings trace back to Auckland in 1986. These days the company tracks and manages more than 550,000 vehicles and assets for more than 40,000 companies around the world. It employs around 100 staff in New Zealand and Australasia represents around one fifth of the vehicles and assets that Teletrac Navman tracks and manages worldwide. “We track everything from powerful freight trucks to SPCA Auckland’s rescue vans, and nippy Domino’s Pizza delivery vehicles to tradies’ tool-laden utes,” says Ian Daniel, vice president and managing director Asia Pacific, Teletrac Navman. Teletrac Navman recently installed its GPS fleet tracking technology in the Safety MAN Road Safety Truck – an initiative led by the NZ Trucking Association. The company also joined forces with Civil Contractors NZ to conduct a survey into our construction industry, the results of which highlight the many constraints and opportunities that the industry is facing, and can be viewed on the CCNZ website.
UPNEXT with Pacifecon Name Location
Estimated $$ value
Estimated start date
Cycle Path
Auckland
$33m
Mid 2018
Community spaces
Wellington
$25m
Mid 2018
Subdivision
Waikato
$22m
Early 2018
Subdivision
Canterbury
$13m
Late 2017
Residential subdivision
Auckland
$13m
Late 2017
Inclusion of a project does not mean it will proceed to the scale and timeframe indicated above. It is, however, the best available picture at this point in time. Pacifecon’s building and construction information is constantly updated.
www.pacifecon.co.nz
The economy Keep calm and carry on The BusinessNZ Planning Forecast for the September 2017 quarter highlights a very positive story with relatively strong growth over a range of sectors, including civil construction, backed up by continued strong migration and a tourism sector which keeps going from strength to strength. All the key economic indicators are pointing in the right direction with three percent plus growth expected over the forecast period, it says. The BusinessNZ Economic Conditions Index sits at 15 for the September 2017 quarter, up four on the previous quarter and up five on a year ago. “While the government’s pre-election opening of the books showed slightly less in the cupboard for political parties to distribute in pre-election spending promises, overall the government’s fiscal position is solid on current projections. “The importance of the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PEFU) as a mechanism for instilling a degree of discipline on the political parties’ proposed spending programmes should not be underestimated.” Strong business and consumer sentiment is reflected in relatively strong company performance with the sharemarket again growing strongly after taking a slight breather in the second half of last year, it says. “Inflation remains well under control assisted by a relatively strong New Zealand dollar offsetting international commodity price rises, while advances in technology are restraining prices increases normally associated with increased demand. “Interest rates are likely to remain on hold for longer than expected: good news for borrowers and high-debt households, but not quite so rosy for those dependent on term deposits as sources of additional income in retirement.” Underpinning our economy is a stronger international growth outlook. The JP Morgan Global Manufacturing Performance of Manufacturing shows further acceleration in expansion of global manufacturing with the Global PMI rising to a 75-month high of 53.1, up from 52.7 in July. On the negative side, significant issues still confront the global economy despite a recent uplift in general economic data from key players.
CONTRACTORS’ DIARY 2017 Date
Event & Venue
Contact
26-27 Oct
Infrastructure New Zealand: Building Nations Symposium.
TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
www.infrastructure.org.nz/buildingnations
6-8 Nov
NZ Transport Agency & NZIHT 18th Annual Conf. Trinity Wharf, Tauranga
bit.ly/NZIHT_NZTA_Conference2017
21 Nov
Making Effective Infrastructure Decisions.Novotel Royal Lakeside, Rotorua
bit.ly/IPWEA_EffectiveInfrastructure
27 Nov
DHI Flood Forecasting Workshop, Napier
bit.ly/DHI_FloodForecasting
28 – 29 Nov
Project Management. TBC, Christchurch
bit.ly/SOLGM_ProjectMgmt_ChCh
Bauma China 2018, The Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC)
www.bauma-china.com/
2018 27-30 Nov
Please send any contributions for Contractors’ Diary to alan@contrafed.co.nz, or phone 09 636 5710
8 www.contractormag.co.nz
FREE SCHEDULED SERVICING
3 YEARS, 2,000 HOURS ON NEW EXCAVATORS*
120717_Hitachi_ZX130_135
Image for illustration purposes only
SPECIFICATIONS MAKE
MODEL
WEIGHT (kg)
WIDTH (mm)
BUCKET (m3)
DIG DEPTH (mm)
Hitachi
ZX130-5
13,100
2,590
0.50
5,540
Hitachi
ZX135US-5
13,700
2,590
0.50
5,490
BREAKOUT (kgf)
POWER (kW@rpm)
FLOW (L/min)
104 kN
73kW@2000
2x117
104 kN
73kW@2000
2x117
For more information, contact your local CablePrice equipment sales specialist. * Terms and conditions apply, free scheduled servicing and oil sampling for 3 years, or 2,000 hours, (whichever comes first), offer applies to all new excavators ZX75US-5 - ZX890LCH-5.
0800 555 456 sales@cableprice.co.nz www.cableprice.co.nz
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
NZIHT steps up to skill shortage New associate CCNZ member, the New Zealand Institute of Highway Technology, says it’s well-positioned to assist the industry’s critical skills shortage. “With the huge growth in infrastructure planned around the country over the next decade, we will be playing our part in attracting and training more engineering technicians and engineers in the civil engineering and construction industries,” says NZIHT executive director Glen West. “The CCNZ membership is a big target market for us. Companies such as Opus, Fulton Hogan, Higgins, Inframax and Downer, already send their trainees to us and we expect this will only expand as we gain more traction and exposure through being an associate member. “The block format of the NZ Certificate in Civil Engineering we deliver, we believe, is unique to this institute and particularly suited to those studying while working full-time in the industry.” The institute’s learning model also means students can become civil engineering technicians without a university degree. Cadet programmes have become critical as industry cannot rely on
New Zealand Institute of Highway Technology executive director Glen West (left) and business development manager Richard Martin.
university engineering graduates alone, he says. Glen also notes that a large percentage of the current civil engineering workforce will be near, or passed, the official retirement age in the next five to 10 years, creating an even bigger need for new entrants. Local governments are now requiring contracted workers to have certain proficiencies in place before they are engaged. “So, as a training provider, we intend to be involved as much as possible.” By Neil Ritchie
Concrete giants’ interest in Trump’s wall The proposed US-Mexico border wall along the 3200 kilometre m border would require around 10 million cubic metres of concrete, providing huge demand for the US aggregates sector, according to news reports. LafargeHolcim CEO Eric Olsen reportedly told Agence-France Presse in an interview this year that LafargeHolcim was prepared to supply the concrete needed for the proposed border wall despite potential ramifications the company may face. “We are the leader in cement, so we supply all our customers,” Olsen said. When asked about the possible ramifications this could have on the company he added, “We don’t have a political view on things.” The proposed wall that was ‘promised’ by Trump is valued at tens of billions of US dollars, and has provoked unprecedented criticism around the world. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault reportedly asked Olsen to “think carefully” before supplying material to build any border wall, insisting the company’s members had social and environmental accountability. “[LafargeHolcim] should think about its own interests, as there are other clients around the world who are going to view this with a degree of surprise,” Ayrault said. “I remind [the company] of its responsibilities.” According to reports, French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron said that LafargeHolcim must consider the “ethical aftermath” of their business deals. “Being a private company, whose headquarters are mainly in Switzerland, does not free them from having an ethical conscience and asking questions before participating in certain projects,” Macron told Agence-France Presse. The company, created in 2015 after the merging of French cement manufacturer Lafarge and its Swiss counterpart Holcim, has a lot to gain if it is chosen as one of the ‘big winners’ of the infrastructure project, particularly as it returns to profitability after big losses in 2015. 10 www.contractormag.co.nz
LafargeHolcim already has production sites in Texas and operations in New Mexico and Arizona, three of the four US states bordering Mexico. LafargeHolcim is reportedly one of 300 US and international companies that have expressed interest in contributing to the construction of the wall. Bernard Scheifele, the CEO of rival Heidelberg Cement (the parent company of Hanson in Australia) reportedly also told media outlets that the company’s cement factories in Texas and Arizona are ready to supply construction materials for the wall (although the company has in subsequent statements been less binding). Even Mexican global player Cemex, which is the world’s second largest producer of construction materials, has not ruled out bidding for the project. “When someone asks us to quote a price, we are happy to do so,” Cemex chairman Rogelio Zambrano Lozano told the Mexican newspaper Reforma. This story first appeared in Quarry magazine.
CONTRACTOR NZHHA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Heavy Haulage Conference 2017 Napier was the venue for this year’s NZHHA annual conference with art deco-themed entertainment serving as a backdrop for much lively debate. RUTH LE PLA was there.
This was the first annual get-together since the long-debated new version of the VDAM (Vehicle Dimensions and Mass) Rule came into effect in February this year. While there was still plenty of talk about how some sections of the rule could be improved, this was more about tweaks rather than the full-scale discussions that have dominated conversations at NZHHA conferences in past years. The VDAM Rule governs heavy vehicle size, weight and operation limit, and carries implications for how the heavy haulage sector operates oversize vehicles and how permits for these heavy vehicles are issued. NZHHA CEO Jonathan Bhana-Thomson underscored the significance of the review saying it was the industry’s first major look at VDAM since 2002. He said that while “overall” the outcomes were “very good”, restrictions on weekend travel remained a bugbear. “I thought we had a good negotiated solution... but we’ve ended up with this bizarre situation where the smaller loads can’t travel at the same time as the bigger loads and vice versa on the weekends.” He described that particular outcome as “a nonsense”. He also criticised the rules on toll roads. “Having to get explicit approval from NZTA for what is in my view every load, is an unnecessary burden.” Delegates raised questions and concerns on multiple operational
12 www.contractormag.co.nz
aspects of the new rules throughout the conference. There were many detailed anecdotes around inconsistencies and ambiguities in the guidelines around topics including time restrictions, parking and boundaries. Among many other places, feedback included questions about the Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL), Wellington’s Transmission Gully motorway and the Puhoi toll road north of Auckland. Representatives from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) were on hand to hear the feedback. At NZTA’s suggestion, Jonathan undertook to pull together a “hitlist” of topics to take to the agency so that the
UPFRONT CONTRACTOR
Mark McNeilly (board member), Murray Sowerby (sponsor of the Mack Trucks Awards and Dinner), Pat Power (former board member), Tina Ware (board member), Colin James (board member) and CEO Jonathan Bhana-Thomson.
Retiring NZHHA board member and previous chairman Paul Britton.
organisation can develop a business case internally to get such issues addressed. NZTA lead advisor structures Barry Wright also suggested the agency would be open to the creation of a panel to look at identifying and addressing issues around the country. Initial suggestions on who would be involved included members from the NZHHA, and NZTA central and regional offices. NZTA advisor Chris Watson and operations engineer Riccardo Areosa presented a summary of changes to over-dimension permits under the new rules. Chris also advised that the Land Transport Amendment Act, that passed through parliament the previous week, will bring in higher penalties for overloading over-dimensional vehicles. These could be up to $15,000, although the specific offences and penalties had not yet been written. Chris also mentioned possible future improvement around travel zones, manned steering jinkers, pilot training courses and over-width divisible loads.
PILOTS With the VDAM Rule review now complete, the NZHHA is able to devote more attention to other issues. Chairman Carl Baker, who was re-elected for another term at the AGM in Napier, told Contractor that training and standards for class 2 pilots – the lower of the two categories – is becoming a priority. (See separate story “What next?”) Board member Pat Power led a lively and closely-debated session on pilots including the group’s draft good practice guide, trialling alternative signage on pilot vehicles and drafted procedures for piloting over the centre line. He shared the findings of an online industry survey into some of the details around alternative signage on pilot vehicles. These included thoughts on reverse signage (reflective yellow wording on a black background rather than the other way around). Two out of every three respondents thought that would be a good idea. The survey also showed that three quarters of respondents preferred the wording “Prepare to Stop” versus “Danger Slow Down”. There were mixed reactions to “House Stop” signs on pilot vehicles involved in house relocations, with close to 44 percent voting against the wording while nearly 42 percent were for it. There were
David Scobie (Scobies Transport) & Mark McNeilly (Fulton Hogan).
Mark Anderson (EROAD), Murray Sowerby (sponsor of the Mack Trucks Awards and Dinner) & John Ware (JP Ware Transport). OCTOBER 2017 13
CONTRACTOR NZHHA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
concerns about what exactly the signage could mean. As one person commented, “Is the house stopping?” Perhaps though, as Pat commented, the most conclusive recommendations may come from members of the public who will have to respond to these signs.
TOLL ROADS In a separate interview with Contractor magazine, Jonathan BhanaThomson raised concerns about VDAM rules on toll roads saying that members need to get permission each time for every single load to travel. “Invariably, the decision has to go back to the local NZTA office that approves it or otherwise,” he says, adding that the responses often do not come back in time to meet commercial timeframes. He says the process needs to be faster. He suggests NZTA could issue a longer-term permit for smaller loads. “At the moment, overdimension permits are typically for a week and for one load. Maybe NZTA could issue permits for a three-month period but only for vehicles up to, say, four and a half metres wide.” He notes the lanes on the Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL), are three and a half metres wide, plus there’s a shoulder. “So in theory anything up to four and a half, or even five metres, wide could leave one lane open. That means other traffic travelling on the route can come up behind the load – there will be a pilot behind it. They’ll be able to see there’s something big and go in the other lane and pass. So they won’t be held up.” Jonathan argues this solution could cover ‘everyday’ loads that need to travel. “There will still be a permit in place. It’s an administrative fix that could be done overnight.”
Colin James (NZHHA board member), Harry Wilson (Wilson Bros) and Huck McCready (Rowe Motors, Tauranga).
Arthur Willcox (Willcox Building Removals) and Troy Etting (Easy Moves).
HEALTH & SAFETY In other sessions, Inspector Bruce O’Brien talked about the prevention-first strategy behind the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team (CVST), formerly the Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU). He said that as an example he has directed his staff to police people who cut in front of trucks in fast-moving traffic. Jonathan said the NZHHA has produced draft good practice guides for its heavy haulage operators, house mover operators and load pilots. He expects these to be finished by the end of the year and work is starting on a guide for the heavy recovery sector. “Some of it relates to health and safety, some of it is just good practice, some of it is advice to members or people in the industry. We want to document the way we do things well.”
Napier Operatic Society Tabard Costume Hire, Liz and Di.
NEXT YEAR As thoughts turned from the formal sessions to social activities such as golf, an aquarium tour and an art deco fancy dress awards night, the group looked at options for next year’s venue. Costpermitting, central Brisbane may be on the cards for 2018. Failing that? Maybe Palmerston North.
On the board The new NZ Heavy Haulage Association’s board of directors was voted in at the AGM. They are: Carl Baker (chairman) and directors Tina Ware, Mark McNeilly, Colin James, Greig Running, Alex McLellan and John Sutton.
14 www.contractormag.co.nz
Peter Jacob (Jacob Transport Services & life member of NZHHA) and Greg Sheehan (Sheehan’s Transport Assistance & former association chairman) in front of a Mercedes-Benz Actros 4165 AK 8x8 model.
TO THE
RELIABILITY
BKT is a world-leader in off-highway tyres and the largest selling agricultural tyre in New Zealand. A constant commitment to research and development means not only do you get a quality tyre in Earthmax, but you also get a reliable tyre that will get the job done no matter what. BKT Earthmax, the sensible off-road choice.
0508 899 899
or visit our website: www.trstyreandwheel.co.nz
CONTRACTOR NZHHA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
What next? RUTH LE PLA asked NZHHA chairman Carl Baker where the organisation will be putting much of its focus now that the VDAM Rule review has been completed. Carl Baker: A big emphasis will now be on how to resolve the longstanding issue with the class 2 piloting standard. Our membership has very good standards but there are other sectors of the industry, [such as the agricultural sector] which have pilots that aren’t so good. That reflects on the industry as a whole because people don’t differentiate between our members and others. So it’s really about bringing that bottom group up to a reasonable level. Health and safety must be one of the driving issues behind that. But I presume there are commercial sensitivities as well. Realistically, your people are professionals, they do it every day and so there would be concerns about others who just occasionally step into that role? Yes. Say someone bought a boat in Auckland and they want it in Wellington. The cheapest thing would be to sail it or put it on a truck. But then you’ve got to have pilots on the truck and there’s a cost to get it down there. Some operators say they can pilot it themselves. Currently,
they can just fill out a piece of paper, pay a $20 fee and sit the test. They can do that all in a week and they’ve got themselves a licence. But does that mean they’re competent? No. What stage are you at with this? I think we’ve got consensus [at the meeting] yesterday. We’re looking at lifting the minimum standard. We’ll talk to NZTA and MITO. An industry discussion group will probably be formed to review the training material. There’s obviously a difference between some of your members who are specialist pilots, and others who sometimes employ their own people to occasionally pilot vehicles. For the last group, cost could be a barrier, I presume. How do you balance the needs of different parts of your organisation? That’s why we came up with the solution yesterday that, in my mind, everybody was reasonably happy with. It’s a balancing act. We’ve got to understand that sometimes people are trying to protect their own business but that’s not necessarily in the interests of the industry. Do you have an idea of a timeframe of when this could all be resolved? Ultimately, we’d like to be coming back to a conference in 12 months’ time saying we’ve got all the answers. It’s my job to push the agenda to try to achieve that. But
Carl Baker, chairman, NZHHA.
it could go to two years. Ideally we would like a driver’s licence endorsement. If that’s achievable, it’s probably out of our hands. NZTA would have to work through a process to achieve that. Secondary to that would be some sort of arrangement using our assessors but we don’t have enough of them geographically. Are there any good working models overseas of how to handle the situation? I think we’re a leader in this. We’ve had people come over from Australia wanting to be pilots here and, from our experience, they’re not at the same level as we are. The big thing with Australia is that they have different pilot licences to travel in different states so it’s not a recognised qualification from one state to another. That’s just a nightmare. • Redacted from interview.
Chairman’s Awards Two Chairman’s Awards were presented by NZ Heavy Haulage Association chairman Carl Baker to two worthy recipients: The first being Roger Vincent for his work liaising with the authorities in the Bay of Plenty to get overdimension loads on the TEL toll route. The second was to wellknown insurance identity Jim Wiles of NZI | Lumley for his contribution to the heavy haulage sector over the past nearly 20 years. 16 www.contractormag.co.nz
Above left: Chairman’s Award recipient Roger Vincent with NZHHA chairman Carl Baker. Above right: Chairman’s Award recipient Jim Wiles from NZI | Lumley.
UPFRONT CONTRACTOR
CONSTRUCTION TIPPER With a genuine 30 tonne capacity and a lighter, stronger HardoxŽ steel construction, TRT’s Construction Tipper is loaded with features to make the job easier. Designed and manufactured in NZ for NZ conditions!
Undulating Terrain? No Problem
Split beam suspension allows axle to travel up to 400mm. The greatest of any trailer in its class for maximum stability.
Changing tractor unit? No Problem The draw bar is fully adjustable and works with the suspension for a soft ride to help reduce operator fatigue.
Sludge on site? No Problem
The tailgate has a double acting ram with 100% liquid seal. Keep those haul roads in top condition!
Ask us about our new powered axle options! 07 849 4839
027 282 8090
trailers@trt.co.nz
www.trt.co.nz
50 years
CONTRACTOR ON THE COVER
Mark Bond had been working in the civil construction industry for 15 years.
Growth from adversity Canterbury firm Bond Earthworks is an ‘earthquake company’ – established in response to the huge workload in the region following the quakes, the company continues to grow. BY MARY SEARLE BELL
BOND EARTHWORKS is a company born of the Canterbury
earthquakes. Mark Bond had been working in the civil construction industry for 15 years when the disaster struck. Having harboured a desire to go out on his own for years, the mammoth clean-up and repair work needed in the region provided the necessary impetus for him to open his own business. In 2013, Mark and his wife Fiona, along with good friend Kahu Epiha, set up Bond Earthworks. Mark describes the company as a firm with plenty of drive and passion for the industry. They undertake a variety of work, from repairing pot holes to roading projects and large commercial sites, and if required, travel the country with equipment in tow. They have recently completed work in the Auckland region for various contractors, and have been developing the Christchurch cycle ways for Higgins construction. “Our clients at Downer have also kept us very busy,” says Mark. “We’ve done large asphalt works in Hokitika and Greymouth.” They’re even looking at work overseas, and are currently pricing a joint venture in Papua New Guinea. “There’s certainly a lot on.” Mark leads the firm as owner-operator, while Fiona, in the tried and tested form of many construction wives around the country, takes care of the books. Kahu exited the company just two years after its inception due to a back injury. At that time, the business needed a hands-on approach by all, so Kahu made the choice
18 www.contractormag.co.nz
to stand down until his back healed. He’s now back working alongside Mark as the surfacing manager. The team numbers 19 in total, and the business is split into a civil side and an asphalting side. The asphalting team has recently added a new Vögele Super 1703-3 paver from the Wirtgen Group to its fleet. “We chose Vögele because of the excellent reputation it has,” he says. “As an operator, I know they perform the task to a very high standard and, having worked with Vögele pavers before, I know it was the right choice for our work. Vögele says the compact size of the paver in the 8-foot class makes it ideal for commercial and municipal applications. The 1703-3 has an intuitive operating system, which provides maximum visibility and comfort for the operator. It boasts high paving speeds – up to 76 metres per minute – something that Mark says suited his company’s needs. “The versatility in speed of spread suited our needs, and it can pave from 2.45 metres width up to 4.75 metres, and even up to 5.3 metres with an easy to fit extension,” says Mark. “They take about 10-12 minutes to fit each side, which is ideal for our work.” With drive options (6x4 and 6x6), Vögele says the Super 17033 is a versatile machine, with plenty of power and high mobility to handle the most varied paving jobs, even in confined spaces. Mark says the paver can spin around on the spot. The Super 1703-3 also comes with the latest version of the Vögele operating system, ErgoPlus 3, which has been enhanced
The asphalting team has recently added a new Vo¨ gele Super 1703-3 paver from the Wirtgen Group to its fleet. with a number of new ergonomic and functional features. With its new mounting system, the paver operator’s console can be shifted conveniently and easily between the right and left sides of the operator’s stand during operation. ErgoPlus 3 also offers unobstructed operator visibility of the material hopper, auger tunnel and screed. In addition, it now has a large colour display that ensures good readability even in poor lighting conditions. Vögele trainer Jason Allen says that the paver now features user-friendly multi cell sonic sensors that allow a more accurate paving job. “The 1703-3 has a built-in LED light, giving the operator adequate lighting in the area where the sensor is running,” he says. “There are LED levelling system indicators on the front and side of the sensor so the operator knows the height of the sensor from the ground and what the levelling system is doing – not only from the screed mounted control but the sensor as well.” The Super Series 1700 and 2000 range of tried and tracked pavers are new offerings from Wirtgen Group company Vögele. Previously, Vögele offered a European style paver (the Super Series) and an American style paver (Vision Series). The American-style pavers were heavy, higher output, lower efficiency and higher thirst, while the European-style pavers have smart technology that makes them easier and cheaper to operate. By combining the European technology with the American-
style paving machines, the new Super Series offers lower noise, more fuel-efficient machines with automated functions that operators can use to accelerate paver set up and pack up. Mark says the new paver is living up to his expectations. “It’s performing really well,” he says. “It lays a nice even mat.” That being said, he admits they’re still getting to know the 1703-3 and are putting the new features to the test. “It’s pretty sophisticated, but we’re getting there. We’re very happy with it.” Mark is also very happy with the level of service and support he has received from Mark Joubert, Sales Manager at Wirtgen, who provided the machine, and Jason Allen, who is an instructor for the operation of Vögele pavers. “Mark and Jason have been really good to deal with. They’ve been very supportive.” Going forward, the plan for Bond Earthworks is slow and steady growth. “We want to stay in the market we’re in,” says Mark. “I do have aspirations to grow but I want to be sensible about it. A lot of sleepless nights were had to get where we are now – we started on the smell of an oily rag and with a lot of good mates’ help. “I’m a third generation contractor – my father Trevor and his father Harry were in the industry, and a number of family are too – but I’m the first to use the Bond name to go into business for myself. “I’m excited for what the future holds.”
•
OCTOBER 2017 19
CONTRACTOR ENGINEERING PROJECT
On the side of the
MIGHTY WAIKATO The City of Hamilton draws raw water from only one source – the Waikato River.
20 www.contractormag.co.nz
IN RECENT YEARS, low river levels have threatened this water supply, leading Hamilton City Council (HCC) to build a new plant that can be ‘lowered’ to meet any river level. The design also had to fit with a longer-term plan to shore up the water supply from the Waikato that will cost $26 million to finance. The resulting $1.5 million design and Low River Contingency Building Works project was awarded to Brian Perry Civil (Fletcher Construction). This project involved a floating platform and pump system on the banks of the river that can pump water into the Waikato’s intake structure if required when river levels get too low for the existing outlet. It is also designed to be integrated into future plans for upgrading the
water intake structure. Both the contractor and the council conceded it was an extremely challenging project, particularly after the initial tendered plans required an extensive redesign. Working on a river bank and over fast flowing and fluctuating water also had its unique safety risks. The contractor had to work closely with Mighty River Power, which controlled the Karapiro Dam, to ensure river levels were safe to carry out platform works. The site was also within a ‘live’ Water Treatment Plant with the use of heavy machinery operation five metres from the river bank. In the end the project eventually scored a 92 percent ‘Excellent’ rating by the HCC health and safety assessments.
This project involved a floating platform and pump system on the banks of the river that can pump water into the Waikato’s intake structure if required when river levels get too low for the existing outlet.
OCTOBER 2017 21
CONTRACTOR ENGINEERING PROJECT
Placing the pump platform into the river in one lift greatly mitigated environmental risks to the river so, instead of a 100-tonne crane being used to drop four sections of the floating platform into the river, it was decided that a 400-tonne crane would do a single, if not complex, lift and drop.
22 www.contractormag.co.nz
Taking a new approach The change in the platform’s design also led to a change in methodology for building it and delivering its structure in the river. These additional works altered the contract conditions and increased costs to the council. The original plan involved placing a pump platform in fluctuating river levels, then bolting four separate sections together to complete that platform – which was an enormous physical risk. It would require personnel working in the river and beneath the steel structure inside the water for extended periods. When they designed the water intake structure and floating pump platform, the original designers estimated the river to be at certain levels. In the past 10 years, however, the water levels were often above the upper operating range. This had not been brought into the design. “We just changed the way they planned to do things. It wasn’t difficult to convince the HCC of this new methodology,” says Eamon Stynes, the project manager. “We worked through this with them. There
was little input from them as to how we were to put it in the river. It was open skies.” Placing the pump platform into the river in one lift greatly mitigated environmental risks to the river so, instead of a 100-tonne crane being used to drop four sections of the floating platform into the river, it was decided that a 400-tonne crane would do a single, if not complex, lift and drop. The ground under the mobile crane needed extensive geotechnical testing to see if it could support a much heavier crane, one of the largest in the country. Unfortunately, there had been no geotechnical investigation into the ground conditions. Once the geotechnical results did come through, the contractor saw the ground was filled with backfill material from when they built the intake structure. Being only five metres from the banks of the Waikato, Brian Perry Civil (BPC) was concerned about slip circles, where the ground could slip and give way. The solution was platforms and then special steel plates put in under the crane to spread the load more evenly.
Above: Divers installing hoses. The platform fabrication company Eastbridge, a Kiwi company that specialises in the supply of steel structures and heavy steel fabrication, was tasked with building the platform in its factory in Napier. Left: The ground under the mobile crane needed extensive geotechnical testing to see if it could support a much heavier crane, one of the largest in the country.
When reliability counts...
Australia & New Zealand’s superior range of diesel engines
Engines: Irrigation and Machinery
Pumps: Portable and Dewatering
Generators: Portable and Backup, Prime Power, Centre Pivot, Custom For more information contact Power Equipment Ltd: e: info@powerequipment.co.nz www.powerequipment.co.nz
p: +64 9 358 7478
OCTOBER 2017 23 JOB NO: N2441A PE Irrigation Ad 1/2pg W180 x H128mm - V2
CMYK
Š NCPdesign 2015
DATE 22/04/15
CONTRACTOR ENGINEERING PROJECT
The four pump platform sections were fully assembled with all the webforge decking and handrails installed, before two pivot arms were attached to the platform. By attaching the platform by the pivot arms to the intake structure before it was lowered into the river, they removed the risk of river currents side-loading the boom.
24 www.contractormag.co.nz
The platform The new methodology allowed them to fully assemble the platform in the car park area adjacent to the low lift pump building. It was far more productive to build the floating platform on the ground. The four pump platform sections were fully assembled with all the webforge decking and handrails installed, before two pivot arms were attached to the platform. After a lot of redesign work, geotechnical investigation and changing the build to land instead of in the river, the focus was on getting the structure of the floating pump platform right. The platform fabrication company Eastbridge, a Kiwi company that specialises in the supply of steel structures and heavy steel fabrication, was tasked with building the platform in its factory in Napier. Mill certificates for all steel components were required to fabricate the platform. This showed that all the steel used was of the correct grade. The same was expected of bolts and fixings. The welds were inspected by third party inspectors to verify that they were completed to specified quality and procedure. Test samples were taken during the painting process to confirm the paint systems being applied were to the correct film thickness. Brian Perry Civil also carried out its own inspections, visiting the Eastbridge plant in Napier on five occasions. Other quality assurance tools included work plans, testing, engineer and building inspections,
producer statements and warranties, all of which were carried out through the life of the project. These were used to ensure quality requirements were being met for everything from concreting, pipes and joins, to the electrical ducting used. Working closely with Mighty River Power the river could be held back by using the Karapiro Dam, allowing river levels to reach an acceptable level for project work. Once onsite the Brian Perry Civil team did the lift design, strengthened the platform and added new lifting points. By attaching the platform by the pivot arms to the intake structure before it was lowered into the river, they removed the risk of river currents side-loading the boom. The procedure worked so well that HCC has adopted this methodology for all future deployments of the pump platform. Subcontractor Hennessy trained the operators who drive the pump platform and systems through the WTP’s computer system. A SCADA program allows full automation of the pumps, and monitors rising river levels with the platform’s stilling wells. This means WTP operators do not have to be onsite in order to check river levels, and can monitor the treatment plant system remotely. The project began in July 2015, and was completed in August 2016, falling within a revised deadline. It also came in under budget by $750,000. Since then Brian Perry Civil has been awarded the contract to deploy the pump platform when necessary over the next four years for the council.
CONTRACTOR INNOVATION
Solving it with containers A lot of the innovative work has gone into replacing Queenstown’s iconic Kawarau Falls Bridge with a two-lane bridge including the use of containers. THE NEW 250-METRE long link will be located just downstream from the old one-lane bridge, which is perhaps best known as the country’s first bungy jumping destination. The challenges for contractors have been many as they work on a busy route and over a river running 43 metres below. One solution was shipping containers. Mark De La Rosa, project administrator at McConnell Dowell, says building a bridge is never an easy task, even in ideal conditions, and the Kawarau project has thrown up everything from extreme weather through to challenges around working on either side of a very wide river. “The site is unique because while it is tight on either river bank,
26 www.contractormag.co.nz
you also have to manage the expanse of the site across the river. “Royal Wolf’s range of shipping containers were the ideal solution because they are highly portable, very durable – to cope with the extreme weather conditions, and they come in a range of sizes to suit specific needs.” The Kawarau Bridge project site is made up of two 20-foot lunchroom containers, an ablutions block, three mini cube containers for storing tools – which are less than half the size of a traditional 20-foot container, and an eight-foot dangerous goods container. “The site has come with many unforeseen obstacles but with everything housed inside containers, including our guys’ lunchroom through to our tool supplies, it means the onsite crane can move equipment from one side of the river to the other very easily. “They’re strong and weatherproof too, but for big steel boxes they are also incredibly versatile and mobile and can be stacked if needed, which helps ease pressure on a tight site,” says Mark. Paul Creighton, Royal Wolf executive general manager NZ, says the Kawarau Bridge project proves how adaptable containers can be and how they can be modified to meet a specific need. “The beauty of containers is that they can be used for everything from simple and reliable storage solutions through to modified and bespoke containers that take the shape of everything from toilet facilities to meeting rooms. “With the ongoing activity in the construction industry, containers are becoming more and more prominent on streets and around construction sites. They are one of the easiest and most practical solutions for managing safety on these sites and they’re ideal for keeping both the public and workers safe,” says Paul.
CONTRACTOR AGGREGATES
Quarry contract awarded RedBull is providing blasting services for all GBC Winstone’s quarries across the North Island. THIS FOLLOWS THE contract award in July, where RedBull
Powder Company’s service was extended from four quarries to providing an integrated drilling and blasting service for all nine sites. Moving to a single supplier is a significant change for GBC Winstone, the largest supplier of aggregates in New Zealand. And according to the RedBull Managing Director Peter Shapiro, his team is set to help realise significant immediate and longterm benefits for this key client. “Being the sole supplier for drilling and blasting, we are committed to delivering significant improvements and cost reductions to GBC Winstone quarries over the coming years. We have already expanded our resources to deliver consistently high-quality blasting, safety and risk management processes across all sites”, he said. “We have invested heavily in our people, our plant, and in our relationships with our clients. This contract is a great acknowledgement of the hard work we have put in to develop a responsible and innovative company.” Mark McKenzie, General Manager of GBC Winstone, concurs, saying the decision to appoint RedBull was based on demonstrated value. “We selected RedBull as sole supplier based on their demonstrated savings, using their high-quality bulk emulsion, excellent service and their aligned safety, quality and risk management values.” Successful first blast wins fans For the RedBull team, taking on five additional quarries has been an interesting challenge. According to Peter Shapiro, while the company is resourced to capably manage all nine sites, the challenge has been to exceed expectations, from the very first blast at each new site. “And our team has done this admirably.” Blasting Operations Manager Tristen Bradley is responsible 28 www.contractormag.co.nz
for coordinating all drilling and blasting activities, and making sure the customer is satisfied at all times. He loads blast holes with his team, continually reviewing how best to improve the next blast. “When you’re following an incumbent, and they’ve had great relationships with the quarry teams, you need to build the new relationship based on confidence in our ability and a commitment to excellence,” he says. “Our first blast was at Wilsonville Quarry on 2 August. I was proud to hear the feedback from the GBC Winstone quarry team, who said it was the best blast they had ever seen at the site.” With many successful blasts across the quarry network since, Tristen and his team are looking forward to continuing to build the relationship – one safe, high-quality blast at a time.
Background Established in 1997, RedBull Powder Company is New Zealand’s leading specialist drilling and blasting contractor, with a legacy of innovation in the industry. From humble beginnings, it now has the largest resource of technically advanced plant and equipment in the country. RedBull provides comprehensive drilling and blasting services to over 120 quarry customers, as well as mines and construction projects. The team has an excellent safety record, and have had not had an LTI for over 1000 days (dating back to April 2014). The North Island emulsion explosives facility is at Kopako, near Auckland. The South Island operation is based at Macraes Mine, where RedBull has recently renewed its contract to supply the Open Pit and Frasers Underground mines with all explosive products.
HAS JOINED FORCES WITH
SINCE 1976
GROUP LIMITED
CONCRETE CONSOLIDATION
CONCRETE FINISHING
PEDESTRIAN ROLLERS
DEMOLITION HAMMERS
DEWATERING PUMPS
PORTABLE GENERATORS
TRENCH ROLLERS
VIBRATORY PLATES
Call Powerpac for:
• SALES • AFTER SALES SERVICE • SPARE PARTS • ACCESSORIES
0800 WACKER Wellington Depot 3 Mohuia Crescent, Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand SINCE 1976
GROUP LIMITED
CALL 0800 WACKER
|
SALES@POWERPAC.CO.NZ |
WWW.POWERPAC.CO.NZ
CONTRACTOR PROJECT
SUPPLY RISK CALLS FOR NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT 30 www.contractormag.co.nz
With an ageing water treatment plant at one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest dairy processing sites, a solution was required – and fast.
BUILT
BY
KIWI
DAIRIES in 1972, the
Whareroa Fonterra site has the capacity to produce 13.8 million litres of milk per day. However, its ageing treatment plant posed a serious risk to the manufacture of what amounts to nearly 20 percent of Fonterra’s production output. The solution – a $17 million project of a new water treatment plant – was awarded to Beca and Fulton Hogan, and they were then faced with the task of meeting an extremely tight deadline. The first water had to be supplied by August 1, 2016, giving the contractors 11 months to plan and construct a plant that was capable of producing up to 30 million litres of water per day.
In addition to this, there was also the inclusion of a new water intake in the Tangahoe River, and the difficult site location provided an extra set of challenges for the designers and engineers.
Setting up the project For the treatment plant, the construction included a concrete clarifier structure and mixing chambers. The clarification was provided by stainless steel lamella plates – supplied by MRI Technologies in the USA – and the concrete filter structure is comprised of a Cadar Monolithic Filter Floor System with conventional media filters.
A concrete casting bed was constructed onsite to cast the precast wall panels for the clarifier and filter structure panels on. Plant casting on site allowed the manufacture of larger panels, thereby reducing insitu concrete ‘stitches’ and risks associated with leaks at joints. It was also more cost effective than precast sourced externally.
OCTOBER 2017 31
CONTRACTOR PROJECT
Top: The water treatment plant and Whareroa dairy plant. The water treatment plant’s backwash pumps and UV units.
32 www.contractormag.co.nz
The plant is fully automated, including fire systems that tie into the systems at the main Fonterra Whareroa plant. Aside from landscaping, fencing and a booster pump station upgrade, the final task for the treatment plant was the design and construction of a 4.5 million litre treated water reservoir. For this a stainless steel product was selected as it provided the best option in terms of capital and ownership costs. For the Tangahoe River raw water intake, the task required the excavation of a three metre diameter, 12 metre deep wet wall. There was the construction of new intake screens – Johnson Screens Passive Intake Screen – and a stainless steel manifold in the river bed. Pipework then needed to connect the intake screens to the wet well, including raw water pumps and controls, and an airburst screen cleaning system. Of significant note was the unusual site conditions, in that work in the riverbed, and the wet well (which was
situated on a steep river bank), created a variety of constraints for both the designers and engineers. Hand-dug by a team of specialists, the well holds two new submersible pumps, which pump water to two new hydro-cyclones that remove much of the silt, ahead of treatment in the new plant. The pumps are on guide rails, which improves safety for staff involved in maintenance or repair of the intake, and the provision of a 30mm grating at the clearwell is protecting fish life.
Mitigating risks There were three key risks identified for this project, including procurement of imported long lead equipment, design progressing ahead of construction, and meeting the programme deadline (where there would be significant consequences if delivered late). To deal with the issue of procuring a stainless steel pipe – as time did not allow
for design to be completed enough to obtain subcontractor offers – a solution to engage subcontractors to procure pipe early and price packages of work as they became available was created. A concrete casting bed was constructed onsite to cast the precast wall panels for the clarifier and filter structure panels on. The site manufacture of precast panels also provided several advantages such as direct control of production rates (timing) and quality, and plant casting on site allowed the manufacture of larger panels, thereby reducing insitu concrete ‘stitches’ and risks associated with leaks at joints. It was also more cost effective than precast sourced externally. Once casting was complete, the slab was utilised as the foundations for the chlorine building, and it also provided paved areas around it – a further benefit was that the slab didn’t require demolition. To improve speed of construction, bespoke steel formers were designed for the corner
stitches. And while initially more expensive, these forms were significantly quicker to erect and strip than conventional forms.
The water treatment plant is capable of treating up to 30 million litres of water per day.
Reducing environmental impact A site-specific Environmental Management Plan detailed all environmental procedures – most specifically, sediment control. For the work carried out on the river bed, which involved exposing the ground to install piping, the construction was isolated from the river itself by using a cofferdam, built from one tonne sandbags. Any water that got into the vicinity of work was directed away to a sediment site controlling the possibility of a contamination. The new plant has been in use for more than a year now, and has improved the efficiency of the site’s processing plants by increasing onsite water storage by 50 percent (as the existing reservoir has been retained). OCTOBER 2017 33
The hard, cold facts on pumps – from Sweden, the country that invented Grindex.
When you’ve got just three hours light and there’s permafrost outside, you know all about harsh. But you don’t moan about it. Instead, you work hard and become the world’s best. From the Swedish tradition of endeavour, excellence and ability to overcome well, everything, comes Grindex. A world-leader in electrical submersible pump technology they thrive in harsh conditions including construction, mining and heavy industry.
The pumps are known for their reliability, durability and dependability and, thanks to the built-in motor protection and the air valve, the pumps can run unsupervised for longer periods, and even run dry for a length of time. (Because, no-one wants to be popping out to check on them in those conditions.)
Nice work, Sweden. Tack sĂĽ mycket.* *Thanks so much.
Call now 0800 482 747
|
info@primepump.co.nz
|
www.primepump.co.nz
CONTRACTOR LEGAL
Introducing the new
CCNZ Subcontract Civil Contractors has recently published the CCNZ Subcontract, a new standard form subcontract for use by its members. In this article by ARIE MOORE and SAM McCUTCHEON, members of the Kensington Swan Major Projects and Construction Team, we discuss the rationale behind the CCNZ Subcontract and highlight some key advantages of using it. THE CCNZ SUBCONTRACT was prepared following a number
of requests from members to have an industry standard subcontract that can be used across a wide range of civil projects. The key considerations when preparing the CCNZ Subcontract was that the document needed to be flexible enough to reflect the realities of individual projects, as well as present a consistent and fair allocation of risk between the parties. In preparing the CCNZ Subcontract it was important that input was obtained from both contractors and subcontractors. A number of meetings were held, and drafts circulated for discussion to ensure a range of viewpoints were considered. While it is never possible to please both contractors and subcontractors on all aspects, the CCNZ Subcontract adopts a firm position on key project terms as well as providing parties with the flexibility to have an open discussion on key risk areas of a project. The CCNZ Subcontract follows a similar format to NZS 3910, which most contractors are familiar with, and is intended to be used in conjunction with that form of contract. However, the CCNZ Subcontract is not exclusive to NZS 3910 and can also be adopted on any other form of head contract.
Risk allocation – Schedule 1 The CCNZ Subcontract contains a number of options for the parties to complete and these are set out in a table format under Schedule 1. The areas highlighted in Schedule 1 reflect the key risk areas of any project and we encourage parties to have a discussion on each of these risk areas in order determine the best risk allocation for the specific project. Schedule 1 covers all of the usual areas (insurance, bonds, date of possession) as well bringing to light some areas that have are not regularly included in standard terms. One example of this is whether the defects notification period (and associated release of retention monies) is referenced against the completion of the subcontract works, or the completion of the head contract works. The agreed position on these key areas should be clear as between the parties and this is the purpose of providing Schedule 1for the parties to complete. The CCNZ Subcontract is also one of the few contracts to actively promote a discussion as to whether there should be a cap on the subcontractor’s liability. We discuss this further below.
Head contract Obligations under a head contract will be of primary importance 36 www.contractormag.co.nz
to the subcontract work. The failure of a subcontractor to perform can often have significant consequences under the head contract in terms of time and cost. The contractor is required to provide the subcontractor with an opportunity to inspect the head contract, so far as the head contract relates to the subcontract works. Time should be taken to ensure all relevant head contract obligations are clearly set out; this will help align expectations and hopefully ensure smoother completion of the project. Time is a specific area that is directly tied to the head contract. The CCNZ Subcontract provides that where both the contractor and subcontractor are delayed by acts outside the contractor’s control then the subcontractor will not be entitled to a greater extension of time than is awarded under the head contract. The intention of this is to ensure that neither party is disadvantaged by matters outside of their control.
Limitation of liability The CCNZ Subcontract is one of the few construction contracts in New Zealand that actively promotes a discussion around limitations of liability. This is achieved through a liability cap being included in Schedule 1. Given the different risk profiles of contractors and subcontractors, a discussion around the merits of including a limitation of liability is important for the industry to engage in. The CCNZ Subcontract is neutral on whether a limitation is actually included in any specific subcontract. The default position is that the subcontractor’s liability will remain unlimited unless a limit is agreed and added into Schedule 1.
Conclusion The CCNZ Subcontract has been drafted to cover a wide range of projects and to promote fairness across all areas of the industry. The terminology is clear and easy to understand, and legal jargon is kept to a minimum. We encourage all members to read the subcontract conditions and to adopt the CCNZ Subcontract on your next project. With the addition of the CCNZ Subcontract there is no excuse for not entering a fully documented subcontract agreement on every project going forward. An electronic copy of the CCNZ Subcontract with editable fields can be obtained by emailing tricia@civilcontractors. co.nz. • Kensington Swan provides 15 minutes of free legal advice to all CCNZ members on construction issues; if you would like to get in touch you can find contact details at www.kensingtonswan.com.
Its hard work being as
chiselled as this Volvo breakers now available at TransDiesel. Whether you’re into demolition, landscaping, quarrying, utilities or concrete, Volvo breakers are robust and built for the most demanding applications. Our package includes hydraulic hoses, breaker, bracket, two hammer tools, gas charging kit and a maintenance tool kit. Breakers are fully covered by standard Volvo CE Warranty, with guaranteed parts and service support from TransDiesel.
www.transdiesel.com | 0800 848 267
CONTRACTOR TECHNICAL
Solving pavement water damage New research is looking for affordable methods of waterproofing our road surfaces. RICHARD SILCOCK explains a four-year research project in progress. WITH ROAD FREIGHT volumes increasing by 2.5 percent
A potholed section of road caused by water ingress. 38 www.contractormag.co.nz
annually and extreme rainfall events perhaps becoming more prevalent, the New Zealand Transport Agency and local authorities are looking for new and innovative ways to futureproof and maintain the affordability of the roading infrastructure. On average $1.3 billion is spent each year by the NZTA and local and regional authorities on road maintenance – that can be largely attributed, either directly or indirectly, to water damage. According to NZTA figures, almost 90 percent of the road network is susceptible to water damage. Under a four-year research project being carried out by Opus Research at its laboratory in Petone, work is focused on a non-permeable membrane which restricts water entry while also providing a skid resistant surface. The $2.7 million research project which started in October 2015 is being largely funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment with assistance from NZTA – and in consultation with a number of contractors around the country, including Downer, Higgins and Fulton Hogan. The research is also being carried out in collaboration with the University of Auckland and with some assistance from ARRB Group (Austroads research division). Phil Herrington, a senior road pavement scientist with Opus Research who is leading the research, says one year of research has certainly confirmed that roading seals used in the past have not been particularly effective in their waterproofing function. “That is, they [the chip seals] leak,” says Phil. “Water damage of our roads manifests itself in several ways: deformation and potholing, which leads to the loss of bonding between the chip seal and the aggregate, and ‘flushing’ of the seal. This ‘flushing’ causes the bitumen surface layer to become slick and unsafe to drive on. “We are looking at alternative ways to create a far better bond and seal. Our research so far is leading us towards
The Opus Research pavement testing machine. applying a ‘primer’ to encourage a far superior bond between the aggregate base course and the surface layers which, along with a water impermeable membrane layer, should prevent water from entering the base course. “In essence we are researching methods of modifying the chip surface to prevent water ‘disbonding’ the bitumen sealer. “At this stage we are looking at placing a membrane layer under the chip seal and above the aggregate. We are testing and evaluating different membranes for their waterproofing capability, subjecting them to extreme temperature differences and intense sunlight, and looking at application and measuring wear tolerance. “We are also looking to find new and innovative construction methods. “Our aim is for the primer, membrane and method of application to become the accepted industry standard utilised by the Transport Agency, local authorities and contractors and other road construction authorities overseas. “Once we have completed the research on types of membranes we will evaluate them using our in-lab accelerated pavement wear testing machine and would expect to do field trials on sections of road during the last year of the project. “This will be done in collaboration with NZTA in different parts of the country and under various climatic and traffic conditions.” John Donbavand, national pavements manager with NZTA, says the agency has been promoting the use of primers to provide a more water-resistant layer but they are not a complete fix. “We rely on unbound granular base course to provide the structural component of the pavement and it is this type of pavement that is particularly susceptible to water ingress. “Currently our base course layers use a relatively large stone size to provide an open grading, so when water does get in, it can drain away. “However, these large stones tend to break down in
service which reduces the drainage capacity and can trap water in the structure making it susceptible to large pore pressures under loading from heavy vehicles. “This leads to the potential for pavement shear and deformation. In winter there is also the possibility of ‘swelling pressure’ where, if the water freezes, a phenomenon known as frost heave occurs.” The economic benefits from this research project are twofold. There are predictions that the net cost reductions for NZTA and local authorities could be in the region of $81 million a year within five to 10 years of the research being completed. Additionally, the waterproofing technologies developed are estimated to at least double pavement life and as a result reduce the need for frequent road maintenance. Phil Herrington says the research has the potential to revolutionise the way in which future road pavements are constructed. “Whereas current chip seal has a life expectancy of around eight to 10 years, and asphalt 10 to 15 years, we have an expectation of developing a solution that will provide for up to 30 to 40 years of life. “In addition expensive premium base course materials and current cement and foamed bitumen stabilisation techniques could be replaced with much cheaper materials and changes in road construction design. “We could perhaps even see quarried ‘waste material’ used in some instances,” he says.
QUALITY MADE IN JAPAN BUILT TO LAST
www.meiwa.co.nz OCTOBER 2017 39
CONTRACTOR HISTORY
Our first road Twenty years before the Victorian English claimed New Zealand our first road was built by a small number of soldiers and crew from HMS Dromedary. HUGH DE LACY tells the story. IT WAS THE BRITISH NAVY’S eagerness in the early 19th century to find new sources of timber for the spars of its ships that resulted in the building of the first road in our country. It happened in 1820 on one of the first official visits to the country by a British Navy ship, and it brought with it the men, the vehicles and the oxen to lay the foundations for the country’s native logging industry. The ship was the HMS Dromedary, and it had had a colourful history after being built of teak in the Bombay shipyards in 1799 for an Indian merchant, and named Kaikusroo. The merchant sold her to the Royal Navy in 1805, and she was renamed HMS Howe and converted to a 40-gun frigate, only to be further modified to a 20-gun store-ship the following year. At that time she was renamed Dromedary, the third of five Royal Navy ships of that name. No stranger to the southern seas, the Dromedary in 1808 had carried Lachlan Macquarie to Sydney to replace William Bligh, he of the famed 1789 mutiny on the Bounty, as governor of New South Wales. Known to sailors throughout the fleet as “that Bounty bastard”, Bligh had for the third time provoked an uprising by his subordinates – he had been captain of HMS Director during the Royal Navy’s widespread Nore mutiny of 1797 – when the citizenry of Sydney deposed him in the Rum Rebellion. The Dromedary brought the troops that restored order, and Bligh was sent home. In 1819 the Dromedary was fitted out in England as a convict ship and in this role under Captain Richard Skinner she ferried 370 prisoners, guarded by a detachment of soldiers from the 84th Regiment of Foot, to Tasmania. She then went on to Sydney where she was refitted as a timber transport, and sent off to New Zealand – and later Norfolk Island – seeking spars. She arrived in the Bay of Islands on February 20, 1820, carrying the missionary Samuel Marsden on the third of his seven trips to this country, and nine high-ranking Northland Maori, including the 15-year-old son of Anglophile chief Hongi Hika, who had been studying at Marsden’s Sydney seminary. Marsden and the seminarians were offloaded in the Bay of Islands, and Captain Skinner set about negotiating the purchase of kauri timber from the local Maori. At the time Northland boasted 1.2 million hectares of kauri forest – now reduced to just 4000 hectares – which was no less a figure than Captain James Cook had originally 40 www.contractormag.co.nz
recommended as ideal for ships’ spars, an increasingly rare and valuable commodity. Skinner eventually closed a deal with the Hokianga chief Muriwai, of the Popoto tribe, for a stand of kauri in Whangaroa Harbour, and the Dromedary sailed up there accompanied by a 25-ton tender, the Prince Regent, in late June. To transport the spars to the ship, the Dromedary had, while in Sydney, taken aboard two timber carriages and 12 oxen to pull them. But the site proved difficult to access, being in a steep ravine on the Mangaiti Stream, a tributary of the Kaeo River, and guarded by extensive swamps. The challenge was to get the timber to the Kaeo River, from where it could be ferried by craft out to the Dromedary. An officer aboard the Dromedary, Richard A Cruise, kept a diary of the ship’s voyage which was later published as a book called Journal of Ten Months Residence in New Zealand. Cruise described the forest site as “in a deep valley” approached initially over level ground “but afterwards undulating and intersected with a swamp and a rapid brook” (the Mangaiti). “The hill under which the trees grew thickest was steep, but it was thought that the spars, when cut and lightened by being trimmed, might be hove to the top of it by means of a capstan, and dragged to the water’s edge by ten bullocks, with the united strength of the natives and the crew.” This was almost certainly the first use of a capstan to winch logs out of a forestry stand in this country, and it went on to become a common technique until replaced first by steam, then by diesel and electric-powered winches. Cruise reported that Skinner and the Dromedary’s carpenter surveyed the route from forest to beach and, “proposed to make a road from the wood to the river, to build a bridge over the brook, and to fill the swamp with fascines”, thick bundles of wood tied together and dumped into the swamp to make a firm surface for the bullocks and carts. To access the swamp, “a road was first made, a mile and a quarter long over a clay surface, which could not be kept in repair in bad weather”, Cruise recounted. The weather can’t have been too favourable that year because it took the full complement of the Dromedary, led by the soldiers of the 84th, until late November to complete the road and bridge, and to haul 98 kauri spars out over it. The road ran for only two kilometres and its significance to the country’s road transport industry has largely been lost in the mists of time. But between the clay-based approach path, the fascine
carriageway over the swamp, the bridge over the Mangaiti, and the fact that it was built for wheeled vehicles, this logging track more than qualifies as the country’s first true road. For a long time after the Dromedary departed, the road was known locally as Te Ara Hoia, or the Soldiers Road, but today it is barely distinguishable, other than by map coordinates (E 1670407 N 6115793), from the surrounding Kaeo farmland. There are no known sketches or paintings of the Dromedary, nor any of the road-building operation itself, but the accompanying map gives some idea of the location. The blue line – actually a property boundary – is also that of Te Ara Hoia, and, running equally straight, and almost parallel to it, is a stretch of Omaunu Road, which accesses Kaeo village. The swamp where the fascines were installed and the bridge built over the Mangaiti Stream is at the top end of Omaunu Road. After leaving Whangaroa Harbour, the Dromedary and its load of spars arrived back in Sydney in December 1820, and from there returned to England. It spent another decade as a Navy ship before being tied up in Bermuda during the 1830s to serve as a convict hulk. It continued to sit there long after it ceased to be of any use, and eventually ended up as a midden that has yielded thousands of artefacts – bottles, buttons, coins, knife handles and gaming pieces – to archaeologists who have pored over the site during the last couple of decades. To judge from Robert Cruise’s reminiscences, the success of the country’s first venture into road-making was regarded by its architects as a triumph over nature. “It is scarcely possible to imagine that so small a number of people, with such inadequate means, could have effected an undertaking apparently so far beyond their powers,” Cruise wrote. This assessment of the challenges – from the precipitous topography to the sometimes violent weather and perpetual vulnerability to earthquakes – faced by the makers of New Zealand’s roads holds as true today as it did when Robert Cruise penned those words 200 years ago.
The need for timber to build spars on sailing ships lead to the construction of the country’s first road, way back in 1820.
www.linkedin.com/NZcontractor @NZContractormag nz contractor magazine nz contractor magazine nzcontractormagazine
CONTRACTOR: JOIN OUR NETWORK OCTOBER 2017 41
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Meeting today’s skills gap PETER BENFELL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CONNEXIS
THE OUTLOOK FOR the New Zealand Civil Infrastructure sector
is rosy. Infometrics data shows our sector contributes around $4.7 billion to the economy every year and in 2016 it made up 2.1 percent of GDP. The sector employs 49,000 people throughout the country whose average annual earnings of $70,500 are $12,700 higher than the national average and the last five years have seen sector employment grow by 4.3 percent each year. The forecast ahead is very promising: under the Government’s 30 Year Infrastructure Plan, spending on infrastructure by local and central government between 2017 and 2025 is expected to be around $110 billion. While the sector is in a period of significant growth and change, there are corresponding challenges. It is forecast an additional 21,000 workers will be required in the next three years in civil construction, electricity supply, telecommunications and 3 Waters (water treatment, wastewater and storm water). Around 3,600 new workers will be required in civil construction each year to 2021 to meet job growth and replacement demands alone. Providing these people and ensuring they have the necessary skills to do their jobs will be a significant test of the Infrastructure sector’s ability to keep pace.
Bridging the skills and labour gap Most trades and services have well publicised skills and labour force gaps and our sector is no exception. Around 30 percent of the sector workforce is medium-high to highly skilled, but the prediction for the critical growth period we are entering is that stronger growth will occur in highly skilled jobs compared with lower-skilled jobs. To give our industry credit, a lot has and is being done. At pre-employment level, initiatives like the Transition to Work programme are helping to bridge the gap between employers and potential employees by offering a pathway to apprenticeship and civil trades certification. For workers on career paths, Connexis’ involvement with Got a Trade Industry Training Awards and its related activities and website are working well to promote the industry and there is on going work to improve existing trades certifications and qualifications along with other skilled workforce solutions. All of these are helping to strengthen our Infrastructure community through the provision of attractive career paths and life-long opportunities for up-skilling.
Age and diversity A critical issue requiring more focus is our ageing workforce. We have a pool of experienced tradespeople who are a wonderful resource for training the future generation through 42 www.contractormag.co.nz
At pre-employment level, initiatives like the Transition to Work programme are helping to bridge the gap between employers and potential employees by offering a pathway to apprenticeship and civil trades certification.
apprenticeships and on the job mentoring. But given there is currently so much work on, our senior tradespeople are too infrequently given the opportunity to teach or pass on their knowledge. Here, the industry needs to look to its future urgently. In 2017 only 17 percent of the civil construction sector workforce is female. Thanks to initiatives like Girls with Hi-Vis and Got a Trade the figure has increased from 14 percent since 2013 and there are some great success stories out there. But there is still much to be done in attracting more women into the sector. The benefits of increased diversity in the workplace, from more people-friendly working environments to the introduction of fresh new perspectives and talent, are evident to all.
The changing face of training Technology is moving and changing fast and at times disrupting the way things are done or how services are delivered. Fast change and disruption require companies to become more innovative and agile and workforces to be more flexible with transferrable skills. And it has very obvious implications for the types and calibre of industry training provided to our sector. Rather than simply equipping workers with technical skills, training will increasingly involve a greater emphasis on the ability to learn and adapt.
Partnering for a better future The workforce skills gap, I believe, provides an ideal platform for the industry to come together and look at how all of our stakeholders – organisations, companies and employees alike – could be working more collaboratively towards a long-term plan for creating a more skilled, flexible and productive workforce. A week into my role at Connexis I am impressed by the great, committed people in our industry who all want to see it move forward more quickly. This needs to happen so we can build a better functioning and more prosperous nation.
DEEPER FASTER BETTER
WE’VE TAKEN EXCAVATION TO A HOLE NEW LEVEL The Cosben Telescopic Arm has been developed to reach underground and/ or underwater to a depth of 40 meters (sixteen story below ground!). Featuring a unique hydraulic cylinder with multi section arm, this advanced machine creates greater digging power for increased production and performance. Slim construction is ideally suited for foundation works, narrow excavation shafts, metro stations, underground parking, underground renovations and canal clearance. Suitable for any excavator from 6 tons up to 80 tons.
FREEPHONE 0800 278 742 paul@bossattachments.co.nz www.bossattachments.co.nz
BOS 0864-10
SALES, SERVICE AND HIRE NEW ZEALAND WIDE
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Connected thinking PETER SILCOCK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CIVIL CONTRACTORS NEW ZEALAND
I AM WRITING THIS column with one week to go until the election
and WOW what a campaign it has been. With the results too close to call right now I am sure that we are in for an interesting week. By the time you read this the election will be all over. Depending on the result, we will have a government, or we will be watching the fun and games as coalition partners negotiate. Whichever party/coalition is in power they face some real challenges to deliver on the numerous election promises they have made. If it is a coalition government, there will need to be some renegotiation of bottom lines/priorities and some reconciliation of conflicting policy positions. The new government will need to step back and take a strategic approach to what it does and ensure that there is some connected up thinking. Infrastructure All parties have been talking about increased infrastructure investment which is great. But to deliver on that we need skilled people and strong incentives for both big and small business owners to invest in their people and plant. We need to create an environment that supports the construction and maintenance of the country’s infrastructure • Schools need to prepare and encourage our bright and talented young people to be in technical and trade roles rather than trying to push everyone into a university degree. • We need policies that encourage and support employers to take on young people and help them develop relevant technical and trade skills through work experience. • We need to support young people to get basic skills such as driver licences so they are work ready. • We need to review, simplify and streamline heavy vehicle licencing to create a competency rather than time based system. • We need better government procurement to eliminate the waste of both contractor and government resources created by bad procurement practices, lack of continuity of work and outdated master – servant contract relationships. • We need targeted immigration to meet our current skill gaps (these are not necessarily people with degrees). • We need to ensure that our supply of aggregates is not strangled by Nimys (not in my back yard) using the RMA to stifle development.
Housing Another hot topic for all parties is housing. We cannot separate housing from infrastructure. Without roads, power, water and
“f we want to solve our housing problems we need to connect our thinking. Either we need to build houses where there is infrastructure with capacity or we need to build more infrastructure.”
communications it is pretty difficult to build and/or occupy a house. It is the infrastructure that needs to come first. So, if we want to solve our housing problems we need to connect our thinking. Either we need to build houses where there is infrastructure with capacity or we need to build more infrastructure. While there is no single silver bullet connected thinking is essential. The list above applies as much to building as it does to infrastructure.
Poverty It was interesting to see both of our major parties battle it out on this issue during the election campaign. There is no doubt that this will quite rightly be a high priority with any government. Finding long term solutions is not easy. But we all know that this isn’t simply about handing out more social welfare money, it is about empowering people with skills, knowledge, the right attitude and most importantly jobs. We need to make sure that we don’t feed the cycle we are trying to break. There are jobs available for people with the right attitude. The civil contracting industry has a proud track record of employing and developing people that do not have a lot of formal qualifications or even skills but are prepared to step up, contribute and learn.
Postal Address: PO Box 12013, Thorndon, Wellington 6144 Physical Address: Margan House, 21 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011 Phone 0800 692 376
44 www.contractormag.co.nz
LEGAL CONTRACTOR
High stakes – are you covered? CHARLOTTA HARPUR, ASSOCIATE, HEANEY AND PARTNERS
THE SKYLINES OF our major cities are dotted with high rise
cranes. Major construction works are underway in Auckland. The reconstruction of Christchurch continues and more recently significant building and infrastructure works are underway in Wellington and Kaikoura. Major infrastructure and construction works also means major risk. The unexpected can quickly blow out budgets and sink companies not equipped to deal with them. Accidents can and do happen and in these industries they can be very costly. Behind every strong machine there needs to be strong cover for those unexpected events. An argument with an insurer over cover, or inadequate insurance cover, can quickly lead to delays and escalating costs, which put jobs and businesses at risk. Litigation, even if ultimately successful, takes time, money, involves great uncertainty and distracts from the business of getting the job done. On August 7, 2017 the Supreme Court released its judgment in the case of David Browne Contractors Limited1. The case arose from events that began in 2007. The Supreme Court judgment concerned payments made by Polyethylene Pipe Systems (PPS) to related companies. The background to the case shows how things can go wrong when there is uncertainty and open-ended commitments. The case was about a major sewer outfall project for Christchurch City Council involving polythene pipes being laid on the seabed in Lyttleton Harbour. PPS entered into a subcontract agreement with McConnell Dowell Contractors (MDC) for PPS to weld the pipes. The pipes were first welded together to create 12-metre lengths, they were then transported to Lyttleton where they were welded onsite to create 360-metre pipe strings. MDC installed the pipe strings in trenches on the seabed. The contract between MDC and PPS provided that PPS would indemnify MDC for any losses arising out of the welding subcontract works. MDC was to take out a contract works policy for the project. In December 2007 a weld failed during the installation of the first pipe string. In May 2008 a further weld failed. MDC concluded that the welds were faulty and told PPS that it held it responsible and that it would look to recover all costs incurred as a result of the failure. These losses were claimed
to be in the region of $3.3 million. PPS did not itself have insurance cover for the losses claimed. PPS stated that it assumed that the failures were covered by the contract works policy taken out by MDC. PPS had never viewed the policy and it eventuated that it did not provide cover. PPS was not able to pay the sums claimed. As a result, the company was placed into liquidation. Some sums that were transferred from PPS to its related companies will be clawed back by the liquidator. However, the practical implications are that PPS has gone under and MDC will only recover a fraction of its losses. To avoid, or limit, such situations various tools are available. In this case, PPS gave an unlimited indemnity with no insurance cover in place. Limitations on, and exclusions from, liability in commercial contracts is not unusual. Such limitations and exclusions must be clear and unambiguous in order to be enforceable so that it is clear to the parties where the risks lie. Insurance is another important factor. Assuming cover, as PPS did, is never a good idea. By the time a loss event has occurred, it is too late to fix any gaps in cover. A case that takes us back to the high-rise construction business highlights the insurance cover issue, Industrial Steel & Plant Limited 2. It concerned a crane provided by Industrial Steel. It was erected on a building site under a subcontract using the subcontractor’s crane. During erection the subcontractor’s crane toppled over, damaging both cranes and other property. Industrial Steel had insurance cover for losses “caused by or in connection with or arising from goods and materials supplied, installed or used by the insured in building work”. The court found that there was no relationship of cause and effect between the crane as a mere item of goods and the damage caused by the operation of the other crane, and there was no cover. These issues are far from straightforward. Where you might find your solicitor and broker adding most value is in preparing documentation and cover before a project begins so that the contractual rights and obligations are clear and there is certainty in relation to insurance cover. 1. D avid Browne Contractors Limited and David Browne Mechanical Limited v Liquidator of Polyethylene Pipe Systems Limited (in liquidation) [2017] NZSC 116 2. I ndustrial Steel & Plant Limited v A V Swanson & Sons Limited (1982) 2 ANZ Insurance Cases 60-489 (HC)
OCTOBER 2017 45
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Water industry certification JOHN PFAHLERT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, WATER NEW ZEALAND
MEMBERS OF THE civil industry will be well aware of the Civil
Trades certification board which was established last year. It enables industry participants to demonstrate competence in their field of expertise. Well, Water New Zealand and the Water Industry Operations Group are now working on the development of a scheme for water and wastewater treatment plant operators, supervisors and managers. There are also elements of reticulation that will be covered. A draft scheme for certification was prepared by an industry consultant. The broad proposal is that all water and wastewater treatment plants be categorised in terms of their technical complexity to operate, and that the qualifications and training of staff be matched to the category of plant they are operating. The scheme would cover supervisors and managers involved in the chain of command as well. The scheme anticipates a professional assessment of competence by one or more of their industry peers, and a system of recording staff continuing professional development to demonstrate they are keeping up with new trends. The association sought comment on the proposal from industry in July. Forty-two submissions were received. The feedback from industry is that there is merit in pursuit of such a scheme. There was, however, considerable angst from within industry as to the details of implementation. Our preliminary assessment of the comments made is that the scheme will require some refinement to make it able to be implemented. In particular, the issue of how to deal with staff who do not hold qualifications but have good experience and competence, needs to be dealt with. I’d describe this as a transitional issue. The detail of the comments received cannot be resolved without further engagement and dialogue with industry participants. Getting the details of a scheme agreed will be an iterative and time-consuming task. The issue of the competence of staff was one of many that arose out of discussion at the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry. Our certification proposal reflects that concern by acknowledging that all staff who operate water treatment plants (and wastewater) need to be able to demonstrate they are competent to do so. The certification proposal was tabled with the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry, which considered the concept in general terms and examined industry experts on the merits of certifying those involved in the drinking water regime. Comparisons and examples from overseas were discussed at some length. The association recommended that the Inquiry recommend to government that such a scheme be made mandatory. This is to ensure that all industry participants are forced to become involved. 46 www.contractormag.co.nz
A draft scheme for certification was prepared by an industry consultant. The broad proposal is that all water and wastewater treatment plants be categorised in terms of their technical complexity to operate, and that the qualifications and training of staff be matched to the category of plant they are operating. We recognise however that the outcome of the Inquiry, and any government response, is uncertain. In the meantime we will be continuing to develop the scheme and implement it on a voluntary basis. Because of the close connection between the benefits of certification and the desire by the Ministry of Health to improve sector performance in a range of related areas, it has offered to assist the association with the analysis of the submissions received from industry. The association has also appointed a project manager, Rob McCrone, to manage the project for us over the next few months. Over the past three years the association has also been working with our Industry Training Organisation (Connexis) and the Water Industry Operations Group (representing treatment plant operators) to develop a continuing professional development scheme. This will now be absorbed into this new certification proposal. We already have a website operational for the delivery of a simplified CPD system, though it’s yet to go operational. It will no doubt require some changes to reflect the more detailed certification regime now being discussed. There will be elements of our scheme that are no doubt different to the one now operating in the civil sector. There are cross overs with the reticulation side of the business, where staff employed by the civil industry are working on installing and repairing the water reticulation network. We need to ensure we don’t end up duplicating requirements your system has already established. But we do need to ensure that reticulation staff working for contractors are competent, that civil training covers the issues we need covered, and that they are not placing the public at risk by undertaking inappropriate operational procedures. Fortunately we have already got good working relations with Civil Contractors NZ, so I’m confident the two systems will mesh together well.
HEALTH CONTRACTOR
Wellbeing strategies JANET BROTHERS, DIRECTOR, LIFECARE LAST WEEK TWO colleagues and I attended the World Health and
Safety Congress in Singapore. In some ways it was quite an eye opener and in other ways it was a bit of the same old same old. The same old same old was that health was mentioned in the names, titles and vision only; the three days were once again so focused on safety. The Congress has adopted a vision called Vision Zero, which has seven golden rules: 1. Take Leadership – Demonstrate Commitment 2. Identify Hazards – Control Risks 3. Define Targets – Develop Programmes 4. Ensure a Safe and Healthy System – Be Well Organised! 5. Use Safe and Healthy Machines and Equipment 6. Improve Qualification – Develop Competence 7. Invest in People – Motivate by Participation. There was a strong presence on safety for youth, due to youth being over represented in the injury statistics, especially in the under-developed countries. Some of these countries have huge issues just getting reports due to the illegal labour force, remote workers often in the agriculture industry and child labour. So onto the health component, one of the seminars I attended
was about occupational cancers. I was surprised to hear that the use of asbestos is on a rapid rise in Asia – how can this happen when the risks and the often fatal outcomes are so well known? So for occupational cancers, asbestos was the biggest culprit, followed by diesel fumes and welding gases. They are also looking at including melanoma as an occupational cancer for outside workers. I didn’t know that diesel mechanics, truck drivers and machine operators have a significantly higher risk of lung cancer in comparison to other occupations. The risk then rises exponentially if they are also smokers. To monitor the lungs for asbestosis the recommendation is a lung function test and a chest x-ray so I assume it is the same for monitoring for other forms of lung cancer. If you would like to discuss this risk, feel free to contact me and I can make some enquiries regarding best practice in New Zealand. There was an even lesser emphasis on wellness. I’m not sure how long it will take for health and wellness to be seen as legitimate prevention options. I suggest if ‘Vision Zero’ is a goal, it will be elusive without the strong inclusion of health and wellbeing strategies.
NEW ZEALAND APPRENTICESHIPS: DEVELOP THE SKILLED PEOPLE YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS FLEXIBLE WORK-BASED PROGRAMMES LEADING TO CIVIL TRADES CERTIFICATION IN: • • • • •
CIVIL WORKS BITUMINOUS PRODUCT MANUFACTURING BITUMINOUS SURFACING CONSTRUCTION PIPE INSTALLATIONS UTILITIES MAINTENANCE
NOW OPEN FOR ENROLMENT 0800 486 626 askus@connexis.org.nz www.connexis.org.nz OCTOBER 2017 47
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Hiring: The ‘no-dickhead’ policy ROB SELLARS, SENIOR RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT, EIGHTY4 RECRUITMENT
I HUMAN BEINGS ARE complex and irrational animals and, as such,
putting a group of us together to work and achieve profitable outcomes is often fraught with difficulty. The hardest part more often than not, is trying to achieve a state of high-performance within teams, in order to provide an environment that allows individuals, as a team, to maximise their productivity. Many articles have been written on theories and ideas of how to achieve this ideal. I’m just going to keep what I’m writing here really basic. “Hire for attitude, train for skill”, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”, “Your culture is your brand” – these are all quotes we’ve probably heard. They boil down to the fact that the culture and attitude of individuals within organisations is the top priority for a firm wanting high-performing teams. Peter Drucker’s quote – “Company cultures are like country cultures. Never try to change one. Try, instead, to work with what you’ve got” – reminds us that these individuals all have inherent core values, which are often set very firmly and no amount of team-building workshops or leadership courses will alter their views on life, ethics, morality or humanity. Therefore, the easiest way for companies to ensure they have the best chance of a strong culture is to recruit people whose core values are similar to the core values that are essential to the organisation. And get rid of the existing people whose values don’t (but that’s a whole separate article…). Andy Dunn, CEO of clothing brand Bonobos, makes the point that in practice this is difficult to achieve, but says: “There are a lot of people in the world, and the difference between being willing to do the hard work of finding them (the good ones) and not doing so is the distance between mediocrity and greatness.” Introducing: The No Dickhead Policy (NDP). I’m not going to take any credit for the name – that’s reserved for a certain safety manager, ex-colleague and mate, who may have heard it from Ray McClean, an Australian sports leadership consultant. NDP is a no-bullshit way of describing how to identify and hire people with the right set of core values. You can interview a lot of people in your search to create highperforming teams, most of whom will have pretty good resumes and experience. A big part of that distance between mediocrity and greatness is identifying the dickheads and saying no to them. Here are some things to watch out for: 1. When the expectation level is just that little bit too high, you could start questioning their motives. 2. Good interviews with high performers are mostly free flowing, and behavioural questions are answered comprehensively and easily. If you’re struggling to get answers, there may be issues.
48 www.contractormag.co.nz
“There are a lot of people in the world, and the difference between being willing to do the hard work of finding them (the good ones) and not doing so is the distance between mediocrity and greatness.”
3. Make sure your interview questions are aligned with the values of the firm. Don’t settle for the first answer all the time – probe, probe and probe again. You’ll often get/see tension when these values aren’t aligning. 4. Experience is important, obviously. Particularly in senior roles. However, don’t let it blind you to the rest of the picture. Dickheads often use experience to cover up failings in other areas. 5. Most people are nervous in interviews, but often you can spot the genuine ‘I really want this job’ compared to the ‘I hope they don’t work out I’m not that good’ nervousness. 6. I call this the car-ride test. Imagine yourself going on a car journey with the candidate for ‘x’ hours (I usually say five) and identify whether you’d likely have a good time, or want to kick them out of the car 20 minutes into the journey. Simple – but pretty effective. If your company can, organise a group of culture champions, or ‘dickhead police’. These employees are ones whose values are closely aligned with the values of the firm. Get these people to take part in interviews – even outside their department – to enforce the NDP and support the assessment of whether the candidate will be a good fit for the firm. Google’s senior VP of People Operations, Laszlo Bock, talks in much more detail on this type of hiring process in his book Work Rules! Investment in the NDP is a lot cheaper than dealing with dickheads coming into the firm with negative energy, creating a toxic work environment and demotivating teams. Ask the right questions, do an extra interview, listen to your instincts, get more people involved and do your due diligence. Get it right and you’ll have those high-performing teams so many companies want, but can’t or won’t bridge the gap to greatness for.
Sharpen your competitive edge with data-driven asset utilisation.
Get in touch to find out how teletracnavman.co.nz 0800 447 735
CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES
M
The Caterpillar No.12 motor grader
CL
A
ASSIC
C H I N E S
What makes a classic motor grader? Looks, ability, ease of operation and longevity are all pertinent factors as are resale value if you’re looking to buy another. Whatever the criteria, Caterpillar’s No.12 motor grader had them all. By RICHARD CAMPBELL.
Above: First of the Cat No.12s, a 1938 9K series ‘Auto Patrol’ in all its glory in this factory portrait. Notice what a very clean looking machine it is for the day apart from the steering rod extending down to the steering box above the front axle. Caterpillar set the standard for future motor graders with this machine. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
50 www.contractormag.co.nz
OF THE THOUSANDS OF motor graders manufactured by Caterpillar since its takeover of the Russell Grader Manufacturing Company in 1928, none have lasted in production longer, or have been produced in as many numbers as the No.12 which remains as part of Caterpillar’s motor grader line-up to this day. We will take a look at the evolution of the type up to (but not including) the ‘G’ series. A bit of background on graders is necessary here. Note to all: Neither Caterpillar nor Robert LeTourneau invented the motor grader. The very first form of a “grader” as such dates back to Roman times when a log or plank of wood was drawn between two animals, usually oxen, thereby smoothing the surface – and we are all aware of how good Roman roads were as many still survive today! In the early 1900s the grader re-invented itself with the advent of the automobile, as those newfangled, smoke-belching, horse-scaring things needed a smooth road to drive on.
These very early road graders, made of channel steel and riveted together, had very few control adjustments, were known as “Terracers”, and were drawn by a team of horses or a small agricultural tractor. An operator stood on a platform at the back and made adjustments as best he could while being bounced along eating dust. A great many companies manufactured them during this period, and some were much better than others. Three companies can claim rights to inventing the modern motor grader as such – JD Adams, Austin-Western and Russell. All three of these companies independently had the idea of attaching a steel frame which held a grader blade and its adjustment controls along with a set of front wheels to a track type tractor chassis thereby creating a single operator, selfpropelled unit. These “Hi-Way Patrols” or “Motor Patrols” as they were known then, considerably sped up the process of finishing off a surface to an acceptable standard and you didn’t have to feed them oats!
2
2. The way things used to be. In this colourised b&w print, a Caterpillar Sixty pulls a former Russell Trailer Patrol (now re-branded Caterpillar) on a county highway job in the USA, circa 1929. The poor operator on the grader had to endure all sorts of bouncing around while trying to maintain a good clean cut while eating copious amounts of dust. What would OSH think! PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
3
3. An early 8T series grader cuts in a road on a housing subdivision in front of some un-inspiring weather. More than 17,000 8T series graders were manufactured by Caterpillar making it one of the most popular motor graders ever built. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
4
4. This is a 1963 Caterpillar 12E. Quite a lot have changes can be seen over the earlier No.12s but the basic clean lines still exist. Wheel weights have been installed on the tandem drives to give a bit more weight. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
5
5. Last of the rigid frame No.12s was the 12F. A major change from previous versions was the fitting of planetary operated blade controls and these can be seen on the main frame just behind the headlights. Prior to this update, all Cat No.12s had a dog clutch arrangement which, if you didn’t engage it correctly, would kick back at you rather unpleasantly giving them the name “wrist breakers”. The planetary controls solved that issue. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
OCTOBER 2017 51
CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES
1
1. E xceptionally well-kept Caterpillar 12E awaiting the call to duty. This is a late 99K series machine and it is fairly well optioned out with all the Cat extras including wheel weights. PHOTO: INTERNET
2. Cutting batters and side slopes is no problem for a motor grader. This Cat 12E is in operation in what was French Guyana and is cutting in a highway. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
52 www.contractormag.co.nz
While Adams’ and Austin-Western’s frames were removable, allowing the chosen tractor to be used for other things, Russell’s frame was a dedicated attachment and was part of the tractor. (Russell had actually built its first experimental self-propelled grader as early as 1919.) The hierarchy at Caterpillar began to take notice of the increase in sales of track type tractors to Russell and obviously saw the large potential opening up as sales of automobiles began to skyrocket. Accordingly, an approach was made to Russell about a buy out and in 1928 Russell became the first new acquisition of the fledgling Caterpillar Tractor Co. All of these early Russell/Caterpillar graders were attached to a track-type tractor, usually a gasoline-powered Caterpillar Twenty or TwentyEight. The rubber didn’t hit the road however until 1931, when, after much design and testing Caterpillar released its first all-rubber tyred grader, the No.9 “Auto patrol”. This was quite simply a revelation in road maintenance as the entire machine was built from the outset as a grader and not as a compromise of two types of machine. The No.9 was followed into production by the No.7, No.10 and No.11 Auto Patrols between 1932 and 1933. At this point in time, all Caterpillar’s graders had been gasoline powered but during 1934 the first of the Diesel Auto Patrols was introduced marking a major milestone in motor grader development and the existing gasoline powered machines were withdrawn from sale in favour of the vastly more economical diesels. Caterpillar produced its last gasoline-engined motor grader in 1947. It was discovered that two axle motor graders had a tendency to ‘lope’ (rock forward and
2
backward in motion) at higher speeds making smooth blading difficult so a move was made to tandem drive wheels which cured the problem and is why all Caterpillar motor graders have tandem drive to this day. The subject of our article, the No.12, was first introduced in 1938 powered by a 70 flywheel horsepower three-cylinder Caterpillar D6100 diesel engine and weighing about 9½ tons. It was known as the 9K series. This was manufactured right through WWII up until 1945 when it was replaced by the 7T series. Incorporating a few changes that had been shown to be necessary in service, the 7T series No.12 was only manufactured for two years before being replaced by the 8T series. Featuring a new diesel engine, the 100 flywheel horsepower four-cylinder Caterpillar D318, the 8T series No.12, which was introduced in 1947, struck the perfect balance for the time and well over 17,000 were manufactured. During its 10-year production life, the 8T No.12 was modified several times getting Cat’s famous oil clutch and receiving a couple of horsepower increases as well. A late production version of the 8T No.12 weighed approximately 11 tons and put out 115 flywheel horsepower. Demand for the No.12 was so high that a separate manufacturing line was established in Australia to produce them. These had the designation 94C series. By the end of 1957 it was obvious with the advances in technology that an upgrade of the No.12 was due. This took the form of the 80C and 70D series machines, still rated at 115 horsepower but with in-seat starting and a few more creature comforts. Weight of the machine had now risen to approximately 12 tons. These two machines were also only interim
3
types being phased out after only three years in production. The next version of the No.12 was a major redesign, the 12E which came along in 1959. Extremely popular and an excellent blading platform, the 12E featured for the first time, a six-cylinder engine, the model D333, de-rated to 115 horsepower. Operating weight was almost 13 tons. Last of the No.12 motor graders to feature direct mechanical operating controls (“wrist breakers”), the 12E was the epitome of a simple, well designed and easily maintained motor grader and operators and owners alike loved them. Another rework was made to the basic No.12 grader in 1965 resulting in the No.12F. This featured new power-assisted planetary operated blade controls and the D333 engine was boosted to 125 flywheel horsepower. Power steering was now standard rather than an option The 12F was the final variant of the No.12 grader to have a rigid straight through chassis, and is where we end this segment on the No.12 grader. All subsequent versions of the No.12 from the G series onwards have articulated frame steering and will be covered in a future article. An extremely versatile tool, the No.12 could be used for ditching, snow removal, haul road maintenance, county road rehabilitation and dozens of other uses and can truly be called a machine for all seasons! Why the No.12? Easy. Nothing to do with weight or horsepower – it simply referred to the width of the grader’s moldboard blade – 12 feet wide!
The New Zealand connection Up until the late 1950s, all versions of the Caterpillar No.12 could be found throughout the country and there were a lot of them. Then the government of the time put restrictions
4
on imported motor graders as Aveling-Barford had set up shop here and the government was “protecting local manufacture” which meant that unless you were the Ministry of Works, license to import a Cat grader (or any other brand for that matter) was a very uphill battle. That is why there are so few 12E and 12F graders in New Zealand compared to earlier versions. The relaxing of this dumb piece of legislation after 1980 allowed contractors free choice of what they wanted again.
For the Model Collector – Early No.12s Fortunately, there are several models of the No.12 available representing the machine across its career. In 1:87 scale there are two models – one by Norscot of the No.12 which isn’t too bad compared to other Norscot models (probably to do with the HCEA having a hand in supplying details). The other is made by Roco Minitanks of Germany and is currently out of production. It is a very good copy of a No.12 8T series and is all-plastic. To 1:50 scale there is the beautiful No.12F by Gescha. Regrettably this model is long out of production, hard to find and expensive but can be the basis for a very accurate model of the type if you add further detail. If money is no object there is the 1:24 scale No.12E by Classic Construction Models. Epitome of the model maker’s art, this brass/ white metal beauty will set you back over US$2500 + post and lacks nothing in detail. For your sandpit there is a 1:16 scale 8T series No.12 made by Reuhl in the USA. Considering it was cast in the early 1950s, it is a very well made model and not all that hard to obtain if you’re looking on eBay. So far no-one has a brought out a model of the very first No.12s, but time will tell.
3. On a Texas farm road project, an 8T series No.12 goes about its daily business. Most operators preferred to stand when operating a grader as it gave better visibility to the work area. It wasn’t until the advent of articulated frame machines and GPS/laser levelling that operators used them sitting down. The owner of this machine has quite a collection of older Cat equipment including several D9s. PHOTO: INTERNET
4. From your author’s collection of machinery are three examples of what is available in the form of No.12 Cat graders. In the foreground is the 1:87 Roco No.12, centre the 1:50 Gescha No.12F and at the back a 1:50 NZG No.12G for comparison. Apart from the 12F, the other two models are quite readily available as are later versions of the No.12 (12H & 12M). PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
OCTOBER 2017 53
CONTRACTOR BETTER BUSINESS PRACTICE
Equipment selection with the use of basic maths OREST PROTCH lives in British Columbia, Canada and works at a remote oil camp on a week in week
out rotation. In his free time he writes articles on better business. This one explains how you should use basic maths ideas to select between two types of heavy equipment. His example figures out the payback between a tandem axle or tri-axle water tanker truck, but the formula can be flipped to an excavator, dozer or a crane purchase or anything else for that matter.
I AM GOING TO start this article with a four letter word. If you are overly sensitive you may want to close your eyes while reading it and if you are holding a hot beverage, then taking safety first, put it down. Are you ready? MATH. I hope that got by the editor’s censor pen. [amended from now on to a five letter word: maths, Ed] While you settle your heart beat down and stop hyperventilating let’s continue and talk about two scenarios. But since they are related we will roll them into one as we go on. The first one, a two parter, is that you are an employee thinking or dreaming about starting your own contracting business. How do you convince a banker to lend you cash for your dream or perhaps convince a spouse to let you do it? How do you not lose what could be your life’s savings? And the more ambitious laid-off workers may be counting on their former contacts in industry to help justify starting up their own small entrepreneurial businesses to try and make a go of it as a way to make a living in tough economic times. The second is that you are already established in the field but are wondering why the business across the street is thriving, even during economic downturns, while yours is struggling or not meeting financial expectations. At the same time many of your competitors may still be adding to their fleets and succeeding in making money. Are their business skills maybe more astute or is that they are simply more attuned to the KISS principle of business success using maths tools, and that is what we are going to go over, the Keep It Simple Stupid principle. Hopefully no offence was taken as none was meant to 54 www.contractormag.co.nz
be given. So rolling these two scenarios together what we have is a topic about money. And to put it simply, if you do the maths you will make the money. And money is the honey that keeps us economically secure. And if you believe you can do it, then you will. But you have to have the real belief that you can make money. You have to see yourself doing it. We will work through some examples of what I am talking about so you can see it, because “teaching people to visualise an outcome is more effective than teaching people what to do.” Trying to convince a bank or other lender, or even a hesitant spouse, that you know what you are doing and getting the funds to support your venture can be a very scary proposition. This is especially true if you are putting your house or other personal chattels up as
collateral to get the loan to buy a piece of equipment. Equipment purchase justifications and decisions can keep many aspiring entrepreneur or manager up at nights. First you need to answer some questions: • Is the purchase required to help you start a new career? • Is the purchase required to replace an aging piece? • Is it needed to get a new contract? • Is it required to make an existing operation more efficient? • Do you buy used or do you buy new? There is one critical answer for one specific question that can help those being asked to finance the equipment, including getting approval from a spouse, and that is, “are you using the
correct maths tools to make and base your decisions on?” Justification to purchase mobile equipment, small or large, is in the end no different for a new small owner/ operator entrepreneur than it is for the purchase of equipment for a large multinational. They need the same monetary justification to make them profitable. So now let’s look at some examples of simple maths analysis to help make the selection between two pieces of equipment.
Normalised run calculations
where the cost of the two systems is identical. It can be used for tank trucks, cranes, dozers, skidders, harvesters, excavators, bobcats and flatbeds. Regardless if we use tonnage, volume, cubes or number of bucket scoops per day, we have to come up with our own uniform production rate that we will use to compare both used tank trucks. Once we do that we continue our little maths exercise. The spreadsheet then does what is called a “normalised run” calculation where it determines what it costs to do 1000 production units and then
extrapolates that to our total or expected units in the contract, in our example, over a 5 year period. (Figure 1) It can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make but in reality it is pretty straight forward. You can find the actual one critical break-even formula online or in a basic economics textbook. In our example the breakeven production is 240,000 cubes and so with a production need over five years of 220,000 cubes, tank truck B is unjustifiable as the breakeven point is above the number of production units in the potential contract. Tank truck A is
We will say that we need to select between two used tank trucks, as do not really want to buy a new one whose paint is still pristine. One is a two-axle unit (tandem) and the other a tri-axle unit. One can carry a bigger load than the other but also has more costs associated with it. We will call them Truck A and Truck B. Truck B costs more and its load capacity is greater but also has higher maintenance/servicing operating costs. This includes all costs such as fuel, oil changes, brake servicing, debt servicing and insurance. The big problem here is the same as the one you face when you walk up to a huge all-you-can-eat buffet. Our eyes are bigger than our stomach. In this case our eyes can be bigger than our potential profit generating centre. How do we make the right choice to maximise our profit and pay the bills? Work through the following chart, a simple spreadsheet. It is called a “Normalised Run” analysis. But the real limiting factor in the final selection is the “breakeven” amount which is the amount of unit production
Figure 1 : Spreadsheet that determines the “normalised run” to justify choosing between two potential investment purchases. OCTOBER 2017 55
CONTRACTOR BEST BUSINESS PRACTICE
Figure 2 : A spreadsheet that determines the “foregone investment loss” of any capital expenditure. It tells you if you are better off putting the money in the bank instead of buying a piece of equipment.
the more financially sound way to go. It will save approximately $95,000 over the five years we intend to own the truck. That is money that can be spent on more equipment, a new car or a family vacation. Money talks. The bigger truck may look like a better investment since it can carry more, but the numbers show the reality of the selection. A different contract may show that truck B is indeed justified. Do this calculation, while of course adding more realistic numbers to the actual real overhead per 1000 “units” of production, and you will go a long way to making your banker, and your spouse, see that you know what you are doing. It shows that you stepped away from the all-you-can-eat buffet and ended up taking a smaller plate back to your table. But another contract or a different set of circumstances may show that a bigger truck is needed especially if you want it to moonlight on a night shift on a different job. But as simple and nice as this sounds we still have to look at another maths analysis tool that is largely ignored by many small businesses and owner/ operators to their financial detriment and that is the “Foregone Investment” of the purchase. This is the money lost forever if we had invested the money to earn interest income instead of buying the equipment at this point of time. This is actually negative cash flow to a company’s accounts and you need to show it as a 56 www.contractormag.co.nz
negative to get a true picture of your financial status. Chances are your competition does not do this. But you should. Maybe talk to your accountant on the tax savings ramifications. They could be significant. Also each piece of equipment not only has a purchase price but at the term end of our example of five years it has a salvage value when it is sold or traded in. To an accountant this is also future income. (Figure 2) This should also show up in your income calculations over the length of the contract. Go through the following chart. If we were to take the purchase price of either piece of equipment and invest it in dividend paying stocks, and taking into account the borrowing interest rate and the salvage value of the systems, we come up with the sales cash flow needed for each unit to make the purchase more cost effective than investing the money to earn interest over the same life term as the contract time length. For Truck A we need to make a real profit of $18,000 a year, $20,000 for Truck B, just to be at the same “cash in the bank” if we had simply invested the money instead of buying the truck. That’s $90,000 and $102,000 over the five years of the contract. The last line also shows that Truck B would need to generate approx. $2,400 more cash flow profit yearly than the cheaper Truck A and this works out to approx. $12,000 over our term length for the work of five years.
So now this is where your personal accountant comes in to figure out if over the long term Truck B is actually more cost effective than Truck A. This comes down to how much you can charge for your services, what the competition is, and if your contacts will come together for you to help you make some money and pay the bills. The accountant will have to take into consideration such things as the tax laws of your country that you are working in, the tax credits for investment of equipment in your country and any available grant money available for equipment investment. “Foregone Investment” is a cash flow analysis that makes some businesses see black in their accounting books whereas the owner/operator across the street doing the same work sees red in their accounting books. Cash flows of all sorts needs to be taken into consideration to make money. Spreadsheets like the ones we just looked at make it easy to instantly see what happens when you manipulate your cost and production variables. It also gives you the tools needed to convince the bank or spouse to let you get on with the need of making money and paying the bills. Never underestimate the value of simple maths analysis to run your business and to maximise profits by ensuring you make the best financial decisions possible. Your bottom line depends on it.
“We have an increased productivity”
SINGLELINE AUTOMATIC LUBRICATION
Automatically lubricates better “Thanks to the Groeneveld automatic lubrication systems we’ve an increased productivity due to less downtime as a result of daily manual greasing. In addition, pin and bushing replacement is virtually eliminated. That significantly reduces maintenance downtime. So, for less costs we have improved uptime and availability of our machines and trucks. And last but not least we’re able to serve our customers in a better way,” Graham Eaton, Mechanical Engineer at Fulton Hogan.* * Read the full Fulton Hogan testimonial on groeneveld-lubrication-solutions.com
www.groeneveld.co.nz
CONTRACTOR INNOVATIONS
Komatsu’s new market innovation department Komatsu Australia has set up a new management team focusing on market innovation, building on the company’s information communications technology. Taking on the newly created position of Komatsu Australia’s general manager – Market Innovation is Todd Connolly (pictured). Connolly says his role had been designed to ensure that the company remains at the forefront of technology and innovation for the benefit of its customers. He said that by monitoring key machine, production and industry parameters across all Komatsu machines operating in the region through INSITE, the company has been able to harness the latest ICT (Information Communications Technology) to derive maximum customer benefits. “Through our market innovation initiative, we are now looking to take this to the next level,” he said. “Technical innovation really is at the core of our DNA. Globally, Komatsu says it invests says around A$600 million annually in innovative technology. In addition to the existing ICT platforms like KOMTRAX and CMS, the Market Innovation team will be responsible for the creation of a “digital blueprint” for the business, which will align Komatsu’s business objectives with its technical innovations. “As we’ve seen in many other industries, existing business models can be easily disrupted, so it’s critical that we continue to look at opportunities to enhance our products, services and processes,” he says. Connolly says a real-world example of the company’s more agile digital delivery model is Komatsu’s “Fix It First Time” (FIFT) approach, which it introduced in the middle of last year. “Under FIFT, our staff have all the data they need about a machine before they even leave for a site, so we can pre-diagnose machine condition, and take the appropriate skills and parts to the job, and fix the machine on the first visit. “In turn, that means we are reducing customers’ downtime, machines are back to work faster, we have lower costs of repair, and we can eliminate multiple travel trips. “And it’s just a first stage in our transition towards becoming a digitally enabled workforce, so that when a Komatsu technician arrives at a worksite, they can access all the information they need using tablets and other advanced technologies for instant diagnostics and better service delivery.” 58 www.contractormag.co.nz
The Bobcat E20 excavator There are a number of reasons that are attracting customers to the new Bobcat E20 excavator but for Auckland landscaper R Mildon Landscapes it was the reach of the digging arm. According to owner Richard Mildon, the Bobcat E20 excavator has the X-factor over most other competitor machines which in most cases have a shorter reach. “We do a lot of retaining wall work so the extra reach comes in real handy for backfilling on larger projects,” he says. “As well, the automatic swing brake in combination with the smooth hydraulics makes for precise and safe controllability.” The Bobcat E20 has an exceptional digging force and is more powerful than it looks. “It took out a tree stump recently which I didn’t think was possible. “Made short work of it, no worries. Our company recently acquired an auger attachment and has plans to add a power thumb and possibly a quick hitch or power tool.” R Mildon Landscapes is a paving and landscaping specialist that embraces all aspects of residential landscaping including paving, excavations, retaining walls, plant installation, decks, steps, fencing and ready lawn. The company has undertaken various commercial projects including Auckland’s Viaduct Precinct and contracting to various Auckland Council and City Care services. The company also contracts to numerous civil works firms throughout the greater Auckland area. The Bobcat E20 has undergone some major changes in recent times with a redesign to the machine weight. As well as amendments to some of the other specifications, practical steps have also been undertaken to ensure that it meets the maximum requirement for legal towing behind a utility vehicle. Other modifications have also been made to ensure the Bobcat E20 excavator has a competitive edge when it comes to lifting, digging and operator comfort. This new generation of Bobcat E20 excavator features a complete new hydraulic system, increasing reliability, efficiency and precision control, yet retaining the well-known Bobcat digging and lifting power. The new engine models provide an optimum match for the refined hydraulic system, resulting in lower fuel burn. Foremost amongst the many exceptional features of Bobcat is the retractable undercarriage which reduces the Bobcat Excavator E20’s width to less than one metre for working in confined areas. With operator and machine safety in mind, the Bobcat E20 excavator has a strong bodywork and counterweight that gives operators the best protection possible. The operator station meets demands for increased room, comfort, and visibility. With generous entry and egress it’s no wonder more and more contractors are getting into a Bobcat mini excavator. For more information contact AB Equipment on 0800 30 30 90.
INNOVATIONS CONTRACTOR
One up for Doosan Luke Glamuzina of Glamuzina Contractors has chosen a new 30 tonne Doosan DX300LC excavator after being in and around diggers and other earthmoving machinery since the age of three. He learned how to drive an excavator while still at school and with the money earned from odd jobs bought a small excavator at the age of 15. His first job was to dig out a rose bush which earned him $70. Fast forward several years and Luke now has a fleet of 22 machines where the majority of his work involves motorway and subdivision work. “I’ve always been a bit sceptical about Korean manufactured excavators but my curiosity was aroused when I was looking to add a 30 tonne excavator to our fleet,” says Luke. “I had pretty much made up my mind when I was offered an opportunity by AB Equipment to visit the Doosan factory in Korea. “The trip served to confirm my original feelings that the Doosan
DX300LC would be a great asset for our company. “I already have a couple of 20 tonne machines but the 30 tonne is proving it’s worth by providing greater efficiencies on the larger jobs.” Based in Auckland’s Kumeu, Glamuzina Contractors is currently working on the first stages of the Puhoi to Wellsford northern motorway extension where the DX300LC will be used for bulk earthmoving. “The DX300LC is great value for money and comes with a fouryear/8000-hour factory warranty. Other features I like about this excavator are its low operating costs and its great fuel economy. It’s also very comfortable and has many safety features including an ISO certified integral ROPS cabin with factory fitted FOPS/OPS guards,” says Luke. For more information contact AB Equipment on 0800 30 30 90.
Miller comes full circle The UK Miller brand, which supplies quick hitch coupler requirements, first gained inspiration from a novel Kiwi idea back in the 1980s. Now, a few decades on, it is represented here by Nimrod Engineering as its sole distributor. Miller started out with two brothers (and later a sister) as a welding and engineering business in the late 1970s in the UK. It was in 1987 that a novel idea from here pushed the small but growing company into leading the field with its quick coupler (so called because it reduced bucket and attachment changeover to seven seconds).
Then in 1998 Miller produced the first ever coupler that could pick up multiple pin centres, enabling it to pick up a range of attachments from different machine manufacturers, as well as being fully automatic so that the operator didn’t have to get out of the cab to put in the locking pin. These became the couplers that are factory fitted at CAT and other OEMs. A further major invention of Miller’s is the TwinLock – a coupler which locks both back and front pins independently, produced in 2012. This has since morphed into the PowerLatch, Miller’s flagship coupler. OCTOBER 2017 59
CONTRACTOR INNOVATIONS
Metso invests in growth Metso is throwing a lot of investment into its Lokotrack crushing plant factory at Tampere in southern Finland. The capacity of the factories will be increased with a new production line for Lokotrack mobile crushing plants. The investment of about one million euros will significantly shorten the delivery times of equipment models put into line assembly production, says Mimico, the distributor of Metso in New Zealand. The construction work for the new line starts soon with the first new Lokotrack equipment coming off the line in the first quarter of 2018. The Speedline 1 assembly line currently in use at Metso’s Tampere factory produces in each working shift one Compact series mobile crusher weighing about 50 tonnes. The new Speedline 2 line will increase the theoretical capacity by more than 30 percent, says Metso. “The delivery times of equipment models implemented on a line assembly method instead of today’s fixed assembly method will be significantly reduced,” says project manager says Juha Erkkila. “At the same time, we will release plenty 60 www.contractormag.co.nz
Juha Erkkila, manager of Speedline 2 project.
In the future, motors will also be assembled next to the new Speedline 2 so that all components to be installed in Lokotrack equipment will be in the same hall.
of space for assembling the largest crusher and Lokotrack models in fixed assembly locations. “Due to the increasing demand for trackmounted mobile crushing plants, heavier and more complex models, will also be manufactured on Speedline 2 in addition to the current large volume models. A new elevated gangway will also be built
in the project, allowing visitors to view the operations in the factory more safely and fluently, he adds. The investment comes after 30 years of Lokotrack product development for mobile crushing plants by Metso. Production includes its ‘Urban’ series aimed at use in densely populated areas and even city centers, which was launched earlier this year.
INNOVATIONS CONTRACTOR
Vermeer Horizontal Grinder arrives Today’s land-clearing contractors require equipment that can get the job done effectively and efficiently, while maintaining minimal disruption to the natural environment and keeping projects on schedule for the work that follows. The Vermeer HG4000TX horizontal grinder is built tough and offers a variety of configurations to suit large land clearing municipal waste and composting operations. The grinders feature optional length feed tables and Thrown Object Deflectors (TOD) that reduce the quantity and distance of thrown debris. Self-propelled track grinders are highly manoeuvrable and are controlled by a wireless remote, which enables them to work on uneven terrain jobsites and land-clearing projects.
Increased productivity is achieved through Vermeer’s exclusive Smart Grind system that automatically controls grinding speed based on engine rpm levels. Improved cutting performance is also attained using the patented Duplex double drum system with reversible hammers and cutter blocks that extend maintenance intervals and nearly double the replacement wear life. Vermeer, as an American industrial and agricultural equipment manufacturing company manufactures machines that have a real impact in a progressing world. More information from AB Equipment. Phone on 021 367 889 or contact your local AB Equipment branch.
New dust fighters The Dust Fighter range of dust control units has been extended with the addition of two new models. Smaller and more portable, the DF Smart and the DF Mini Duo are specifically designed for indoor and outdoor applications and are the latest answer to the increasing problem of dangerous workplace air particles. The DF Smart Dust Control unit is the smallest model of the Dust Fighter range and is designed for outdoor jobs. Extremely light an easily portable it can be used in a lot of different applications on small working areas. The DF Smart fan without wind can disperse a fine mist of water up to 13 metres horizontally capturing dust particles and delivering them to the ground. This unit requires a standard hose connection and single-phase power. The DF Mini Duo is a special version of the DF Mini that is equipped with a second head on a tripod. Designed to work together or alternatively, the Mini DF Duo is supplied with three different nozzles
which makes it ideal for indoor works like indoor demolitions and renewals. It is also great for asbestos removal, since the absence of a fan allows the operator to suppress the asbestos dust without moving it in the air. The DF Mini Duo uses an on-board tank for water supply or can be attached to a normal hose supply. It runs off 240V single phase. Imported into New Zealand by Youngman Richardson Co, the Dust Fighter is a product that has been developed by Italian manufacturer DF Ecology for use by demolition contractors, recycling and construction companies. For more information call 09 443 2436, or for South Island enquiries, 03 341 6923. OCTOBER 2017 61
CONTRACTOR CIVIL CONTRACTORS NEW ZEALAND
CCNZ update Welcome to new members
WorkSafe says take immediate action to manage known risks
• Huband Contractors, Northland Branch • Jacksco Civil, Auckland Branch
Services to Industry recognised CCNZ recognised four people at its conference in early August for their service to the organisation and industry.
Cos Bruin was awarded a Life Membership of CCNZ recognising his work as a member and chair of Roading NZ, executive member CCNZ and in particular the work he did to bring Roading NZ and Contractors Federation together. Industry Service Awards were presented to the following people for their outstanding industry contribution; Graham Darlow, Bernard Higgins and Roger McRae.
New CCNZ Subcontract Agreement available The new CCNZ Subcontract Agreement template, which has
been reviewed and updated in association with Kensington Swan, is now available free of charge to CCNZ members. Based on NZS3910, we encourage all contractors to use the document. To obtain an electronic copy with editable fields email tricia@civilcontractors.co.nz
Contractors welcome infrastructure promises – with caveats In late August CCNZ issued a media release welcoming the
political parties’ announcements on infrastructure investment and adding that any incoming government needs to improve procurement systems and shine light on “the poor cousin” of infrastructure, our three waters systems.
CCNZ submission: Wellington Water – Contractor Panel, Service Delivery Strategy Following discussion with a group of Wellington Branch
members CCNZ has put forward a submission in response to the Wellington Water Workshop on the Contractor Panel – Service Delivery Strategy held in late July. To read the full submission go to CCNZ’s website at www.nzcontractors.co.nz
Businesses must immediately action the management of their known risks – identifying and listing them is not enough, says WorkSafe New Zealand. This follows the first sentencing under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 of Budget Plastics Ltd for health and safety breaches after a worker’s hand was dragged into a machine while he was pouring recycled plastic into it on 6 April 2016. Budget Plastics appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on 23 May 2017 for sentencing, and in a judgment released yesterday the court fined the company $100,000 and ordered reparation of $37,500. WorkSafe General Manager Operations and Specialist Services, Brett Murray, said; “The lesson here is to fix machinery as soon as risks are identified. If you can’t fix it, then take it out of service until it is safe to use. “The company identified issues with the guarding on this machine six weeks before the incident, and yet at the time of the incident, nothing had been done to guard, or isolate the machine.”
Got A Trade Got It Made The 2017 Got A Trade Got It Made week is over, but the impact of the campaign, which speaks to young people – aged 16-24 years, and key influencers, including parents, teachers and careers advisors goes on. There are some great resources for parents, teachers and the media on the Got a Trade Website www.goatrade.com There are also profiles of young people who have taken up trades, including: • Stacey Walker, Laboratory Technician for Fulton Hogan in Waikato • Mike, a Construction Supervisor for Fletchers • Alex, who works in civil construction for Downer NZ.
A DV E RT I S ERS I NDEX AB Equipment
11
Hirepool OBC
Synergy Positioning
CablePrice 9
Loadscan 25
Teletrac Navman
49
CCNZ 44
MEIWA (NZ)
39
Tidd Ross Todd
17
Connexis 47
Osborne Sales & Lease
27
Transdiesel 37
Contrafed Publishing
Power Equipment
23
TRS Tyre & Wheel
Gough Group Groenveld Lubricants
62 www.contractormag.co.nz
41 5 57
Powerpac 29
Wirtgen NZ
Prime Pump
Youngman Richardson
34-35
6
15 OFC, IFC, 18, 19 7
LAST WORD IN PICTURES Workers Geovert, a specialist in ground engineering, anchoring the face at the old basalt quarry in Lunn Avenue, Mount Wellington, Auckland. Once the country’s largest quarry with an annual output in excess of two million tonnes, the 110-hectare quarry site was re-developed into Stonefields, with hosuing for 6500 people and a school for 500 kids. The project was was completed in 2012. Photo by Kade Croft, Geotechnics.
OCTOBER 2017 63
We’ll keep you moving...
Hirepool offers a wide range of light commercial and passenger vehicles on short or long term hire for your civil construction projects. With branches right across New Zealand and a range that includes 4WD SUV’s, 4WD flatdeck and canopy utes, cargo vans, mini-vans, tipper trucks, flatdeck trucks and more, we’ll keep you moving…..
hirepool.co.nz | 0800 15 15 15