NEW ZEALAND’S CIVIL CONTRACTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
JUNE 2014 $8.95
SENSATIONAL NEW
CAT E-SERIES
Two South Island contracting firms are among the first to move to the eagerly awaited excavator range from Goughs.
INSIDE: Auckland’s growing thirst costs Watercare $4.8bn over next 10 years Trouble at Diana Falls: Weather causes ongoing problems at Haast Pass Gaining traction – getting to grips with a PPP This year’s conference season previews
CONTENTS CONTRACTOR
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INSIDE: Regulars 2 Editorial 4 Upfront 12 On the Cover 48 Classic Machines 52 Motoring 54 Innovations 54 Advertisers Index 56 Contractors’ Diary
Opinion 38 Gavin Riley On regional development
Comment 40 Jeremy Sole NZ Contractors’ Federation 42 Jared Holt Kensington Swan Lawyers
Highlights / Features 14 Going with the flow Watercare’s investment in Auckland’s growing demand for its services.
20 Gaining traction Getting to grips with a PPP.
24 Achieving results together NZCF/RNZ/ACENZ Conference 2014 update.
26 Milestone for Crane Conference Celebrating 40 years, the Crane Association holds its annual conference next month in Queenstown.
ON THE COVER Two South Island contracting firms are among the first to move to the eagerly awaited new Goughs’ excavator range. See page 12
28 Trouble at Diana Falls Repairing damage to State Highway 6 between Haast and Makarora caused by a major slip has thrown up a unique set of challenges for the contractors.
32 The bigger is best theory Bigger, but fewer, trucks and stronger bridges equals safer roads, according to the government.
36 International: Through the Swiss Alps The Gothard Base Tunnel is a project of epic proportions that the planning stages started two decades ago..
44 Harry Wilson NZ Transport Agency
45 James MacQueen BDO Chartered Accountants
47 Rod Auton Crane Association of NZ
47 Rob Gaimster Cement & Concrete Association
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36 JUNE 2014 1
CONTRACTOR EDITORIAL
Thirsty work Building a country is never going to be cheap, and we often cover projects whose budget is expressed in hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars. These projects are mostly roads, tunnels or bridges – legacy builds that people will use, and even admire, for many years to come. You can read about one such project on page 36 – a US$10.3 billion tunnel being built under the Swiss Alps between Germany and Italy. At 57 kilometres, it will feature the world’s longest rail tunnel, handling up to 250 trains per day at speeds up to 250 kph. This month, Ruth Le Pla takes a look at some home-grown projects that will cost a more modest $4.8 billion over 10 years, and are mostly invisible. Auckland Council’s Watercare is undertaking an enormous rebuild across the city as its growing population puts more demands on water and wastewater services. These include a 28-kilometre 1900mm diameter pipeline through residential streets and transport corridors; a major replacement of the 50-year-old Panmure wastewater mains around some of Auckland’s busiest roads, and the rehabilitation of the old quarry on Manukau Harbour’s Puketutu Island, with the long-term aim of creating a 197 hectare Regional Park. Another project with an eye-watering budget for New Zealand is, of course, Transmission Gully, estimated to cost around $1.3 billion. Try putting that on your overdraft. Lawrence Schaffler takes a look at the difficulties associated with New Zealand’s first Public Private Partnership (PPP), along with the “concrete vs ashphalt” lobbying which has circulated around this project. Final negotiations between NZTA and the Wellington Gateway Partnership are due to be settled and announced “mid-year”.
Expansion plans Next month will see Contrafed Publishing’s latest venture take shape, in the form of a revamped Local Government (LG) magazine – a title we bought recently to complement our existing portfolio. The synergies with Contractor and Q&M magazines in particular make this a logical direction for the company. If you’d like to receive a trial subscription to LG, simply email admin@contrafed.co.nz with your address details.
Classic Rock Finally, it’s not often that we’d have cause to draw your attention to the advertisers whose incredible support makes putting this magazine together possible. Normally, we let their creativity attract your attention without comment. But this month, we have one of our own in a starring role. Richard Campbell, who writes our popular Classic Machines columns, also works at Transdiesel and you can see him on page 27, looking very much the “rock star”. For those of you who enjoy his regular writings about machines of old, now you can put a face to the name – and in his case, a beard to the face as well. Kevin Lawrence, Editor
2 JUNE 2014
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 MANAGING EDITOR Kevin Lawrence DDI: 09 636 5710 Mobile: 021 512 800 Email: kevin@contrafed.co.nz REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Richard Campbell, Hugh de Lacy, Peter Gill, Gavin Riley, Jeremy Sole, Alan Titchall, Gabe Andrews ADVERTISING DDI: 09 636 5724 Email: kevin@contrafed.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES Amanda Gilroy DDI: 09 636 5714 Mobile: 021 066 4914 Email: amanda@contrafed.co.nz ADMINISTRATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS DDI: 09 636 5715 Email: admin@contrafed.co.nz PRODUCTION Design: TMA Design 09 636 5713 Printing: Client Focused Solutions Ltd 027 255 1818
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.
The official magazine of The New Zealand Contractors’ Federation www.nzcontractors.co.nz Roading New Zealand www.roadingnz.org.nz The Aggregate & Quarry Association www.aqa.org.nz The New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association www.hha.org.nz The Crane Association of New Zealand www.cranes.org.nz Rural Contractors New Zealand www.ruralcontractors.org.nz The Ready Mixed Concrete Association www.nzrmca.org.nz Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation www.infratrain.co.nz
ISSN 0110-1382
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Worksafe in action WorkSafe New Zealand has been responsible for all workplace health and safety matters for five months now. Its impact has already been felt in the forestry industry. The agency says by the beginning of March it had undertaken 200 assessments of cable hauling operations and issued over 270 enforcement notices, including 23 prohibition notices (ie, shutting down notices for part or all of an operation). WorkSafe is responsible for the implementation of workplace health and safety reform under a blueprint called Working Safer. This is the first time in the country’s history that there is a standalone Crown Agency solely focused on improving workplace health and safety. It has been set the task of leading the country to a 25 percent reduction in workplace deaths and serious harms by 2020. The Health and Safety Reform Bill, introduced into Parliament in March this year, is one of the major legislative reforms to help all involved achieve the target. It’s expected to pass into law by the end of the year and will come into force in April 2015. The bill clarifies the duties of all parties in a workplace and aims to put more onus and legal requirements on managers and company directors to manage risks and keep their workers safe. It also demands greater worker/ employee participation in workplace health and safety matters. Among the principal changes is a new definition of ‘responsibility’ in the workplace, which involves a new acronym – PCBU ‘person in charge of a business or undertaking’. It will be the core duty of a ‘PCBU’ to ensure the health and safety of downstream workers, contractors and subcontractors so far as is ‘reasonably practicable’. The rules relating to the requirements for authorisation of workplaces is an area in the bill contractors should be aware of. No one can carry out a business or an undertaking at a workplace, or direct, or allow a worker to carry out work at a workplace, if regulations require the workplace, or class of workplaces, to be authorised and the workplace is not authorised in accordance with any regulations. Andy Loader, Safety Council CEO, says “under the sections of the Reform Bill (sections 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59) there is now an obligation on both PCBUs and workers to ensure that no work is directed to be undertaken by a PCBU, or undertaken by a worker, unless all required authorisations for the site are in place”. The maximum fines for breaches in each section range from $20,000 to $250,000. According to the bill, authorisations can be a licence, permit, registration, consent, certificate, or other authority (however described) as required by regulations. More specifically Section 56 covers authorisation around the design of any plant or substance used in the workplace, which may include things such as mobile plant ROPs and FOPs. The bill will be supported by two phases of regulations, to be released for consultation later this year. 4 JUNE 2014
Waterview breather The enormous tunnel boring machine (TBM) affectionately known as Alice took a well-earned break last month. Tunnelling on NZTA’s Waterview Connection, our largest roading project, stopped in the first week of May for essential maintenance work on the machine. With a cutting diameter of 14.4 metres, it’s the 10th largest machine of its kind ever built. The shield of the TBM needed hundreds of steel fibre brushes replaced. The brushes help to form a waterproof seal as the concrete segments that line the tunnel are lifted into place by Alice as she journeys underground. So far, about 800 metres of tunnel have been constructed and about a third of the 12,000 concrete segments that form the southbound tunnel’s lining have been erected. Tommy Parker, NZTA’s group manager for highway and network operations, says they decided it was prudent to replace the brushes before they hit more onerous groundwater conditions later in Alice’s journey. “The maintenance work on the steel fibre brushes will not affect other construction work in the tunnel. In fact, we can use the time to make faster progress on the concrete service culvert which is being built behind Alice.” Parker says replacement work means Alice may now break through at Waterview in late September, two to three weeks later than was originally planned. Following that milestone, the machine will be turned around over the following three months, ready to begin building the second tunnel from Waterview to Owairaka.
Mongolia? The Mongolian Government approached the Contractors’ Federation about alerting members to the opportunity of bidding for roading work. Earlier this year the Ministry of Economic Development of Mongolia invited “foreign legal entity or their consortium” to participate in competitive bidding for 14 road projects. These tenders are due in early July, but if you are interested contact Jeremy Sole at the Contractors’ Federation office for the tender documents. Peter Allport, the Honorary Consul of Mongolia in New Zealand says he’s also happy to talk to anyone about the general Mongolia business, economic and political environment and has been a regular visitor to that destination for over 20 years and has extensive business involvements there. Phone 04 569 2788, 021 464460, email peter@alpega.com.
APPOINTMENTS CONTRACTOR
New face at NZCF Vinod Dayha has joined the NZCF national office as it new marketing and membership development leader. He was previously the brand and direct marketing manager at Research New Zealand. This is a new role for the federation with a focus on membership. “We also expect the role will result in closer and more productive relationships with our major associate members as new skills are deployed to ensure the best possible integration between the federation and our associates’ strategic objectives,” says NZCF chief, Jeremy Sole. “Vinod will also take the lead on a number of federation initiatives such as the Z Energy People Awards and marketing our skills development programmes that are upcoming.”
Hansen replaces Carr at NIAB The National Infrastructure Advisory Board has reappointed three members and added one new member to the team. John Rae, Margaret Devlin and Edward Guy renew their positions while new appointee Carl Hansen replaces departing member and former chair Dr Rod Carr.
NZTA promotes from within Tommy Parker, who has been the New Zealand Transport Agency’s State Highways manager for Northland for many years, has Tommy Parker stepped up into the position vacated by Colin Crampton, and is now the group manager for Highways and Network Operations for the agency. Crampton has moved to Capacity Infrastructure Services (which manages water, stormwater, and wastewater in the Wellington region) where he is now chief executive officer.
Wirtgen welcomes Mark Joubert Wirtgen New Zealand has appointed a new Northern Regional sales manager, Mark Joubert, to lead Wirtgen, Vogele, Hamm and Kleemann sales activities across the north of the North Island. Joubert has spent much of his career working in managerial and sales roles within the heavy equipment sector, representing a number of brands including Hamm compactors and rollers. He says he is looking forward to working with Wirtgen New Zealand’s many and varied clients to assess plant requirements across the disciplines catered to by the group’s combined machinery offering. “We have a fantastic portfolio of globally recognised and respected brands to work with, which makes my job even more satisfying,” he says.
Mark Joubert
JUNE 2014 5
CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
NZ’s top technician in world finals CablePrice technician Luke Larson, Silverdale branch, showed impeccable skill and ability to secure a spot at the world finals of Hitachi’s Top Technician competition in Japan this July. Not content with being crowned New Zealand’s Hitachi Top Technician, Luke beat competitors from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore to take out the Oceania competition that was held in Singapore. Darren O’Connor, CablePrice (NZ) technical trainer, says Luke was the only technician to complete the practical section in very trying conditions. In a rather impressive effort CablePrice has taken out the top spot of the Oceania competition four out of the seven years it’s been running. Two of the world finalists have come from the Silverdale branch.
Vehicle numbers on the rise
CablePrice NZ managing director Shige Takatori with top technician Luke Larson.
Truck driver shortage A new survey has confirmed a shortage of truck drivers in the upper North Island and especially Auckland. The Road Transport Forum, in association with National Road Carriers and other business organisations, including Auckland Chamber of Commerce, found 85 percent of transport firms that responded to the survey were experiencing driver shortages. Of the more than 150 respondents, 47 percent of companies reported a driver shortage in Auckland. Some of the biggest shortages are in the higher skilled truck driver classes such as containers, line haul, and bulk aggregates and liquids. However the survey showed the general freight industry is experiencing the biggest driver shortage. NZ Heavy Haulage Association CEO Jonathan Bhana-Thomson says at least a couple of members have indicated to him that it is difficult to get drivers for the sector. He says one placed advertisements and was lucky to get any responses at all, let alone a short list. Michael Barnett, Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive, says the scale of the driver shortage indicated by the survey had to be acting as a constraint on the city’s business performance – delaying deliveries and construction jobs. Barnett suggests a driver recruitment campaign across the rest of the country and overseas to recruit higher skilled driver classes. David Aitken, National Road Carriers chief executive, says the size of the shortage seems to be across the board, which suggests that a more comprehensive industry-led response than that provided in the past is needed.
The increasing size of the country’s national car fleet could see traffic volumes increase, according to the Motor Trade Association (MTA). MTA estimates that in 2013 alone the car fleet grew by more than 57,000 units to 2,482,513, the strongest growth since 2005. The strong market for new and first-time used imported cars over the past 18 months has been a strong contributor to the overall growth in vehicle numbers. A continued increase to the size of our car fleet is likely with fuel costs remaining relatively stable over recent months and new roading projects encouraging car use. MTA says the private car will remain the most common method of transport unless something changes significantly. Statistics NZ projects the country’s population will reach five million in the mid-2020s.
Safety improvements for Eastern BoP NZTA is investing $335,000 to improve safety at high risk sites on the Eastern Bay of Plenty highways. Highways manager Brett Gliddon says the works will include installing guard rails, safety barriers and new electronic curve warning signage and ice warning signage. Works were expected to start through May and June.
Earthquake resistant bridges The University of Canterbury is carrying out the world’s first earthquake damage-resistant bridge testing. Dr Alessandro Palermo says his research team has been testing New Zealand’s first concrete bridge that incorporates damageresistant seismic technology along with self-centring capability. The half-scale fully prefabricated bridge specimen used in the testing is three and a half metres high, six metres long, and weighs more than 23 tonnes. Palermo says it’s most likely the biggest bridge specimen ever tested not only on campus but also in a New Zealand laboratory. “Although a lot of research has been carried out in the United States and previously in Canterbury, this series of tests features 6 JUNE 2014
innovative construction details which makes solutions not only structurally sound but also cost-effective.” Several organisations involved in the Christchurch rebuild including Opus and Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild team (SCIRT) are paying close attention to the ongoing testing and have so far been impressed. “The Christchurch rebuild can be the real driver for using new seismic design technologies available from the UC [University of Canterbury] bridge programme,” says Palermo. The South Rangitīkei viaduct designed by Kiwi inventor and scientist Dr Ivan Skinner was the first self-centring bridge in the world, opening in 1981.
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CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
Crime prevention top of the agenda at NZCF meeting Equipment theft was at the top of the agenda for the NZCF Auckland branch meeting back in April. As was reported in the May issue of Contractor, construction site thefts are on the rise according to a February survey of NZCF members. While an obvious concern for all members, help is at hand from numerous organisations and there are plenty of options for tackling crime. Crime Stoppers NZ is an independent charity that provides anonymous service for reporting any criminal activity. CEO Jude Mannion says the organisation has an all-hours approach and attracts around 50 calls a day. She says they’ve noticed a particular problem with metal theft with copper wiring the item of choice for thieves, and suggests setting up a dedicated Crime Stoppers hotline for each industry sector. This would enable Crime Stoppers to streamline enquiries and provide NZCF members with another option for reporting criminal activity on construction sites. If progress is to be made on this issue then industry collaboration is the way to go, says Mannion. Crime Stoppers has already engaged with AVI Solutions, who specialised in equipment protection that plays a large part in crime prevention. While most NZCF members indicated the use of some form of security for equipment, technological development has led to unique ways of tracking materials and machinery, says Greg Gothard from AVI Solutions. The company introduced its NanoTag technology five years ago, which is essentially a uniquely identifiable industrial microdot that is placed on materials or equipment. The unique codes on the microdots can be tracked and traced at the touch of a button by NanoTag administrators and law enforcement agencies. Gothard says in NSW the technology has led to a 75 percent decrease in thefts, secured million dollar reductions in losses, and also saved lives by deterring people from stealing live copper. Advertising the fact that equipment is tagged with traceable technology is a key deterrent against criminal activity, says Gothard. On the insurance side, senior broker at Crombie Lockwood insurance brokers, Deane Moyle, says items that are ‘secure’ will cost members less in excess. If a piece of equipment is broken into and stolen it’s regarded as burglary and likely to have an excess of $1000, while an item that isn’t secure is regarded as theft and will cost $2500 in excess.
Moyle says thieves are targeting items that are easy to depose of – smaller pieces of equipment that can be transported easily and sold off, which has lead to a low recovery of those items. He suggests companies include hired equipment in their policy, to self-insure glass on mobile plant, and, for those companies that can afford it, to consider a larger excess, such as $10,000, to bring down the cost of premiums. Some members raised concerns over the difficulty of reporting thefts. Senior Sergeant Roger Gray of Wellington’s Crime Prevention Unit says they have a call centre and efforts are being made to make call to it a lot easier. He says increasing the perception of risk for thieves is also a useful deterrent. The more secure an item is, the more time and energy has to be spent attempting the theft. While equipment theft will remain an on-going concern, there are growing options for companies to protect their gears. Increased dialogue between the industry and law enforcement can only lead to greater effectiveness in deterring criminal activity. BY GABE ANDREWS
Well known personality Mark Powell has made his last appearance for Hirepool at the Federation’s conferences where he was a popular finalist for his style of fancy dress. Who will pick up the mantle for Hirepool at this years conference?
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CONTRACTOR UPFRONT
IN BRIEF Domain for building industry Forget about the traditional .com or .co.nz at the end of your company website, it’s now all about .build. The domain name has been available for public registrations since the end of April and is said to help builders around the world connect, collaborate, and construct. The .build domain name is designed specifically for the online needs of the building industry and beyond. It will allow contractors and those associated with the industry to be able to more accurately represent themselves online with a .build web address and email.
Extractives advisory group McConnell Dowell construction manager Joe Edwards will join the newly established mining advisory group designed to bring safety improvements to the mining and tunnelling industries. The Extractives Industry Advisory Group (EIAG) brings together an experienced group of industry experts to provide guidance to the WorkSafe NZ board on the implementation of the recently amended Health and Safety in Employment Act. Edwards has 39 years of experience in the civil construction industry, concentrating on large earthworks projects such as Twizel. He’s also a member of the NZ Institute of Professional Engineers.
Innovation on Southern Coromandel roads New road markings have been introduced before deceptive corners along the 130 kilometre Southern Coromandel Loop. The move is part of the Safer Rides campaign, aimed at improving motorcycle safety, following a disproportionately high number of motorcycle crashes on the road in recent years. The innovative lane markings are designed to reduce a rider’s speed on the approach to deceptive corners and improve their lane positioning. The initiative is known as ‘perceptual countermeasure’ because of the way it changes how the road looks or is perceived by riders. Hamish Mackie from Mackie Research and Consulting says the markings will provide riders with advanced warning about the actual geometry of the curve ahead, which will hopefully encourage them to slow down on the approach. “We also want to encourage riders to take a safe line through the curve by perceptually narrowing the road using lane markings,” adds Mackie. NZTA principal safety engineer Michelle Te Wharau says the lane markings are just one in a series of safety improvements being trialled. Others include upgraded signage, road surface improvements, removal or protection of roadside hazards, as well as new rescue helicopter landing areas.
Housing land development The next step in implementing the Government’s Auckland Housing Accord has taken place with the latest residential subdivision land in Flat Bush put on the market for sale. The 61 hectare site is currently zoned to support 300 houses, however the zoning is under appeal. If approved by Auckland Council, the site could allow for building a far greater number of homes. Bayleys Auckland is marketing the land for sale through an international tender. Company principal David Bayley says the Flat Bush Road site now up for sale is bigger than virtually all of the 11 residential development locations announced by the Government at the end of last year – and is second only in size to the 277 hectares set aside in rural Pukekohe.
50MAX now a familiar sight More than 600 vehicle combinations have received the stamp of approval after permitting for 50MAX trucks was introduced in late 2013. An amendment to the Land Transport Rule regarding vehicle dimensions and mass in 2010 allowed for the introduction of high productivity motor vehicles (HPMV). However HPMVs were bound to certain routes that could handle the new sizes because many older bridges were not suitable for the heavier weights. NZTA’s principal structural engineer John Reynolds says, “We worked out that, if a vehicle was 20 metres long, you could go up to 50 tonnes total weight with very little effect on bridges – a massive gain for any transport operator.” Adding the extra ninth axle, instead of the traditional eight, opens up 90 percent of roads to higher payloads.
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Budget 2014 provides $375 million of new capital funding for the NZTA to accelerate $815 million worth of Auckland transport projects. “With freight demand forecast to grow by around 50 percent across the country in the next 30 years, and by almost 80 percent in Auckland, and with a growing population, we’ve decided to bring a number of important projects forward,” says Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee.
10 JUNE 2014
UPFRONT CONTRACTOR
Dominion Road upgrades to kick off Works to upgrade Dominion Road, one of Auckland’s busiest roads and its second busiest bus route, will go ahead in September. The beginning of the upgrades follows decisions by Auckland Transport and NZTA to jointly fund the $66.3 million project. Dr Lester Levy, Auckland Transport chairman, says NZTA’s commitment is vital to an immediate start and NZTA contributing 53 percent of the funding means it can start the search for tenders immediately. The planned improvements aim to promote bus travel to achieve a projected 67 percent increase in patronage by 2021. While the effect on traffic is unclear at this stage, the project will be carried out in stages with an estimated completion date of mid-2016. Work on the associated cycle routes on streets parallel to Dominion Road will start in May and be completed by about October. The works include improving bus lanes, a raised median in the village centres to improve road safety, footpath improvements, and transformations for the three major villages of Mt Eden, Balmoral, and Mt Roskill, that include landscaping, lighting, decorative paving, and more.
Pods developer Rod Strickland
Workers’ pods a step closer Progress on worker accommodation in Christchurch is a step closer to completion with construction of worker pods underway. The 15-unit worker accommodation is due for completion later this month and will house workers in self-contained units using shipping containers. Rob Strickland of Edifice launched the concept of the pods in June last year. Each one measures 5.8 metres by 2.3 metres and comes fully furnished with kitchenette, bathroom ensuite, bed, TV, PlayStation, wireless internet, and heat pump. Strickland says the Pod Parlane Street Development will be constructed within a four-month period. “That is the fantastic thing about modular construction and the use of shipping containers. Essentially we have two sites. On one site the drainage and foundation work is being completed, while on the other site the pods have already been framed, pre-wired, pre-piped and insulated.”
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JUNE 2014 11
CONTRACTOR ON THE COVER
The sensational new
CAT E-Series Two well-established South Island contracting firms, among the first in New Zealand to move to the eagerly awaited new Cat E-Series excavator range now available for specified models from Goughs, praise the machine’s features and performance. WHEN GILL CONSTRUCTION owner Tony Gill became aware the Cat E-Series excavator range was about to become available in a model he was considering, he decided he had to have one. The result is the first Cat 329EL excavator to arrive in New Zealand, which has been added by the Blenheim-based contractor as part of a replacement programme for his predominantly Cat fleet. Tony Gill takes up the story; “We usually run our excavators until around 12,000 hours and we had a trusty Cat 322CL that I wanted to replace. Our requirements since buying that unit have changed, as I wanted a bigger machine to work in association with our Cat 730 artic trucks.” “When I heard Goughs had a 30 tonne, highly spec’d E-Series excavator soon to become available, I absolutely wanted that over the well-established Cat D-Series model. Its arrival couldn’t have come at a better time.” With over 80 years experience in the industry, Gill Construction has their new E-Series unit performing earthworks, cut-to-fill digging and loading artic and road trucks on a NZTA roading realignment south of Blenheim. “It’s for Higgins Group and it’s a big job, with over 150,000 cubic metres having to be moved,” says Tony. “This new high spec Cat 329EL has the advantage of providing our business with great versatility, while being our key front line excavator.” The new 329EL model features heavy-duty major structures to ensure long-term durability and reliability, powerful hydraulic systems that easily handle a wide range of Cat buckets and work tools, and a refined operator station that provides the ultimate in comfort and convenience. Tony notes the 329EL is actually exceeding the high expectations that came with it. “It’s 20-30 percent better than we thought it would be. The operator loves it. He’s very experienced and was previously on the 322CL. He reckons the new Cat has terrific breakout force, awesome power, so he’s very happy with the performance and it’s hard to get him off it!” The 329EL is powered by a Cat C7.1 ACERT engine which meets emission standards and delivers fuel-efficiency gains. Tony backs this up; “We’re very pleased with the fuel economy of the 329EL, even though it’s a larger machine and it’s working very hard. “We’ve been impressed with the great speed and excellent cycle 12 JUNE 2014
times for the 329EL. In fact we compared it to a competitive 30 tonne excavator of another contractor’s that was working next to us, performing loading out in the riverbed, and its cycle times were much faster doing the same job.” Tony says Gill Construction is in this for the long term and he knows for a fact the new unit will quickly pay for itself with regard to the premium that was paid for it. “Plus when it’s time to replace the 329EL down the road, I know that we’ll still have a current Cat model that as usual will give excellent resale value.” Meanwhile, further south, Wanaka-based construction company Maungatua Contracting is putting its new Cat 329EL through its paces, and although it’s only early days, the excavator is already impressing. Project manager, Kane Duncan says the company is being kept busy with work around the Wanaka area, with various contracts ranging from civil and subdivision work through to rural development and the irrigation sector. “The rural sector has different resource requirements than the usual subdivision work. When we initially looked at the addition of an excavator to the fleet, we looked at the various models of the Cat range on offer by Goughs,” says Kane. “With a 329EL available to go from Goughs, the decision was made
“I’m impressed. The excavator is more stable and has a large selection of working modes with improved safety, comfort and efficiency over the previous D-Series models.” to progress with the Cat E-Series, as this size machine is versatile and can be utilised on a majority of our contract work and was an ideal sized machine to work with the 30 tonne Cat 730 articulated dump trucks in our fleet . “As well as availability, we went with Cat again because it is the best machinery brand out there. Its performance and reliability throughout our company’s history is great, while the long term support for our business from Goughs is well proven. We also wanted to keep our fleet 100 percent Cat.” Director Robert Duncan has a long and productive association with Cat products, purchasing his first Cat machine in the late 1970s. “The 329EL has been set up with Trimble Machine Control from new to match with the other five GPS-guided machines among the fleet,” he says. “The E-Series will be put to work first off at the upcoming Tarras Irrigation Scheme, where its main role will be constructing a storage reservoir and trenching for the scheme’s large irrigation pipeline. As the largest excavator in our fleet, it’ll be a key performer for our
operation there in the coming months.” Initial impressions of the new excavator are excellent, Kane adds. And when operator John Duncan was asked how the 329EL went, his answer was very simple. “It flys!” Pushed further he says; “I’m impressed. The excavator is more stable and has a large selection of working modes with improved safety, comfort and efficiency over the previous D-Series models. “Other than its initial impressions, we are noticing great fuel efficiency, faster cycle times, and greater breakout force.” These Cat 329EL excavators are just two of a number of the Cat E-Series that Goughs has started to deliver throughout the country recently. From all the positive feedback on the initial models the Cat dealer has shipped so far, it’s easy to see how Cat E-Series excavators combine the features of productivity, versatility, durability and operator comfort to ensure that Caterpillar continues to set the standard in the industry. l JUNE 2014 13
CONTRACTOR FEATURE
GOING WITH THE FLOW Auckland Council’s Watercare is already responsible for providing water and wastewater services to around 1.3 million people, and the city’s growing population is driving an increasing demand for its services. To meet this demand, and expand system capacity, Watercare is budgeting $4.8 billion in capital investment over the next 10 years, with most of it spent on renewing and improving existing infrastructure. RUTH LE PLA outlines three current, large, and very different projects.
PUKETUTU ISLAND REHABILITATION PROJECT Above: Looking east at the first phase of construction of the new biosolids facility on Puketutu Island.
14 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
PROJECT OVERVIEW
PROJECT COST
This is part of a significant and long-term plan for the volcanic Puketutu Island in Auckland’s Manukau Harbour. The Puketutu Island Rehabilitation Project uses cleanfill and treated biosolids from Watercare’s adjacent Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant to rehabilitate the island’s former quarry area. Watercare’s long-term vision is to create a new regional park on the island. At 197 hectares it would be larger than Cornwall Park and is designed to recognise the island’s Maori and European heritage. The Puketutu Island facility will receive biosolids from the Mangere Treatment Plant for a consented period of 35 years. Watercare is currently coming to the end of its phase 1 capital works contract which creates sufficient volume or space for three years of biosolids placement.
Phase 1 is the first of an estimated five capital works phases each costing around $30 million. This first phase is expected to cost around $27 million. Phase 2 will probably be about $30 million.
TIMELINE Initiated in 2012, phase 1 is now coming to an end. Watercare may call for expressions of interest for work on phase 2 in mid-2015. This timing has yet to be confirmed. The last of the estimated five capital works phases is expected to conclude around 2027.
COMPLETED Winstone Aggregates had been using the site for around five years to receive managed fill and, prior to that, the site had been a commercial
quarry. So the phase 1 contract included moving some 1.5 million cubic metres of existing site materials to clear the way for work on significant earthworks to create the first biosolids placement area. Some of the existing material has been stockpiled for future use while the rest has been used to help create the new landform on site – an oval-shaped earth bund (approximately 500 metres in length, and 450 metres wide) with internal bunds which create placing areas for the biosolids. A 650m section of the outer embankment has been completed to up to half its final height of 30m. A key component of the project is a robust triple redundancy lining system which helps preserve the groundwater aquifer from contamination. (See more details below.)
LEAD CONTRACTOR Fulton Hogan. In a separate $2.8 million contract, Fulton Hogan is also installing a four kilometre pipeline to convey stormwater from the site back to the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant.
WHY IT’S INTERESTING Sensitive site The project essentially involves building on top
of a volcanic aquifer surrounded by seawater. So Watercare is working within robust consent requirements that require it to preserve the island’s pristine central groundwater aquifer. It is monitoring groundwater through an extensive series of boreholes. And its triple redundancy liner system is backed up by an embankment drain which would serve as a final backstop to collect any leachate.
Multiple stakeholders Watercare is part of a network of stakeholders that include Auckland Council and the Island Trust which is made up of, and represents, Makaurau marae, Te Akitai and Waikato-Tainui. These three stakeholder groups each have four seats on the Governance Trust which, despite its name, is effectively an operational trust.
Top: First phase of construction of the new biosolids facility on Puketutu Island looking west. Above left and right: Showing the construction of the liner system in the background, and in particular the flexible membrane and overlaid aggregates as well as the construction of the internal haul roads to a height of 2.5m.
Speed When Watercare and Fulton Hogan started work on phase 1 they were planning to build just one year’s worth of biosolids placing. Programme efficiencies and innovation on site mean they have already built three years’ worth. CONTRACTOR JUNE 2014 15
CONTRACTOR FEATURE
HUNUA 4 WATERMAIN PROJECT Above: The back of the trench on Puhinui Rd in Manukau
PROJECT SUMMARY
LEAD CONTRACTORS
Watercare is constructing a new watermain to cater for population growth and to increase the security of water supply to the Auckland region. The Hunua No.4 (Hunua 4) pipeline will run for 28 kilometres from Redoubt North Reservoir in Manukau Heights to Campbell Crescent in Epsom. It will connect to the existing local water supply network along the way. Around 6km of pipeline has already been laid in an advanced work package. To date some 9.4km of the remaining 22km has been laid. Ultimately, in a later work package, the Hunua 4 will extend a further 4km from Campbell Crescent through the Khyber reservoirs in the central city.
CH2M Beca and GHD have done the design for work through to Epsom and, more recently, won the contract to also do the design for the later extension through to Khyber reservoirs. A John Holland/ Fulton Hogan joint venture is the main contractor for construction work through to Epsom. Key subcontractors include: March Cato (earthworks and pipe laying); Taranaki Engineering (pipe welding and fabrication); and TBS Group (external pipe coatings).
PROJECT COST The $400 million estimated project cost includes a $75 million approval for the eventual extension of the pipeline through to the Khyber reservoirs.
TIMELINE Construction of the pipeline through to Campbell Crescent in Epsom started in May 2012 and is expected to be completed in 2016. Construction of the extension from there through to Khyber reservoirs is expected to start in 2016 and run for a couple of years. 16 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
WHY IT’S INTERESTING Size This is a significant civil engineering exercise and by far the largest pipeline project in New Zealand at the moment and for some time. With a 1900mm internal diameter in places, the pipe is big enough to walk inside. There’s over 30km of very large trunk watermain. It is also among the largest (if not the largest) contracts in New Zealand to date to be delivered under the New Engineering Contract 3 ECC Option A.
Route through suburban streets The pipeline is being laid right outside people’s front doors and presents a major exercise in managing expectations and effects on the community. Watercare is working closely with the joint contractors who have two people dedicated
to managing this aspect of the project. With two, three, sometimes four, work fronts under construction at any one time there are many stakeholders needing information on what’s about to happen in their street.
Route across major transport corridors Hunua 4 crosses a number of major transport
corridors. Contractors were given a oneweekend window to install the pipeline across the busy Te Irirangi Drive under a road closure, for example, operating round-the-clock to complete work in the allocated time. At other intersections the pipeline has been tunnelled under or bridged across Auckland’s motorways.
Top: Aerial view Tutere Rd, Manukau showing the impact of the project on stakeholders. Above: The pipe bridge across SH20 being lifted into place under a full motorway closure.
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CONTRACTOR FEATURE
PANMURE WASTEWATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT Trench line along Lagoon Drive, Panmure [l-r] Mohamed Imtiaz Watercare project manager, Andrew Deans director Pipeline and Civil, and Matt Guthrie project manager Pipeline and Civil.
PROJECT SUMMARY
WHY IT’S INTERESTING
Watercare is replacing a two kilometre section of the 50-year-old Panmure Wastewater Main pipeline. The existing infrastructure, an old reinforced concrete rising main built in 1964, has reached the end of its natural life. It is being replaced with a new 770mm internal diameter polyethylene pipe providing larger capacity and an expected 50 year lifespan. The pipeline starts in Millen Avenue and follows Pakuranga Road across the Panmure Bridge, along Lagoon Drive and deviates along Cleary Road to Bill McKinley Park. Watercare is also refurbishing the Millen Avenue pumping station.
Traffic management
TIMELINE
Route selection
Construction of the pipeline is scheduled for completion around November / December this year. Refurbishment work on the Millen Avenue pumping station will continue into 2015.
Part of the Millen Avenue / Pakuranga Highway section of the pipeline is being rerouted away from private properties, making any access for maintenance purposes easier in the future. At the other end of the project route, Watercare is avoiding disturbing the sports field in Bill McKinley Park by placing its excavations to the side of the pitch.
WHAT’S BEEN DONE Approximately 660 metres of the total two kilometres of pipeline have been laid so far. Most of that has been along Lagoon Drive. The pipeline is being constructed using a range of different methods including open trenching, directional drilling and pipe jacking.
PROJECT COST Estimated at $9.5 million.
MAIN CONTRACTORS Pipeline & Civil. 18 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
Traffic along busy Lagoon Drive and Pakuranga Road is heavy. Watercare has worked closely on traffic management plans with contractors, Auckland Transport and the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI). It has been able to minimise disruption to traffic by sleeving the new main through an existing redundant pipe slung beneath Panmure Bridge. Watercare has also managed work around traffic flows to and from nearby Riverina School in Millen Avenue.
Archaeology Watercare has employed an independent archaeologist and is liaising extensively with local iwi and Heritage New Zealand (formerly known as the New Zealand Historic Places Trust) to ensure preservation of any finds associated with the previous site of a pa and battle ground near Lagoon Drive. To date, nothing has been found.
FEATURE CONTRACTOR
Access shaft in Bill McKinlay Park, just off the Ellerslie-Panmure Highway.
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CONTRACTOR FEATURE
GAINING TRACTION – getting to grips with a PPP
Designing, costing and building any major motorway is a process littered with hidden potholes waiting to derail the unwary. But a quantum leap in risk awaits the team charged with using a Private Public Partnership (PPP) model for the Transmission Gully project. LAWRENCE SCHAFFLER reports. Above:: Transmission Gully Project looking north at Bridge No.19 over Duck Creek with Kapiti Island and Wainui Saddle in the distance.
20 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
WITH THE CONFIRMATION late last year of the Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP) consortium as the preferred bidder for NZTA’s $1 billion Transmission Gully (TG) project, speculation abounds within the road construction industry as to the specifics of the 27 kilometre motorway’s final ‘shape’ – in particular, the type of construction and pavement it will use. The answer, unfortunately, is likely to remain speculative until midyear, when negotiations between NZTA and WGP are expected to be finalised and the deal signed and sealed. Only then will the detailed design begin, with construction expected to commence early next year. For now, no one Contractor has contacted will comment on the rumours swirling around the project: is it true that a concrete pavement was favoured because of its low-maintenance attributes, but was eliminated because the cost exceeds the NZTA’s affordability cap? That a more conventional flexible pavement/
asphalt surface is to be used? What type of flexible pavement? It’s understood the concrete pavement was the preferred option for both WGP and the second (unsuccessful) bidder, the Positive Connection consortium headed by John Laing Investments. More on this in a moment. First though, to appreciate the implications of an asphalt rather than a concrete solution (if the assumption is correct), it’s worth revisiting the overall complexity of the project.
Not an easy build Even at face value the scope of the TG project is daunting – a four-lane, 27 kilometre route through fairly tortuous terrain. But the real devils lurk in the detail. It will require the construction of at least 26 bridges and underpass structures. There are numerous cuts-and-fills and three grade-separated interchanges, as well as two grade-separated connections.
IMAGE: CCANZ IMAGE: BLACKTOP CONSTRUCTION
The project will require an estimated eight million cubic metres of earthworks, the clearing of vegetation and stream diversions – and the relocation of transmission towers. Just to complicate things, the route runs through an earthquake-prone area and crosses a major fault-line at the point of the largest earthworks. And to top it off, there is the PPP. TG will be New Zealand’s first roading project to use the PPP model. This radically alters the conventional design/cost/build equation and places additional, unusual burdens on the WGP team. It has to raise the finance for the project (estimated at around $1.3 billion, including interest charges) but will only get paid by NZTA (in 25 annual instalments) after the job’s completed. Under the contract, those instalments (estimated at around $130 million a year) are tied to the team successfully operating and maintaining the motorway over the 25year period. But success depends on meeting specific performance parameters laid down by the NZTA. These include outcomes such as safe travel, reliable journeys, health and safety, and customer satisfaction – as well as environmental measures.
In short – the project is unlike anything previously attempted by New Zealand road engineers. It not only forces the team to wrestle much more intimately with the cap-ex/op-ex ratio, but also places a much greater emphasis on partner cooperation and reliability. Success depends – more than ever – on everyone performing and meeting schedules. If one team member fails to deliver, everyone’s penalised. With so many variables the billion-dollar question, of course, is this: what sort of construction/pavement will deliver the desired performance indicators and at the same time offer sufficiently low maintenance requirements to make the project profitable over the 25-year timeframe? All things being equal, say the advocates, a continuous reinforced concrete structure would measure up rather well.
Above: Over a 30-year lifespan, concrete roads can yield significant cost savings. Unlike concrete which remains virtually maintenance-free, asphalt requires regular resurfacing. Though it would probably be quicker, easier and cheaper to repair a flexible pavement.
The case for concrete “While a concrete road might be more expensive to build than a flexible/asphalt pavement,” says Rob Gaimster of the Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ), “its overall life-cost is cheaper.” CONTRACTOR JUNE 2014 21
CONTRACTOR FEATURE
THE AFFORDABILITY CAP
Gaimster bolsters his point with the findings of a recent Infometrics study (commissioned by CCANZ) that investigated the case for building concrete roads. In a baseline scenario comparing the economics of asphalt and concrete roads, it found concrete came in around 25 percent cheaper. Over a 30-year lifespan, says the study, concrete roads can yield significant cost savings. Unlike concrete which remains virtually maintenance-free, asphalt requires regular resurfacing – a process that’s sure to impact on NZTA’s “reliability” performance indicator. In addition, the price volatility of bitumen (oil) versus the price stability of concrete components was identified as a key factor in the latter’s cost advantage. The study also took into account evidence that rigid concrete roads generate less tyre rolling resistance (delivering lower fuel consumption) and require less lighting at night due to greater reflectivity. Thanks to the ‘albedo’ effect (where UV rays are reflected back into the atmosphere), a concrete surface has a lower ‘greenhouse’ impact than its asphalt alternative. Many analysts also argue that a reinforced concrete pavement would stand up to seismic activity more effectively than a flexible pavement, though to be fair the counter-argument is equally valid: after a severe event it would probably be quicker, easier and cheaper to repair a flexible pavement. Leighton’s communications manager, Simon Mitchell, insists that the decision about the type of pavement used for TG is still being worked through. He points out, though, that while concrete roads have been used for other New Zealand projects and are popular in many parts of the world, they rarely face the seismic 22 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
issues presented by the TG project. Seismic activity, he reminds us, is not the only consideration – soil conditions are also a major factor in the design.
The case for asphalt An inversion of a concrete solution, an asphalt pavement offers a low cap-ex/high op-ex equation. While a faster, easier, cheaper construction has initial appeal, the long-term maintenance could create difficulties in meeting NZTA’s operational and performance requirements. A surface that breaks up and requires re-laying every few years could prove enormously disruptive to a route purported to be a free-flowing solution to the region’s existing traffic bottlenecks. Though the downtime for repairs will probably be short-lived, keeping disruption to a minimum will require some innovative footwork from the maintenance crews. On the other side of the ledger, a flexible pavement with an asphalt surface could be an acceptable gamble based on the volume of traffic the motorway is likely to carry. Consider that parts of the motorway will be much steeper than the existing coastal route. South-bound traffic will face a long, steep climb to the Wainui saddle, a feature that holds little appeal for road-freight companies. Opponents to the TG project claim trucking representatives have already indicated they won’t use it. While it might defeat the object of the project, a reduced heavy-duty traffic load will help to preserve an asphalt surface, reduce maintenance and extend its longevity. Whatever its eventual design, the project’s scheduled for completion by April 2020. Only time will tell whether the WGP team is blessed with 20-20 foresight.
For many observers the affordability cap Treasury has imposed on NZTA (and thus on WGP) is something of a conundrum. In essence, the cap effectively forces the bidder to deliver the project within a predetermined cost structure. How much would it cost if NZTA were to build it? If the bidder can’t meet that figure, NZTA might as well do the job itself. Yet one of the key components underpinning the rationale for the PPP model is innovation. A PPP, says NZTA, “allows large and complex projects to benefit from the private sector being incentivised to deliver superior innovation and risk management solutions leading to better valuefor-money and an increased level of certainty of the long-term service level outcomes. Indeed, the NZTA aims to use successful ideas and innovations that come out of the Transmission Gully PPP across other highway projects.” Is it fair to question whether the affordability cap might have stifled ‘innovation’?
THE WGP TEAM The WGP consortium comprises Australian-based Leighton Contractors, HEB Construction, InfraRed Capital Partners, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU), and the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). Leighton – the team’s head partner – has an extensive PPP track record. The company has worked with NZTA previously, delivering projects such as the Northern Gateway Toll Road and the replacement Newmarket Viaduct.
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CONTRACTOR CONFERENCE
Achieving results together NZCF/RNZ/ACENZ Conference 2014
For the first time, NZ Contractor’s Federation (NZCF), Roading NZ (RNZ), and the Association of Consulting Engineers NZ (ACENZ), will come together for their annual conference from August 6 to 9.
‘Queen for the Night’ was the theme for last years Conference Dinner.
24 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
THE TRIPARTITE EVENT, themed Achieving Results Together, will focus on unity among the industries, collaboration, and a bit a fun thrown in as well. The conference will celebrate the journey of bringing three aspects of the industry together. Roading NZ chief executive Chris Olsen says three organisations coming together will provide delegates the benefits of a programme with diverse speaker representation across the entire contracting and engineering consulting industries focusing on the theme of achieving results together. Jeremy Sole, NCZF CEO, says, “the agenda is being set up to appeal to the widest range of industry participants, from small businesses to very large businesses. Networking opportunities for smaller to medium sized businesses is going to increase exponentially. It’s a conference where a lot of long-term relationships are established.” No doubt opportunities to network and form relationships will be abundant with ACENZ representing over 175 corporate members, employing over 9600 people in the country in a variety of professional and technical roles. The power of three organisations in one conference also gives sponsors and exhibitors marketing opportunities, company visibility and brand awareness. The four-day conference takes place in Rotorua, North Island’s most popular adventure tourism destination, at the Energy Events Centre in the Government Gardens. All conference sessions and all, but one, social function will be held in the Events Centre, which is within walking distance of the retail precinct, accommodation, restaurants, and other facilities. Taking on the responsibility of keeping proceedings running smoothly and the audience entertained is the country’s most prominent business MC, Greg Ward. Guest speakers for the conference include
[
Dr Norman Chorn, a strategy and organisation development practitioner; Dr Jason Fox, a motivation strategy and design expert; Glenn Martin, Martin Jetpack inventor; Eduardo Niebles, BST Global managing director; John Gamble, president and chief executive of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Canada and Celia Lashlie, researcher and social justice advocate. Jeremy says with the industry, markets and the world changing at such a rapid pace, the event’s speakers will help the audience get their heads around understanding those changes and to be prepared for them. The conference will be ideal for: • Owners and managers engaged in infrastructure • Leaders in government agencies involved in infrastructure • Local authority procurement decision makers • Suppliers of products and services to the infrastructure industry • Anyone who has an interest in relationships in the wider infrastructure sector The all-important social programme promises both the grandeur of black tie awards dinners and the much talked about and highly anticipated ‘let your hair down’ dress-up dinner. The theme for this years’ dress up dinner, held on the Thursday night, is “Star”. Whether it is Neil Armstrong or Marilyn Monroe, anything goes that puts stars in your eyes is the brief, so turn up in costume and don’t be left feeling awkward. As usual the Partners’ Programme this year promises a little bit of pampering, a little bit of eco-awareness, and a whole lot of fun. The Saturday also offers an optional leisure programme with golf, ziplines, karting, off road safaris and 4x4 thrill rides available. Registrations remain open for the event and can be done online or manually. The relevant documents and pricing information can be found at the conference website, www.powerof3conf.co.nz.
“the agenda is being set up to appeal to the widest range of industry participants, from small businesses to very large businesses.”
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CONTRACTOR CONFERENCE
Milestone for Crane Conference THE CRANE ASSOCIATION OF NZ is notching up a significant milestone next month. The organisation is celebrating its 40th Annual Crane Conference at Rydges Lakeland Resort in Queenstown from July 9 to 11. SINCE ITS INCEPTION in 1975, the Power Crane Association and its successor the Crane Association of NZ has held an annual conference as a means to inform and to provide members with peer networking opportunities. The annual gathering also provides an opportunity for sponsors to get in front of the major players in the crane industry, as well as networking with crane manufacturers and
The Crane Association of New Zealand will hold its annual conference in Queenstown this year.
26 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
industry affiliated businesses. This year, the theme is about consequences of action or inaction. Registrations open at 4.30pm on the first day followed by a cocktail hour to renew old acquaintances. Escorting attendees through proceedings and ensuring laughs are maintained will be South African born Kiwi comedian MC Urzilla Carlson. On Thursday, July 10, the conference kicks off with the official welcome by the president, Grant Moffatt, followed by the annual general meeting. The first keynote speaker is Dr Paul Woods, Switch Coaching and Consulting founder, whose story should be riveting, as he is the first person in the country’s history to progress through undergraduate and Masters degrees while in prison. He also started his doctorate in psychology while incarcerated. Graeme Cowan and Sarah Lester will update the conference on the development of the Crane Safety Manual (more detail on page 47) followed by a presentation, “Is insurance skin deep” by Phil Clauzel of JLT. One of the biggest projects in the country at the moment is the Waterview Project and there will be a presentation on this from Paul Houston
of Fletchers Construction. Keeping the conference up to date on the regulatory and enforcement issues are a series of presentations by NZTA, Vadim Spice (WorkSafe) and Inspector Gwynne Pennell/ Sergeant Lance King (CVIU). A get together on the first day of the conference will allow attendees to start networking before the social events kick off with a Queenstown night crawl. The Friday starts with a briefing by Robert Carden (Tidd Ross Todd) on the role of the Axle Weights and Loading Working Group, followed by Mike Brown of Transport Specifications who will talk about the issues around importing cranes. Wellington’s major project is the Memorial Park Alliance project and James Lake of HEB will give the session an update on that. Scott McLeod addresses the issue of “Safety must have Priority” (the Association’s by-line) and then Sharon Zollner (Senior Economist ANZ) talks to the economic outlook. After lunch, Nigel Latta discusses “The Politically Incorrect Guide to You”. Nigel is a well-known speaker on child raising but he is also a man of many talents. The theme continues with Janet Brothers of LifeCare Consultants addressing the “Person in Health & Safety” and this theme is continued with Karl Berendt (MB Century) looking at Safety, Root Cause Analysis and Hazard Awareness. Mike Morris (Allcrane) gives us a brief on Truck Mounted Cranes and that is followed by John Gillespie, President of CICA outlining what is happening in Australia. The plenary session finishes with an open forum with the Council and the delegates. The first Ian Grooby Networking Hour in memorium of Ian, who passed away in April 2013, will take place prior to the gold mining themed and always talked about conference dinner and dance. At the dinner there will be three presentations, Project of the Year award sponsored by UDC, Training Awards sponsored by The Skills Organisation, and the Crane Association, Weighload Trophy. The conference is a good fit for anyone in the construction industry and registration forms and payment are available through the association’s website, www.cranes.org.nz.
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CONTRACTOR FEATURE
6
HAAST PASS Mt Aspiring National Park Lake Wanaka Wanaka
Diana Falls
6
Lake Hawea SOUTH ISLAND
28 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
TROUBLE AT DIANA FALLS Repairing damage to State Highway 6 between Haast and Makarora caused by a major slip has thrown up a unique set of challenges for the contractors, which includes handling foreign tourists. GABE ANDREWS explains. STATE HIGHWAY 6 AT DIANA FALLS was pummelled by atrocious weather in September last year. First it was heavy rain, and then 20,000 tonnes of rock and material crashed down onto the two-lane highway, cutting off the main access between Otago and the West Coast. A frequently used major highway, in a remote alpine location, shadowed by an increasingly unstable cliff face, it’s the sort of recipe that is a nightmare for the Transport Agency. Returning this section of highway to two-lane traffic will take at least 12 months. It’s a huge area to manage and the whole hillside goes hundreds of metres above the road, points out the NZ Transport Agency’s senior network manager, Mark Pinner. “We’ve had to spend time understanding the mechanics of how the slope is behaving,” he says. Needless to say repairs and reconstruction work have been far from straightforward for the main contractor Sicon Ferguson, and subcontractor Geovert. Mark says the remoteness of the site presents the biggest challenge. “The West Coast is a challenging environment and communication has been difficult due to the remoteness, as well as managing resources. There have been a few learning curves we’ve had to go through to get a system that works and is sustainable as there’s no ready
[
source of power. “We’ve had to provide a new radio communications system because satellite phones have limited coverage in the mountains.” After looking at a range of options, including generators, solar power, and even wind and hydro power, the team decided on using fuel cells to power communications. As with any large road works project, Mark says they’ve had to adapt along the way. Getting workers to the site and managing shifts has added to the challenge. “It’s not just the 12 hours on site. We have to factor in travel to and from the site as they’re travelling from other areas of the West Coast.”
Continual bad weather The actual length of road affected, under the Diana Falls, is about 150 metres. The slip itself is about 60 metres wide, but the ‘reach’ of rock fall effectively widens it out. The length of road that’s currently affected by the NZTA managed roadblocks is about 85 kilometres, from Haast Junction to Makarora. Despite the initial hard work to reopen the road last September, further heavy rain about two weeks after the initial slip brought thousands of tonnes more rock and gravel onto the road. When the road reopened on Friday September 20, 10 days after the slip, it initially was closed
“We’ve had to spend time understanding the mechanics of how the slope is behaving,”
]
CONTRACTOR JUNE 2014 29
CONTRACTOR FEATURE
every night from 6pm to 8am as a precaution. As of April, those hours had been lengthened from 5pm to 9am due to winter’s shorter days. Continual bad weather has caused setbacks since project work started with the road closed on at least three more occasions before last summer. The most recent closure was May this year when more rain brought 150 cubic metres of rock and material, including a 20-tonne boulder, down on to the highway. Despite only being closed for the day, the unpredictability of the rock face was highlighted once more.
The design The project is estimated to cost $2.5 million and the focus is on stabilising the rock face. “The area of instability on the rock face is 150 metres above the road with a vertical drop underneath,” says Mark. The first of three attenuator fences will be installed at the bottom of the slope, draped up against the 30-metre vertical rock face that rises up from the road. A large opening at the top of the rock face channels and contains any loose material that moves down the slope against the face and prevents it from falling on the highway. Each attenuator fence is capable of catching and holding up to 2500 tonnes (about 1000 cubic metres) of rock and material. “These fences are designed for higher velocity impact from a single rock from five tonne upwards to a huge area of material coming down,” Mark explains. Even though these are among the highest capacity fences (at 5000 kilojoules) used in this country, the size of some remaining cliff top boulders is still an issue, he adds. The fence system is supplied by Christchurchbased sub-contractor Geovert and has been mostly made overseas. “The mesh is manufactured in Switzerland, the posts are from here, and other parts are from Australia,” says Mark. If everything goes to plan, the last part of the project work will be to erect a fence about one-third of the way up the slip, which has the dual role of catching larger rocks that may move off the slope and containing the gravel that is expected to continue to wash down the rock face as the slope re-establishes its natural level of stability. Top to bottom: Clearance of rockfall and re-opening of SH1 between Haast and Makarora has been particularly difficult because of the remote location and continued bad weather.
30 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
Tourism angles State Highway 6 along the west coast of the South Island is a major arterial route for the West Coast and much of the southern parts of the South Island. The road leads through Mount Aspiring National Park into glacier country and provides countless tourists a pathway through our best alpine scenery. The relentless weather last September not only caused the landslip at Diana Falls, but a kilometre downstream also took the lives of two Canadian tourists.
A coroner’s inquest is continuing into how Connor Hayes and Joanna Lam, and the van they hired, were swept into the Haast River. Considering the importance of SH6 as a main route from the central South Island to the West Coast, maintaining access has been crucial for both residents and tourists. As Mark puts it, SH6 is a lifeline for tourism. Maintaining communication with residents and businesses has been facilitated through a series of stakeholder engagement workshops. “We explained what businesses on the Otago side should expect from the road closures and made them aware of options as well as how long some things may take,” he says. “There are a lot of foreign tourists [who use the road] so we’ve tried to engage with them on the [Tourism NZ] website, and provided instructions for drivers in different languages.” A unique aspect of this project has been message translations in Chinese, Japanese and Korean for tourists travelling through the single road access as work continues. As ever with any road works that cause restricted access or extended delays, dealing with the angst of drivers can be an unfair burden for workers. On this occasion Mark says most drivers have understood what the contractors are up against.
[
“It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to abseil up the cliff, do the necessary inspections and clear rocks if they need to be moved, and then reopen the road, once it’s determined to be safe.
]
“It can be hard, because when you drive through the site you can’t see anything, the actual slope where the activity has been is out of view of the road level.” Before the road is reopened each morning workers monitor and assess the cliff face, before letting traffic through on one lane. “It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to abseil up the cliff, do the necessary inspections and clear rocks if they need to be moved, and then reopen the road, once it’s determined to be safe. We want to ensure complete safety for the workforce and the drivers.” Vehicles are ushered through Diana Falls one at a time and will continue to be while the work is being undertaken. Mark says they’re expecting to have the road back open to two-lane traffic in early September. That is of course unless the winter weather decides to make things more challenging than they already have been.
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CONTRACTOR JUNE 2014 31
CONTRACTOR INTERNATIONAL
THROUGH THE SWISS ALPS It’s the sort of construction and engineering feat that requires a long view to get your head around. GABE ANDREWS EXPLAINS. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a project of such epic proportions that the planning stages started two decades ago. The drilling started over a decade ago, installation of the railway systems began in May 2010, and the project is not due to be completed until late 2016, and at an estimated final cost of US$10.3 billion. At 57 kilometres it will be world’s longest rail tunnel ever drilled, surpassing the Seikan Tunnel in Japan, which is 53.8 kilometres long. To put that into perspective, Australia’s longest road tunnel, the Airport Link in Brisbane, is only 6.7 kilometres long. The under construction Waterview Connection in Auckland will be 2.4 kilometres long to link SH20 with SH16, while the longest rail tunnel in New Zealand is the 8.9 kilometre Kaimai tunnel through the Kaimai Range. Also currently under construction and what will be the world’s fourth longest highway tunnel is the Mount Ovit tunnel in northeastern Turkey. It comprises two 14.7 kilometre long tubes and will be the longest tunnel in Turkey on completion. Gotthard Base Tunnel consists of two single-track tubes, connected together every 325 metres by cross passages. Including all cross-passages, access tunnels and shafts, the total length of the tunnel system is over 152 kilometres. The world’s deepest railway tunnel constructed to date, with a rock overburden of up to 2300 metres, it passes under the 36 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
Swiss Alps between Germany and Italy. Some 2600 people have been employed on the project so far, including engineers and geologists.
Construction details Infrastructure projects on this scale don’t happen without significant backing from government. The Alpine Protection Act of 1994 (the result of a Swiss referendum in 1992) initiated the need for the tunnel to facilitate shifting as much tonnage as possible from truck transport to train transport to reduce environmental damage in Europe. AlpTransit Gotthard was set up in 1998 to manage the project, with construction split into five sections, each with a designated consortium. For instance the Transtec Gotthard Consortium, comprising the four companies Alpiq, Alcatel-Lucent/Thales, Alpine-Bau and Balfour Beatty Rail, is responsible for installation planning, installation, and commissioning of the railway systems. Construction reached a milestone in October 2010 with the completed excavation of the east tube and again in March 2011 with the west tube. This was achieved with four Herrenknecht Gripper tunnelboring machines (TBMs), used to carve through the mountains. Coming in at a whopping 400 metres long with cutter heads
IMAGES: © ALPTRANSIT GOTTHARD LTD
measuring 9.5 metres in diameter, these TBMs made short work of the huge task. In the tradition of naming TBMs, the two that set off from the southern end were known as ‘Sissi’ and ‘Heidi’, while the two borers coming from the northern end were referred to as ‘Gabi 1’ and ‘Gabi 2’. A total of 28.2 million metric tonnes of rock has been excavated so far, or five times the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Due to the considerable pressure of removing so much rock, there was a threat that it could deform the tunnel meaning special supports were necessary in some places. Engineers developed an innovative new concept with flexible steel rings, which partly closed under the rock pressure and thereby prevented deformations in the completed structure.
All about freight The tunnels will allow 200 to 250 trains per day to pass beneath the Alps, with passenger trains travelling up to 250 kilometres per hour. Around 80 percent of freight currently transported between Italy and other European Union countries goes through the Swiss Alps, and two thirds of that traffic is by road. When the rail route is completed, freight trains, double the current weight regulation, will travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, twice as fast as they do today. December last year saw the first train travel over the 13 kilometre pilot section from Bodio to Faido at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour. This pilot section of the tunnel is in the west tube and is already completely fitted out with the necessary railway infrastructure systems. Testing over the pilot section will continue until this month (June) and see trains travel at speeds reaching a maximum of 220 kilometres per hour. As of May 2014, 75 percent of the railway infrastructure technology had been installed. The official inauguration of the rail tunnel is expected at the beginning of June 2016 and it will open to scheduled train services in December 2016.
GOTTHARD BASE TUNNEL ~ VITAL STATS • World’s longest rail tunnel – 57km • Through Swiss Alps between Germany and Italy • Total tunnel system – 152 kilometres • Twenty years in the planning • Drilling started a decade ago • Due to be completed late 2016 • Estimated cost US$10.3 billion. • World’s deepest railway tunnel • Rock overburden – 2300 metres • Some 2600 workers engaged
CONTRACTOR JUNE 2014 37
CONTRACTOR OPINION
Immigration spread the key to future prosperity Linking immigration to regional development would help avoid an Auckland population blowout and in turn would benefit provincial contractors, argues GAVIN RILEY.
BECAUSE OF OUR ABSURDLY short electoral cycle of three years, governments are notorious for reacting to problems by applying band-aid fixes, which have voter appeal. Sensible longterm planning with a delayed payoff is not often enough an integral part of government action. That is a charitable explanation for Auckland being allowed to expand unhindered to the detriment of both it and the rest of the country – a trend which, if unchecked, will result by 2031 in a top-heavy New Zealand dominated by a city of nearly two million people, or 38 percent of the national population. (The comparable figures for London and Tokyo are 21 and 25 percent respectively.) In the face of such a populationdistribution distortion, the ailing regions will continue to decline, as inevitably will the fortunes (if there are any left) of provincial contractors. Auckland today is a city agonising over an unpalatable choice: Whether to expand upwards or outwards. Going up would result in numerous suburban high-rise apartments and pockets of high-density housing, a radical change unwanted by many residents. Going out would mean extending an unenviable urban sprawl and concomitant commuter nightmare. Whichever form of expansion gains the upper hand, the outcome will be the same; a city whose continued rapid growth will reduce both quality of life and productivity and will further shrink the prosperity of much of the rest of the country. Any government has limited means of stemming the flight of citizens from the rural regions to the cities. But, no such inability to act should constrain the government when considering this country’s inflow of migrants. Last year the 38 JUNE 2014 CONTRACTOR
total was 22,400, this year it is heading towards 26,000 and, according to the May Budget, could rise as high as 38,000 by year’s end due mainly to Kiwis returning from Australia – thus putting more strain on Auckland’s overburdened resources, especially housing. It may sound harsh, but it has to be said – this country is entitled, as is any other, to direct in the national interest where immigrants should be allowed to settle. Britain lacked such a dispersal policy half a century ago, when it was awash with immigrants from the Commonwealth, and subsequently paid a heavy price with overcrowded ghettoes forming in areas such as Notting Hill, Birmingham, Bradford, Leeds and Leicester, followed eventually and at intervals by race riots. We should learn from Britain’s mistake and formulate a fair and balanced immigration-settlement policy that has the ability to revitalise the provinces while putting a brake on Auckland’s alarming growth. If the country is to assimilate newcomers painlessly nationwide, however, Kiwis will need to accept that the composition of our immigrants is changing. This country is no longer a distant outpost of Britain but, in the 21st century, is becoming, as its geographical location sensibly dictates, increasingly aligned with Asia. This gradual but inexorable change is reflected in our immigration and population statistics. UK-born New Zealand residents as a percentage of our foreign-born population fell between 2001 and 2013 from 32.2 to 26.5 percent, and Pacific Islanders from 16.9 to 15.1 percent. In the same period the percentage of our Chinese-born residents climbed from 5.6 to 8.9 percent, Indian-born from 3.0 to 6.7 percent, and
Gavin Riley, editor of Contractor magazine, 1983 - 2001
Philippines-born from 1.5 to 3.7 percent. In 2013 more than one in five of Auckland’s 1.5 million population, 23.1 percent, were Asian – a figure projected to increase to 34 percent by 2021. The 2013 census also showed that country wide, more than one million residents were born overseas – 23.6 percent of the population (up from 18.7 percent in 2001 and 15.7 percent in 1991). More than half a million of them, 51.6 percent, live in Auckland, and the percentage decreases down country to a lowly 9.7 percent in Southland. Clearly this imbalance, given its pressure on Auckland’s infrastructure and its neglect of the regions, is not in the country’s interests and needs to be addressed. Linking immigration to regional development could and should be made to work as a key long-term strategy. It’s a complex job not for a short-term government but for a think tank which can harness visionary brainpower from both the public and private sectors with the aim of creating an efficiently functioning New Zealand fit for our children and grandchildren. We live in the greatest little country in the world but we can’t rest on our laurels. The title has to be constantly earned by imaginative and intelligent planning and action to ensure New Zealand remains one of the most desirable places on earth in which to live. Because well defined and managed immigration is one of the key components of our future prosperity, we need to be clear about whom we do and do not want. We do not need rich business people who buy land or property merely as an investment, who subsequently may not live in this country for much of the year, who promise to set up business ventures then do not deliver, who do
Clearly this imbalance, given its pressure on Auckland’s infrastructure and its neglect of the regions, is not in the country’s interests and needs to be addressed. Linking immigration to regional development could and should be made to work as a key long-term strategy.
not speak English (a basic requirement of all immigrants), who seek shortcuts to residency and citizenship, and who believe that making a large cash donation to a political party will secure them influence at a high level. We do need, badly, immigrants with a work ethic and proven entrepreneurial flair who are capable of setting up smallto-medium businesses in our provinces that will employ New Zealanders, particularly in such “non-traditional” sectors as information technology,
science and finance. We should welcome such prospective immigrants with open arms and offer them incentives they can’t refuse to set up shop throughout the country. It is futile to lament that the British face of the country is fading. A huge number of New Zealanders of British descent have migrated to Australia and elsewhere in recent years and, notwithstanding that some are now returning, we should thank our lucky stars that a large migration inflow from Asia has helped replace the
The truth of the matter
shortfall and maintain and invigorate our population. Without these replacements New Zealand would be in trouble, a stagnant nation in the making. However, the national interest dictates that newcomers cannot be allowed to choose to settle anywhere they wish. Unless we adopt a dispersal policy Auckland will choke on its own excesses, our provinces will eventually wither, and provincial contractors will, like the giant moa, become an extinct species. It doesn’t have to happen.
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CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Understanding WorkSafe JEREMY SOLE CEO, NEW ZEALAND CONTRACTORS’ FEDERATION
IT WAS INTERESTING TO hear a presentation recently from Gordon MacDonald, the new CEO for WorkSafe, where he was adamant that health and safety legislation would not become an excuse to stop people doing things. Gordon illustrated this with examples from the UK where a council had banned hanging baskets in case someone banged their head on one, and little old ladies were banned from selling cakes – this isn’t, he says, what we want in New Zealand. I asked him what WorkSafe was planning to do to prevent such punitive behaviour happening here and cited the Resource Management Act as an example of a well-intentioned piece of legislation that has gone badly wrong in the implementation. This is an area that is clearly exercising minds at WorkSafe and it is pleasing to see the agency taking this risk seriously. Given the damage the RMA ‘industry’ has done to this country, the last thing we need is a new industry inventing itself around another poorly implemented piece of quality and appropriate legislation. Interestingly, Gordon mentioned a website, one of the strategies employed in the UK, which details ridiculous decisions made in the name of the H&S legislation. The perpetrators and their organisations were named and shamed and this caused people to think twice and pragmatically before making their decisions. The new H&S legislative environment
40 JUNE 2014
in NZ is starting to take shape now and the federation will be developing and circulating information and guides as things firm up. The federation has also participated in workshops with WorkSafe that are focussed on better understanding its challenges and what stakeholders need from the agency. Early themes that have emerged from this work include the need for Visible Leadership, Collaborative Problem Solving and Credible and Proportional Enforcement. Gordon says this will be guided by a matrix of responses, depending on whether or not a firm is aware, or should be aware, of its requirements, and whether or not it demonstrates commitment to H&S. The matrix covers an intervention escalation that escalates from ‘engage’ and ‘educate’ for those with low awareness and low commitment, through to ‘enforce’ for those who are aware and not committed, and encouraging ‘self-direction’ for those who demonstrate awareness and commitment. This, according to Gordon, forms the framework for a “Carrots, Sticks and Sermons approach”. This view was reinforced at the federation’s Canterbury/ Westland Branch AGM in an address from WorkSafe’s South Island manager. We can expect to see three types of activity from WorkSafe as the new environment unfolds. They are: Universal activity such as general awareness-raising and guidance; targeted activity which addresses identified risks in sectors, industries, or enterprises and is tailored to suit the audiences; and, thirdly, reactive activity in response to actual incidents or hazards. In such instances reactive activity will typically involve enforcement tools, but may also involve the other two activities as well. WorkSafe acknowledges the level of expertise amongst its existing and new inspectors is likely to be somewhat variable in the early phases and appears to be keen to hear from those who feel
they are not being treated fairly or in the spirit of collaboration. The federation is committed to making this work, and would like to hear of any instances that appear to play out differently to what is described above, so we may work proactively and collaboratively with all the parties. Submissions have now closed for the legislation which is now going back to the Select Committee for consideration. The regulations and codes of practice are now being developed parallel to the passage of the legislation so that everything is ready to go on the target implementation date of April 2015. This should avoid problems experienced with implementation in some States in Australia, where the legislation was introduced without the necessary supporting regulations under it. The federation is embedded in this process here through participation on the agency’s worker participation reference group and the general H&S reference group. It is pleasing to note that the work the federation has done in the Pike River legislative environment is flowing in large part through to the Health and Safety Reform Act due to WorkSafe’s commitment to ensuring consistency across all H&S legislation in different sectors. While all this is underway, it is timely for all contracting firms to start thinking about ensuring that you, and all the other firms below you in the supply chain, have a robust health and safety culture embedded in your operations. The new legislation brings in a new concept in the ‘Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking’ (PCBU), and this PCBU is responsible for the health and safety of every person in the supply chain as far as ‘reasonably practicable’. So, for those SMEs who do not have highly developed and implemented H&S policies, systems or processes, there is a very strong chance that your business-tobusiness contracting work will soon dry up. More on this soon.
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CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Communication the key to avoiding disputes JARED HOLT SENIOR ASSOCIATE, KENSINGTON SWAN CONSTRUCTION TEAM
SOMEONE ONCE SAID, ‘the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place’. That is a problem that often contributes to construction disputes. It’s not surprising then that Standards New Zealand’s 2013 suite of contracts includes changes that focus on improved communication and early identification of issues. The changes warrant special attention from contractors because failure to abide by the new requirements could have significant consequences on time and cost claims.
New obligations to provide advance notification The new advance notification clause 5.21 imposes obligations on both the contractor and the engineer to notify the other in writing as soon as either of them becomes aware of any matter which is likely to: • materially alter the contract price, • materially delay completion of the contract works, or • result in a breach of statutory duty in connection with the contract works. If the contractor fails to notify the engineer in this manner, any variation arising out of the matter is valued ‘as if notification had been given and that notification might reasonably have resulted in the impact of the matter being avoided or reduced’. Essentially, late notice could lead to the engineer/ principal being entitled to pay less for a variation and/or grant a shorter extension of time in respect of the variation.
Evolution not revolution The advance notification provisions are not revolutionary, having been contained to varying degrees in the international FIDIC and NEC contracts for some time. The provisions are understandable, particularly in that they encourage all 42 JUNE 2014
parties to try and deal with potential additional cost or time issues before they turn into major problems. They also allow the engineer and principal to maintain a more accurate account of potential additional cost and time exposure as a project progresses and reduce or allow for their impact where possible. Nevertheless, this is clearly an important change for contractors in particular to understand and to respond to in order to avoid the risk of time and cost claims being reduced. The effective use of risk registers and other regular reporting procedures becomes very important.
Variation reporting and valuation It has always been the case that a contractor needs to give written notice of any matter which it considers is a variation but is not ordered as one. However, the 2003 edition of 3910 allowed for oral notice which was recorded and written records, such as site meeting minutes, to constitute written notice. That provision has been removed in the 2013 edition. This encourages clarity and avoids disputes about what was in fact agreed in site meetings, or about the proper interpretation of references in the minutes. For contractors, it means having a follow up process in place to clearly record and communicate in writing the agreed outcome of any discussions between the parties regarding variation claims. When it comes to valuing variations, the new clause 9.3.2 requires the contractor to give notice of the proposed value supported by sufficient details to allow the engineer to assess the value of the variation. When responding to the notice, the engineer needs to give reasons if their valuation differs from that proposed by the contractor. These changes encourage the parties to address valuation issues early and substantively, and reduce the risk of
major variation disputes remaining unknown until late in the project. A challenge for the parties will be to adopt a reasonable approach, both in regard to what constitutes ‘sufficient details’ to be submitted by the contractor, and the sufficiency of reasons given by the engineer if they arrive at a different value.
Other examples – cost reimbursable estimates and step-in for defects repair Other moves to encourage greater communication and early crystallisation of disputes are apparent throughout the contracts. For example, the expanded provisions for cost reimbursement contracts can require the contractor to submit an indicative estimate for the contract works before starting. If required, the estimate then needs to be reconciled against actual cost in each payment claim, with an explanation for any differences and with an updated estimate also being provided. Another example is that the engineer now has expanded rights to step in prior to the expiry of the defects notification period to remove or make good work which is not in accordance with the contract, and charge the cost of doing so to the contractor (if the contractor has failed to do so within the prescribed timeframes).
What do we think? These changes make sense. The size and complexity of construction disputes can often be contributed to by an unwillingness or inability of a party (or parties) to deal with issues early on. As long as regular and effective reporting processes are implemented, the changes should help to reduce the risk issues escalating unnecessarily. That would be a good outcome for all parties.
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CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Our freight demand – the long view HARRY WILSON PORTFOLIO DIRECTOR, NZTA FREIGHT
IN MARCH THE Minister of Transport released the revised National Freight Demand Study 2014. This is an important piece of work for everyone working to improve the safe and efficient movement of freight. The study provides a snapshot of the country’s current freight task and provides a forecast of what the future freight task will look like over the next 30 years. It helps us better understand what is happening in the world of supply chains, production, consumption and logistics. New Zealand’s freight task is projected to increase by about 50 percent over the next 30 years, with freight volumes in the Auckland and Canterbury regions projected to grow by 78 percent and 73 percent respectively. Some commodities have reduced as a result of economic conditions, while others, notably exports, have seen tremendous growth across the country. For the future, this growth will mean an extra 137 million tonnes (or an extra 13 billion tonnes/kilometres) of freight moved by 2042. Currently there are about 50 tonnes of freight moved each year for every person in the country; by 2040 this will increase to 67 tonnes per person. Keeping in mind we will have a larger population then too. This increase will also generally fall on the modes as they currently are, with road moving 70 percent of the current and future freight task (in terms of tonne-kilometres). Rail has increased its proportion of the freight task by one percent to 16 percent, evidence perhaps that the Government’s investment in KiwiRail’s Turnaround Plan is bearing fruit. Coastal shipping is moving more in terms of volumes with its share of the total freight task at 14 percent. Our economically vital airfreight, particularly the import/export airfreight through Auckland International Airport, weighs little, so cannot be
44 JUNE 2014
Coastal shipping is moving more in terms of volumes with its share of the total freight task at 14 percent. compared in this way. But the volume of air freight, including high value exports, is increasing.
So what does this all mean for the Transport Agency and New Zealand? The report tells us that the road freight task is still growing, and our critically important export task has and will grow significantly. Just to illustrate, the State highway network carried 1.8 billion kilometres worth of heavy vehicle trips in 2004/05, by 2012/13 this had increased to almost two billion heavy vehicle kilometres travelled. Clearly the function of our road and rail links to our major national and regional ports are becoming even more critical. There are already productivity and capacity constraints on a number of them, which our current investment programme is addressing by ensuring that freight movements to and from ports are predictable, safe and timely. So our work to upgrade the key nationally strategic routes in and around our biggest cities, and to and from our ports and airports, will need to continue to help manage the forecast growth. This puts more onus on the freight plans the NZTA is facilitating and the discussions we are having with ports, industry and local councils to ensure these critical parts of the freight network are future-proofed for this growth. The forecast growth, particularly in road freight, also shows the value of getting more freight on fewer trucks. Absorbing some of this growth onto existing vehicle fleets by upgrading them to high productivity motor vehicles (HPMVs), including 50MAX, will help defer capital investment in additional trucks, it will also mean drivers can drive less to deliver more freight and it will help reduce the crash exposure risk that more truck trips would have created. The information in this study will add to the freight planning discussions and allow private sector, local government and central government decision-makers to test the findings and implications of the report and expand our understanding of what is needed to move freight safety and efficiency forward. As Minister Brownlee says, this study provides useful information for planning at both a nationwide and regional level.
TRAINING CONTRACTOR
Keeping a wary eye on partners JAMES MacQUEEN PARTNER BDO, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS AND ADVISORS
THE START OF THE upturn in the financial cycle for the building industry is the period of highest financial risk. It is a period when staff and skills shortages start to bite; staff shift to new employers seeking higher pay; balance sheets become stretched by increasing activity; and there’s a need to finance higher levels of work in progress, accounts receivable and retentions receivable. Both construction companies and sub-contractors are committed to completing contracts which were negotiated months ago at tight margins and their cost structures are rising. Property owners and their consultants have been requesting references, reviewing financial statements and conducting financial due diligence on construction companies throughout the downturn. The information building companies have been prepared to provide has varied with some allowing inspection of their financial statements and others regarding this as highly confidential and sensitive information. Bank references are invariably requested. and if a bank reference is provided it gives virtually no information of any real value. With the changing levels of activity as we start to climb the business cycle, the areas of risk move to the financial vulnerability of the sub-contractors. A lot happens between tender acceptance and time to start the job, with many sub-contractors finding that their staff are moving to competitors for higher pay and they are having to replace those staff, if they can, with higher paid staff. The margins on committed jobs are often less than may now be obtainable and with rising costs, margins can be well below expectations. The effect of these factors is that some subcontractors are or will be struggling. Some have closed their businesses, and more will need to. Others have, and more will, pull out of contractual commitments notwithstanding that there are legal obligations to perform.
The required response It is now time for contractors to perform financial due diligence on their subcontractors in a similar way to the due diligence being performed on them. Contractors can ill afford a subcontractor walking off the job or not being able or prepared to start. At a minimum, due diligence should include: Sighting IRD statements to show that both GST and PAYE returns are being filed and payments made when due; credit references from trade suppliers; and have your QS do his own calculations so you know their pricing is realistic, and do not accept unrealistic prices despite the temptation.
If subcontractors don’t want you to sight their IRD statements, use an intermediary such as your accountant to view them so dollar amounts remain confidential. Watch for other warning signs. These can include: Inability to provide materials due to stop credit or similar problem; the grapevine (fellow industry companies are quick to spread stories of companies in difficulty); quoted prices below expected levels, or below most other tenderers; poor quality or delayed paperwork on the project; and loss of their key staff For projects to run smoothly for everyone’s economic benefit there is reliance on all parties technical ability and financial strength. A missing financial link in the chain impacts everyone and proper financial due diligence and transparency is to everyone’s benefit.
Operations Manager, Civil Construction/Drilling Our client has an exciting opportunity and future to offer the right person wanting to take on the role of their Operations Manager. A well established and respected company, they have been providing their services to the Greater Waikato, and Bay of Plenty communities for over 40 years. This is a new role that reflects their vision of professionalism, quality control and a focus on the Health and Safety of their employees. The successful applicant will be responsible for • • • • •
Pricing and estimating new contracts The administration of successful tenders Staff management on a day to day basis The implementation of the companies’ H&S policies Ensuring that quality control has been adhered to
The candidate that we are after will • Preferably have a tertiary Engineering or Quantity Surveying qualification • Have a good level of IT literacy • Be able to show a proven history of staff management • Be prepared to take responsibility for their own actions • Show an understanding of customer focus, and pride in their work. For the person who wins this role, it will be not just a job, but a genuine career move. Submissions for this position are to be made to Graham Rodgers at Success Personnel Ltd. Please submit your CV to graham@successhr.co.nz or call on 0212857776
JUNE 2014 45
CONTRACTOR COMMENT
Responsibility goes up the chain ROD AUTON CEO, CRANE ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
FOR THE COMPANIES that are already engaged in best practice for health and safety within their businesses, there will be little impact from the Health & Safety Reform Bill. The biggest change will be that directors and senior managers will now have a personal obligation to exercise due diligence and keep their employees safe in the workplace. Failure to do so will mean that they personally can be held accountable for the actions, or nonactions, of the company. There is a greater emphasis on more worker participation in the health and safety in the workplace. Enforcement tools and the powers of the court have been increased and in the event of a breach or an offence taking place there will be heavier penalties to back up the health and safety message. The following are some of the key points of the Bill: Part 1 – Designed to clarify who has duties in the workplace and how those duties are to be met. • There is a new term “PCBUs” being introduced. It means a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking and is designed to capture all working relationships. PCBUs will include all company directors, managers and heads of departments. Part 2 – Imposes duties on PCBUs, officers, workers and other persons. • PCBUs will have, as far as reasonably practicable, a specific duty of care for the health and safety of; – Workers employed or engaged by the PCBU, and – Workers whose activities in carrying out work are influenced or directed by the PCBU. • PCBUs also must ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that the health and safety is not put at risk as part of their business or undertaking. • PCBUs that are involved in management or in control of worksites have additional duties which they must comply with, as do PCBUs involved 46 JUNE 2014
in the design, manufacture, import, supply, installation, construction or commissioning of plant. • Company officers and managers will have a duty of care to exercise due diligence to ensure that PCBUs comply with obligations and manage safety appropriately. Part of that due diligence is a duty to acquire and keep an up to date knowledge of current health and safety matters. Part 3 – Gives workers and their representatives an increased role in workplace health and safety • Requires PCBUs to engage with workers on matters relating to work health and safety. • Requires PCBUs to have practices that provide reasonable opportunities for workers to participate in improving work health and safety: • Requires the election of health and safety representatives and the establishment of health and safety committees, but only if; – workers request it; or – a PCBU initiates it. Part 4 – Offences and Penalties • Several new offences and penalties will be introduced for people who breach their duties. The most serious offence is to recklessly engage in conduct that exposes a person to whom the duty is owed to a risk of death, serious injury, or illness. The bill is 300 pages long and has had 58 submissions and is expected to come into the force in April 2015. Read the Bill here: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/ bill/government/2014/0192/latest/ DLM5976660.html Perhaps the best outcome of this new reform is that health and safety is now putting the responsibility back at the top, and accountability now includes those normally in a governance role. This will effectively drive health and safety into the boardroom and should become a KPI on many a CEO’s action plan, if it’s not there already.
Crane safety manual review The third series of workshops run by the New Zealand Crane Association to enable industry participation in the review of the New Zealand Crane Safety Manual were held in May. Workshops covering, for example, piling, pre-cast concrete and multi crane lifting were facilitated by Sarah Lester and resulted in capturing valuable industry knowledge for inclusion in the revised manual. The aim – a better educated, better resourced and safer crane industry in New Zealand. The review process has been significant and will result in the revised version including new sections relating to, for example, employer/ employee responsibilities, general crane information, crane rating charts and crane capacity and piling. It is anticipated that the ports and stevedoring sector will join the review process with ultimate inclusion of sections relating to, for example, container cranes, straddles and ships cranes. Additional information has been included in the sections relating to, for example, pre-cast concrete and crawler cranes, recognising the importance of these activities and crane types within the crane industry. A draft version of the reformatted manual will be made available to delegates attending the annual conference which is being held in Queenstown July 10-11. Opportunities will be made available for delegates to provide comment on the draft manual so that the final version of the Crane Safety Manual reflects as much as practically possible, the views of the crane industry. An additional outcome from the pre cast concrete workshop is the calling for urgent discussions between the industry and WorkSafe regarding the content of the currently- under-review Approved Code of Practice for The Safe Handling, Transportation and Erection of Precast Concrete.
COMMENT CONTRACTOR
Pro-wood policy alarming ROB GAIMSTER CEMENT & CONCRETE ASSOCIATION [CCANZ] READY MIXED CONCRETE ASSOCIATION [NZRMCA] PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY recently announced September 20 as the date of the next general election. Almost immediately political parties began positioning themselves in relation to key issues through various ‘policy’ announcements. Of particular interest, or should that be concern, to the concrete industry is the Labour party’s Forestry and Wood Products Economic Upgrade policy package. Announced mid-March by David Cunliffe at the ForestWood conference in Wellington, the policy package is part of Labour’s plan to transition the country to a “modern, high value economy”. However, the material specific nature of the policies is so overt that if implemented they would create an inappropriate commercial advantage for one construction material over another. The Pro-Wood Government Procurement Strategy component is particularly alarming. It stipulates that, “all government-funded project proposals for new buildings up to four storeys high shall require a build-inwood option at the initial concept/requestfor-proposals stage (with indicative sketches and price estimates).” Sound familiar? It is the same flawed policy floated, but shelved, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry several years ago – one which CCANZ
vocally opposed. Now, as then, it is completely inappropriate to mandate that decision makers in the construction process must consider wood as a structural option. Such preferential treatment of one industry over another would set a disappointing precedent. Government should not be picking winners when it comes to the selection of construction materials, which should stand or fall on their own technical, cost, aesthetic and sustainability credentials. Building environment rating tools, such as the Green Star rating tool, have gained traction over recent years, and offer a far more objective assessment of the benefits of construction materials. To suggest that timber is a more sustainable option, and as such should be the preferred material for government buildings, is too simplistic. I do not dispute that wood has sustainable properties, or that forestry is important to New Zealand’s Kyoto obligations. However, this does not outweigh or negate the sustainability of other construction materials such as concrete. In addition, the policy does a huge dis-service to the hardworking men and women in the cement and concrete industries. Favouring a single construction material during the design phase of a
government building could seriously impact on their livelihoods and jobs. My sentiments are shared by the steel industry. Metals NZ believe the policy undermines the technical expertise of structural engineers, architects and quantity surveyors, who are the best people to evaluate the most suitable building materials based on the desired product performance and commercial outcomes for a particular project. On his blog, ACT leader Jamie Whyte refers to Labour’s policies as “forced consumption”, and believes they are, “not merely a path to national economic decline. They appeal to immoral and anti-social urges: vote for me and I will prey on others for your benefit.” In a withering attack, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce called the policy, “classic 70s ‘government knows best’ interventionism,” and asked the question, “what next, supplementary minimum prices for wood?” In short, this policy does not create a level playing field for the use of construction materials in government buildings. In fact, materials other than wood will be considerably disadvantaged by this policy. The wide-reaching implications of this policy are extremely concerning and it should, in no circumstances, be adopted.
YRCO.CO.NZ
WELCOME TO OUR NEW TEAM MEMBER. Youngman Richardson & Co are proud to announce they have recently been appointed exclusive New Zealand distributor for the full range of IHI Mini Excavators. AUCKLAND HEAD OFFICE Phone: (+64) 09 443 2436 Email: sales@yrco.co.nz
SOUTH ISLAND OFFICE Phone: (+64) 03 341 6923 Email: dalel@yrco.co.nz
JUNE 2014 47
CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES
M
ASSIC
S
CL
A C E H I N
The Flying Tournapull – the LeTourneau model D
During WWII the Army called for an “air transportable earthmover” and LeTourneau took up the challenge. BY RICHARD CAMPBELL
Above: A restored example of a military Model D Tournapull fitted with Q Carryall and AD tilt dozer. This example has a muffler which was not an option on production Ds and a much thicker seat cushion than was ever supplied on the original!
48 JUNE 2014
THE FIRST LETOURNEAU Model D Tournapull with Model Q Carryall was rolled out in 1942. It was then sent to the US Army’s proving ground at Fort Belvoir, Virginia for trials, which were conducted by the Corps of Engineers. Following these tests, which proved that the little machine was capable of doing what the Army required, it was passed on to the Airborne Equipment Engineers for air drop suitability testing. This extensive test regime, which lasted almost two years, meant that the machine didn’t actually go into production until mid 1944, by which time the island hopping campaign in the Pacific was in full swing. The Model D & Q Carryall could be carried partially assembled in a Douglas C-47, Curtiss C-46, or Douglas C-54 transport aircraft and
parachuted into where it was needed, or swallowed fully assembled and ready to be put straight into action inside a Waco CG-4A cargo glider. LeTourneau engineers had incorporated only as much equipment as was necessary into the design of the Model D in order to keep the tare weight as low as possible, while still offering a valid and versatile earthmover. To this end they succeeded admirably. From 1942 to when production ended in 1946, LeTourneau built over 600 of the little critters, not all of which were destined for the US Army. Following the termination of WWII, the type continued in production. LeTourneau marketed the non-military machines, (known as the Model D4 Tournapull),
[
The operator’s controls were extremely basic – hand clutch, two steering levers, gearshift, accelerator pedal foot brakes (two) and PCU controls – that was it!
to small contractors, railway companies (an ideal roadbed maintenance tool), landscapers, small townships, coal distributors, counties, industries, paving contractors, gold miners and even cemeteries! It was finally replaced in late 1946 by another Tournapull, also called the Model D which was a completely new design from the ground up. There are quite a few survivors of the breed, most of which reside in the USA.
The Model D in detail The Model D Tournapull was powered by a Continental Y112 four cylinder gasoline engine that put out 44 flywheel horsepower and was connected, via a single plate hand operated clutch, to a four speed manual transmission made by Borg-Warner. This was a very similar transmission to that which was then used widely in the Army’s Ford five-ton trucks, allowing for a
]
Above: “GI Joe” complete with rifle and gas mask takes a Model D for a spin at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, USA during WWII. Note the very exposed position for the operator. Doubtless these machines weren’t sent into operation until the enemy had been suppressed.
good bit of parts commonality in the field. Design of the steering system was the same as used on the larger Model Super C Tournapull only on a smaller scale and this consisted of a steering clutch and contracting band brake for each drive wheel. When going downhill with a load the machine had to be cross-steered just like a track type tractor or calamity would result. These machines were not for the faint hearted! The entire engine, transmission and final drive assembly was contained within a welded ‘tub’ for structural rigidity. Attached to the rear of the final drive case was the cable control unit (PCU). In the case of the model D this was normally a model L, a three-drum affair that was operated by means of cone-type clutches just like other PCUs in the LeTourneau range. LeTourneau cable controls were very rugged affairs and seldom required major overhaul, thus JUNE 2014 49
CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES
1. Civilian Model D with Q Carryall & AD tilt dozer quietly rusts in peace in a farmer’s field in the USA. Considering that only 636 of these little machines were manufactured its survival is unusual and it deserves a better fate than this.
1
2. Another view of the farm based example. The basic seat can be seen well in this view as can the steering levers and cable control levers. Rear left tyre is rotting away with age. 3. This is one of the D prototypes under test at LeTourneau’s Peoria facility prior to being handed over to the army. The rather sombre gentleman is in a suit but is wearing gloves while he pushes a load of what appears to be heavy wet clay with the AD tilt dozer. Only the military Ds had this form of headlight shown here.
2
4. This little gem was photographed at an abandoned mine in Arizona, USA and is in very good condition, the dry climate of this region no doubt assisting in its preservation. It appears to have never been fitted with a blade. This site was littered with dozens of treasures including many old & rare trucks.
3
4
50 JUNE 2014
making them ideal for combat type situations where any kind of maintenance was obviously kept to a bare minimum. The operator’s controls were extremely basic – hand clutch, two steering levers, gearshift, accelerator pedal foot brakes (two) and PCU controls – that was it! A small panel on the back of the hood held a water temperature gauge, ammeter and a starter switch and that was the extent of the instrumentation. On the machines that were fitted with headlights, a light switch would be added to this cluster. For a machine initially designed for the military, the operator sat in a very exposed position on a very elementary, non-sprung seat. At least he had a good view of the world around him!
5
The Q Carryall With a struck rating of two cubic yards and a heaped capacity of 2.3 cubic yards, the little Q Carryall was the ideal tool for filling in bomb craters. It was entirely cable-controlled and had a very large spring in the pushbeam for helping to pull the tailgate back once it had ejected a load. The Model D/Q Carryall combination could selfload without the need for a pusher as it had a very good power to weight ratio – 1 horsepower per 250lb (113kg) of weight. LeTourneau wasted no time in designing extra attachments for use with the D Tournapull. First up was a demountable tilt dozer, the Model AD, operated off the third drum of the PCU. A unit equipped with the AD dozer was a very versatile tool as not only could it transport earth but maintain fills, create paths or push load other Ds if necessary. There was also a Model D Tournatruck, a flat bed trailer with a five ton capacity for transporting goods as large as a fully equipped Caterpillar D4. Lastly, there was the Model F Tournacrane, which could lift loads up to 4000lbs (1800kg). These attachments were all interchangeable with the Q Carryall and could be changed over within an hour by two men.
The New Zealand connection To the very best of the author’s knowledge, no LeTourneau D & Q combinations were imported during the time period when the machine was in active service. They may have passed through on their way to the Pacific war, but none apparently stayed behind. There is, however, an example of the type in the
Packard Museum in Northland. This has been restored to its former glory in US military garb.
For the model collector It will probably come as no surprise that no models of this machine exist in any scale. It would make a great project for a larger scale (1:25) model, as even in this larger scale, it would not take up too much space. A 1:50 scale example would be miniscule by comparison.
The tandem scraper loading concept is not a new idea as this 1945 photo shows. Two civilian owned Ds with Q Carryalls and blades work on a small housing development in Illinois, USA, the rear unit push loading the front one. These were simpler times – no ROPS, no cabs, no radios, no aircon but the job got done just the same.
BRIEF SPECIFICATIONS
Model D Tournapull & Q Carryall Engine: Continental Y112, 4-cylinder, inline gasoline engine rated at 44 flywheel horsepower at 3000 rpm Transmission: Ford 4-speed constant mesh manual transmission Clutch: Borg-Warner 14” single plate, mechanical hand clutch Top Speed: 16.1 mph Brakes: Manual contracting band on each drive axle Steering: Spring applied multi disc clutch on each drive axle Tyres: Tractor: 14.00x24, 8-ply traction tread Scraper: 7.50x16, 8-ply universal tread Scraper: Model Q Carryall Capacity: 2 cubic yards struck, 2.3 cubic yards heaped Control: All cable via Model L, 3-drum PCU Length: 21’ 4” Width: 6’ 9” Height: 5’ 7½” Operating Weight: 2.9 tons (empty), 6.2 tons (loaded)
JUNE 2014 51
CONTRACTOR MOTORING BY PETER GILL
Driving a V8 missile You get a few privileges as a motoring writer, and one of the more memorable for me in recent times was a day on the track at Bathurst in a very fast Mercedes Benz coupe. Mercedes Benz invited a handful of motoring writers from both sides of the Tasman to check out some of its vehicles. For me, the greatest pleasure of the day was a couple of hours in the AMG C63 coupe. A relatively compact car with a massive 6.3 litre V8, it is a veritable missile. AMG is the performance division of Mercedes Benz that takes a lot of the stuffy conservatism out of the German company’s sometimes stiff and conservative products, some which look like they’ve been created by former bar code designers.
NOT SUCH A MOTORING TRIUMPH Have a look at this photo and tell me what it does to your mood. It’s one of the saddest looking cars ever. It’s a 1951 Triumph Mayflower. You’d think Britain had lost the war to look at it. It had a 1.2 litre four cylinder engine and was considered one of Britain’s finest cars of the time. The first family doctor that I can remember from my childhood used to make house calls in one of these whenever us kids weren’t well. The instant I saw it turn into our driveway I felt sicker still.
LOVE LESSONS IN A SINGER In preparation for my next book (yes, sorry folks but there is to be another one) I dug up a picture of my first car. I was 16 when I bought this in 1966. It was a 1954 Singer SM1500. It did OK for me until the steering box seized as I was turning round on the lawn at my girlfriend’s place. The car was marooned there for a fortnight before I could get it fixed, much to her father’s great annoyance. In retrospect, I think that I should have chased girls with kinder fathers and Singer should have stuck to sewing machines. 52 June 2014
MOUNTAIN DOUGHNUTS AND BURN-OUTS For years New Zealand has done a roaring trade with the world’s car and tyre manufacturers by providing a winter testing facility near Cardrona, Wanaka. An enterprising fellow called John Lee carved the top off a mountain back when you could do that sort of thing. He created a snow and cold weather test track. Car and tyre companies use it to continue their testing programmes when its summer in the northern hemisphere. It will be busy there right now, with scores of mechanics, test drivers and analysts in attendance. I did some test driving there myself recently, and it seems that Mr Lee was not the only enterprising one. He told me that two young ladies had set up in a cottage at the foot of the mountain to provide “comfort services.”
A RISING
SUN ORGINAL
Among the first of the Japanese truck brands to be imported to New Zealand was Nissan. They arrived in the mid 1960s and were strong and imposing looking. At that stage,
Nissan went for the conventional cab-behind-bonnet format. Among the first Nissan models was the 1966 6-TW-12. In the 1960s, there were still people who had
a mistrust of Japanese vehicles. Those people would be laughed at today, with Nissan, Mitsubishi/Fuso, Hino, and Isuzu vehicles very much cutting the sushi.
June 2014 53
CONTRACTOR INNOVATIONS
Trimble’s new Compaction Control System Trimble took advantage of North America’s largest solid waste and recycling tradeshow, WasteExpo 2014, launching a new GNSS-based machine control solution to improve efficiency of bulk earthworks and landfill compaction operations. The CCS900 Compaction Control System allows a machine operator to make more uniform and efficient passes, report compaction production data in the field, and ensure target compaction is reached with minimal fuel usage and machine wear. When operating in bulk earthworks, the CCS900 system tracks compaction passes in real time with easy-to-read colour mapping on the in-cab display, ensuring fill material is adequately balanced and uniformly compacted from the bottom up. Trimble’s new system helps contractors for landfill operations to compact the maximum amount of waste into the smallest area of vertical and horizontal cell space.
Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1
Lightknight proactive lighting The traditional hi vis vest is getting a safety facelift. Lightknight has introduced a patented self-illumination system that can be retrofitted to existing work gear. The power pack for the Lightknight is lighter than an iPhone, water and dust resistant and can be conveniently transferred from garment to garment. Aimed at improving the safety of those working in low light conditions, the system emits a glowing blue/white light that’s visible from all angles and up to 800 metres in low light conditions. Independent studies and field trials by Callaghan Innovation showed light levels from the Lightknight product are significantly higher than those of fluorescent materials, and retro reflective materials, at all viewing angles. It also features quick recharging, long battery life, advanced built in audio and visual battery warnings and multi-charging support. The ability to test the product in the industry environment with key players has allowed Lightknight to carefully examine the needs of the industry and create an ergonomically suitable product that meets the practicality and needs the workplace demands. Within months of the product’s launch a raft of companies in both New Zealand and Australia had placed orders for the new system.
Panasonic launched its latest product in the rugged tablet market at this year’s International CES conference, a gathering of technological innovators. The 7-inch Toughpad FZ-M1 runs Windows 8.1 on an Intel Core i5 vPro processor, basically giving the power of a desktop computer, and being able to run most desktop programs without the need for custom applications. The tablet comes with a user-replaceable battery with eight hours of battery life and an optional high-capacity battery (16 hours). When it comes to durability the Toughpad is tested to meet specifications for drops of up to 1.5 metres and is fully protected against dust, sand, or driving rain. An interesting aspect of the ultra-sensitive touchscreen means field service operators can use the device when wearing thick gloves. Panasonic says it’s the world’s thinnest and lightest rugged 7-inch tablet on the market today.
A DV E RT I S E RS IN D E X Advancequip 25 CablePrice OBC DitchWitch NZ 43 Drive Train 11 Global Survey 55 Gough Group 7, 9 Hirepool 23 Navman 3
54 JUNE 2014
NZCF ACENZ / Roading NZ Conference 19 Porter Group IFC Prime Pumps 39 Rocktec 5 Ryco Hydraulics 11 Subscribe to Contractor 41 Success Personnel 45 Taylor Built 8
Topcon 35 Total Oil IBC Transdiesel 27 Traffic Management 17 Trenchshoring 31 Youngman Richardson 47
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CONTRACTOR INNOVATIONS
Extended OTR tyre range TRS Tyre and Wheel, an importer and distributor of industrial tyres and wheels, is the national representative for Indian-made BKT tyres and its range of Earthmax Radial off-the-road tyres suited to dumpers and wheeled loaders. TRS has recently landed 24.00R35 Earthmax SR45 (E4) tyres that are running in a quarry application in the Bay of Plenty area. The tyres are fitted to a CAT 775 dump truck and initial feedback after several weeks in operation shows the tyres are performing very well with minimal tread wear and no visible sidewall cutting or other damage. The 24.00R35 Earthmax is manufactured in both a standard and cut resistant compound. In a trial conducted by BKT at the Point Wilson Aggregate Quarry in Australia, the 24.00R35 Earthmax SR45 tyres completed over 4400 running hours on a Komatsu 465-3, comparing very favourably to other brands. TRS also has a shipment of 26.5R25 Earthmax tyres in the SR50 L5 pattern and once these arrive they will be placed on loaders operating in a harsh quarry environment. While similar to the SR45 in design, the SR50 features a directional lug, an extra deep tread pattern and a heavy duty shoulder buttress to reduce sidewall damage in severe operating conditions.
Mighty mini digger The Terex TC37 mini excavator with its zero tail swing is not only ideal for operating in small spaces, but also provides operators with great visibility and manoeuverability. By side-mounting the engine, the operator cab space has been increased, providing better comfort and resulting in higher productivity. It is available with bucket capacities of 54-191 litres; has a maximum dig depth of 3200mm; a float position for the dozer blade; and engine power of 22kW. Optional hydraulic system features include Terex electro-proportional fingertip controls for the added precision of movement and an additional foot pedal for the control circuit. Cab options include a ROPS canopy with working floodlight, and a range of operator seats. Contact Advancequip: 0800 767 487, admin@advancequip.co.nz.
Easy to use 3D solution Topcon has released a simplified 3D positioning solution engineered specifically for Building Information Modelling (BIM) and construction layout. Designed for enterprises that don’t feel they require the full power or technical abilities of a robotic total station, the new LN-100 presents easy-to-use hardware that still provides the accuracy and versatility of a much more complex 3D positioning tool. The unit provides simple one-touch layout data for interior building infrastructure, footings and foundations. By measuring two known points on a site and communicating these wirelessly to the control panel, the LN-100 knows where it is and can provide accurate information on where everything in the plans or CAD
drawings needs to be. Thanks to its wireless connectivity the LN-100 can communicate data from within the cloud and sync instantly with any changes from the office or the field. It can also sync with all data for the project including machine control, construction applications and GIS mapping. “The LN-100 is all about ease-of-use, without any compromise on accuracy,” says Mike Milne, managing director of New Zealand Topcon importer and consultancy firm, Synergy Positioning Systems. “All this technical ability arrives in a compact package for less expense than a robotic total station. What’s more, Synergy Positioning Systems offers customers the choice of hiring the LN-100, along with the full technical back-up of our survey consultancy team.”
CONTRACTORS’ DIARY Date Event
Venue
Contact
3-7 Jun 14
Crocus International Exhibition Center, Moscow
www.conexporussia.com
CONEXPO Russia 2014
24-26 Jun 14
Hillhead 2014
Tarmac’s Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, England
www.hillhead.com
9-12 Jul 14
Crane Association Conference
Rydges Lakeland Resort, Queenstown
www.cranes.org.nz
6-9 Aug 14
NZCF / ACENZ / Roading NZ Conference
Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
www.nzcontractors.co.nz
13-16 Aug 14
Heavy Haulage Association Conference
Distinction Hotel, Rotorua
www.hha.org.nz
3-6 Sep 14
Steinexpo 2014
Homberg / Niederofleiden, Germany
www.steinexpo.eu
21-24 Oct 15
Conexpo Latin America
Santiago, Chile
conexpolatinamerica.net
25-28 Nov 14
bauma China
International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China
www.bauma-china.com
15-18 Dec 14
bC India
India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi
www.bcindia.com
Please send any contributions for Contractor Diary to kevin@contrafed.co.nz, or phone 09 636 5710
56 JUNE 2014
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