NEW ZEALAND’S CIVIL CONTRACTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2016 $8.95
Appreciating pure grunt A new Hitachi ZX200LC-5 excavator makes short work of bulk earthworks
INSIDE: The making of the middle – Christchurch’s RoNS Western Corridor Hunua 4 changes its strategy around community engagement Digging by remote – a world-first innovation from Christchurch NEC3 or NZS:3910? An old industry debate over contracts continues
OFFER EXTENDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND OFFER VALID WHILE STOCKS LAST
// L I G H T C O N S T R U C T I O N E X C AVAT O R S With an extensive history of quality engineering and innovation, the new Hitachi mini excavators have evolved to deliver a new level of precision, power and productivity.
ZX17U-5 / ZX26U-5
ZX33U-5 / ZX38U-5 / ZX48U-5 / ZX55U-5 / ZX65USB-5
(New Models)
120315_Hitachi_Light_Excavators_V2
SPECIFICATIONS MAKE
MODEL
WEIGHT kg
WIDTH Blade mm
BUCKET m3
DIG DEPTH mm
BREAKOUT kgf
POWER hp @ rpm
FLOW L/min
Hitachi
ZAXIS 17U-5
1880
980/1280
0.044
2190
1630
14.4 @ 2400
2 x 19.2
Hitachi
ZAXIS 26U-5
2570
1500
0.06
2590
2300
19.7 @ 2200
2 x 35.2/ 1 x 17.6
Hitachi
ZAXIS 33U-5
3510
1550
0.11
3130
2770
28.4 @ 2400
2 x 38.4/ 1 x 22.8
Hitachi
ZAXIS 38U-5
3960
1740
0.11
3460
2760
28.4 @ 2400
2 x 38.4/ 1 x 22.8
Hitachi
ZAXIS 48U-5
4900
1960
0.13
3630
3270
37.8 @ 2400
120
Hitachi
ZAXIS 55U-5
5210
2000
0.13
3830
3760
37.8 @ 2400
120
Hitachi
ZAXIS 65USB-5
6470
2000
0.18
4120
4190
45.7 @ 2000
144
For more information please contact your local CablePrice branch or visit www.cableprice.co.nz. Models shown are for illustration purposes only and may or may not include options available in New Zealand. Weights noted are for cabin units. (Excludes ZX17U-5 and ZX26U-5)
0800 555 456 sales@cableprice.co.nz www.cableprice.co.nz
UPFRONT CONTRACTOR
INSIDE: Regulars 6 Editorial 8 Upfront 12 Contractors’ Diary 14 On the Cover 58 Classic Machines 62 Motoring 64 Innovations 66 Civil Contractors NZ update 66 Advertisers index
Comment
44 Highlights / Features 18 GEM Awards
The NZTA Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Awards are a way for the agency to celebrate its contractors’ and consultants’ successes.
24 People – Brad Day
In 2014 Brad Day won the Warren Drake Memorial Trainee of the Year Award. Contractor caught up with Brad recently.
26 The making of the middle
Part two of a three-part series on the three RoNS Christchurch Western Corridor projects. A new Hitachi ZX200LC-5 excavator is making short work of most of the earthworks at the Haywoods’ Interchange.
Auckland’s Watercare called for ideas and innovation to soften the impact on communities of its massive infrastructure building projects.
54 Peter Silcock CCNZ 55 Tommy Parker NZTA 56 Jonathan Bhana-Thomson Heavy Haulage Association 57 John Pfahlert Water New Zealand
38 Luxury load
Legal
52 Contracts best practice
16 Stuart Robertson & Sam McCutcheon Kensington Swan
ON THE COVER
32 Hunua 4, taking in communities
The Great South Pacific Express was recently transported
See page 14
from Australia to Peru to become a luxurious tourist train.
44 Digging by remote
The Canterbury earthquakes have generated a major technological breakthrough in digger operations.
48 Innovative in-ground engineering
Richard Silcock provides some insight into the technology and the projects in innovative in-ground engineering.
A workshop for NEC3 contracts project managers rekindled an old industry debate and dilemma over contracts.
Profile 22 Brian Warren New Civil Contractors NZ president Brian Warren is on a mission to maximise the benefits from the recent merger between the old Contractors’ Federation with Roading New Zealand.
22
26
48 NOVEMBER 2016 5
CONTRACTOR EDITORIAL
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
Necessity’s mother is very clever Times of upheaval, stress, chaos and war have always been good for innovation, though the latter’s contribution was of course more often designed to kill us rather than improve our lives. So six years ago when Christchurch was waiting for the dust to settle from one earthquake, not knowing if (and as it turned out when) the next “big one” would hit, there were probably few who would have been able to predict just where the opportunities for innovation would come from. In this issue we have two such examples. On page 44 there’s the story of Gerard Daldry of ProTranz. Hugh de Lacy writes, “He got the heave-ho from Ashburton High School at 15 for an unscholarly interest in explosives, but Gerard Daldry’s limited formal education didn’t stop him developing the world’s first remote-controlled diggers”. When others were stumped, Daldry set about finding a way to demolish houses perched precariously on cliffs; too dangerous to tackle from either above or below. The interest in his remote-controlled diggers is now such that he’s made eight trips to Europe in the past two years, and has also visited Nepal to offer solutions to challenging demolition problems in Kathmandu, which was smashed by earthquakes last year. Another earthquake-inspired innovation used in Christchurch recently came from Japan. JOG (jacking on grout) is a “computerised relevelling system that involves, in sequence and in rapid succession, inert cementitious grout or resin being injected at a number of strategically arranged locations into the ground beneath the concrete slab foundations”. Well, how else would you lift and relevel the 33,000 tonne, 6500 square metre Christchurch Art Gallery? Full details from Richard Silcock on page 49. Christchurch also features in part two of our look at progress on the RoNS Western Corridor on page 26, news of two infrastructure developments (central’s “East Frame” and Sumner Road repairs) on page 8, and we profile Christchurch local Brian Warren who recently took over as chair of Civil Contractors NZ. Further north, on page 32 we’ve got a full update on Auckland’s 32-kilometre, $400 million Hunua 4 freshwater pipeline upgrade. Watercare has been digging up Auckland’s back yard since 2008; but as things got closer to downtown, with increased housing density and traffic to manage, the council-controlled organisation found it had to take a new approach to its community engagement. From recent obscurity (bordering on secrecy), Watercare has thrown back the black-out curtains on one of Auckland’s largest infrastructure developments to date. And with a planned $4.9 billion spend over the next
GENERAL MANAGER & EDITOR Kevin Lawrence DDI: 09 636 5710 Mobile: 021 512 800 Email: kevin@contrafed.co.nz EDITORIAL MANAGER Alan Titchall DDI: 09 636 5712 Mobile: 027 405 0338 Email: alan@contrafed.co.nz REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Malcolm Abernethy, Mary Searle Bell, Richard Campbell, Hugh de Lacy, Cameron Officer, Richard Silcock, Chris Webb. 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
10 years, there’s much more of that to come in future issues of Contractor.
Civil Contractors NZ www.civilcontractors.co.nz
Kevin Lawrence, Editor
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 6 www.contractormag.co.nz
SEMI-AUTONOMOUS GRADE CONTROL. UP TO
30% FASTER.
TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE
NEW CAT® F SERIES HYDRAULIC EXCAVATOR TECHNOLOGY DOES MORE FOR YOU Delivering a new standard in excavator technology with options including: • Cat GRADE with Assist – for semi-autonomous grading that’s faster and more accurate • Improved fuel consumption of up to 25% • Up to 5% greater fluid efficiency with Tier 4 Final engine • GRADE and PAYLOAD Technology – for increased accuracy and productivity • LINK technologies – instantly access machine data remotely
To find out more contact us today or visit GoughCat.co.nz/F-Series All results based on internal studies undertaken by Caterpillar.
YOUR GOUGH CAT MACHINE SALES TEAM - BY REGION
Northland Jimmy Brewin 021 860 074
East Cape, Hawkes Bay & Wairarapa Heath Stewart 029 247 3929
Auckland Bryce Mason 021 682 403 Waikato James West 029 299 8909
Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast Scott Bonnington 029 200 8382 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
Taranaki, Manawatu & Wellington Carl Southee 021 981 850
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Christchurch’s east frame Work has started on developing new public spaces in central Christchurch’s east frame, with the $22 million project creating park-like spaces around and between a $800 million apartment and terraced townhouse development that are planned for the frame. The work will be done by council-owned City Care in a joint venture with privately-owned civil construction company JFC. The east frame will occupy the five blocks bordered by Manchester, Madras, Armagh and Lichfield streets, between the Margaret Mahy playground at one end and the innovation precinct
at the other. Running for 660 metres north to south, the public area will include landscaped green areas and paving, lighting, walking and cycle tracks. Otakaro, the Crown company delivering the city’s rebuild anchor projects, says the project should be finished in early 2018. Fletcher Living has the contract to develop the east frame’s 940 homes over eight years, but has not announced when construction will start. The homes will be built in 14 complexes within three neighbourhoods.
Sumner Road project starts Sumner Road from Evans Pass to Lyttelton has been closed since the February 2011 earthquake, but repair work started in September to mitigate the geohazard risks around Crater Rim Bluffs at the top of the road. As the first stage towards re-opening the vital link, work is being undertaken by McConnell Dowell, partnering with Beca, Doug Hood Mining and Geovert. Works includes source rock deconstruction by scaling the upper reaches of the Crater Rim Bluffs, with a 400-metre long, 15-metre wide catch bench constructed at the base of the bluffs to protect the road below from rockfall. A rock bund has also been constructed in Double Gully to the west of the Crater Rim Bluffs to capture rockfall from the bluffs. The bund will be several metres high and 50 metres long, and covered with basalt cobbles to reflect the basalt stone walls in the area. To minimise environmental impacts and reduce cost, the existing road will now be used as a ‘haul road’ for transporting excess rock from the excavation of the bench, and structural repairs will be completed under the existing road. Using the existing road rather than constructing a separate haul road also makes a start on the repair work required to return the road to two-lane use. After the geotechnical risk mitigation work is completed, the next stage of work will involve investigating the extent of the damage 8 www.contractormag.co.nz
to retaining walls along the road. The road will then be repaired and reinstated. At this stage, it’s expected that the road will reopen in 2018. The Sumner Road reopening project is jointly funded by the NZ Transport Agency, which is funding 83 percent of the project, and Christchurch City Council. Sumner Road is recognised as a lifeline route for Christchurch, an economically important link between Lyttelton Port and the city, and a popular recreational space for tourists and locals. Sumner Road is also one of four projects within the SumnerLyttelton Corridor programme, which aim to mitigate geohazard risks to road users and return the road corridor between the Sumner side of the causeway and Lyttelton to its pre-quake level of service. Work on the other three projects – Moa Bone Point, Wakefield Avenue and Shag Rock Reserve – is said to be progressing well.
Causeway nearly complete
Susan Huria
Brian Steele
Connexis board changes Connexis, the Industry Training Organisation for New Zealand’s infrastructure industry, has recently farewelled two of its longstanding board members and welcomed two new directors. Joining Connexis are Susan Huria, who brings with her a strong background in governance roles and governance learning and development, and Brian Steele, whose professional experience includes strategy, planning, corporate finance and governance. Susan is chairman of Veterinary Enterprises Group and a director of Ngai Tahu Property and Marsden Maritime Holdings. After a career in a number of corporates in marketing related roles, she has spent the past two decades in governance roles in the private and public sector. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a member of the IoD Auckland committee. Susan says, “I was interested to join Connexis after sitting on an appointment panel for another Industry Training Organisation. From that assignment I learnt about the work done with employers and the challenges ahead for the workforce. “As a director of Ngai Tahu Property we work with the civil and construction sector and support Maori trade training initiatives in a small way. We intend to do more and my aim is to understand where I might be able to best contribute.” Brian says, “I’m a passionate supporter of education to improve life outcomes, especially where the results of which underpin the core infrastructure of our future. From non-executive learning roles with IoD Limited, Software Education, MUSAC, Kineo Pacific and Long Cloud Youth Theatre, I look forward to sharing experiences.” Susan and Brian replace outgoing board members Alister Harlow and Don Tilbrook. After many years of service with Connexis and InfraTrain, Alister Harlow of the NZ Roadmarkers Federation Inc retired from the board late last year. Don Tilbrook of Brian Perry Civil also stepped down after his term of service ended in June this year.
The new Causeway section of Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway with four new traffic lanes is mostly finished, ahead of the completion of the Waterview Connection early next year. The project has involved almost four years of construction and many roading lane switches and layout changes. The final road surfacing will be carried out over summer and through the night to reduce the impact on road and bus users. The Causeway project has widened and raised 4.8 kilometres of motorway by 1.5 metres to prevent flooding on the lanes from the nearby marine reserve during spring tides. It is also a key component in completing Auckland’s Western Ring Route.
Scania’s truck clock Tick, tock, truck. Scania has taken on the toughest challenge of them all – the race against time. A challenge that involved 14 trucks having to keep track of every second. Literally. At a deserted airfield in the middle of nowhere, Scania set out to create a gigantic clock made out of trucks – one that would run for 24 hours straight. The clock was filmed using five different cameras, which allows viewers to switch between different angles on the website. Visitors to the site can also learn more about the project and the new generation of Scania trucks and services. Check it out at: scaniaclock.com
NOVEMBER 2016 9
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Dear Editor Our latest hard copy of the Contractor and Q&M magazines arrived, and as usual I went straight to the Quarrying and Mining copy and read that from cover to cover and then moved on to the Contractor magazine just to look at what machinery and systems are available today. After being in this business for over 50 years, I have seen a lot of machinery come and go but your celebration of the 40-year first issue of Contractor magazine particularly interested me. The article on the Kiwi Point site showed the Terex dozers – 82-20 and the 82-30 – doing their work and reminded me that we have been advocates of the Terex brand back in the ’70s as well. For many years we used the Terex 82-40, and the 82-30/ C6. We didn’t have the luxury of purchasing them new, but we certainly made them work and we still have the 82-40 perhaps as sentimental value these days. The advertisement on page 30 for the Fiat Allis loader also struck a cord with me because the very first pivot-steered loader that we ever purchased back in the early ’70s was a Fiat-Allis 545 – purchased from CablePrice. We went on to purchase several more of these machines as well as several Fiat Allis 645 machines. They have all been replaced over the years, but even today 40 years later we still have an operating Fiat Allis 545 loader that will not die. The real surprise for me in this issue however, was the Classic Machine write-up about the Caterpillar 639D machine and our company’s involvement with this. Imagine my joy! The beauty of this machine (and yes, it still operates and is the main machine for our unique quarry at Hatuma) is that it is a one
machine/one man operation and is the sole provider of limestone from our quarry into our sheds. The resource is such that this machine picks up an easy 1500 tonnes per day in the height of summer and deposits into our sheds without the need for diggers or dump trucks, and yes, it is an impressive sight when she is earning her keep. We have replaced motors and transmissions since we purchased it in 2002, but even with this expense, she is still the most efficient machine that we have for the work that is required. Caterpillar still has every part that we need – pretty good service for such a unique and classic machine. The International 444 elevating scraper is still working and does some of the preparatory work for the Cat, and yes, we still use the Michigan 110HTs also for preparing the quarry. These days these machines are used for training as well, as working a quarry using the elevating scrapers is a specialised job and demands a reliable skill set. We will frame this article and put it in our staffrooms and the drivers both past and present will take particular pride in their involvement with these machines, and I shall go out now in the glorious spring day and give each of these machines a pat, thank them for their past and ask them to get us through another season without any major breakdowns. Thank you for the marvellous write up and the luxury of being able to reminisce without condescension. Clifford Topp Managing director, Hatuma Lime Company
Important change to the CCA retention regime The Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA) was amended in 2015. The amendments came (and will come) into effect in three tranches: from December 1 2015 (miscellaneous changes), from September 1 2016 (adding engineers, designers and quantity surveyors) and from March 31 2017 (in relation to retentions). The December 2015 and September 2016 changes only applied to contracts that were entered into or renewed on or after those dates. The final tranche of changes that will come into effect from the end of March 2017 are the new retentions regime. This regime will require all retention money withheld under commercial construction contracts to be held on trust. The purpose is to better protect retention money owed to contractors and subcontractors in the event of a business failure. The regime further requires retention money to be held as liquid assets, proper accounting records must be kept, and retention money can be co-mingled with other moneys. Regulations are required to accompany these amendments, because it is currently unclear how certain aspects of the new regime will function in practice. Those regulations are being worked on. Kensington Swan identified a flaw in the transitional provisions of the 2015 amendment act, such that as of March 31 2017 even retentions held on current contracts that were entered into prior to 10 www.contractormag.co.nz
March 31 2017, would have to be held on trust as that date. Kensington Swan advised CCNZ of its views, including a draft clause to rectify this so that the retentions would only be held on trust in relation to new contracts after March 31 2017. CCNZ forwarded this on to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, but was told the Government would not entertain a further amendment to the CCA. On October 13, the Government introduced a bill to Parliament amending the 2015 amendment act to confirm that the provisions relating to retention money will not apply to contracts signed before March 31 2017. The Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Bill clarifies that the retention money provisions will only apply to contracts entered into or renewed on or after March 31 2017. The Bill is yet to be passed into legislation, so in the interim the status quo should be assumed – that as at March 31 2017 all current retentions will need to be held on trust. This is a great win for CCNZ members. If you have any questions regarding the Bill or the amendments to the CCA, don’t hesitate to contact Stuart Robertson, Partner, Auckland, on 09 375 1151 stuart.robertson@kensingtonswan.com; or Helen Brown, Special Counsel, Wellington, on 04 498 0834 helen.brown@ kensingtonswan.com.
UPFRONT CONTRACTOR
Alternate SH1 route for HPMVs High Productivity Motor Vehicles travelling through the central North Island now have an alternate route between Tokoroa and Turangi if State Highway 1 is closed and can use SH32 and SH41 on the western side of Lake Taupo. This newly opened route joins the recent opening to HPMVs of SH5 and SH1B in the Waikato, and the Waihi end of the BOP SH2 route to Tauranga. The Transport Agency is carrying out strengthening works on the SH1Tongariro bridge at Turangi to ensure it will continue to be fit for use by HPMVs into the future. The HPMV SH32-SH41 Bypass route will be added to existing permits with a permit addendum issued from the Waikato / Bay of Plenty Transport Agency permitting office.
Site Safe award finalists A suicide prevention programme, a health and safety app, and a pioneering approach to removing asbestos are a few of the innovative ideas recognised at this year’s Site Safe Construction Health and Safety Awards. There are 13 finalists for the 2016 awards, which help to promote health and safety in the construction industry, while acknowledging people, sites and businesses that are demonstrating excellence in the areas of leadership, innovation and contribution. Winners in each category will receive an award trophy, a $1000 gift certificate from the award category sponsor, and will have their case study published by Site Safe. The awards will be presented at Site Safe’s Evening of Celebration at Alexandra Park in Auckland on November 9, in conjunction with the 2016 Site Safe Certificate in Construction Site Safety graduation ceremony. The Vertical Horizonz Safety Innovation Award for Large Business (over 50 employees) finalists are: Fara Engineering; Fletcher Construction; and Fulton Hogan/John Holland joint venture. The Unitec Safety Innovation Award for Small to Medium Business (up to 50 employees) finalists are: AGL Scaffolding & Rigging; and Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ. The WorkSafe NZ Safety Contribution Award (individual or small team) finalists are: Nancy Maessen from Althern Taranaki; Jo Prigmore and Neill Kydd from Fulton Hogan, Malborough; Ray Patrick of Fulton Hogan; and Peter Breakwell from Powerworx. The Safety Leadership Award (small, medium or large business) finalists are: Fulton Hogan/John Holland joint venture; Greg Wallace of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ; Mackays to Peka Peka Alliance; and NETcon.
Research into stress Steve Elms is a Masters student at Massey University looking to recruit participants for a survey looking into effects of support on reducing stress and burnout in construction project managers and supervisors. Although stress is a common condition, says Steve, it is often misunderstood. “Many of these misunderstandings are down to the nature of stress. Stress affects everyone in different ways; it has an individualistic nature and is not always negative. “Although construction is acknowledged as a stressful industry, globally there is little widely published academic research into stress in relation to project managers within this industry.” Steve says if the findings of his survey add to the academic conversation around stress within the construction industry, then he will endeavour to get the research published in an internationally peer reviewed journal. “Overall, my goal is to broaden the conversation about stress and the role that support plays in either increasing or decreasing it,” he says. His study is being conducted via an online survey that takes 10-15 minutes to complete. For more information, contact Steve by email Steve.Elms.1@uni.massey.ac.nz, or take the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/L562N6G.
Motu Bridge replacement The $6.5 million Motu Bridge replacement project near Gisborne has started under the government’s Accelerated Regional Roading Programme. The current bridge, built in the 1930s, is the last remaining one-lane bridge on State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Opotiki. This route is heavily relied upon for the movement of freight, for tourism, and for local people. Currently, when the bridge is closed commuters are forced to travel an extra two hours via the East Cape along State Highway 5, causing delays for freight and the local farming community. The full project, including realignment of the approaches to the bridge, and the removal of the old bridge, is scheduled for completion by early 2018.
HEB starts on waterfront project Mount Maunganui-based HEB Construction has been appointed to begin work on the revamp of Tauranga Waterfront by the local city council. The contractor will build 49 metres of new tidal stairs, a 27 metre pier and 24x3 metre pontoon at the waterfront with a contract valued at $2.8 million. Jaine Lovell-Gadd, general manager – city transformation, says an extended timeframe for construction had been agreed on and construction began at the end of last month. Based on current construction timeframes, assuming no significant weather-related delays, construction would be completed and the new facilities would be open to the public by Easter with a public event. NOVEMBER 2016 11
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Outstanding in her field
Motorway a shining light for tribal art The new Te Atatu Road pedestrian overbridge on Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway has become a shining light for local artwork. The bridge was upgraded as part of the Transport Agency’s improvements to the State Highway 16 Interchange. “This is the first time lighting has been used in this way on the Auckland motorway network,” says Brett Gliddon, the Transport Agency’s Auckland highway manager. The agency commissioned designer Reuben Kirkwood to incorporate a cultural perspective into the look of the new interchange. “The taniko pattern which is based on a Maori weaving design has been a really popular feature of the new cycling and pedestrian underpasses and it’s great we can now include it in a way that people using the motorway can enjoy too,” says Gliddon. Some 132 coloured LED panels sit inside the bridge’s metal balustrade and will light up the pattern for motorists heading westbound on the motorway at night. The lighting, which will usually be coloured blue or green to tie in with the colour theme of the noise walls along the motorway, will be monitored and controlled by staff at the Transport Operation Centre. The Te Atatu Interchange Upgrade was formally opened by the Minister of Transport, Simon Bridges, in May this year and is a key component of the 48-kilometre long Western Ring Route.
Helen Slattery, Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) board member and partner in Matamatabased Slattery Contracting, is the first female in the sector to gain a National Certificate in Infrastructure Works Supervision Level 5. “What Helen has achieved is not only great for her, but the whole rural contracting sector,” says RCNZ trainer/assessor Noel Blackwell. He says, as RCNZ’s trainer/assessor, he has evaluated many training achievements over the years and he has found Helen’s work to be highly professional and that it was easy to assess the evidence she supplied. “In this modern world of professional business, what Helen has achieved has put a sign out there that says: ‘Rural Contractors are professionals’,” Noel says. “Helen has led the way and I know that there are other rural contractors who are doing many of the Connexis [the ITO for infrastructure industries] National Certificates. This will only help the rural contracting industry.” Helen and husband Roger run Slattery Contracting in Matamata, which undertakes hay, silage, cultivation and a number of other rural contracting services. RCNZ chief executive Roger Parton says it is a testament to her commitment to the sector to be the first woman in the rural contracting sector to gain a Level 5 Certificate. “This goes to show that Helen is truly outstanding in her field and a real role model to both male and female rural contractors,” he adds.
New satellite image basemap French Airbus Defence and Space has launched One Atlas, a new satellite image basemap that covers the earth’s land masses with professional grade imagery. Available online, 24/7 and refreshed within a 12-month period, One Atlas is said to provide civil engineers with easy access to costeffective, high-quality and homogeneous imagery for infrastructure planning. The service is said to offer a streamlined workflow and integration into a customer’s system and enables users to plan, map and locate their teams, assets or areas of interest, anywhere on the globe. For more information visit: intelligence-airbusds.com/one-atlas/
CONTRACTORS’ DIARY Date
Event & Venue
Contact
2016 30 Oct-1 Nov 1 Nov 7-8 Nov 22-25 Nov
NZTA/NZIHT 17th Annual Conference, Dunedin Road to 2018 LTP Seminar, Millennium Hotel, Queenstown NAMS Advanced Asset Management Forum, Wellington bauma China 2016, Building Sustainable Success, Shanghai
www.nziht.co.nz/Conferences-and-Seminars/ bit.ly/SOLGM_RoadTo2018 www.nams.org.nz www.bauma-china.com/
The Transport and Heavy Equipment (THE) Expo, Mystery Creek Events Centre Road Infrastructure Management Forum, Waipuna Hotel, Auckland
info@theexpo.co.nz www.rims.org.nz/
2017 2-4 March 22-23 Mar
Please send any contributions for Contractors’ Diary to kevin@contrafed.co.nz, or phone 09 636 5710
12 www.contractormag.co.nz
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS HIREPOOL INVEST HEAVILY IN NEW ACCESS GEAR
Hirepool can provide you with a complete access service. We continue to invest in the best quality equipment from proven access manufacturers. This ensures that you and your team can safely access the areas you need to get the job done. From scissors to boom lifts, scaffold towers to truck mounted booms, we have all the options. With the biggest fleet of access machines across the country, and the most access workshops we can get you the gear you need, when you need it.
Get in touch with one of our specialists today to find out more.
0800 15 15 15 | hirepool.co.nz
CONTRACTOR ON THE COVER
Appreciating pure grunt A new Hitachi ZX200LC-5 excavator is making short work of most of the earthworks at the Haywoods’ Interchange. “GRUNT, PURE GRUNT,” is how Nick Rowell describes the new Hitachi ZX200LC-5 20 tonne excavator he recently purchased for his Wellington civil engineering firm, Legacy Contracting. ‘It’s our first step up to a brand new bigger machine, and after a couple of months is already performing better than I expected. “Our operator Tuks Burns, who is driving it full time, absolutely loves it, especially the heated seat. He says it is comfortable and smooth to operate, and delivers excellent speed and productivity.” Legacy Contracting put the new Hitachi ZX200LC-5 excavator straight to work at Haywards Interchange; a large roading project the firm is working on for Downers. “We’ve had a team at this site since last year and have been smashing out the hours, particularly with a second hand 20 tonne Hitachi digger we bought last year,” says Nick. “We’re still doing between 10 and 11 hours a day on site, even on Saturdays, which is why we decided to invest in the new machine.” Nick says the Hitachi ZX200LC-5 is making short work of bulk earthworks, as well as cutting and trimming batters at the site. “It’s proving to be a great all-rounder. We went back to a six cylinder engine which I love as that’s what gives us the pure grunt.” Like the many other Hitachi machines in his fleet, the new 20 tonne digger came standard with a host of the latest safety features such as hose burst protection valve, he adds. “The only extras we added were some safety handrails that CablePrice built and fitted for us, to provide enhanced safety for working at heights, plus tinted windows in the cab.” Also standard with the machine are the well-proven ZAXIS hallmarks such as high durability, impressive fuel economy, industry-leading hydraulic technologies, and superior performance. Legacy Contracting has enjoyed meteoric growth since Nick established it around two years ago with himself and one staff member. Today the firm has 39 staff and is subcontracted to many of the larger roading companies in the Wellington region. It also carries out site works for commercial projects and operates in the residential and civil markets. Even before he started the company, Nick was a long-time fan of the Hitachi brand, and in the last year has purchased more than 10 new or second hand excavators including new ZX55U-5, ZX48U-5, ZX17U-2 and ZX35U machines, as well as an Isuzu 14 www.contractormag.co.nz
FTR750M tip truck and Montabert Silver Clip SC28 Hammer from CablePrice. “Having CablePrice as a supply partner has been critical to such rapid growth. Cables deliver reliable, high quality gear at a good price. The reps are great to deal with and I believe there is no one better in Wellington when it comes to servicing heavy machinery.” The growth looks set to continue, with another 5.5 tonne Hitachi excavator already on order, and a likely expansion into the Auckland market for the firm. “My brother Andre, who owns M2 magazine and his wife Heloise are my business partners and together we plan to get into property and subdivision development in Auckland, which will drive the need for more machines.” In the meantime, Nick is enjoying having the big new 20-tonner operating in Wellington. “It’s good for our profile as the location of the site is extremely visible from the highway. Everybody is commenting on it. It’s a great addition to our fleet.”
•
“The only extras we added were some safety handrails that CablePrice built and fitted for us, to provide enhanced safety for working at heights, plus tinted windows in the cab.�
NOVEMBER 2016 15
CONTRACTOR LEGAL
Who’s heard of the Contractual Remedies Act 1979? This article was written by Stuart Robertson and Sam McCutcheon. Stuart is a partner and Sam is a solicitor in Kensington Swan’s construction team. The content of this article is not legal advice. Stuart Robertson (left) and Sam McCutcheon
In last month’s edition (October) we looked at Custom Street Hotel Limited v Plus Construction Limited [2016] NZHC 2011 and a contractor’s right to suspend under section 72 of the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA). Continuing our review of Custom Street, this month we shift our focus to termination under clause 14.3.3 of NZS 3910:2003 (for default by the principal) and the interaction of this clause with the provisions of the Contractual Remedies Act 1979 (CRA).
Summary of events Custom Street was the principal under a NZS 3910:2003 contract with Plus, the contractor. Plus was experiencing significant delays in its work and had ceased work completely by 23 July 2014. A series of disputes was referred by Plus to adjudication under the CCA. The result of one determination was to render ‘time at large’, meaning Plus had a reasonable time to complete the contract works. The engineer subsequently certified that Plus had either abandoned the contract or was persistently, flagrantly or wilfully neglecting to carry out its contractual obligations. Plus did not remedy these defaults and Custom Street moved to terminate the contract. Before Custom Street could terminate, Plus issued a notice of default under clause 14.3.3 asserting Custom Street was in default by failing to pay amounts owing to Plus. Before the 10 working days under clause 14.3.3 had expired, Plus issued a notice requiring the engineer to suspend the whole of the contract works. Before the engineer had ordered a suspension, Plus purported to terminate the contract. Plus proceeded to arbitration, the resultant award being appealed to the High Court. One of the questions before the Court was whether Plus had validly terminated the contract under 14.3.3. In finding that Plus had validly terminated the contract the court relied not on 14.3.3, but on the provisions of the CRA.
Freedom of contract ‘Freedom of contract’ is a fundamental principle of contract and commercial law. Parties can enter into any contractual arrangements they wish; and providing those arrangements have been freely entered into the courts will not interfere with them. There are of course exceptions where the courts are required to step in. Examples of this include implying terms where an essential term is lacking; setting aside a contract where it has been entered into under a disability or duress; and rectifying 16 www.contractormag.co.nz
a mistake in a contract where that mistake is obvious to both parties. In addition, the law may also impose necessary rights or obligations where the parties have failed to address these in their contract. Examples of this include the default payment provisions under the CCA, or the right to terminate a contract under the CRA. In both of these examples the terms are only imposed if the parties have failed to cover them in their contract. The Acts do not override the parties’ agreements and are not imposed as an alternative; in this sense the law is preserving freedom of contract.
Contractual Remedies Act The CRA provides that in certain circumstances a party may terminate a contract where there has been a misrepresentation, repudiation (intention to breach a contract) or breach of contract. The provisions of the CRA only apply if the parties have not otherwise expressly included a remedy for such issues in their contract: Remedy provided in contract: If a contract expressly provides for a remedy in respect of misrepresentation or repudiation or breach of contract or makes express provision for any of the other matters to which sections 6 to 10 relate, those sections shall have effect subject to that provision. The need for the contractual provision to be ‘express’ is not to be read narrowly. The courts have held that it is often a question of fact as to whether the contractual provisions sufficiently cover the default so as to exclude the CRA. Notwithstanding this position, just because a contract contains an express provision covering breach and provides for damages and/or termination does not mean that the remainder of the remedies in the CRA do not apply. They continue to apply ‘subject to’ the contractual provision. Often the contractual and statutory remedies can stand together, as was the case in MacIndoe v Mainzeal Group Ltd. The overriding consideration under the CRA is the freedom of the parties to contract for their own procedures and remedies for misrepresentation, repudiation or breach.
Clause 14.3.3, NZS 3910:2003 Standards New Zealand and the committee’s forbearers (going back to the 1906’s ub NZSS 623:1964) spent countless hours developing a specific right to terminate following certain breaches. This right is contained in 14.3.3 (which is unchanged in 3910:2013):
14.3.3 If the Principal’s default is not remedied within 10 Working Days after the giving of such notice under 14.3.1 or 14.3.2 the Contractor may require the Engineer to suspend the progress of the whole of the Contract Works under 6.7. Following such suspension the Contractor shall be entitled without prejudice to any other rights and remedies to terminate the contract by giving notice in writing to the Principal. The process for termination under 14.3.3 is therefore: a. The principal defaults in one of the ways listed in clauses 14.3.1 or 14.3.2 (which includes failing to pay amounts due under a payment schedule). b. The contractor serves a written notice of default giving the principal 10 working days to remedy the default. c. If the default is not remedied within that time period the contractor may, from the eleventh working day, request that the engineer suspend the whole of the contract works. d. ‘Following such suspension’, and without prejudice to your other rights, you are entitled to terminate the contract. Clause 14.3.3 covers certain breaches of the contract listed in clauses 14.3.1 or 14.3.2 (including non-payment). As these breaches are specifically provided for under the contract, the provisions of the CRA should not apply to them. Arguably, if a default is not covered by clauses 14.3.1 or 14.3.2 the contractor would be able to use the provisions of the CRA in order to terminate. Regarding the present case, Custom Street failed to pay the amount due under a payment schedule and Plus relied on clause 14.3.1(b) when attempting to terminate. Because NZS 3910 provides for termination where a party fails to pay, the provisions of the CRA are not imported for this breach.
The judgment: Contractual Remedies Act The Court held that despite the contract providing for termination under clause 14.3.3, cancellation was also available under the CRA. The Court stated: [35] While cl 14.3.3 modifies rights that the contractor would otherwise have under the Construction Contracts Act, it does not purport to limit the contractor’s rights under the Contractual Remedies Act, including the right to cancel for breach of an essential term or for a repudiatory breach. Section 5 of the Contractual Remedies Act does not apply. (Emphasis added.)
The Court is saying that if the parties wish to exclude the CRA provisions they must expressly state that the CRA does not apply. This is not what the CRA requires. Section 5 of the CRA only requires the contract to expressly provide for the misrepresentation, repudiation or breach. The parties are not required to specifically exclude or limit the CRA in the wording of the contract (this happens automatically as a result of section 5). In Custom Street the parties had agreed that where the principal breaches the contract by failing to pay, the provisions of 14.3 would apply. The contract therefore provides for the breach and the default provisions in the CRA are not required. In finding that the CRA provisions can exist in addition to the contractual provisions, the Court is allowing parties to ignore their agreed bargain and choose whether they wish to rely on the contractual provisions or the CRA in order to terminate. This goes directly against the wording and purpose of the CRA and the ability of parties to make their own bargains.
Conclusion The adage ‘hard cases make bad law’ comes to mind. In achieving the desired outcome, the clear wording of Clause 14.3.3, developed over decades, has been overridden. Despite the parties expressly agreeing on the consequence for failing to pay, the judgment in Custom Street purports to sweep that away. If this judgment is followed it would be sufficient for a party to ignore the agreed contractual position and nevertheless rely on the default CRA provisions to terminate. We are of the view that the Court is wrong on this point. While a District Court will be bound by this decision it is only persuasive in the High Court. If you are the contractor under a NZS 3910 contract, we recommend that you do not rely on the CRA to terminate for breach of contract where that breach is provided for in the contract. There is no indication yet whether this judgment will be appealed to the Court of Appeal. • Kensington Swan regularly provides comment on the construction industry on its blog Site Visit: www.nzconstructionblog.com to stay up to date.
SMALL IN SIZE. BIG ON WORKLOAD. The AFW 150 G is a unique compact paving machine new to the market. The tight turning radius and clearance width make it ideal for paving footpaths and handling repair work in narrow surroundings. The paver is easy to transport and allows a fast set-up on the jobsite. AUCKLAND HEAD OFFICE Phone: (+64) 09 443 2436 Email: sales@yrco.co.nz
NEW PRODUC T
SOUTH ISLAND OFFICE Phone: (+64) 03 341 6923 Email:saleschch@yrco.co.nz
YRCO.CO.NZ
NOVEMBER 2016 17
CONTRACTOR GEM AWARDS
The NZTA Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Awards are a way for the agency to celebrate its contractors’ and consultants’ successes. They also exhibit outstanding examples of the agency’s diverse range of activities on our state highways. These annual awards also acknowledge the NZTA’s suppliers’ commitment to its priorities and quality industry standards.
Customer Care Memorial Park Alliance: Free dedicated bus service for tunnel walkers and cyclists – Mt Victoria Tunnel upgrade stage 2. This entry certainly exhibited going the extra mile for customers. It showed empathy, and was a great example of thinking with the head and heart – it was about doing the simple things, and doing them well. It was also about what was best for the customer and the long-term relationship with the customer through continuous improvement in the quality of the service. Most people have memories of grumpy bus drivers! This entry was a great example of how it doesn’t take a lot of money to do something great.
Russell Obee and Ed Breese from Memorial Park Alliance.
Customer Champion Higgins Contractors: How one man can make a difference. This entry showed you don’t have to have a lot of technology and innovation to be a customer champion – it’s about doing things simply and well. It showed great community engagement and brought a warm human element to the work Higgins does for customers. Over 3400 likes, 905 shares and over 300 comments on a Facebook post specifically thanking Cameron Strongman for his great attitude towards customers can’t be wrong!
Connecting with the Community Well-Connected Alliance: The Waterview Connection – Collaborative design success: delivering on the spirit of consultation, and comprehensive engagement with stakeholders to achieve great community outcomes. This entry was of a very high standard – it stood out to the judges as the best possible example of NZTA’s aspirations for future community engagement through the Alliance’s codesign approach with the community. The team put the needs of the community at the heart of the design process right from the beginning, and recognised and worked with the community on what was important. Valuable expertise within the community was recognised and ways found to enhance this expertise for the benefit of all. The entry exhibited multiple examples of community engagement with genuine follow up. 18 www.contractormag.co.nz
Jonathon Doggett of Higgins Contractors, Cameron Strongman and Karl Hitchcock from Traffic Safe NZ.
Lesley Hopkins, Alasdair Rigby, Ray Chang from Well-Connected Alliance.
Innovation Fulton Hogan: Litter Master 9000 (Version 2). This entry proved it’s not necessarily the outcome, but the process when it comes to continuous improvement. The initiative was driven by a clear problem – excessive road-side litter, lots of staff hours and the health and safety risk of manually collecting litter on the roadside (slips, trips and falls), supported by the Fulton Hogan ‘blue skies’ approach to innovation. The entry demonstrated quick prototyping with the ability to test and improve – hence version 2 in the title. Fulton Hogan also worked with community to reduce the need for the service in the first place, and liaised with schools and did advertising campaigns. This winner showed an initiative doesn’t have to be big to be innovative!
Phil McKie from Fulton Hogan.
Keeping Customers Moving McConnell Dowell / Downer joint venture: Alternative traffic management scheme for Memorial Avenue roundabout, Russley Road upgrade, Christchurch. This entry showed good evidence of strong stakeholder strategy and planning – particularly at the customer level. The solution was better than the prior traffic layout. Due to the nature of the intersection and stakeholders using it, they had to work with many varied organisations, from churches through to a helicopter company. One of the big challenges was the proximity to the airport, large traffic volumes, and high volumes of potentially stressed people trying to reach the airport.
Aidan Brannon and Steve Ricketts of McConnell Dowell / Downer joint venture. NOVEMBER 2016 19
CONTRACTOR GEM AWARDS
Protecting the Environment Northland NOC – Fulton Hogan, Opus, Te Roroa Environs: Northland NOC – Environmental protection redefined in the Waipoua Forest Sanctuary. This entry was an excellent example of a proactive and collaborative approach to roadside vegetation management in the ecologically sensitive habitat of Waipoua Forest in Northland, in particular focusing on preventing the spread of kauri dieback disease. The contractor has systematically embedded best practice environmental management to be an integral part of roadside maintenance activities, with a top-down (management plan) and bottom-up approach (standard operating procedures and induction training). A local initiative supported a national approach to management of kauri dieback disease through GIS mapping and laboratory analysis of diseased trees.
Kaylee Wilson of Opus/Fulton Hogan, Natasha Birch and Paul Rudsen of Te Roroa.
Safety in Design Opus International Consultants & Jacobs–Opus Design joint venture: Realising the opportunity. This entry met all three criteria of this category really well. They had great systems and adopted these throughout the project lifecycle, and gained commitment from the project community including future maintenance managers and client representatives. Safety in Design principles were exhibited over the lifecycle of the project, and conversations were driven in a consistent way with some good innovations as a result. Opus showed great management and systems for Safety in Design, with the Safety in Design policy being a great example of this. The Construction Hazard Assessment Implication Review (or CHAIR) tool drove good discussion and action on Safety in Design issues throughout the project. The joint venture showed great value add through designing out risk through the whole lifecycle of the assets, and sharing lessons learned to a broad audience across industry.
Ben Weir of Opus International Consultants and Andrew Bell of Jacobs.
Teaming up Well-Connected Alliance: Waterview’s lesson in the 3 Rs: responsive, resourceful, ready. This entry was a great example of teaming up with organisations that traditionally would not be involved with roading projects. This was through a range of initiatives such as site visits and a problemsolving challenge based on the construction of the Waterview tunnels. The outcome was igniting a fire in young people towards engineerrelated careers, and building sustainability within the sector by encouraging engineering as a profession.
Presenter of the award, Dr David Warburton from Auckland Transport with Ewart Barnsley from Well-Connected Alliance.
Zero Harm HEB/Opus joint venture: Marlborough Roads Network Outcomes Contract (NOC 01). This entry really stood out for the judges as it was exactly what they were looking for – a great example of engagement with people to get them involved and manage their own risk. In the words of the judges, “the joint venture absolutely cracked the culture code, directly involving their workers in the decision-making process and allowing them to own the way they want to work”. What started as a conversation about personal protective 20 www.contractormag.co.nz
Dean Hawkey from Opus International Consultants, Nicky Smith and Tiny van Deventer from HEB Construction.
equipment transformed into a journey where involving people in understanding and managing their own risks has directly improved safety, employee engagement and efficiencies. The people who deliver the work have been provided with the knowledge, tools and empowerment to keep themselves and each other safe, are part of the decision making processes that affect their safety and, because of that, understand why and what they are doing. All this has been led by the operational people from the joint venture, with no full time zero harm resource.
Supreme winner
Alasdair Rigby, Lesley Hopkins and Ray Chang from Well-Connected Alliance.
Well-Connected Alliance: The Waterview Connection – Collaborative design success: delivering on the spirit of consultation, and comprehensive engagement with stakeholders to achieve great community outcomes.
Outstanding Service Award This was awarded posthumously to Pauline Nobbs of Fulton Hogan who was the traffic manager on the Newmarket Viaduct Replacement and Causeway Upgrade projects for seven years. Pauline passed away from cancer in September this year. The award was presented to Pauline’s sister, Tina Nobbs, by NZTA’s group manager Highways and Network Operations, Tommy Parker.
Recognition for going the extra mile McConnell Dowell received recognition from the NZ Transport Agency in its ‘Going the Extra Mile’ (GEM) awards on two of the high profile projects it is delivering for it – the Russley Road Upgrade in Christchurch (featured in this issue), and the Waterview Connection in Auckland. The Russley Road Upgrade, a joint venture with Downer, received the Keeping Customers Moving award, for its innovative approach to temporary traffic management at the Memorial Road roundabout. By constructing the slip roads first and linking them into one big roundabout that encircles the construction area, and supported by a comprehensive stakeholder communications strategy, the team was able to avoid 12 proposed traffic management changes throughout the construction programme. It has minimised disruption to the public, created a safer working envelope for construction and enabled the project to proceed ahead of schedule. “Every day we’re looking for ways to live up to McConnell Dowell’s aim of ‘Creative Construction’,” says roading director Aidan Brannan. “The project team has done a sterling job of rising to the challenge of delivering a unique road feature not seen previously in New Zealand, and from which our customers benefit every day.” The Well-Connected Alliance, the team delivering the Waterview Connection Project in Auckland, also won three awards, including the Supreme Award. The Teaming Up Award recognises ‘working with others collaboratively to achieve outstanding results’. Waterview’s team worked with the Transport Agency and educational organisations to host visits to site by more than 200 college students last year as
part of a government initiative to encourage students to consider engineering-related jobs. These visits required significant planning and support from people right across the project, and the judges say Waterview has worked with others collaboratively to achieve “outstanding results”. For the second year running, the Waterview team also won the Connecting with Our Community Award, reflecting the project team’s commitment to engaging with the community beyond normal expectations. With the project area spanning five suburbs, the team has “walked with the community” in small and large ways including formation of a community design group, management of cultural impacts in partnership with key mana whenua partners, and co-designing a playground with the local school, a process which won the team the Best Practice Award from the NZ Planning Institute. Topping off the hat-trick, the Supreme Award was open to all the successful GEM finalists and celebrated outstanding performance in Going the Extra Mile. “This is an outstanding outcome for all of us. Our GEM success justly recognises the passion and commitment all our people and teams demonstrate on this great project of ours,” says Alliance project manager Iain Simmons. “The NZ Transport Agency is one of our most valued clients, so we’re delighted with their recognition of our efforts to deliver their projects to the highest standard possible,” says managing director Roger McRae. “We look forward to delivering transport solutions with the Agency for many years to come.”
NOVEMBER 2016 21
CONTRACTOR PROFILE
The new CCNZ chair It’s barely a year since the merger of the old Contractors’ Federation with Roading New Zealand to form Civil Contractors NZ, and new president Brian Warren is on a mission to maximise the merger’s benefits. By HUGH DE LACY.
BRIAN WARREN, who recently left Christchurch-based Isaac Construction after 11 years as its chief executive, says he’s “got some work to do to hike the value proposition of membership” to the nearly 400 individuals and companies that comprise it. That includes convincing more of those contractors still out in the wilderness to see the value of Civil Contractors membership. “It’s difficult at times for some businesses to see what they’re missing out on by not being members when the membership ranges in size from Fletcher Construction at one end to Joe Bloggs at the other,” Brian says. “We have been fragmented, and we need to speak with one voice with an industry body that is respected and listened to.” One of the most difficult challenges for the smaller operators that Warren is keen to draw into Civil Contractors is that of procurement, where there is a perception that the big operators grab the main contracts and it’s up to the sub-contractors to wheedle a slice of the action. “The reality is that the opportunities exist for all-sized operations; it’s a matter of positioning your business and building relationships.” There’s an inherent conflict in this structure for a single organisation, and prior to the merger it expressed itself in the mutual suspicions between the two. “When there were two organisations a lot of time was wasted almost arguing with each other,” Brian says. Brian himself was a key figure in getting them to talk, then work together, and finally to merge, but that’s just the start, he says, and 15 months down the road the imperative is to ensure that the spirit of bonding around a mutual interest is paramount. The structure’s in place, he says, and now it’s up to the industry to make it work. His own start in the industry began after schooling at Christchurch Boys High, followed by a degree in civil engineering from the University of Canterbury School of Engineering in 1976. 22 www.contractormag.co.nz
He began his career with British Pavements that year, and continued with Fulton Hogan following the former’s takeover in 1981. From site engineer he rose to divisional manager, which included a 15-months assignment managing a fledgling operation in Brisbane. From 1990 to 1998, and from then until 2004 he was Fulton Hogan’s regional manager for, successively, Marlborough and Dunedin. He then returned to his hometown to take up the role as chief executive of local firm Isaac Construction, 17 years after the death of its founder Sir Neil Isaac, who was survived until 2012 by his wife, Diana Lady Isaac. At the helm of Isaac, Brian cranked the firm up from 140 staff to 250 by the time he left, seeing it safely through the Global Financial Crisis and then the Canterbury earthquakes. Driven by engineering pragmatism, he was throughout this time at the forefront of managerial developments in the civil construction industry, including the evolution of joint ventures. Though relatively young at 61, Brian’s decision to leave Isaac was prompted by a desire to go out on his own as a consultant after 40 years working in the corporate sector. The move has by no means reduced his commitment to the wider industry, as evidenced by his election as Civil Contractors president and chair of the Civil Trades Certification Board.. Even before the election he had accepted the role as chairman of the Canterbury Aggregates Producers Group, originally formed in late 2008 to provide input into the Christchurch District Plan Review, something that was sidelined by the earthquakes in 2010-2011. “A number of players had concerns about the district plan rules, and we wanted to assist the local authorities in drafting a new one,” Brian says.
Brian Warren (right) is the newly elected president of CCNZ after Dave Connell (on stage with wife Margo) stepped down from the role after three years.
“Over the years the group has been extensively involved in many planning and resource management initiatives with both the Christchurch City Council [CCC] and ECan [Environment Canterbury] in clouding the latest CCC District Plan Review.” The group’s current priority is representing the owners of 10 quarries seeking ECan, CCC and Selwyn District Council consent to dig their quarries deeper than the present limits of a metre above the highest ever recorded groundwater level. It’s a fraught issue revolving around protection of the city’s famously pure subterranean water supply, but the process of getting consent is still under way, and Brian will not be drawn into commenting on it. The alternative to digging deeper is to shift opations elsewhere when they run out of their existing resource, something that would involve massive capital expenditure by the quarry operators. That local matter aside, Brian says the outlook for the civil
글
眀眀眀⸀戀椀最戀氀漀挀欀猀⸀挀漀⸀渀稀
construction industry he heads is bright, with $110 billion of infrastructure spending forecast for the next decade. That’s an impressive figure, but he says it masks the reality that the amount of work presently available varies widely throughout the country. The Christchurch re-build and the Auckland housing shortage are the big drivers nationally, and while the likes of Central Otago, Bay of Plenty and Northland are in boom mode, work is patchy indeed in many of the provinces. Christchurch has seen a marked drop-off in work over the past six months, and the 60 company liquidations that have occurred since the start of the re-build include well-established construction companies, no less than the plethora of painters, sparkies and carpenters. And if there’s one lesson that Brian has learnt about the industry over his decades in it, it’s that, “You’re never going to be able to stop the boom-and-bust.”
䤀一吀䔀刀䰀伀䌀䬀䤀一䜀 倀刀䔀䌀䄀匀吀 䌀伀一䌀刀䔀吀䔀 䈀䰀伀䌀䬀匀 倀䠀 㠀 ㌀ 㐀㠀㠀 吀伀䐀䄀夀
NOVEMBER 2016 23
CONTRACTOR PEOPLE
A hard day’s work In 2014 Contractor talked to Bradley Day, who won that year’s Warren Drake Memorial Trainee of the Year Award at the CCNZ (then NZCF) Northland awards. We caught up with Brad recently. TWO YEARS AGO Bradley (Brad) Day was working full time for
Robinson Asphalts and company director Annie Johnston called him “hard working” and “dedicated”. At the same time he was also studying part-time towards the NZ Diploma in Engineering (Civil) at Northtec. Brad started working at Robinson Asphalts when still at school, during the holidays. He was then offered a cadetship in 2011. Did you finish that diploma Brad? Yes I finished it in July this year so no more study for now. You said in 2014 you were going to specialise in land surveying. Yes, I ended up specialising in land surveying and highway engineering. What is your title at the company now? I’m now a foreman looking after larger projects.
What change in duties and roles does this involve? I’m now responsible for on-site management of projects (currently the siteworks for Argon Construction at the Falls Retirement Village in Whangarei). I manage a team on-site and subcontractors, take care of the coordination on-site starting with site levels and set-out. I also deal with the client’s representative, engineers and so on. Are you still involved with rugby training and Saturday games (playing on the wing with the Hora Hora prems), and training for the annual boxing tournament organised by Northland contractors? I still play premier grade rugby for Horahora – on the wing or at fullback; the season’s over for now. I’m not boxing these days – gotta look after those brain cells! Back then you were driving up to Kerikeri from Whangarei to see your girlfriend. Does that still happen? No. She now spends quite a bit of time down here in Whangarei, so less travel for me. You hadn’t heard of Contractor magazine back then. Do you read it regularly now? Yes, there’s always a copy in the lunchroom so we all get to have a read and see what’s happening in the industry. Back in 2014 you said the best part of the job was working with the team, especially on bigger commercial sites, and the worst part was working in the rain? Has that changed? No, pretty much the same really – I’m also enjoying the extra responsibility I have these days. I enjoy the challenges that come up on-site and the problem solving. You said after graduating you would carry on working for Robinson Asphalts for a few more years and then might go overseas. Is that still your plan? No, I’m pretty keen to stick around at Robinsons and maybe just take some trips overseas. I’m hoping to continue growing with the company and develop my role. Are your stepfather and younger half brother still working with you? Yep, we’re still all here.
Annie (Johnston, director, Robinson Asphalts), you once said the staff decide the staff ‘keepers’ in the end. Sounds like Brad is a long-term keeper? Most definitely – he’s becoming more valuable all the time. Obviously finishing his qualification is a huge achievement and he’s a great role model for other young people looking at where they can go in the industry. The team all recognise that he’s worked hard to get to this point and they expect him to keep it up.
24 www.contractormag.co.nz
SALES, PARTS
& SERVICE
nATionWiDe
We’re a
big part
of your Business!
mimico for kobelco The Kobelco range includes excavators featuring advanced power plants that reduce fuel consumption, new hydraulic circuitry to minimise pressure loss, and highly efficient electronically controlled common-rail fuel injection engines. Kobelco excavators provide greater performance and improved cost efficiency when compared to competitors’ machines.
talk to us now! Dedicated sales, parts and service support is available at three branches and 15 service agents throughout new zealand. Freephone 0800 806 464 | e-mail enquiries@mimico.co.nz auckland, matamata, paraparaumu, christchurch our brands
CONTRACTOR ROADING PROJECT
With the Memorial Avenue fly-over at one end, and the Western Belfast Bypass (featured in Contractor October) at the other, the four-laning of the Groynes to Sawyers Arms Road section of Christchurch’s Western Corridor upgrade involved widening of 3.67 kilometres of a section of SH1.
26 www.contractormag.co.nz
The making of the middle There were a couple of complicating twists in what otherwise seemed like a simple four-laning of the middle of the three Christchurch Western Corridor projects. This is part two of a three-part series on this RoNs project by HUGH DE LACY.
WITH THE MEMORIAL AVENUE fly-over at one end, and the
Western Belfast Bypass (featured in Contractor October) at the other, the four-laning of the Groynes to Sawyers Arms Road section of Christchurch’s Western Corridor upgrade looked the most straightforward of the three, with no bridges or fly-overs to worry about. But there’s more to this $42 million widening of 3.67 kilometres of the Johns Road section of SH1 than will meet the eyes of the motorists travelling along it: The three projects comprising the Roads of National Significance each has its special challenges, and the middle one is no exception. As well as the four-laning, Downer’s contract specified the creation of a single-lane service road for the 60-odd houses that front this section of Johns Road, a greenfields extension to an existing Christchurch City Council (CCC) access road, and the undergrounding and upgrading of all the utilities and services connecting the northern and southern sections. Further, the middle section project had to skirt the edges of CCC’s old Rotokahutu landfill, and the McVicar sawmill site, highly contaminated like so many such sites around the
country by copper-chrome-arsenic timber preservatives. Unlike the projects to the north and the south which won’t be completed until 2018, the Groynes to Sawyers Arms Road section is in its last stages, and will add to the approximately 1.4 kilometres of finished four-laning between this project and the Russley Road/Memorial Avenue fly-over stretch to the south. The central project being carried out by Downer Construction incorporates curbing and channelling of the whole stretch of four-lane, with the two carriageways separated by a median with wire rope barriers on both sides as well as in the middle. The surfacing of more than 100,000 square metres has included stone mastic asphalt (SMA), open-graded porous asphalt (OGPA) and chip sealing, while the pavement construction has included 76,000 cubic metres of what project manager Mark Hurford calls “the Rolls-Royce of pavement”, foam bitumen stabilisation (FBS). All this required the removal of surplus fill, but finding a convenient place to dump it was not a problem. On the western side the extension to Greywacke Road, which NOVEMBER 2016 27
CONTRACTOR ROADING PROJECT
The surfacing of more than 100,000 square metres has included stone mastic asphalt (SMA), open-graded porous asphalt (OGPA) and chip sealing, while the pavement construction has included 76,000 cubic metres of what project manager Mark Hurford calls “the Rolls-Royce of pavement”, foam bitumen stabilisation (FBS).
28 www.contractormag.co.nz
gives access for the two big established businesses of McVicars Timber Group and Smith Crane and Construction, clipped the corner of the old Harewood landfill which, until the windstorm of September 2013, had been marked by a row of giant pines. Because of the trees, the area had not been adequately covered at the time the landfill was closed, and when half the pines, the root-balls of which were founded directly in the landfill material, were flattened in the storm, it was apparent the area needed capping to prevent the waste material being exposed to public view along the new road. Hurford and Downer suggested to CCC that the problem might be solved in everyone’s interests by clearing away the rest of the pines and covering the whole area with a cap comprising the clean waste from the road-forming. “This proved to be very handy when it came to disposing of the surplus fill,” Hurford tells Contractor. “We were able to cover the whole exposed area, about 800 metres by 100 metres, with about 1.8 metres of spoil, which served the dual role of stabilising the landfill and giving us a nearby dump site.”
As well as the four-laning, Downer’s contract specified the creation of a single-lane service road for the 60-odd houses that front this section of Johns Road, a greenfields extension to an existing Christchurch City Council (CCC) access road, and the undergrounding and upgrading of all the utilities and services connecting the northern and southern sections.
NOVEMBER 2016 29
CONTRACTOR ROADING PROJECT
The surfacing of more than 100,000 square metres has included stone mastic asphalt (SMA), open-graded porous asphalt (OGPA) and chip sealing, while the pavement construction has included 76,000 cubic metres of what project manager Mark Hurford calls “the Rolls-Royce of pavement”, foam bitumen stabilisation (FBS).
The alternative would have been to cart the fill to either the Burwood or the Kate Valley landfills, at a considerable cost in transport and dumping fees to both Downer and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). In the end, Downer was able to dump its 90,000 cubic metre fill, and the council to have its old landfill properly sealed for nothing. Both sides of Johns Road presented access difficulties, for the residences on the eastern side and for McVicars and Smith Crane and Construction on the western. The 1.4 kilometre Greywacke Road extension gives these two businesses access to the highway by way of the Sawyers Arms Road roundabout. The extension’s carriageway is 12 metres wide, and includes a three metre wide shared-use path on one side, and a five metre wide stormwater swale on the other. Though built by Downer for the NZTA, the Greywacke Road extension will end up being vested in the CCC. On the eastern side of the state highway, a kilometre-long single-lane southbound service lane, accessed from Gardiners Road, was formed to separate the houses and the Harewood Crematorium from the highway. The lane extends to Wilkinsons Road where it is serviced by a new roundabout off to the side of the highway, giving access to Johns Road by way of a southbound on-ramp. Before the service lane could be completed, underground utilities had to be catered for, these comprising 2700 metres of water-main, 3500 metres of sub-main and 1400 metres of 30 www.contractormag.co.nz
pressurised sewage installations. As well as a service lane, the project provided each of the homes facing the highway with a choice of a new concrete or timber front fence. A further complicating factor in the project was the need to deal with stormwater in an area where the water table is close to the road surface. Infiltration trenches and dry ponds, lined with a mix of sand and topsoil, had to be constructed to contain the stormwater flow before it is filtered and discharged into the water table. Topping the whole thing off by its completion date at the end of this summer will be additional pedestrian and cycle lanes, street lighting, and the undergrounding of power and telephone lines, as well as landscaping and fencing. Hurford says the project is tracking ahead of schedule and budget, thanks to the commitment of a team comprising seven management personnel, 35 crew members and up to 55 subcontracting staff. For the past two years Hurford’s Downer team has shared its on-site premises with the project engineer and NZTA’s own project manager, something that has led to “a great relationship”. “It has enabled us to introduce new staff to the client and gain their trust by setting high standards and delivering on our promises,” says Hurford. • In the next issue we feature the third part of this feature series: the Memorial Avenue fly-over.
THE WORLD IS GETTING GREENER.
Less fuel, more power: the Crambo direct Dual-shaft shredder
Shredding and chipping made easy: the Axtor Universal shredder
Screening with a star: the Multistar Star screen
Of course we´re not the only people helping to make the world a greener place. But we´re still very proud of our solutions for handling waste and biomass!
NEW
Perfect design: the Topturn Compost turner
Drum-roll: the Cribus Drum screen
The NEw MUStang: the Nemus Drum screen
Proudly distributed by: DITCH WITCH NEW ZEALAND LTD 0800 DWNZLTD (0800 396 9583) www.ditchwitchnz.com
SHREDDERS | TROMMEL SCREENS | STAR SCREENS | WINDROW TURNERS www.komptech.com
CONTRACTOR PROJECT
Hunua
4
32 www.contractormag.co.nz
– taking in communities
Auckland’s Watercare called for ideas and innovation to soften the impact on communities of its massive infrastructure building projects. Story supplied by Watercare.
WITH THE SCENE FOR many of its projects now
set in the built urban environment, Watercare is expecting contractors to go quickly and go ‘gently’. Those who meet the challenge can share in a big works pie: A $4.9 billion investment programme in upgrading and expanding infrastructure over 10 years that was announced in July. As an Auckland Council-controlled organisation, Watercare is under pressure to deliver dozens of projects for significant housing intensification while at the same time minimising the cost and effects of construction on its owners – the community. One of its key projects for Auckland’s
future water supply is the construction of the $400 million Hunua 4, a pipeline 1.6 metres to 2.0 metres in diameter that travels for 32 kilometres between Watercare’s reservoirs in Redoubt Road, Manukau to those in Khyber Pass, Auckland City. The project – which has been in construction since 2008 – achieved a significant milestone in July when works in Campbell Road, One Tree Hill were completed, enabling Watercare to bring 26 kilometres of the pipeline into service. The next 2.5 kilometres around One Tree Hill has been installed and is being tested before entering service in October. This will establish a high volume connection between Watercare’s southern and Epsom reservoirs, helping to
Watercare Hunua 4 project manager David Moore overlooks the Mangere section of the pipe installations.
NOVEMBER 2016 33
CONTRACTOR PROJECT
1
2
3
1. T he Hunua 4 pipe bridge is installed on State Highway 20 in December 2013. 2. Watercare chief executive Raveen Jaduram. 3. The potential for disruption to traffic and business led to a departure to the way Watercare engages with contracts. 4. W atercare Hunua 4 project manager David Moore (Left) and utilities engineer Craig Matthewson.
34 www.contractormag.co.nz
4
service growth and provide redundancy for the Hunua 3. Already, the Hunua 4 has provided redundancy to large parts of the water infrastructure in Auckland and reduced the reliance on the existing infrastructure supplying the city. It has also created additional capacity in high-growth areas such as Manukau, East Tamaki, Auckland airport and its surrounding industrial precincts. Hunua 4’s final section – from Market Road, Epsom to Khyber Pass, Grafton – will bring the pipe length to 32 kilometres. Construction is forecast to start in early 2018 and finish in 2020. It will be in one of the city’s oldest and most populous districts, with heavily congested roads, the City Rail Link construction underway and a need for hard rock tunnelling on some of the section. The potential for disruption to traffic
and business led to a departure to the way Watercare engages with contracts. Rather than going out to market with a confirmed design, Watercare produced a specimen design and asked potential contractors to submit alternative proposals. The proposals were then developed through an interactive tendering process that has included workshops with Watercare engineers. “We wanted the contractors to tell us how they would best build it and minimise disruption,” says Hunua 4 project manager David Moore. “It will be a design and build procurement – the key for us is to deliver the least disruption for the best price.” Watercare chief executive Raveen Jaduram says it is more a collaborative approach to the estimated $60 million job but leaves the necessary commercial tension and incentive for the market to give competitive pricing.
5
The majority of Hunua 4 has been constructed by the Fulton Hogan John Holland Joint Venture and their main subcontractors, March Cato and Taranaki Engineering.
6
“The feedback from contractors is that they can add to the solution.” He says there is a lot of work around but contractors’ investment in Watercare as a client promises a return for a long period, because most of the upcoming jobs will be in a similar category – in the built environment. Watercare is currently reviewing the final proposals and plans to award the contract in coming months.
Working collaboratively Throughout the project, Watercare has sought opportunities to work collaboratively with other organisations in an effort to minimise disruption to the community. “Given the nature of our work, we cannot always eliminate disruption but we must reassure the public we are making every effort
to minimise it,” says chief executive Raveen Jaduram. The first parts of the pipeline were constructed as part of NZTA’s second Manukau Harbour crossing on the South Western Motorway. Shortly after, Watercare joined forces with Kiwi Rail to take advantage of the Puhinui Rail Bridge reconstruction, installing the Hunua 4 in Victoria Street at the railway before the Onehunga Branch line reopened. More recently, the company engaged the MHX Kirkbride Alliance to construct the Hunua 4 at NZTA’s grade separation project on State Highway 20A to the airport at Kirkbride Road.
5. Until late 2014, the project had a low profile but that changed when the big diggers rolled into Mangere to install 1.9-metre diameter pipes in the road. 6. Laying the pipe at Puhinui, Manurewa. Contractors have tackled a variety of engineering challenges along the way, from the changing ground material – peaty silt in Mangere and basalt in Onehunga – to heavy traffic areas and crossings of major arterial routes.
Engineering challenges The majority of Hunua 4 has been constructed by the Fulton Hogan John Holland Joint Venture NOVEMBER 2016 35
CONTRACTOR PROJECT
Above: Route plan for the 32 kilometre pipeline. As an Auckland Councilcontrolled organisation, Watercare is under pressure to deliver dozens of projects for significant housing intensification while at the same time minimising the cost and effects of construction on its owners – the community. One of its key projects for Auckland’s future water supply is the construction of the $400 million Hunua 4, a pipeline 1.6 metres to 2.0 metres in diameter that travels for 32 kilometres between Watercare’s reservoirs in Redoubt Road, Manukau to those in Khyber Pass, Auckland City.
and their main subcontractors, March Cato and Taranaki Engineering. At its height more than 120 people were working on the construction at any one time. These contractors have tackled a variety of engineering challenges along the way, from the changing ground material – peaty silt in Mangere and basalt in Onehunga – to heavy traffic areas and crossings of major arterial routes. In order to minimise disruption, major crossings of Te Irirangi Drive, Neilson Street and Green Lane West took place during holiday periods. Other highlights of the project include the construction of the tunnel under Stage Highway 1 at the Manukau Sports Bowl and the pipeline’s installation on a bridge over the South Western Motorway.
Keeping communities informed Until late 2014, the project had a low profile but that changed when the big diggers rolled into Mangere to install 1.9-metre diameter pipes in the road. A community began to question the disruption to their commuter and school run and blocked driveways.
36 www.contractormag.co.nz
While contractor Fulton Hogan John Holland Joint Venture had stakeholder liaison managers, a dedicated project email and a 24hour helpline to give up-to-date information, it became clear this was not enough. Watercare project manager David Moore says as the trenching moved to the busy roads of Onehunga and One Tree Hill and more disruption to people’s daily lives was anticipated, the project rolled out a beefedup communications strategy supported by a traffic management plan – warning commuters to steer clear of road closures and suggesting detours. It was a success. A project ambassador was appointed to help residents, who were without driveway access, to bring in their shopping and young children from the car. She puts out residents’ rubbish bins and delivers Meals on Wheels. In schools, Watercare has used a trained teacher to delivered lessons on Auckland’s water supply and the Hunua 4 project. The company’s contractors also sponsored a photography competition, helped out with gardening and invited a group of pupils to tour the site. The pupils created posters describing the diggers’ scoops, claws and rock hammers. And the “brave men” building the pipeline.
Vans that steal the spotlight. Three quality vans. One low rate. Right now, we’re offering a special low rate of 1.9% p.a. over 3 years^ on Sprinter Van, Vito and Valente. Hurry into your local authorised Mercedes-Benz Vans dealer to test drive today. Offer ends 23 December 2016. mercedes-benz.co.nz/lowrate ^This offer is available from participating Mercedes-Benz Vans dealers to retail buyers only (excluding fleet, governmental or rental buyers) on new Vito, Valente and selected Sprinter Vans purchased and registered between 1 October 2016 and 23 December 2016, or until stocks last. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Finance offer is 1.9% p.a. over 36 months with a minimum 10% deposit of the purchase price including on road costs. Finance offer only available to approved business customers of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services New Zealand (MBFSNZ) on a Business Credit Agreement. Payments monthly and based on RRP plus on road coasts. Lump sum payment equivalent to GST on the purchase payable in month 3. Standard MBFSNZ credit assessment, lending criteria and finance fees apply. Full terms and conditions available at your nearest Mercedes-Benz Vans dealership.
CONTRACTOR HEAVY HAULAGE
Luxury load 38 www.contractormag.co.nz
The Great South Pacific Express was recently transported from Australia to Peru where, after a spruce up, it will begin service as the Andean Explorer, a luxurious tourist train. By MARY SEARLE BELL. ONE OF GLOBAL TRANSPORT’S recent projects involved taking
a high-spec sleeper train from Brisbane, Australia to Matarani on the southern coast of Peru. The load comprised 15 sleeper cars, two dining cars, an observation car, a lounge car and a power van, as well as several containers of fixtures, furniture, tableware and more. The luxury Queensland Rail train had been sold to PeruRail, a 50:50 partnership between Peruvian investors and Belmond, the company behind the Venice Simplon Orient Express. It will be operated by Belmond and will take tourists on two-to-three day trips up to Lake Titicaca, a large deep lake in the Andes on
the border of Peru and Bolivia and the highest navigable lake in the world. According to the PeruRail website, the Belmond Andean Explorer will begin operating in May 2017 and will take passengers to some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world: “From Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire – traversing the highest plains of the Andes – to the reflective beauty of Lake Titicaca. Take the opportunity to explore the vast Colca Canyon then continue towards the city centre of Arequipa, a UNESCO World Heritage site.” The two elegant dining cars will serve “fresh, colourful
NOVEMBER 2016 39
CONTRACTOR HEAVY HAULAGE
and seasonal dishes using locally-sourced ingredients”; the observation car has an open air deck, while the lounge car will have a baby grand piano. Before being sold to PeruRail, the railcars had several years’ service for Queensland Rail as the Great South Pacific Express, running between Kuranda near Cairns and Sydney. This service operated from 1999 to 2003. The 21 cars of the Great South Pacific Express were built at Queensland Rail’s workshops in Townsville. Following four years of losses, the luxury tourist train ceased operation and was put into storage at North Ipswich Railway workshops. In 2006 the train was destined for Italy but rather than having the Italian buyers come to Australia to look at the train, it was decided it would be easier to ship a single carriage to Italy for inspection. Richard Hyde of Global Transport was called in to do this move, which he duly did. However, while the carriage was in the shop in Italy, the shop went into receivership. “Queensland Rail lost the carriage and a set of lifting frames,” says Richard. The remaining 20 carriages then sat gathering dust until November 2015, when a team masterminded by Richard Hyde descended on the railway workshop and began preparing the train for its journey to Peru. The first task was to thoroughly check the carriages, including whether the bogies were still secured to the carriages and could be lifted onto the transporters without any damage. Interestingly, the railcars were on standard gauge bogies but the tracks at the destination port in Peru were narrow gauge. Richard offered to carry out a bogie swap from standard gauge to narrow but the client insisted on keeping the carriages on standard gauge bogies. 40 www.contractormag.co.nz
The first leg of the journey was to take the cars to Lytton, near the port in Brisbane, where they were fumigated for creepy crawlies and the like. “One of the terms of sale was ‘no snakes or spiders or anything of the like to leave Australia’,” Richard told Contractor. However, he says they would have fumigated the train before leaving Australia regardless of the contract stipulations, saying that it was easier to do that than finding a spider on the ship during the journey and then having to fumigate the entire vessel before berthing in Peru. The fumigation process took about two weeks – the carriages were put under covers in pairs and a bug bomb deployed. The carriages then sat for 24 hours while the poison did its job. The train was then moved to the Port of Brisbane. There Global Transport had a charter vessel, and the train was loaded onto the ship. Global Transport had designed four new lifting frames for this job. The existing Queensland Rail lifting frames were not available so a new, less complex set of frames was built. “Any damage in transit would be difficult to repair,” says Richard. His solution was to construct mechanical frames which were more robust and easier to repair on the fly. The design of the lifting frames also had to take into account that the space to stow the carriages on board the ship was very tight. He says there was also the issue of the lifting position of the carriages: “There were only two pins at four positions under the carriages. The lifting beams could not be walked down the outside of the carriage to pick up the pin positions, so each lifting beam had a pivoting elbow that allowed the bottom leg to roll back so the main beam could clear the outside of the
ALWAYS IN THE KNOW. ANYTIME. ANYWHERE. EVERY DETAIL. Conditions change with every load of dirt and each pass of a grader. Your goal is to make sure the next decision, and the one after that, is exactly on target. Ours is to provide the tools that make it possible.
SITECH NZ 08004SITECH (0800 4748 324) SITECHNZ.CO.NZ
CONTRACTOR HEAVY HAULAGE
carriage when being lowered into position.” The train was shipped under deck and rested on special stands so the weight of the carriages wasn’t on the bogies – “it was important that the bogies did not hammer [vibrate] during the ocean voyage”. Along with shipping the 20 cars and 22 narrow gauge bogeys, there were also a number of containers holding the opulent fixtures and fittings of the train. This included a baby grand piano, crystal chandeliers and crockery. Once the ship arrived at the port in Matarani in Peru the train was unloaded onto the berth. The carriages were then picked up with a second set of lifting frames, utilising the local harbour mobile crane, and positioned away from the ship so discharge could continue. The bogies were then swapped to narrow gauge before the carriages left the port. The head of Peru Logistics made the comment when he arrived at the port that PeruRail should have taken up Global Transport’s offer to swap the bogies in Australia as it would have saved them a lot of money. This job wasn’t particularly challenging for the Global Transport team but Richard says it did involve a lot of technical detail. “It was very political,” he says. “We were dealing with two government organisations which made things a bit tricky at times.” However, the company has had experience in transporting luxury trains before. In 1991 it shipped from New Zealand to Singapore 25 cars of what was once the Silver Star (a luxury passenger train which ran between Auckland and Wellington). There, the Silver Star was refurbished and went into service as the Eastern and Oriental Express, a 5-star cruise train service between Singapore and Bangkok. 42 www.contractormag.co.nz
G N I H T NO ILE
H W H T R WO
. Y S A E IS
Leaders on and off the field. nzrl.co.nz/pirtek
CONTRACTOR TECHNOLOGY
Digging
by remote
The Canterbury earthquakes have generated a major technological breakthrough in digger operations. HUGH DE LACY reports. HE GOT THE HEAVE-HO from Ashburton High School at 15 for an unscholarly interest in explosives, but Gerard Daldry’s limited formal education didn’t stop him developing the world’s first remote-controlled diggers. He’s now got four of them that have collectively cost $1.8 million, but they’ve also taken him into talks with major manufacturers interested in fitting his system to a production line. It was the Canterbury earthquakes that created the need for such technology, in situations where houses were left hanging over the edge of collapsing cliffs, making them too dangerous to demolish from either above or below. For the first several years after the 2010-2011 quakes that killed 185 people, the irreparably damaged houses just sat 44 www.contractormag.co.nz
where they had ended up while the authorities scratched their heads about how to make them and the cliff-faces safe. Gerard Daldry started out his civil construction career in the early 1980s with Bill Richardson’s Farrier Waimak in Christchurch before launching out on his own in 1997 with a 400 horsepower International S-line truck, later adding a 1987 Mack truck which became the start of a collection of old Macks now numbering more than a dozen. In 2002 he found himself in Christchurch buying up a failed demolition and trucking business, and steadily building it back up until, by the time the quakes arrived, he was in an excellent position to hook into the $40 billion clean-up. A procession of big international companies – such as Ceres and Mackey’s from the United States, and McGee from the
Daldry decided that the only way diggers could operate in such a dangerous environment – where cliffs and houses might collapse on top of them if they worked from the bottom, or beneath them if they worked from the top – was by remote control.
United Kingdom – came to Christchurch and tried to figure out a way to make the cliffs, especially those lining the road out to the suburb of Sumner, safe again, but none could come up with a solution. So Daldry and his company ProTranz put their hands up. Daldry decided that the only way diggers could operate in such a dangerous environment – where cliffs and houses might collapse on top of them if they worked from the bottom, or beneath them if they worked from the top – was by remote control. So he and a couple of his staff, who had previously built nothing more than their own digger-buckets and truck trays, set about getting their machines to operate without a driver aboard. NOVEMBER 2016 45
CONTRACTOR TECHNOLOGY
“We tap into [the diggers’] systems and manipulate their controls by a whole different valve-bank,” Daldry says. He’s not prepared to say much more than that about the system his company has developed: it’s under tight wraps for obvious commercial reasons, but Daldry tells Contractor that relatively few modifications had to be made to the diggers themselves, and all the work was in setting up the remote controls. The net result is the digger driver at a safe distance from the machine, guiding it with a control panel. But operating that keyboard is no kids’ game: denied the seat-of-the-pants information that the operator usually gleans from sitting inside the machine as it works, he has to develop highly sensitive skills of visualisation and imagination to take their place. And it’s a tricky job, exhausting even. Daldry says that such is the concentration required to work the digger remotely, the operator has to take a break at least every 45 minutes. To get a decent view of the digger at work, the operator at first rode in a cherry-picker and, when this became inadequate for the higher and trickier cliffs, it was done from the cockpit of a helicopter hovering above the site. Initially the chopper was a Robinson R22, but it didn’t like updraft off the cliff-face, so either a B3 or a Squirrel was called in, and pilot Mark Reid quickly learned to coordinate the positioning of the aircraft to give the operator beside him the best possible view. Early in the development process Daldry had tried fitting cameras to the digger for the benefit of the remote operator, but when none of them was able to provide the breadth of view essential to the job the cherry-picker and the chopper took their place. The first digger converted to remote control was a Komatsu PC270, and he followed that up with conversions to a PC138 and a PC88. Obviously there was a potentially global market for the technology ProTranz had developed, but when Komatsu showed no interest, Daldry went to the British firm JCB, demonstrating his conversions on one of its JS220s. ProTranz, just a small company before the quakes, has ridden the subsequent construction boom to grow to a staff of 50-odd, operating 38 trucks, 30 trailers and 20-odd diggers. It occupies three yards in Christchurch, one of them housing the collection of every model of Mack truck assembled in New Zealand. Daldry estimates ProTranz has demolished about 50 clifftop houses, a typical job being the 18 that loomed frighteningly over the Redwoods School, to the degree that Minister of Education Hekia Parata initially made the highly unpopular decision to close the school. Almost certainly because of what ProTranz’s remotecontrolled diggers have been able to achieve, the minister has since changed her mind, and Redwoods School will be rebuilt, albeit largely on an alternative site. The interest in Daldry’s remote-control systems is such that he’s made no fewer than eight trips to Europe in the past two years, and has also visited Nepal to offer solutions to challenging demolition problems in Kathmandu, which was smashed by earthquakes last year. One of those trips was to the Netherlands to accept an 46 www.contractormag.co.nz
To get a decent view of the digger at work, the operator at first rode in a cherry-picker and, when this became inadequate for the higher and trickier cliffs, it was done from the cockpit of a helicopter hovering above the site.
Innovation Award at the World Demolition Awards. Daldry’s immensely proud of his company’s achievement, spreading the credit to the staff who helped him – people just like him, he says, who learned their skills on the job and proved capable of world-leading innovation without a string of degrees after their names. And it takes little imagination to see their technology being applied to a much wider range of machinery than just diggers, to the degree that remote-control might have as big an impact on civil construction as driverless cars are having on the motor industry.
CONTRACTOR TECHNICAL
Composite image showing the Christchurch Art Gallery building above the basement parking area with the JOG ports and machinery and the jet-grouted columns below.
“In essence JOG is a computerised relevelling system that involves, in sequence and in rapid succession, inert cementitious grout or resin being injected at a number of strategically arranged locations into the ground beneath the concrete slab foundation.�
48 www.contractormag.co.nz
Innovative in-ground engineering Innovative in-ground engineering and a New Zealand first, sums up the relevelling of some of Christchurch’s iconic buildings and vital infrastructure. Richard Silcock provides some insight into the technology and the projects where it has been successfully used.
FOLLOWING THE 2010/11 earthquakes that devastated many of the
buildings, infrastructure and the ground in Christchurch’s CBD and surrounding suburbs, a number of in-ground engineering projects have drawn interest for their complexity and innovation. One such project was the relevelling of the Christchurch Art Gallery. With a 6500 square metre footprint and an all-up weight of around 33,000 tonnes, the gallery, with its expansive and eye-catching metal and glass vertical ‘wave-like’ façade had sunk on its concrete raft foundation by as much as 182mm in some places. Enter Mainmark Ground Engineering which, using a relatively unheard of technique, was able to relevel the building while at the same time strengthen the integrity of the ground beneath the iconic building which houses valuable New Zealand and international artworks. This relevelling was achieved over a period of two months, which given the magnitude of the project, was significant in itself, using a method known as ‘jacking on grout’ (JOG), or integrated computer controlled relevelling using a ground injection system. This entails injecting a specially formulated cement-based grout into the ground beneath the concrete slab foundation. Mainmark brought the technology to New Zealand four years ago from Japan, where it has been used successfully to relevel infrastructures such as large buildings, bridges, tarmacs, pipelines, culverts, houses etc, and it has been particularly useful in relevelling some of the structures affected by the earthquakes. “In essence JOG is a computerised relevelling system that involves, in sequence and in rapid succession, inert cementitious grout or resin being injected at a number of strategically arranged locations into the ground beneath the concrete slab foundation,” says Russell Deller, Mainmark’s NZ general manager. “This action creates multiple localised hydraulic forces which effectively ‘floats’ a structure back to its original level. “This allows us to relevel complex and heavy structures and buildings like the art gallery without having to drill and place new piles into the ground or use hydraulic jacks which can be invasive. “It is very akin to modern keyhole surgery,” he says. For the art gallery, a two-stage solution was used. Firstly, the ground NOVEMBER 2016 49
CONTRACTOR TECHNICAL
beneath the building was strengthened by jet-grouting (also known as ‘soil-crete’, it is a technique used for creating columns or silos of cementitious grout in the ground to strengthen it and provide support for the structure above), and then JOG was used to relevel the building. The soil-crete columns under the gallery’s internal floor area are 3000mm in diameter and those under the external perimeter foundations are 4000mm in diameter and were inserted to a depth of between 2000mm to 6000mm below slab level, with the grout injected through penetrations of only 200mm. For the JOG sequence, 350 strategically-placed, 40mm injection ports were created in the slab foundation under the building which doubles as the underground parking area, and the cementitious grout injected. “In combination, the JOG and jet-grout technologies had not been used together in New Zealand prior to this,” says Russell, “so it was pretty groundbreaking stuff.” “To achieve the lift we used nearly 1.5 million litres of injected grout material for the JOG process, which required over 16,000 25 kilogram bags of cement. On an average day we achieved lifts of 2mm.” The process of injection was carefully programmed into a bank of custom designed Trimble industrial computers which both monitored the ‘lift’ incrementally via sensors located around the building and the flow of cementitious grout being injected. The bespoke monitoring system included five automated stations that could monitor the ‘lift’ wirelessly from over 400 locations simultaneously. “Each computer was programmed to control up to 128 injection points at once, in a sequence,” says Russell. This massive project did require some preliminary tasks, such as investigating and measuring where the ground beneath the foundations required strengthening and by how much. Also required, after the building had been lifted, was the filling of all the JOG and jet-grout penetration ports in the basement slab, the reinstatement of all utility services and reconnection of 72 ground anchors. “As a result, not only is the art gallery now level, it also exhibits much improved stability and better behavioural characteristics under seismic stresses,” says Russell. Other projects in Christchurch that Mainmark has been involved with following the earthquakes have included relevelling a supermarket building, a large shopping and office complex, a multistorey office building in the CBD, a sewerage pipe-line, several apartment buildings and private houses, and projects to stop groundwater entering damaged underground service utilities. One such project included a six-storey concrete apartment block in Carlton Mill that was suffering 50 www.contractormag.co.nz
Commercial JOG Art Gallery Computer Monitoring.
JOG injectors behind the temporary wall that allowed the business to stay open while the work was being done.
from differential settlement of up to 70mm. Jetgrouting was used to strengthen the ground and then JOG injected to raise the level of the building back to its design level. At the shopping and office complex in Ferrymead Road, two buildings had tilted backwards by 153mm and sunk by 67mm. Mainmark installed 84 JOG injection ports to lift the structure then applied expanding resin underneath the internal floor slabs to gradually raise and relevel the structure in just 22 days. “For the 1350mm in diameter sewerage pipe, which was under construction at the time of the earthquake, a 40-metre section had settled by 60mm due to liquefaction. We were able to raise the pipe back to design level spec in just two weeks by injecting specially engineered structural resins to fill voids and improve the bearing capacity of the saturated silty soil,” says Russell. “Laser equipment was used to monitor movement and control the relevelling.” The Christchurch Art Gallery project won the International Project of the Year Award at the 2016 Ground Engineering Awards, which were announced in London in June with the judges commenting that the project showed a strong and innovative application of modern technologies.
Operator using the computer controls and iPad software that allows the lift to be monitored from anywhere.
COMPLETED RAIN GARDEN
Scan QR code for more info Scan QR code for more info
FAST, EASY & ONE PIECE
HYNDS RAIN GARDEN CONSTRUCTION
0800 93 7473
hynds.co.nz
NOVEMBER 2016 51
CONTRACTOR BEST PRACTICE
Infrastructure contracts – the debate continues A workshop for NEC3 contracts project managers in Christchurch last month, and organised by NEC in the UK, rekindled an old industry debate and dilemma over contracts. By ALAN TITCHALL. THE ONE-DAY NEC workshop was held on October 27, a few days
before the IPWEA-owned RIM conference in Dunedin, and was organised in partnership with Constructing Excellence in New Zealand, which is the NZ licensed re-seller of NEC3 information and currently acts as the secretariat to the Australasian NEC3 User Group. The NZS:3910 Conditions of Contract for Building and Civil Engineering Construction is still the most widely used contract here. Written specifically to reflect our civil construction industry, NZS:3910 was first published in 1984 following a radical rewrite of the previous standard NZS:623. Supporters of NZS:3910 say it has been developed (and regularly reviewed) collaboratively by industry peers (clients, consultants, contractors, insurers, lawyers) and has benefited from many revisions – generally at five-year intervals. Each revision has followed an extensive industry-wide consultation period. The latest revision of NZS:3910 accommodates the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA), which is not covered by overseas standard forms of contract. For instance, a main component of the CCA provides processes for payment and dispute resolution (it is illegal to contract out of the Act). However, over the past decade, with an influx of engineers from overseas (particularly the UK) there has been a push to use alternative forms of contracts that are held up to be ‘relational’ contracts. NEC says it is gaining ground in the Australasian region with the use of its contracts, especially among local councils. Recently, the Horowhenua District Council appointed local contractor Caldow Builders under an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) option D (target contract with bill of quantities) to build a new $4.3 million community centre in Foxton. Project manager Marc Palmer says: “NEC’s strong cooperative principles and its tried and tested target cost provisions were central to the council’s decision to select ECC. “The contract also aligns with the community-driven project’s aims to maximise collaboration between the key groups supporting it as well as harness the skills and capacity of the community.” Other major projects that have adopted NEC3 include Watercare’s Hunua 4 project in Auckland – featured in this issue on page 32 – the Christchurch Art Gallery re-levelling project (featured in the October 2016 issue of Contractor); the Waitaki hydropower station refurbishment; and the Mill Creek wind farm. Despite this, many in the contracting industry believe that NEC contracts will never improve upon the Kiwi-designed NZS:3910. Says Malcolm Abernethy, executive officer with CCNZ: “NZS:3910 was written by Kiwis for Kiwis and developed collaboratively by all sectors within the construction industry. “On the other hand, NEC was developed in the UK as a result of their dysfunctional contracting industry and litigious approach to contracts back in the ’90s or very early 2000s.” Malcolm says the local industry is relatively small, which requires contractors to have a “mature” approach to contract relationships. 52 www.contractormag.co.nz
“As a result the industry is generally collaborative and has to be if the contractors and clients want to work together in the future.” He also notes that Horowhenua District Council a couple of years ago used NEC on a water maintenance contract and then retendered it as a NZS:3910. Gallo Saidy, group manager Infrastructure Services for the council, says the three waters NEC maintenance contract is actually still in place and doesn’t expire until June 2017. “In the past the intention was to go about to tender using a simpler contract such as the NZS:3910, but the existing contract got extended for another two years. I can say (though) we will not be continuing with NEC.” Joe Edwards, an operations manager at McConnell Dowell Constructors, says NEC3 needs to be adapted to comply with New Zealand law using special conditions, while this is not the case for NZS:3910. “NEC3 does limit overall risk exposure on contracts by allowing a cap on liability and excluding consequential loss, and this is being adopted by some clients using NZS:3910. I believe there are now a number of litigations that are coming through in the UK over NEC3s.” Joe also notes that the NZTA, the country’s largest procurer, works exclusively with NZS:3910. “NZTA has also developed, and continues to expand, the collaborative contracting approach throughout its work. Watercare Services used to use NEC3 and has now reverted back to NZS:3910.” To work effectively, NEC3 imposes a number of key obligations on the client’s PM, says Joe, which is an area often not well managed and can be overlooked. “A key issue with a number of contracts put to the market is the special conditions imposed and the implications of these. The reasons for including special conditions vary, but generally they move risk from what was the intent in the General Conditions of Contract. This in itself changes attitudes. “A contract I saw recently had a milestone payment clause proposed where the contractor would be significantly cash negative to a high percentage of the overall contract value, and for the majority of the contract. This is not collaborative and the general conditions of contract allow these changes. “Hence, a key aspect of collaborative contracting starts with the willingness to work together, have special conditions that match this, and a knowledge that the way the current contract goes will impact on the winning of future contracts.” Contract consultant Chris Olsen says he is not surprised to see NEC contracts picking up here. “NEC’s strength is that it includes formal contractual obligations and systems around collaboration whereas NZS:3910 and Conditions of Contract for Consultancy Service (CCCS) rely informally on a collaborative ‘culture’ only. “Some of my old Roading New Zealand members used to say that the NZS:3910 Conditions of Contract operating in a collaborative culture always went to custard when the real heat
came on, whereas NEC has processes that keep collaboration working.” Dave Jewell from Bond Contstruction Management says that while it is often stated that NEC is a ‘cooperative’ or ‘collaborative’ contract, this is wrong. “It is not correct to describe prescriptive notification requirements and strict communication protocols as ‘collaborative’. “While these are good disciplines in any contract, it is my view that NEC3 is no more ‘collaborative’ than NZS:3910. Collaboration is an attitude that the parties bring to their contractual relationship – it cannot be prescribed in a contract form that assigns risk to each party, and leaves each to the commercial consequences of those risks.” A feature of our market is that it is small, and poor relationships and/or poor performance on contracts become common knowledge and can be a significant factor in securing future work, says Dave. “So the parties work hard to maintain effective relationships, and in that context, NZS:3910 serves everyone very well.” NEC3 also requires greater discipline with the management of the contract, he adds. “There are requirements for notifications and communication that apply equally to both parties, and NEC3 contracts can come unstuck if that management input is missing.” Dave concedes that NEC3 has one clear advantage over NZS:3910 – in that it is a suite of contracts for different situations and parties. “While NZS:3910 has recently added a D&C version (3916), NEC3 has standard forms for just about every construction
contracting situation.” David Langford at New Plymouth District Council believes the industry will see more NEC contracts being used in the future. “There are some large local authorities, such as Christchurch City Council, that have been big NEC users over the past few years. As more and more clients deliver successful projects using the NEC form of contract, its profile increases. “New Plymouth District Council’s new Infrastructure Professional Services Contract is the first time we have used NEC. While our contract is still in its early stages, we are already seeing positive results, in particular regarding a strong swing towards a more collaborative working environment with our consultant.” David says he has extensive personal experience of using the NEC2 and NEC3 contract documents in the UK, plus experience with other contracts forms such as ICE sixth and seventh editions in the UK, and NZS:3910 here in New Zealand. “Over the years I have developed a strong preference for the NEC suite of documents due to their balanced nature, encouragement of collaborative working, flexibility, and stimulus of good project management practice. I say this having experienced working with the NEC contracts as both a client and as a contractor.” However, he also believes there will always be a place for NZS:3910. “As a client, I believe procurement is all about choice, which includes having a choice about which form of contract is going to best deliver your project objectives. As such, I very much see NZS:3910 and NEC3 sitting alongside each other to give project managers that choice.”
NOVEMBER 2016 53
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Under investment labelled as cost saving PETER SILCOCK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CIVIL CONTRACTORS NEW ZEALAND
ONE OF THE CONSTANT issues I hear about from our members is
that asset owners are not investing enough to maintain our existing infrastructure let alone cater for the increased demand created by our growing population and increasing public expectations. Many from outside the contracting industry would see that as self-interest from contractors who just want more work. However, it is a message that has been highlighted a number of times by the Office of the Auditor General. Over the past month or so there have been two further reports which back up the claims which have been made by contractors for so long and highlight the impact that the lack of investment is having on our global competitiveness and productivity. The World Economic Forum 2016 Global Competitiveness Index was recently published. Encouragingly, it says that New Zealand ranks as the 13th most competitive country in the world and that our ranking has improved by three places since last year’s report. That is something we can be proud of for sure. Our much larger South Pacific neighbour ranked 22nd, down one place from last year. Business New Zealand quite rightly celebrated the results highlighting our areas of strength and pointing out New Zealand’s weakest scores including the quality of road and rail infrastructure, levels of saving, and levels of exports. Wait a minute – what was that about our roads and rail? A closer look at the report reveals that as well as ranking poorly in terms of our road and rail infrastructure, our ranking in those areas is dropping like a stone.
supply of land for housing, for a multitude of business and private services within cities, and for a well-functioning urban labour market. In addition, the better the transport and other links between urban centres within a region, the more these centres will be able to operate as a productivity-enhancing system.” “Infrastructure supply, and by association development capacity, has struggled to keep pace with demand in New Zealand’s faster-growing cities. The effects of this lack of responsiveness can be seen in the rapidly rising urban land prices discussed in Chapters 5 and 7. During its Using Land for Housing inquiry, the Commission heard from a number of developers whose ability to deliver housing in a timely manner was constrained by the supply of infrastructure or uncertainty about the adequacy of existing networks.” The draft report recommends scaling back planning rules and local government regulation, and improving infrastructure funding approaches to achieve more vibrant, prosperous and attractive local communities. The ironic thing is that at the same time that we are seeing our productivity and global competitiveness slide because of our current and past underinvestment in infrastructure, we have local authorities that consistently under spend their capital budgets. It is true that there may be some self interest in contractors highlighting the lack of investment in the maintenance and development of our infrastructure but our members see
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report
2016/17 Ranking
2015/16 Ranking
Ranking Change
Roading Infrastructure
47
43
-4
Rail Infrastructure
47
44
-3
Post Infrastructure
21
20
-1
Air Transport Infrastructure
23
18
-5
This is a report about global competitiveness so there is no doubt that our lack of investment in infrastructure is negatively impacting on New Zealand’s competitiveness. The importance of infrastructure has not been lost on our own Productivity Commission either. Here are some excerpts from the recently released draft report “Better urban planning”. “The supply of infrastructure services is essential for an effective
every day the impact that under investment – often labelled as cost savings – has. These reports from highly respected organisations are confirming what our members have been saying and clearly outline the significant impacts on our communities, our productivity and our global competitiveness. It’s time for some action.
Postal Address: PO Box 12013, Thorndon, Wellington 6144 Physical Address: Margan House, 21 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011 Phone 0800 692 376
54 www.contractormag.co.nz
COMMENT CONTRACTOR
Auckland – a collaborative approach TOMMY PARKER, GROUP MANAGER, HIGHWAYS, NZTA
I WAS DELIGHTED TO be at the Going the Extra Mile Awards at the
end of September. I always enjoy attending this event – it’s great see our suppliers having their day in the sun. When these awards were initially established, they were about customer service – putting the customer firmly in the centre of what we do. Over time, they have gradually been expanded into other aspects of what we do – protecting the environment, Zero Harm, and innovation. While we have expanded our categories, fundamentally these are still about making the lives of our customers and citizens better. Our customers experience us, the NZ Transport Agency, through our suppliers and it’s pleasing to see, year upon year, the number and quality of applications rising dramatically – we had 60 entries in nine categories this year. I’m impressed at the diversity of the many initiatives underway by our suppliers and I congratulate our winners this year. The winning entries ranged from provision of a free overnight bus for cyclists and pedestrians while the Mt Victoria Tunnel was being upgraded, through to a trailer-mounted vacuum cleaner to make clearing litter quicker and less risky for our people. Or sometimes, it’s simply about just doing what you do well, in such a way as to make people feel good about themselves, as our customer champion winner did this year. I know this issue of Contractor magazine has coverage of the awards from this year, or you can find out more about our winners, and why they won, on www.nzta.govt.nz/gems. Many of you will be no stranger to the impact of Auckland on our construction agenda. New Zealand’s largest city is expected to grow by 700,000 people (that’s the size of Tauranga) over the next 30 years. A few weeks ago, the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP), a collaborative project between the government (Ministry of Transport, Treasury, NZ Transport Agency, State Services Commission) and Auckland Council/Auckland Transport, released its final report on a joint central-local government strategic approach to meet Auckland’s transport challenges over the next 30 years. The conclusion has been that there is a better programme for Auckland than current plans. The three key elements are maximising use of the existing network, targeted investment to increase capacity, and using new technology and smarter pricing to manage demand. We are playing a key role in proactively addressing the growth challenges identified through ATAP. Work is already underway, with the Transport for Future Urban Growth project (TFUG) looking at how we will support growth in the greenfields – a key priority for ATAP in the first decade and beyond. Combined with TFUG, ATAP has pointed to the positive outcomes that can be achieved by greater integration with land
use planning and greater collaboration between agencies, local and central government. Our Transport Agency board is considering what the next steps for the Transport Agency will be, and how we can be further involved as this work progresses – we’ll keep you updated. By this time this column goes to print, we will have just
We are playing a key role in proactively addressing the growth challenges identified through ATAP. Work is already underway, with the Transport for Future Urban Growth project (TFUG) looking at how we will support growth in the greenfields – a key priority for ATAP in the first decade and beyond.
had our annual NZ Transport Agency/NZ Institute of Highway Technology conference. This year’s theme was ‘Towards world leading road operation, construction and maintenance’ and the line-up of presenters and workshops was impressive. This conference is always a rewarding one to attend – it brings home to me how many people we have working in the wider sector with quality knowledge and who are collaboratively working towards better transport outcomes for New Zealand. I was particularly heartened to see smart innovations workshops running throughout the two-day conference – to me, this is indicative of the level of innovation we have as an industry and may this long continue. Finally, I know the team is gearing up for our public information campaign, ‘Know before you go’, for the coming months. This campaign is about encouraging our customers to think ahead when it comes to travelling – particularly pertinent over the summer months as it is peak season for maintenance and construction work. It’s about using our website and social media well to check out any potential delays before heading out on a journey this summer. And if you, your family and friends are out and about on journeys over the next few months, know before you go and be safe on our roads. NOVEMBER 2016 55
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Our aspirations for VDAM JONATHAN BHANA-THOMSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, NZ HEAVY HAULAGE ASSOCIATION
IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR, ‘VDAM’ is the bible for transporting overdimension loads, and to a lesser extent loads that need overweight permits to travel. This is the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule that has been in place since 2002. For more than two years this association has, along with many other industry bodies and individual companies and people, contributed ideas and desires for what the VDAM rule might contain. This has been part of a review process – the first major one in about 15 years. It is interesting that this process started as a ‘reform’ but has ended up a ‘review’. Given the length of time that the rule has been in place, this association has a pent up set of ideas that have been percolating over the time since the rule was put in place. We have been keen to advance these, and some of them relate to the opportunities that new technologies offer – such as LED signage and website permit applications. However, others relate to the constantly evolving environment that transport companies operate in – with ever increasing compliance and need for better standards. On this topic we see that there are opportunities to improve the standard and level of training that load pilots receive. These people perform an important role in ensuring the safety of oversize loads that are transported, and we need to ensure that they stay focused on this job and have the skills and expertise to carry it out. We are hopeful of seeing some downstream changes to pilot licensing and training even if we don’t see this directly in the rule. Another change that will bear benefits is a clear line of
authority and delegated authority for compliance with the rule and conditions for travel. The ‘operator’ will clearly be responsible for overall compliance, but we want to see that some of the on-road compliance is delegated to a person in the convoy nominated as the ‘on-road supervisor’. We are confident that we will see a number of items tidied up that will ensure that compliance is easier, such as the positioning and constitution of hazard panels and pilots signs; the rationalisation of travel times and zones where required; the simplification of category tables that detail the various compliance requirements; and the retention of hazard warning flags for the category 1 loads during the day. One of the major developments in VDAM that the association has been pushing for is the use of alternative pilot signage that can be approved by NZTA. To this end the association has been trialling alternative signage types, colours and wording that we intend to submit for approval. While we have been collating feedback in many forms, we are seeking feedback from other road users about what they believe is more effective. Below are some photos of the alternative signage that members of the association have been using, and I request your feedback if you see these out on the road, or on the basis of the examples below. Please contact us on: jonathan@ hha.org.nz or 04 472 0366 We are interested to know whether the new wording and colour (letters in reflective) is more effective than the current signage.
Class 1: Current sign (L), new wording and colour (R).
House Follows – Night: New colour (L), current sign (R).
House Stop: Current sign (L), new wording and colour (R).
Wide Load Follows – Night: New colour (R), current sign (L).
56 www.contractormag.co.nz
COMMENT CONTRACTOR
Better urban planning JOHN PFAHLERT, CEO, WATER NEW ZEALAND
THE PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION’S draft report ‘Better Urban
Planning’ has significant implications for those of us involved in the delivery of services, whether it’s water infrastructure or civil contracting. The report canvasses a number of issues regarding urban planning including urban planning and the natural environment, infrastructure, funding and procurement, and a future planning framework. It calls for clearer distinctions between the built and natural environments, developments and changes in land use along with clearer priorities around land use regulation and infrastructure provision. The Commission has posed a number of questions and made some two dozen recommendations. A careful reading of these suggests a perhaps overly process focused approach and there are a number of important funding, governance and legal issues that will result from some of these recommendations that have not been adequately examined. Having said that, the report is useful in that it turns the spotlight on an area – urban planning and development – that many have found to be a labyrinth of conflicting legislative aims, extensive delays, complex processes, and sometimes excessive costs. In a number of cases the Commission has posed questions that suggest positive outcomes, while elsewhere it would appear what is suggested may actually further complicate the planning process rather than simplify it. The suggestion we move to common consultation and decisionmaking processes and principles for decisions on land use rules, transport and infrastructure provision has merit. On the other hand, the suggestion all new plans, plan variations and private plan changes across the country be considered and reviewed by a permanent Independent Hearings Panel would appear to be moving to a solution before the issues with existing planning regimes are resolved. This risks introducing yet another layer of bureaucracy to an already overly bureaucratised system. Similarly, the report also recommends monitoring the performance of the planning system in meeting national goals. It is however unclear how this monitoring will contribute to already mandated reporting requirements (eg, the Environmental Reporting Act 2015). Elsewhere the report recommends that in a future planning system central government should have the power to override local plans, coordinate or require common land use approaches to specific issues, and direct council infrastructure units or Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) to increase their supply. The report gives no indication of the circumstances that would trigger central government intervention and there is a similar lack of detail of the legal dimensions of central government directing the independent board of a CCO.
The report canvasses the possibility of developing a Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Environmental Sustainability. There is however no explanation why a further national instrument is required or why it would improve on or replace existing environmental monitoring and reporting requirements. There would be merit in harmonising the current existing national policy statements and national environmental standards and additional useful guidance could be provided in common good practice rules for flooding, stormwater management and the physical resilience of infrastructure and built structures. In terms of urban planning and infrastructure, the report recommends making spatial planning a standard and mandatory part of a future planning system. This recommendation has merit in that greater certainty is given in terms of the location and capacity of future infrastructure. It will be important that a spatial plan has legislation supporting it to ensure that infrastructure planned is actually implemented at the appropriate time. It is important to note however that spatial plans take time to develop and there will be different capabilities within different councils. This may mean a future spatial planning system will require a degree of flexibility in reference to the level of detail provided. The Commission has sought views on what elements of the planning regime could be replaced by spatial plans. This is an important consideration in that a future planning system must ease the planning pathway – not further complicate it. The Commission has also suggested that a future planning system should include formal mechanisms for councils and central government to work together and assess major programmes of urban infrastructure. It would seem the Treasury’s Infrastructure Unit could be well placed to play a major role here. A number of funding pathways are explored including volumetric charging for water and wastewater, targeted rates to fund investment in local infrastructure, local taxes, and broadening the requirements to consider public-private partnerships for significant local infrastructure projects. Finally, the Commission has raised the possibility of altering land use legislation by either retaining a single resource management law, with clearly separated built and national environment sections, or developing two new pieces of legislation with one regulating the built environment and the second the natural environment. Big questions and a big report on a big topic. It is clear the current planning regime requires attention and this report is an important step in moving to a new planning paradigm. More information on our report response is available on the Water New Zealand website: bit.ly/BetterUrbanPlanning.
NOVEMBER 2016 57
CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES
CL
M
The face only a mother could love! Factory photo of an Eimco Model 105 in all its stripped-down finery. As can be seen, it is brutal in its simplicity and very narrow. This is a GM 4-71 powered example.
A
ASSIC
C H I N E S
PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
1
Forgotten companies –
Eimco
Established in the 1880s, Eimco designed and built underground mining equipment. In a surprising move, it decided to go above ground and enter the track type tractor market. BY RICHARD CAMPBELL. EIMCO (EASTERN IRON and Machinery Co), was not a widely known name in the track tractor industry. The reason being that the period in which it manufactured and offered track tractors and loaders was quite brief, from 1952 through to 1965. However, the tractors it built were advanced for their day and did not resemble any other contemporary manufacturer’s machines. There was no mistaking an Eimco for anything else. Eimco’s tractor manufacturing facility was located in Salt Lake City, Utah and it was the sole production centre for track type tractors and loaders. At the beginning of tractor production, Eimco numbered all of its dozers with odd numbers (103, 105, etc) and the track loader range received even numbers, 106, 136 and so on. Later, this numbering system was changed so that it was not possible to identify an Eimco machine just by its designator, and one had to do a visual check! In this article we are having a look solely at Eimco’s range of bulldozers. 58 www.contractormag.co.nz
As Eimco didn’t manufacture its own engines, it relied on General Motors and Cummins for powerplants, with the majority of its machines being powered by GM. A unique feature of most Eimco tractors was the use of two transmissions, (usually Allison), driven by a splitter box off the engine’s flywheel. This allowed both tracks to be powered all the time and did away with the need for large steering clutches and final drives. The machine could be put into a gradual turn by having one transmission in ‘hi’ range and the opposite side in ‘lo’, or a spot turn could be made by having one side in forward and the other in reverse. This was a similar arrangement to that used in the Euclid TC12 (although the TC-12 also used two engines) but the concept actually preceded that of the big Euclid. Eimco’s first offering into the tractor market was the Model 105, a 15 ton machine powered by a 138 horsepower GM 4-71 diesel, which was introduced in late 1952. As mentioned previously, visually it was like no other
1. A n Eimco Model 105 clearing scrub and brush in Texas, equipped with a hydraulic angle blade. The rear mounted radiator shows well in this view as does the big, flat rear chassis plate, ideal for mounting all sorts of extra equipment. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
2. A Model 103 powered with a GM 4-53 and fitted with a modified angle blade incorporating tilt cylinders. This photo gives a good idea of just how close to the work the operator sat. You would want the wind behind you on a dusty day! Gadget mounted on the machine’s rear main case is the hydraulic tank. PHOTO: INTERNET 3. GM powered Model 105 bulldozing in Wyoming according to the company blurb in this publicity shot. The red and yellow colour scheme is how the machines were delivered from the factory to retail customers and is very reminiscent of how Case used to paint its dozers in the 1960s.
1
3
4
5. Up front on a Model 105. The two left levers control the separate transmissions while the two levers on the right are for blade raise and tilt. There is a brake pedal for each track and a foot operated accelerator. All in all a very simple layout. The missing instrument on the dash is a tachometer.
PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
4. A model 103B sits in the shade. Canopy is the standard factory sunshade option fitted to a lot of these machines. There were no OSH regulations the entire time span of Eimco’s production so ROPS structures you may see are all add-ons. This particular machine has a Farr air-cleaner and is almost certainly an Army surplus buy. PHOTO: INTERNET
2
PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
5
track type tractor. For starters, the operator sat right up front behind a dash panel that was sloped sharply downwards. He also sat high, with a good view of the work area. The engine, transmission and cooling system were located behind the operator under a narrow and rakish bonnet. This allowed for a very compact drive train and excellent protection for the radiator. The entire under chassis was built from a U-shaped tub and was reinforced underneath to protect it from rocks and stumps, ensuring a very strong and rigid structure to mount the drive train. A cutout halfway along the machine accommodated the equalizer bar and each track was pivoted off its own final drive. The Model 105 was the longest-lived of all of Eimco’s bulldozers, lasting in production from 1952 through to 1962. However, total production of the Model 105 was only 1279 machines. Eimco did not manufacture its own attachments and purchased
what it needed from outside suppliers, typically InternationalHarvester/Bucyrus-Erie, GarWood and Ateco, which were then re-branded. The first Model 105 machines offered for sale were typically equipped with a Bucyrus angle blade operated by an IH/ Superior double drum cable control unit (PCU). While coming across an Eimco dozer would be something of a rarity among a contractor’s spread in the 1950s and 1960s, Eimco had a great deal of success supplying the US military with equipment and it was in this market that the company had its best sales success. An awful lot of Eimco tractors and dozers were used in the Korean and Vietnam wars where they gained a bit of an unsavoury reputation as ‘mine hunters’, as running over a land mine pretty much guaranteed a trip to the hospital, if you survived the blast, due to the up front position of the operator’s compartment. Eimco’s next machine, the Model 103, was introduced in 1958 and this was basically a scaled-down version of the Model 105 weighing only 9½ tons. NOVEMBER 2016 59
CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES
B R I E F S P EC I F I CAT I O N S Caterpillar 639D Engine (front): Caterpillar 3408T, turbocharged, aftercooled V8 diesel rated at 450 horsepower @ 2000 rpm Engine (rear): Caterpillar 3306T, turbocharged, aftercooled inline 6-cylinder diesel rated at 250 horsepower @ 2200 rpm Transmission: Caterpillar full powershift 8-speed transmission with variable torque converter and two loading ranges to optimise transmission performance n Eimco Model 165 in the colours most usually seen – olive drab. A recent A purchase from Army Surplus Stores, this example is powered by a GM 6V-71 and has unusually a straight blade (the military usually preferred angle blades). A good set of tracks on this machine which probably came from Vietnam.
Top speed:
35mph
Brakes:
Shoe type, full air operated
Tyres:
37.25x35, 42-ply E3
Steering: Two cylinder with multiplier linkage. 90° either way. Turning circle:
40’ 7”
Hitch: Caterpillar Cushion Hitch with oil/ nitrogen accumulators Capacity:
34 cubic yards heaped
Operation:
All hydraulic
Elevator: Two-speed with one reverse, 200/300 fpm No. flights:
20
Length:
47’ 8”
Width:
13’
Height:
14’ 4”
Operating weight: 62 tons empty, 99.5 tons loaded
GM 4-53 powered Model 103 with hydraulic straight blade shows off its conventional undercarriage & recoil adjusting system. When photographed, this machine had been parked up for quite some time. The unusual muffler support is noteworthy and probably removes a bit of the noise of the GM diesel away from the operator.
Eimco Model 103B doing a spot of landscaping at a rubble dump. It appears to be a Cummins powered example and is in good condition. Almost certainly Army surplus, it has been repainted a pale orange and is fitted with a re-badged TD-15 straight blade. 60 www.contractormag.co.nz
It was also offered as a front end loader, known as the Model 106. Powered by a GM 4-53 diesel, the 103 had a top speed of almost 6mph. Manufactured up until 1960, Eimco sold 286 of its 103 model. Operators felt the machine was a bit underpowered and a tad on the light side so a partial redesign was undertaken resulting in the Model 103B which first appeared in 1961. A GM 6V-71 replaced the GM 4-53 engine and a Cummins NH200 was also available as an option. Operating weight was now 13 tons bare. Eimco had moderate success with this 103B and sold 850 of them, mostly to the US government. Today, it is the most likely type you will find in a preserved condition. The largest of the Eimco bulldozers was the model 165 which tipped the scales at 17 tons bare and was powered by a GM 6V-71T, GM 8V-71 or a Cummins NH220 diesel. It was introduced the same year as the Model 103B, 1961. This was the second biggest seller for Eimco, with sales exceeding 1000 units, again, mostly sold to the US military for various contracts. A Model 165B was offered from 1964 through 1965 when the type was discontinued.
End of the road
For the model collector
Despite healthy sales to the US government, commercial retail sales were almost non-existent and there appeared to be quite a bit of customer resistance to Eimco’s machines for whatever reason. Perhaps they were a little too far ahead of their time. As military contracts could not be relied upon, the decision was made to close down the tractor division and it was shut down for good in 1965. Eimco then returned to its core business of underground mining equipment. When the USA finally pulled out of Vietnam in 1975, they had a considerable stock of earthmoving equipment that had been used for building and maintaining airbases, bunkers, emplacements and the like. Those Eimcos that hadn’t been blown up in war zones in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand were returned to the USA and sold as Army surplus. Many of these machines had under 1000 hours on the clock and were great buying as budding contractors could pick up earthmoving equipment for a fraction of the cost of a new machine. Some of these machines have survived and a few are even still in use.
Regrettably, the author knows of no Eimco models whatsoever in any scale. Disappointing, as one would make a great conversation piece in a spread of more well known equipment. There are no specifications as this article is a general overview.
The New Zealand connection I have never seen an Eimco bulldozer in this country, however their underground mining shovels, known as “muckers” were used on the Tokaanu and Manapouri projects where they were well regarded. Eimco’s Australian dealer, Tutt-Bryant, sold several Model 103s and Model 105s to the Australian Army, but their eventual disposal and fate is unknown.
ne of the last Eimcos built, this Model 165B has a cable angle blade O operated by a rear mounted IH/Superior double drom PCU. The machine has a GM 6V-53 under the hood. It is unlikely that this tractor was ex-military due to the cable blade which is a factory fit and the fact that the Army preferred hydraulics. This is a particularly rare machine to see in such good condition. PHOTO: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
Hydraulic RAM Service Big Ram? Urgent? Modifications? Manufacturing?
Call us for immediate action!
566357 www.jonel.co.nz 0800 JONELS
Over 30 Years Experie nce
NATIONWIDE SERVICE
Job Done!! NOVEMBER 2016 61
CONTRACTOR MOTORING
HOLDEN H OLDEN COLORADO’S COLORADO’S
rocky mountain high The Ford Ranger has enjoyed the light commercial ute-orientated playing field to itself for so long now – or so the monthly Motor Industry Association sales results tell us – that it’s always interesting to see some competition show up. By CAMERON OFFICER. When it comes to Ford Ranger competition, the Toyota Hilux has, as always, proved a worthy rival through sheer volume if not in an apples-with-apples comparative feature set. If you’re a townie with a hard-lid on the tray that you never expect to lift, then the Volkswagen Amarok remains a shopping list topper. Outliers such as the Nissan Navara NP300, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton are all worthy too, although only have their pockets of rampant fandom to draw upon. And, sadly, my personal favourite – the Mazda BT-50 – may as well not exist at all for the impact the nicely rejuvenated current model seems to have made here. But now we have the new Holden Colorado. And suffice to say – especially in feature-tastic top trim LTZ and Z71 guises – it is very, very good indeed. At a glance it looks quite similar to the model it replaces, but that’s no bad thing. The really big news is inside though, where it boasts a nicely redesigned interior and plenty of comfort and 62 www.contractormag.co.nz
convenience specification now included as standard. What’s more, Holden has released a heap of genuine accessories for the truck, many of which were showcased on its Colorado Xtreme show truck that I covered back in our July issue. Reflective of the ute segment having doubled in size in the last 10 years as more and more people choose the doublecab ute as family transport rather than just a work tool, Holden has added a heap of convenience tech to the new Colorado. It features its very good MyLink audio and entertainment system (which incorporates both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring capabilities), a new grade-dependent 7" or 8" touchscreen system and embedded satellite navigation and voice recognition software. The truck features the full gamut of safety gear, including a rear view camera in every model and Front Park Assist sensors, as well as Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning software on top trim editions. Away from the glossy techy stuff, the Colorado works well
off-road and boasts a decent 3500 kilograms braked tow rating. Indeed, media towed mini excavators on tandem trailers across the foothills of the Southern Alps during the press launch event and the Colorado behaved nicely; no shunting or pulling and plenty of grunt from low down in the rev range. Those accessories? Almost anything you care to name; bullbars, bash plates, extended sports bars for the tray, a steel rear step, a safari bar, LED driving lights, a snorkel option, fender flares to give your Colorado some girth … the list goes on, and it’s all backed by the distributor. This is one comprehensive makeover. And Ford – which as a distributor relies very heavily on the Ranger to carry a lot of brand weight here – should be looking cautiously over its shoulder.
Holden Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder Duramax diesel Transmission: 6-speed automatic Power: 147kW Torque: 500Nm 0-100km/h: N/A Max speed: N/A Fuel Economy: 8.7L/100km Braked Tow Rating: 3500kg Price: $66,990
Ebbett Group takes over Foton brand distribution from Ateco Automotive THE WAIKATO-HEADQUARTERED Ebbett Group will become the sole distributor for the Chinese-manufactured Foton brand in New Zealand this month, taking over from Ateco Automotive NZ. Ebbett has been distributing Foton vans through Anglesea Vehicle Distributors (AVD) since early 2015. The new deal brings the light duty truck and ute business into AVD as well, consolidating the entire Foton range with one distributor. Ebbett managing director Ben Van Den Engel said in a press release announcing the move that the new arrangement will provide a more focused approach to the Kiwi market and wider dealer support. “We are delighted to have concluded this deal with Ateco and with the full backing of Foton,” he said. “We were already committed to the brand through our van distribution so it makes sense to bring over the truck and ute business as well. A consolidated approach will be a huge benefit for Foton dealerships and customers alike.
“Ateco has done a fine job with the Foton range and, as Ateco will continue with Foton on the other side of the Tasman, there is no doubt that there will be occasions when we will work together on projects of mutual benefit. “In the meantime we are proud to be able to bring Foton and its dealers together within the Ebbett Group.” Established in 1928, the Ebbett Group now boasts 15 dealerships and locations representing 13 brands across the North Island.
NOVEMBER 2016 63
CONTRACTOR INNOVATIONS
Performance boost for vacuum excavators Ditch Witch has released its new Prospector Nozzle for improved productivity on hydroexcavation jobs. Operating at 3000psi, the nozzle tackles the toughest challenges while boosting performance by 30 percent compared to similar nozzles on the market. Compatible with all Ditch Witch vacuum excavators and other competitive models, the nozzle reduces water consumption on the job while its cone-shaped cut mitigates damage to underground utility lines, aiding operator’s safety and productivity. The nozzle’s rotating, conical design provides an 18-degree cone of optimised coverage, ideally suited for a variety of hydroexcavation tasks. Constructed with durable, stainless-steel housings and tungsten-carbide wear surfaces, the Prospector Nozzle is able to withstand excavation in harsh environments while also giving the accessory a long life. The Ditch Witch factory has also introduced the Prospector Digging Lance, which uses a vertical trigger for more ergonomic operation. The lance improves operator comfort and helps keep operators in an upright position during excavation jobs. To accompany these accessories, repair kits are available for the Prospector Nozzle. The kits include spare parts for the nozzle that operators can use with Ditch Witch or other manufacturer’s excavation models to reduce replacement and upgrade costs. For more information: www.ditchwitch.com/ vacuum-accessories.
New Doosan DX140LCR wins praise The Doosan DX140LCR crawler excavator is said to deliver exceptional performance for an excavator in the 12-14 tonne range. Distributed by AB Equipment, this particular Doosan model has become very popular among contractors for cost effectiveness and comfort. One of those to sing its praises is the owner of West Auckland based Central Siteworks, Dion Lane. Dion has never been a fan of zero tail swing up until now, however the balance on the DX140LCR has impressed him so much that he is now a convert. “AB Equipment gave us one to trial but it never went back,” says Dion. “The lifting power is absolutely tremendous for this size of excavator which is perfect for the type of drainage and all-purpose residential subdivision work we do. I love it, and with the tilt hitch as part of the package it is definitely our ‘go to’ machine. Our operators are falling over themselves to use it so I wouldn’t hesitate to buy more in the future.” Another who can’t fault them is Linden Bawden from Hibiscus Contractors. “We just happened to be in the market when James Maunsell from AB Equipment approached us so we arranged a test run,” says Linden. “Having been longstanding owners of a competitive brand the Doosan totally met our expectations and with a more than competitive price package we ended up buying two models, one of which was a DX140LCR.” For further information call 0800 303 090.
Hella’s Light Bar 470 After the success of the LED Light Bar 350, Hella has brought out a longer and brighter brother – the LED Light Bar 470. This new lamp features all the outstanding properties of the previous model plus four additional high-performance automotive LEDs and a maximum luminous intensity of 166,000 candela at a power consumption of only 35 watts. The dust and waterproof light bar comes in two different beam patterns – high beam and pencil beam. Ultralight weight is particularly valued on ATVs and off-road vehicles which often roof mount these light bars. Hella’s Light Bar 470 weighs just 950 grams. The thermally conductive housing is precision injection moulded from a ceramic based polymer which is highly resistant to degradation and corrosion even in demanding environmental conditions. Due to its slim profile, this streamline light bar is ideal for applications where aerodynamic styling is a valued attribute. The flexible, adjustable mounting system ensures easy installation. The LED Light Bars 350 and 470 are covered by a five year warranty. 64 www.contractormag.co.nz
INNOVATIONS CONTRACTOR
Komatsu’s next-generation mining shovel
The PC7000 is a 700 tonne class machine available in face shovel and backhoe configurations.It is matched to plus-200 tonne trucks such as Komatsu’s 830E, 860E and 930E haul units. According to Michael Hall, Komatsu Australia’s national product manager, the new PC7000, which had its worldwide release at Bauma this year, extends the company’s portfolio of loading tools in the plus 200 tonne truck classes, joining the PC8000. “This shovel meets the mining industry’s requirements for high productivity through its proven Komatsu performance pedigree – and offers the lowest cost per tonne in its class,” he says. “Testing in Australia has confirmed the production benefits delivered by the PC7000’s large bucket capacity, fast cycle times, high breakout force and excellent stability.” Hall says the new shovel represents the latest in mining technology and was developed as a result of close collaboration with mining industry partners from around the world.
“With mining becoming ever more challenging, we opted for a truly customer-oriented approach,” he says. “They identified safety, productivity, maintainability and performance as key drivers – and all were taken into consideration by our design and development engineers.” Hall adds that the PC7000 has the highest engine power and breakout force in its class, providing fast cycle times. “This, combined with an easy-fill bucket design, meant in less time at the face to fill the bucket, along with reduced fuel consumption. “Downtime has also been significantly reduced, with the machine design providing easy access to major components, centralised service points and improved maintenance access through the location and increased width of walkways.” For New Zealand customers all machine operational data is constantly monitored and checked through Komatsu’s INSITE Fleet Management Centre at its Fairfield headquarters.
Zero swing mini excavator With its IHI technology and notable increase in power and stability the next generation 8.5 tonne 85V4 zero tail swing excavator was a stand out when introduced at bauma in Munich earlier this year. Thanks to its compact tail dimensions, the IHI 85V4 is able to carry out digging and loading operations in total safety. A slewing speed of nine revolutions per minute and an impressive breakout force of 55kN combine to ensure optimum performance on any job. The new Yanmar engine guarantees low noise, together with miserly fuel and oil consumption. In addition, pollutant emissions are reduced to the bare minimum. The zero tail swing turret of the 85V4 excavator is decidedly compact. A front turning radius with boom swing of 2640mm and a rear turning radius of 1450mm make this new 8.5 tonne excavator the ideal machine for operations in restricted spaces, where maximising margins of manoeuvrability is a factor. This is especially the case for road works, where precision is an essential requirement when manoeuvring on the carriageway. It features a maximum digging depth of 4020mm using the standard arm, or 4320mm using a long arm. Particular attention has been given to maintenance and accessibility of components, whilst
the new rubber tracks also reduce vibration, increase durability and provide enhanced operator comfort. The new IHI 85V4 model is not currently available in New Zealand but Youngman Richardson & Co is hopeful it will be here soon. For more information: call 09 443 2436, or for South Island enquiries, 03 341 6923. NOVEMBER 2016 65
CONTRACTOR CIVIL CONTRACTORS NEW ZEALAND
CCNZ Updates Welcome to New Members • Auckland Civil Services Ltd, Auckland Branch • Taggart Earthmoving Ltd, Canterbury/Westland Branch • Base Excavations Ltd, Nelson/Marlborough Branch •JR Works Groups Ltd, Northland Branch • Davies Waste Solutions Ltd, Hawkes Bay Branch
CCNZ and Z working together to add value to your business CCNZ and Z have worked together to offer you even better savings on fuel when you use your Z Card. • 10 cents per litre off the advertised pump price at Z Service Stations. • 20 cents per litre off the national list price at Z Truck Stops. There are no fill limits or restrictions – as a CCNZ member you can enjoy these great discounts on every litre you purchase, every day. If you already have a Z Card, the new discounts took effect 1 October. To sign up for a Z Card just go to z.co.nz/ZCard and enter the special offer code CivilCont1. If you have any questions give Z a call on 0800 474 355.
Urgent ACC changes to WSMP and WSD The following information has been supplied by CCNZ Major Associate Member Manage ACC. Workplace Safety Management Practices (WSMP) and Workplace Safety Discounts (WSD) will stop from 1 April 2017. You need to take action now to maximise your discounts. ACC will introduce new incentive schemes with a particular focus on “rewarding businesses when they reduce workplace injuries and support the rehabilitation of their injured workers”. We don’t quite know what will directly replace the WSMP scheme. For now though we will focus on what you need to do to maximise the discounts.
Workplace Safety Management Practices (WSMP) • The scheme will stop from 1 April 2017 however your discounts can/ will continue until 2019. • WSMP customers that are within one year of their renewal date (up to 31 October 2017) are being asked to apply for their annual audit prior to 31 October this year – the actual audit can take place anytime between October 2016 and January 2017. This could mean that your audit will be a lot earlier than you had initially planned however you don’t have a lot of choice unfortunately. Please note ACC is currently figuring out how to resource all the audits as there
will be a few of them! • WSMP customers that have more than one year until their renewal date are being asked to apply for an early audit in the first week of the applicable month ie, if your renewal date is in January 2018, you should apply for early renewal in the first week of January 2017. ACC will only hold audit spots for those that do this and your cut-off is 28 February 2017. Any renewal after 28 February 2018 will not be accepted.
Workplace Safety Discounts (WSD) • WSD customers with discounts expiring before 31 March 2018 can reapply and renew their discount and need to reapply by 31 October 2016. • WSD customers with discounts expiring on 31 March 2019 will not be able to renew as you are already getting the maximum three years allowed. Please note you will still need to participate in the annual declaration process in order to continue receiving the discount for the 2018 and 2019 tax years. For more information contact Martin Wouters on martin@ managecompany.co.nz or 021 322 286.
CCNZ Central Regional Manager appointed CCNZ has appointed Stu Gardner as its Central Regional Manager. Stu is Wellington based and will initially work out of Margan House. His last role was National Sales Manager with Truck Stops and prior to that he was Truck Stops Regional Manager for the lower North Island. Stu has worked for TWL out of Palmerston North and is a mechanic by training.
CCNZ submissions Environmental Protection Authority’s Hazardous Reform. EPA is seeking submissions on proposed changes to New Zealand’s system for managing hazardous substances. CCNZ is preparing a submission on this and has asked for member feedback. Proposed Fire and Emergency Regs. Following on from our submissions and appearance at the Government Administration Select Committee hearing on the Bill, CCNZ has submitted on a discussion paper on the regulations proposed to be made under the new Bill. Land Transport Amendment Bill. The Bill makes amendments to improve heavy vehicle productivity, and updates penalties for operators who exceed vehicle height, length and weight limits. CCNZ is preparing a submission.
ADVERT ISERS IN D EX Allied Petroleum CablePrice
53 OFC, IFC, 3, 14, 15, OBC
CCNZ
54, IBC
Gough Cat
7
Mercedes Benz Commercial
37
Heaney & Partners
9
Mimico 25
Hirepool 13
Pirtek 43
Counties Ready Mix Concrete
23
Hynds Pipe Systems
51
Porters Equipment
Ditch Witch NZ
31
Jonel Hydraulics
61
Trimble 41
Global Survey
47
Komptech New Zealand
31
Youngman Richardson
66 www.contractormag.co.nz
4
17
// C O N S T R U C T I O N E X C AVAT O R S
The design of the new Hitachi ZX130-5, ZX135US-5 and ZX225USLC-5 excavators are inspired by one aim - Empowering your Vision
100616_Hitachi_ZX130
SPECIFICATIONS MAKE
MODEL
WEIGHT (kg)
WIDTH
BUCKET (m3)
DIG DEPTH (mm)
Hitachi
ZX130-5
13,100
2490
0.50
5540
Hitachi
ZX135US-5
13,700
2490
0.50
Hitachi
ZX225USLC-5
24,300
2990
0.80
BREAKOUT (kgf)
POWER (kW@rpm)
FLOW (L/min)
104 kN
73kW@2000
2x117
5490
104 kN
73kW@2000
2x117
6620
158 kN
122kW@2000
2x212/1x189
See first-hand the features of the new Hitachi ZX130-5, ZX135US-5 and ZX225USLC-5 excavators with live demonstrations taking place throughout the country. For more information and to register visit www.cableprice.co.nz or contact your local CablePrice sales representative.
0800 555 456 sales@cableprice.co.nz www.cableprice.co.nz