Company News

acceSS SpecialtieS ahead for height

Since 2017, brendan Walker and his access Specialities team have been quietly getting on with becoming one of the most comprehensively skilled EWp and telehandler equipment repair, service, and certification providers in the country.

haVInG DoUbLED the Access Specialties team in the last four years from 21 to 40 staff members, managing director Brendan Walker says that inevitably this busy company has also now had to double the size of its workshop space. “We’ve just moved into a new 2,700 square foot building at 104 Carbine Road, Mount Wellington which gives us nine bays inside the workshop – double what we had before,” he says. “We also now have one of the biggest paint booths in the EWP repair industry and more room to look after the specialised gear we service and repair, such as the truck-mounted Aichi booms used by power companies on which we undertake high voltage testing, or some of the larger EWPs the construction industry utilises, like the two 43m Genies we’re servicing at the moment.” With Access Specs also stocking and selling parts for a variety of well-known brands, and with many

Parts for a variety of wellknown brands, and with many customers relying on the company’s inventory for older model EWPs and telehandlers.

customers relying on the company’s inventory for older model EWPs and telehandlers, Brendan says the additional space is crucial for this side of the multifaceted business as well. But while the new larger premises take shape in Mount Wellington, Access Specs is by no means tethered to just one location. With customers spread far and wide, the team also includes four field service technicians in the Waikato, and more personnel covering, Northland, the Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, and the Lower North Island. Beyond the industry itself, Brendan says he loves getting involved in local community initiatives: Access Specs is a supporter of the United North Piha Surf Lifesaving Club on Auckland’s West Coast, for example. “We’re all for both town and country. A big part of our business is getting out on site to where the equipment is based, rather than what you see in our workshop,” continues Brendan. “I’d say probably 50% of our maintenance business revolves around going to remote locations in the provinces and getting our customers’ back up and running out there. We have contracts for national entities such as Fonterra, and we look after anything aerial for Fire & Emergency New Zealand, which means we need expertise all over the country. We have two full-time service coordinators logging jobs, so while things look busy in the workshop there’s an equal amount of

Access Specs new 2,700 square foot workshop at 104 Carbine Road, Mount Wellington

Specialist equipment like this bridge maintenance vehicle is all in a day’s work for the Access Specs team

activity out on the road for our guys as well.” The busy nature of the business is no surprise to Brendan of course – he believes people are always surprised at just how big the equipment hire industry is. Access Specs’ own client book stretches from customers with a single EWP to well-known rental providers boasting national fleets numbering in the thousands.“HIANZ members look for trust that you’re providing not only a quality service, but a service that complies with all the regulations,” Brendan continues. “We’ve invested in ensuring team members have full CBIP qualifications meaning they hold the right to signoff on six-month certifications, as well as major 10-year rebuild exams where the machine is pulled apart and critical components are all wear-tested. We do everything onsite bar the crack testing, which is completed by trusted service partners here in Auckland. “The biggest thing for us is, how do we react to a challenge? We have a big focus on upskilling our team, promoting from within and providing timely, quality work through better systems. We’re looking to improve all the time, which is really important. If there’s an issue, we’ll fix it. “We know our customers need to get their gear running again as quickly as possible, so we will always put that service side of things first. Essentially, we strive to meet every obligation so that our customers can meet theirs.” ■

Visit www.accessspecs.co.nz for further details or contact the Access Specialties team on ph. 09 570 2209.

...probably 50% of

our maintenance business revolves around going to remote locations in the provinces and getting our customers back up and running

brEnDan WaLkEr

Snorkel EWPs in for detailed servicing

Access Specs support local initiatives like Surf Lifesaving

Access Specs boasts one of the biggest paint booths in the EWP repair industry