NZ Contractor 1405

NEW ZEALAND’S CIVIL CONTRACTING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

M A Y 2014 $8.95

IHI MINI EXCAVATORS’ CULT STATUS Youngman Richardson’s relationship with IHI kicks off with the new V4 and VX Series.

INSIDE: Reviewing the Government’s RoNS projects five years down the track Seven veteran contractors band together to build a suburb History – building the notorious Waioeka Gorge Saying farewell to centenarian Ivan Whale

CONTENTS CONTRACTOR

38

INSIDE: Regulars 2 Editorial 4 Upfront 16 On the Cover 48 Classic Machines 52 Motoring 54 Products & Services 54 Advertisers Index 56 What’s on 56 Contractors’ Diary

Highlights / Features 14 Ivan Whale 1910 - 2014 Contracting’s only known centenarian has died.

18 Super seven to the rescue A massive residential development is restarted.

24 Moving forward Five years down the track, the Government’s key roading infrastructure initiative is leaving its mark on the country.

ON THE COVER

28 Lending a hand in the Bay of Plenty

Youngman Richardson’s relationship with IHI kicks off with the new V4 and VX Series mini excavators. See page 16

Mokoia Intermediate gets its mountain bike track.

30 The notorious Waioeka Gorge War made it notorious, but the scenic road through it has made it a drawcard for motorists.

Comment 42 Jeremy Sole NZ Contractors’ Federation 44 Jonathan Bhana-Thomson

36 Global does it again Auckland transport logistics company moves more giant modules across the Tasman.

38 Remote control Asset security is the driving motivator behind many companies choosing remote management systems.

NZ Heavy Haulage Association

45 Harry Wilson NZ Transport Agency

46 Chris Olsen Roading New Zealand

47 Helmut Modlik Infratrain / ESITO

18

24

30 MAY 2014 1

CONTRACTOR EDITORIAL

Stolen reputations SINCE 2006, New Zealand has held, or shared, first place in the annual Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.

We know this, because as each year’s results are released, the daily media goes into a self-congratulatory frenzy Occasionally someone will remember to mention that the survey of surveys deals with perception of public sector corruption only.

Forgotten are personal crimes that we inflict on one another, and we dare not burst the bubble that we reside in the least corrupt country in the world.

Recently, a Washington-based think-tank, The Social Progress Imperative, has found that New Zealand is the most socially advanced country in the world – even if it is by the smallest of margins. Cue self-congratulatory frenzy. It doesn’t matter that nobody’s heard of the Social Progress Imperative – Harvard economist professor Michael Porter has his name on the report, and enough people have heard of him, even if they can’t recall why.

But as we all know, life isn’t like a survey, and the rose-tinted glasses definitely need a clean.

So it was disappointingly unsurprising to go through the results of a recent survey conducted by the Auckland branch of the Contractors’ Federation into theft. Theft and burglary have become serious problems for contractors, and attitudes will need to change before that situation improves – if it ever will. Did you know, for example, that a vehicle parked in an open car park is 200 times more likely to be broken into than one in a locked garage? Clearly, though, vehicles are still being left out in the open with easy access to valuable tools just waiting for opportunistic thievery to happen.

And of course it’s unlikely to be possible, nor practical, to secure everything to the point of absolute security, but thieves and burglars aren’t slow to take advantage of stupidity or sloppiness.

The results of the survey can be found on page 4. And if you’re concerned about on-site security, take a look too at our technology feature on page 38. Technology that makes it possible to remotely disable and/or track a machine’s location is fast becoming accessible to all; it’s a case of learning what technology is capable of, and then applying risk-management criteria to the cost-benefit analysis.

For expensive machines such as excavators, it may be a very easy calculation to make.

Kevin Lawrence, Editor

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, Annie Gray, Gavin Riley, Jeremy Sole, Alan Titchall ADVERTISING MANAGER Mike Bridgman DDI: 09 636 5724 Mobile: 021 228 4988 Email: mike@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

“Blasting brought the cliff down, but to clear the debris for the road proper, bulldozers were lowered down the cliff-face on steel ropes.”

See The Notorious Waioeka Gorge, page 30.

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 2 MAY 2014

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CONTRACTOR UPFRONT

Thefts hit the construction industry After having lost a digger to thieves, David Hick of Giles Civil in Auckland raised his concerns about the “invisible” problem of theft from construction sites with the Auckland branch of NZCF. Out of that, the branch decided to find out how extensive the problem really is and surveyed members from around the country. The survey elicited a good level of interest, with 62 responses from nine branches – the majority from Auckland and Wellington. Respondents were evenly spread across owner/operators right through to companies with turnover up to $25 million.

The results, which were released at last month’s Auckland branch meeting, make for sobering reading. Over 70 percent of respondents say they’ve seen an increase in thefts in the construction industry.

The survey also revealed that in the past five years the theft of smaller items and vandalism, not covered by insurance, had cost an estimated $1.6 million. The most commonly stolen items were batteries, road signs, road cones and fuel. Significant numbers of power tools, concrete saws, and generators were also reported, and graffiti was mentioned by a third as a problem. As expected, most losses occurred overnight and at weekends. Of the nearly half of respondents who were able to estimate a dollar value to losses over the past five years, the range went from $1000 to $500,000 plus. The average loss was just under $52,000, and the median was $20,000 in losses – not insignificant for smaller operators, and a definite strain on hard-earned resources.

Roadwork sites experience the most problems with thefts, as criminals target road signs and unsecured properties.

The options for companies to recover these losses however appear to be few and far between. Comments from NZCF members indicate difficulty not only in reporting thefts, but also frustration in criminals being let go. Reporting fatigue, mentioned by many in the survey, was addressed at the branch meeting by Senior Sergeant Roger Gray of Wellington’s Crime Prevention Unit, who says that prevention of crimes has been a major focus over the past two years, resulting in generally lower levels of crime all around. Efforts have also been placed into making reporting easier.

Gray says that securing vehicles at night definitely improves your odds, with the risk of theft from a vehicle being 16x greater when parked in a driveway, 52x greater when parked on the street, and a massive 200x in a public carpark. Thieves rely on easy access and speed – so the perception of risk is an important factor as a deterrent against opportunistic thieves. As prices drop, GPS tracking of equipment is an increasingly used tool for recovery of mobile equipment, with a third of survey respondents saying they make use of the technology.

The meeting also included presentations from Deane Moyle, senior broker at Crombie Lockwood insurance brokers, Jude Mannion of Crime Stoppers, an anonymous service for reporting criminal activity, and Greg Gothard of AVI Solutions, supplier of NanoTag technology for invisible uniquely identified industrial microdots for equipment protection.

4 MAY 2014

CONSTRUCTION SITE THEFTS Have you had any large items (insurance claims) stolen?

What type of worksites do you have the most problems with theft?

Do you use any security tools?

SOURCE: NZCF SURVEY RESULTS FROM THEFT & CRIME IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. FEBRUARY 2014. 62 NATIONWIDE RESPONSES FROM A GOOD RANGE OF COMPANY SIZES.

UPFRONT CONTRACTOR

TOP 10 construction

AmQuip purchased the imposing Terex Superlift 3800, the tallest crane ever at ConExpo.

manufacturers Despite 2013 revenue falling 10 percent to US$163 billion across the world’s 50 largest construction equipment manufacturers, Caterpillar and Komatsu have maintained their positions at the top.

International Construction magazine reports that Volvo Construction Equipment swapped places with Hitachi to come in third as a global mining industry downturn affected revenues. Liebherr and Terex both moved up two places to five and six respectively as Zoolion and Sany felt the impact of a domestic slowdown in China.

Position Position Company this year last year 1

1 Caterpillar

2

2 Komatsu

3

4

4

3 Hitachi

Volvo

5

7 Liebherr

6

8 Terex

7

6 Zoomlion

8

5 Sany

9

9

John Deere

10

10

Doosan Infracore

X-ray vision AmQuip buys tallest crane at ConExpo US crane provider AmQuip has purchased the 650 tonne Terex Superlift 3800 displayed at ConExpo this year and the tallest crane in the show’s history. In addition to this, the company also placed an order for 24 rough terrain cranes, all of them Terex RT 555-1.

ConExpo was profitable, too, for US manufacturer Manitowoc after South Korea-based Chunjo Construction signed a deal for 50 new Grove RT770E rough-terrain cranes. The 65 tonne capacity rough-terrain crane, which offers the longest boom in its class, at 42 metres, debuted at the show to very positive feedback from visitors.

AugView, a GIS-powered augmented reality (computer-generated content visualised in the real world) app overlays multiple map and asset registers together so users can “see” where underground services such as buried cables, trenches or pits are supposed to be. Loaded onto a smart phone or tablet, AugView uses the device’s camera to display real-time augmented reality images.

MAY 2014 5

CONTRACTOR UPFRONT

New technology overtakes training regulations Equipment trainers have raised concerns with government agencies because even new regulations are being left behind by the development of new equipment.

A case in point are regulations gazetted at the end of last year relating to load-lifting and items of mobile plant (including earthmoving equipment) not originally designed as a crane, and used for load-lifting incidental to their principal function. While now exempt from the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999, they are now also subject to conditions that includes any lifting points and equipment used for rigging loads to be certified by a chartered professional engineer. New and used hydraulic excavators with an operating weight of seven tonnes or more are not to be modified to make them operate as a crane other than the provision of a lifting point. Hose burst protection valves have been required since January 1, 2014, and “operators and ground support personnel are to be adequately trained; and operations are to be carried out in accordance with the Approved Code of Practice for Load-Lifting – Rigging; and the equipment is to have a loading chart available to operators”.

At the moment equipment trainers are scratching their heads over what licences and endorsements you need to operate specialist vehicle and mobile plant such as a telehandler, which can be fitted with a variety of attachments for different load types. The problem also exists with more commonly used excavators when lifting and slinging.

Operator Training, run by Philip Hawken is a specialist trainer for telehandlers, particularly for use in the construction industry.

“There has been confusion for everybody when it comes to defining telehandlers in terms of their use,” Philip says.

“However, as far as regulations and guidelines for training it, along with integrated tool carriers, these machines are currently outside of most jurisdictions.

“At one point it was said that a telehandler was not covered by the ACOP Forklifts as it wasn’t a forklift.

“NZTA said for its purposes it was not a forklift and needed a W endorsement to drive it on the road.

“Infratrain (now the Infrastructure ITO) originally defined these machines under ‘agriculture’ but have since dropped the word in association with telehandlers.”

Philip has written new training material in a construction context for the unit standard covering telehandlers (23637) and Infratrain has approved this material. It has been used with a number of construction companies with positive results, he says.

“Another problem arose using a jib attachment on a telehandler and I suggested to Infratrain that the current unit covering attaching and moving loads with loaders and excavators (20875) be changed to cover ‘mobile plant’ so it could cover telehandlers and integrated tool carriers.”

And his advice has been heeded. Infratrain has been undergoing a review which is almost finished for all Infrastructure Works Qualifications and it tells Contractor that unit 20875 has been changed to, ‘Demonstrating knowledge of slinging, lifting, moving and placing loads using mobile plant’. Previously it only defined two types of machines.

This revised unit is currently being peer-reviewed and will soon go to NZQA for registration.

Two other issues for telehandlers, based on the number of accidents, are the use of jib attachments and work platforms. A recent change to the ACOP Crane (2012) says a telehandler using a jib must be verified and certified and the range chart de-rated (this includes forklifts with jib attachments). The use of work-platforms is another grey area, he adds, “but currently the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is considering new guidelines.”

MBIE technical leader engineer Stuart Wright says while there may be a grey area, the intent is that the ACOP for Cranes does not cover the use of work platforms with a telehandler; it covers crane lifted work platforms.

“A telehandler when used with a man basket (on a permanent or semi-permanent way) should be considered as a Mobile Elevated Work Platform and certified as such,” adds Wright.

“Baskets used on an infrequent basis would be considered as general access equipment and would be covered in Section 6.2 of the ‘Best Practice Guide for Working at Height in New Zealand’.”

He says new guidelines for the use of cranes will not be written until such time as the new Health & Safety regulations come into force. Perhaps further clarification, however, will come with a new Best Practice Guide for the use of Mobile Elevated Work Platforms that’s in the final stages of editing, and hopefully due for release to industry in the second half of 2014.

Natural Habitats wins landscaping project Landscaping company Natural Habitats has been awarded the 16-kilometre MacKays to Peka Peka (M2PP) four-lane expressway contract, involving 140 hectares of planting over the next three years.

Graham Cleary, Natural Habitats’ chief rake, says it’s exciting for the company to be part of New Zealand’s largest civil landscaping project ever.

The project will use in excess of 100,000 cubic metres of mulch and an estimated 1.5 million plants.

6 MAY 2014

EPAIRS

UPFRONT CONTRACTOR

Puhoi to Warkworth hearings begin

Rail electrification a step closer Auckland took a step into the modern era of public transport this month when Prime Minister John Key and KiwiRail staff officially energised rail infrastructure into Britomart. The moment was a significant milestone in the $500 million project to electrify Auckland’s rail network.

The installation of overhead lines involved 650,000 hours worth of construction activity, the installation of 3500 masts, carrying 560 kilometres of 25-kilowatt overhead wires across 175 kilometres of railway tracks.

Hearings in Silverdale and Matakana have begun into the $760 million Puhoi to Warkworth motorway extension of the Ara Tuhono – Puhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance. The 18.5 kilometre route has been fast-tracked due to its significance.

The Department of Conservation is expected to oppose parts of the highway extension due to environmental concerns. The proposal has received 180 submissions from people of the region, with about two-thirds supporting the project.

Those who support the highway say it will cut travel time, reduce road accidents, and boost Northland’s economy. NZTA has previously stated the proposed highway has broad support from local iwi, Auckland Council and business groups.

A draft decision is due in June following two weeks of hearings.

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MAY 2014 7

CONTRACTOR UPFRONT

Auckland’s City Rail Link designation confirmed The City Rail Link (CRL) has reached a major milestone with Auckland Transport accepting a recommendation by planning commissioners to confirm the land requirements for the CRL. Meanwhile, the principal

technical advisor team of Aurecon, Mott MacDonald, Grimshaw, Jasmax and Arup have joined the team, taking the CRL from its concept design stage to a level that is ready to be put out to tender.

New transport hub for Christchurch

MOVING ON

Construction on Christchurch’s new $53 million bus interchange is expected to begin in the middle of the year and be finished in the second quarter of next year. Speaking at a gathering of the APEC transportation working group in Christchurch, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery minister Gerry Brownlee said the interchange is one of 15 anchor projects, which will form the core of the city’s redevelopment.

“Part of the redevelopment of central Christchurch involved looking at how its transport system could better service a smaller, more compact CBD,” Brownlee said.

The Minister also stated progress was being made on Roads of National Significance around Christchurch. “The Roads of National Significance will reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth, providing better links between the city, the International Airport and Lyttelton Port.”

After nearly 10 years at NZCF head office in Wellington, Tricia Sampson has decided it’s time to look for pastures new. She says she’s made some good friends during her time, and the federation members “are the best people I could ever hope to meet”. Tricia’s replacement hasn’t yet been appointed.

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8 MAY 2014

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CONTRACTOR UPFRONT

Counties Power’s winning innovation Counties Power’s award winning all-terrain ground penetrating radar system (PAL-GPR) is leading to lower strike rates, improved safety, higher productivity, and greater reliability of supply.

The new machine, which won the 2013 Innovation in Electricity Award, is capable of giving a three-dimensional view of assets underground.

It’s designed to suit local conditions and can navigate footpaths, roads and berms while capturing accurate, high speed, high-resolution data.

The motivation behind the technology’s development is the significant risk to contractors and costly interruptions when causing damage to pipes. Counties estimates the repair bill for striking critical services, such as fibre optic cabling or a pressured sewer, at up to $50,000 per event.

Trimble reopens in Christchurch Three years after a fire destroyed its Christchurch offices, Trimble NZ has celebrated the opening of a new purpose-built facility. The building is the first structure in the world to incorporate three damage-avoidance technologies developed jointly by the University of Canterbury and the Structural Timber Innovation Company.

The technologies used in the construction of the building mean it significantly reduces the risk of building damage from seismic activity by dissipating the energy and controlling movement in the structure itself.

Trimble NZ develops and supports products for agriculture, construction, and geospatial analysis.

Whangarei flood work to start Physical work on the $8.5 million stormwater Kotuku detention dam in Raumanga will begin within months as part of a multi-phase project to reduce the impact of flooding in Whangerei’s CBD and parts of Morningside and Raumanga.

Construction on the dam comes after the completion of upgrades to Rust Avenue Bridge to improve stream flows beneath it.

Bruce Howse, land/rivers senior programme manager for the Northland Regional Council, says the dam will be one of the largest engineering projects undertaken by the regional council.

Due to be completed in the middle of next year, the dam will hold up to 1.27 million cubic metres of floodwater during heavy rain.

CALLING FOR ENTRIES!

New Zealand Contractors’ Federation and Roading New Zealand

Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards 2014 Recognising excellence in the performance of members in construction or management of assets CONSTRUCTION AWARD CATEGORIES

ENTRY FEE

1

Projects with a value of less than $0.5 million

$250 + GST

2

Projects with a value of between $0.5 million and $5 million

$500 + GST

3

Projects with a value of between $5 million and $30 million

$1,000 + GST

4

Projects with a value greater than $30 million

$2,500 + GST

5

Excellence in the maintenance and management of assets

$2,000 + GST

6

Excellence in routine maintenance

$1,000 + GST

For more information and an entry pack, contact: Malcolm Abernethy, Executive Officer, NZCF DDI: 04 496 3277, Mobile: 027 249 2513 Email: malcolm@nzcontractors.co.nz

10 MAY 2014

Chris Olsen, Chief Executive RNZ Mobile: 0274 477 098 Email: chris@roadingnz.org.nz

E LOS 014 C S RIE ne 2 ENT 16 Ju m y p nda t 5:00 Mo a

UPFRONT CONTRACTOR

NZCF Waikato Construction Awards Whangamata-based EPL Construction has won Category One of the NZ Contractors’ Federation Waikato Construction Awards 2014 for a project high in the Coromandel Ranges.

The company was given the highest honour of the night for its work on the water supply and wastewater disposal system for the Department of Conservation’s remote Pinnacles Hut in the Kauaeranga Valley, east of Thames. The business also took out the Supreme Award for best overall project voted by the judges from all category winners.

Supreme Award winners from EPL Construction, (l-r) project manager Hamish Johnson, with administration manager and director Amanda Connell and managing director Bruce Connell.

CATEGORY

COMPANY

PROJECT

CAT 1 (up to $250,000) +Supreme Award (Best Overall Project)

EPL Construction

Water supply and disposal wastewater system for DoC Pinnacles Hut

CAT 2 ($250,000 to $1 million)

Schick Construction Cambridge’s wastewater & Cartage treatment plant upgrade

CAT 3 ($1 million to $10 million)

Connell Contractors

Pressure Main 11 wastewater pipeline in Christchurch

CAT 4 (Over $10 million)

Brian Perry Civil

Wairakei to Whakamaru transmission line civil works in Taupo

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MAY 2014 11

CONTRACTOR UPFRONT

LGNZ pushing for road funding changes Local Government NZ (LGNZ) is calling on the government to set its funding pool for land transport at the right level.

NZTA is currently considering submissions from local governments on proposed changes to the Funding Assistance Rates (FAR) and how the government’s transport funding is distributed.

LGNZ president Lawrence Yule says the national funding for local roads has been under fiscal pressure for some time and risks are now developing that investment in local road infrastructure may suffer.

“It’s vital that roads receive adequate investment to be functional, safe and help realise economics benefits for all New Zealanders,” says Yule.

The government is considering a revised Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding that will include how large an investment it will make toward land transport funding.

In 2012/13, local government invested $1.23 billion in new roading infrastructure, maintenance, renewal, and operations. Due to demographic changes however, some councils are facing challenges in meeting road infrastructure costs as rating bases decline.

Tried & Proven

Crane registration headaches for CICA The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) president John Gillespie has raised concerns over the registering of cranes with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). In the April edition of the CICA newsletter, Gillespie says it’s unacceptable that several new cranes in Queensland, NSW, and Victoria have had delays in registration running into weeks. The organisation has thrown significant resources behind the problem for the crane industry.

On a more positive note, previous problems with the issuing of crane travel permits have been temporarily resolved. The permit system has now reverted back to the states’ road authorities.

Chaos for Christchurch commuters Motorists have been suffering significant delays in Christchurch following earthquake repair work in major city streets. Despite warnings from Christchurch City Council about the changed conditions, travel times blew out along Durham and Montreal Streets.

Traffic authorities urge motorists to find alternative routes while the work continues into the coming months and busy streets are either closed or reduced to one lane.

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UPFRONT CONTRACTOR

IN BRIEF Whitianga Wharf restoration Thames Coromandel District Council plans to restore one of the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest working stone wharves through a community partnership. The plan is to recover old stone blocks from the sea floor beside the wharf that will be used to rebuild the original stone steps and sections of a missing wall.

The Council is working with Historic Places Trust, iwi, Institute of Engineers and the Mercury Bay community for the project.

MINING RYING & AND QUAR NEW ZEAL Volume 11

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NZTA says work has begun on rock scaling of the cliff face, which was the site of a fatal rock fall on SH 3 on March 28. Transport Agency regional director Harry Wilson says a detailed report from geotechnical specialists will identify if any further remedial work is required to re-open the road to two lanes.

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Whangarei District Council (WDC) will begin road improvement works along Bank Street due to finish mid-May. “Throughout much of May the bulk of the work will be done over night and the road will be reopened every morning,” says WDC roading projects engineer Kevin Barry.

The council will also be undertaking improvements to Kamo Road, with a proposed two-month programme, as well as upgrades to SH 1 at the intersection of Rust Avenue and Selwyn Avenue to be completed by NZTA.

Updat

Purchase an annual subscription to CONTRACTOR for only $72 (incl GST and post within NZ) and you’ll get CONTRACTOR every month (except January) and Q&M every other month.

NZCF/RNZ combined Hirepool Awards Entries are now open for the NZCF / Roading NZ combined Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards for 2014. Entries close Monday June 16. Contact Malcolm Abernethy, Malcolm@ nzcontractors.co.nz or Chris Olsen, chris@roadingnz.org.nz .

Fill in your details below and either post or fax this form to: Contrafed Publishing Co Ltd, PO Box 112 357, Penrose, Auckland 1642 Fax 09 636 5716, or simply call us: 09 636 5715

Tolls to stay on Sydney’s M5 Sydney motorists could be paying tolls on the M5 until 2060 to help pay for the WestConnex motorway, according to smh.com.au.

Tolls on the M5 were due to expire in 2026, however the final draft of the WestConnex business case includes selling the right to charge tolls on the existing M5 West until 2060.

The federal government only contributed $1.5 of the hoped-for $1.8 billion funding.

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CONTRACTOR MAY 2014

Doug the Digger at MOTAT Infrastructure and transport industry representatives will take part in an educational day on May 21 at MOTAT run by Alistair McIntyre aka “Doug the Digger”, aimed at promoting careers to Auckland high school students.

The day is aimed at providing 48 pre-selected students who have shown an interest in the infrastructure and transport industries with the information they need to make an informed decision about their future.

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www.contrafed.co.nz

MAY 2014 13

CONTRACTOR OBITUARY

Ivan Whale 1910 - 2014

Contracting’s only known centenarian retired 35 years ago after a successful 56 years in the workforce.

BY GAVIN RILEY.

IVAN WHALE, the grand old man of New Zealand civil contracting, has died in Howick, Auckland, at the age of 103.

Born in Newmarket in 1910, the third of eight children, Ivan Eaglestone Whale had his heyday in the industry before many of today’s contractors were born.

He is believed to have been the only centenarian among retired contractors.

Ivan (who was profiled in Contractor when he turned 100) grew up in Onehunga where in his early teens he worked for a local grocer before becoming an apprentice carpenter and contractor for one Roy Eastman. He spent his 16th birthday camped on the side of the road while helping build the bridge at Tirau and was also employed on drainage work and driving a 30-hundredweight (1.5-ton) Bean truck.

When Ivan was 21 the Eastman company closed down as the Depression struck.

The truck was bought by contractor and general carrier Herb Bray, who then hired Ivan to drive it. Herb was a director and son of the founder of Onehunga company H Bray & Co, which had been set up in 1865 as a horse-and-dray carrier and included a Boer War veteran among its other directors.

Ivan delivered coal and firewood for Bray, which involved carrying 83kg sacks of coal on his back from truck to door. He also drove rubbish carts and delivered goods to wharves and railways in Auckland.

Through hard and intelligent work he eventually graduated to handling large contracts, including construction of the Pakuranga-to-Howick concrete road, the 14 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

Titirangi road, the Papakura-to-Drury section of the Great South Road, two bridges on the Great South Road (south of Pokeno and over the Mangatawhiri River at the northern end of the Mercer straight), a large digester tank at Tokanui Mental Hospital, and a wharf at Motutapu Island where he donned a diving suit to carry out work underwater.

As the Bray directors aged and began to wind down the company’s activitites, Ivan (with their blessing) started to set up his own business. In 1938 at the age of 28, with only a wheelbarrow, picks and shovels, he established I E Whale & Co with Bray colleague Jon Phillips as his partner.

They began with small concreting, drainage and tar-sealing jobs but soon had to employ more staff. When Phillips dropped out of the partnership in 1945, Ivan at 35 formed Ivan Whale Ltd, with himself as managing director. He emulated the Bray example by treating his staff well and the company prospered, gaining a considerable amount of work pouring concrete foundations for state housing projects as well as carrying out roading and drainage contracts.

Notable Whale achievements over the next few years included building a 2400 cu yard concrete dam 50km south of Gisborne at 600 metres above sea level to create the supply of 60 million gallons of water for Gisborne Borough Council; constructing a huge ramp capable of accommodating 4000 people at Alexandra Raceway for Auckland Trotting Club; providing sewerage, stormwater, water reserves and footpaths on a

Ministry of Housing project in Onehunga; demolishing Auckland’s famous Partington’s Mill in the city centre; and building the Farmers multi-level carpark in Hobson Street – Auckland’s first such facility.

Ivan Whale Ltd at its peak operated scoria and basalt quarries at Panama Road, Mangere and Greenmount, jointly formed Associated Pavers (later sold to Reliable Roads), employed more than 100 staff, and had a turnover in excess of one million dollars a year. Two of the staff in the 1970s, Don Wilkinson and Ewen Major, are still involved in the industry today.

In 1979, in his 70th year and after 56 years in the workforce, Ivan wound down his business to spend more time with his wife and family and to pursue his numerous avid interests – overseas travel, fishing, sailing, water-skiing, golf, bowls, gardening, the Rotary and Masonic movements, and his local All Saints Anglican Church at Howick.

Looking back over his long career, he said: “I realise that had I been prepared to use more borrowed money we could have grown much larger still and perhaps be a household name like Stevensons is today.”

But he had no regrets. “We did very well and we were very successful … I thoroughly enjoyed the excitement of running such a business.”

Ivan’s wife Gladys died in 1995 when the couple had been married 62 years.

Ivan is survived by his daughters, Beverly and Cheryl, four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

CONTRACTOR ON THE COVER

Celebrating mini excavators with cult status Youngman Richardson’s relationship with IHI kicks off with the new V4 and VX Series mini excavators.

A CULT-LIKE FOLLOWING isn’t something you would normally associate with an excavator. Those sorts of feelings are generally reserved for movies, TV shows, or bands, which feature characters you can love or hate.

Such is the pedigree of the 0.7- to eight-tonne range of IHI mini excavators that the products are being given cult status amongst operators who’ve worked with them. With the release of the new V4 and VX Series excavators, exclusive New Zealand distributor Youngman Richardson sees it as the perfect start to its relationship

16 MAY 2014

with the manufacturer.

“We are thrilled to be able to introduce a new model range at such an early stage of out relationship with IHI,” says Youngman Richardson sales and marketing director, Ed Richardson.

Ed says judging by the initial feedback and interest in the market, the new model range has already made an impact. Reliability and ease of operation are key features for those who have worked with IHI excavators, so it’s understandable why he’s so positive about the new range.

“A FOPS/ROPS compliant four post cabin and canopy, along with enlarged cabin space and around 20 percent more leg room ensures the operator is safe and secure.”

The company is confident that the V4 and VX Series will prove popular with both existing customers and contractors who have aspired to add an IHI excavator to their range of equipment.

That confidence is clear when Ed begins discussing the various features of the new machines.

“Operator safety and comfort is at the forefront of the new IHI VX Series models,” he says. “A FOPS/ROPS compliant four post cabin and canopy, along with enlarged cabin space and around 20 percent more leg room ensures the operator is safe and secure.”

Ease of operation is a top priority for anyone working with excavators on smaller worksites. On the new models, joystick controls and an easy check monitor, along with all other functions, are centralised beside the joystick for driver convenience. The compact body design is coupled to a long arm for extended digging and higher dumping.

An exciting aspect of the V4 Series is a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption over previous models, which is achieved through a combination of hydraulic control, a high spec engine, and energysaving functions.

Design unification is a key component throughout all models associated with the new IHI range. It’s been applied to the component layout, exterior appearance, cabin, and canopy. This focus however is most noticeable when it comes to parts interchangeability and commonality, meaning the machines are much easier to maintain, and providing greater cost savings by reducing downtime and increasing the machine’s productivity.

Construction and hire companies with multiple machines will benefit most from component unification as it makes regular service checks easy. Ed says the company has a reputation for being able to get parts and accessories to customers quickly and he is confident this will add to the experience of being an IHI owner.

Youngman Richardson is already well equipped to provide strong customer support with a growing number of IHI spare parts for the new and existing models.

“As well as building a significant spare parts holding for the new equipment, we are also encouraged by the weekly orders from IHI, which is allowing us to supply customers across the country immediately,” says Ed. Youngman Richardson has been serving the construction, hire, and agricultural industries for over 30 years with a reputation for quality, service, and ethics, he adds. l

For further information on the new IHI V4 and VX Series excavator range, contact Youngman Richardson Co on 09 443 2436 or for South Island enquiries, 03 341 6923.

Trailer Package: Talk to your Youngman Richardson Co representative about a trailer package available when you purchase an IHI 17VX excavator. Robust and functional, the trailer comes complete with bucket tray, spare tyre and jockey wheel.

MAY 2014 17

CONTRACTOR FEATURE

SUPER TO THE

JMC’s machines at work during what has been a superb Tauranga summer.

18 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

SEVEN RESCUE Some famous names in contracting have banded together to restart a massive residential development floored by the global financial crisis. GAVIN RILEY reports.

SEVEN WELL-KNOWN veteran or former contractors, including three past presidents of the Contractors’ Federation, have helped revive a stalled, town-sized residential development in Tauranga by becoming shareholders in the huge venture.

The 254 hectare (ha) Lakes project was begun by developer and head contractor Grasshopper Farms at the start of 2005 with the intention of eventually providing 2100 homes for 7000 people – “a population equal to the neighbouring town of Te Puke”, Contractor noted in a six-page Lakes feature in March 2007.

Employed on the $440 million development were not only a clutch of local contractors, but Hick Bros Civil Construction of Auckland (earthworks) and Connell Contractors of Hamilton (drainage).

Unfortunately, The Lakes came to a halt in 2010, brought down by the global financial crisis, with Grasshopper Farms reportedly owing $95 million to Bank of Scotland International, which withdrew from New Zealand. At that stage just over 150 homes had been built, housing about 500 people.

Two years later, in April 2012, after lengthy negotiations, Tauranga developer Carrus Corporation bought the fully consented Lakes undertaking for less than $30 million, raised through nine shareholders who include the following seven famous names from the contracting industry: • Paul Adams, chairman of Carrus Corporation.

Originally a civil engineer, he served on the executive of the Wellington branch of the Contractors’

The Lakes shareholders during their site visit. From left: Paul Adams, John Feast, Sir Pat Higgins, Peter Fehl, Bernard Higgins, Morris McFall, Brent Glover, Tony Mills.

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CONTRACTOR FEATURE

Above: Aerial shots showing the current earthworks – and the vastness of the project.

20 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

Federation from 1974-79, and was chairman for two of those years, while general manager of Camerons, a large Wellington-based transport, civil-construction and heavy-haulage company.

From the late 1990s he was a federation construction award judge for seven years and chairman for three.

• Tony Mills, of Tauranga, who is The Lakes construction manager, a position he also held with industry giant Wilkins & Davies in the 1980s.

He was federation president from 1980-82 and is a life member. He has known Paul Adams for more than 35 years and manages many of Carrus’ land-development schemes.

• John Feast, of Wellington, federation president from 1978-80, a life member and son of federation president (1962-64) Eric Feast.

Since the mid-1980s John has been involved in property development, commercial consulting

and property investment.

• Morris McFall, of Mt Maunganui, federation president from 1988-90 and a life member.

Morris formerly owned McFall Enterprises and is chairman of BP-fuel distribution business McFall Fuel.

• Bernard Higgins (representing the Higgins family), who has spent his working life with Palmerston North-headquartered Higgins Contractors, the company founded by his father.

• Peter Fehl, of Auckland, who has held senior management positions in the construction industry, including managing his own construction company for 14 years, as well as chairing or being a member of industry advisory bodies. He is director of property services at the University of Auckland.

• Brent Glover, a Hamilton businessman who is a partner in Helicorp and is handling the development of a dedicated charter-flight facility at Hamilton airport. His construction company, Glover Asphalts, was bought by Higgins several years ago to become a base for its Waikato operations.

All nine shareholders, plus Higgins chairman Sir Pat Higgins (Bernard’s brother), held an onsite meeting at The Lakes in late March to assess the progress of their investment.

“I think you can say they’re all very enthusiastic about the way it’s going,” says Tony Mills, who

gave Contractor a conducted tour of the site a few days later and at 71 shows no lessening of enthusiasm for the day-to-day running of a major project.

He says the shareholders have been friends of Paul Adams since his contracting days in the 1970s and some have been involved with him in various business projects over a 10- to 20-year period.

Carrus Corporation has established a solid track record as a developer since being founded

by Paul Adams in 1990. It is not only one of the leading land developers in the Bay of Plenty but has branched out over the years into Rotorua, Taupo, Hamilton, Palmerston North and Wellington.

“It is fair to say that we brought a new standard of presentation of residential and industrial developments to the Western Bay, with an eye for streetscape detail that set the benchmark for others to follow,” Paul says.

“Carrus has developed approximately 6000 residential lots around the North Island and presently also has a large project in Wellington, Aotea, which has been under development for 11 years and has about 10 years’ development still to go.”

A key figure in Carrus is Paul’s son Scott, who, as well as looking after the group’s commercialproperty portfolio, is general manager of The Lakes project with specific responsibility for sales and marketing.

The Lakes’ completion, still an estimated 10 years away, will encompass a total of 1750 homes housing more than 6000 people – a slight scaling-back of the figures envisaged by original developer Grasshopper Farms due to an increase in section sizes.

When Carrus took over the project in mid2012 a total of 350 sections had been sold.

Carrus sold a further 275 sections up to the end of last year and believes another 125–150 will be sold this year.

The development already has 8ha of lakes; parks, reserves and playgrounds (eventually totalling about 100ha); sculptural features; and a 20 kilometre network of cycleways and walkways.

Plans include 2ha for local businesses – a cafe, medical centre, garden centre, hairdresser and convenience store. Adjacent to The Lakes, the Ministry of Education will build a primary school and Tauranga City Council will fund a sports facility for all codes on a 72ha site.

With a population of 123,500, Tauranga is

Above: Higgins Contractors is responsible for The Lakes civil works. From left: site supervisor Brett Eves, project manager Mike Haden, branch manager Simon Pollard.

Above left: JMC owner Jason Mathers’ Caterpillar machines are in the process of shifting 500,000 cu metres of dirt.

CONTRACTOR MAY 2014 21

CONTRACTOR FEATURE

Above: Tony Mills… still enjoys the responsibility of managing a major project.

22 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

New Zealand’s fifth largest city. Although the global financial crisis slowed the region’s growth from 14 percent from 2001-2006 to 11 percent from 2006-2013, the city is once again forging ahead, spearheaded by its port being one of the country’s largest and most efficient.

This reborn boom is reflected in the new life that has been breathed into The Lakes, described succinctly to Contractor by Morris McFall as “this project is humming”.

One impressive beneficiary of the renewed activity is Tauranga-based JMC (Jason Mathers Construction). It is undertaking a 500,000 cubic metre earthmoving contract on the project, which Tony Mills says will provide the platform for the construction of about 400 homes over the next three years.

Jason Mathers founded his company as recently as late 2006 and he now owns about 250 items of plant and has employed up to 25 people at The Lakes during the earthmoving season just ending. JMC, a member of the Contractors’ Federation, is also involved in roading, drainage, and water, wastewater and stormwater reticulation.

Higgins Contractors, which has a strong presence in the Bay of Plenty and has worked with Carrus before, is undertaking all The Lakes civil works – construction of streets and services.

Higgins completed the construction of 110 lots in the 2014 summer.

Several smaller companies are engaged in such tasks as installing street lights and carrying out landscaping. Some 200,000 shrubs and trees have been planted to date, in addition to extensive planting undertaken previously.

About 50,000 more will be planted over the next four months.

The development team is completed

by Harrison Grierson, which provides the professional services for the project and undertakes all planning, design, survey and construction supervision.

“For an ex-contractor who still has construction surging through his veins, I think I have the ultimate dream job – particularly with all the hard work being undertaken by the high-performance teams of Harrison Grierson, Higgins and JMC,” Tony Mills says.

Despite all the quality input, one wonders if Carrus was perhaps audaciously quick off the mark in reviving the huge Lakes project two years ago when the United States and Europe were still suffering the effects of the global financial crisis and an economic recovery in New Zealand was by no means assured.

Paul Adams doesn’t think so. “While the GFC was in full swing, we had previously developed about 4000 residential lots in the Bay of Plenty and believed we could create a market by providing builders [with] terms to carry their land costs, which meant builders only had to fund their building,” he says.

“Carrus has a trusted brand with builders, which gave them the confidence to risk building in a depressed economy. This has paid off for both builders and The Lakes and resulted in us selling 300 lots in the two years we have been involved.”

But while New Zealand’s economic recovery is now being cautiously welcomed, internationally there is still economic uncertainty. So how confident is Carrus that the ambitious Lakes project, which stalled once, will not do so again?

“We commenced this project at the start of a period of increasing confidence and economic growth – as reflected in our sales figures,” Paul says.

“The original developer was extremely unfortunate in that New Zealand became ensnared in the GFC shortly after commencement. Also we are effectively 100 percent shareholder-funded and do not have a bank breathing down our neck in the event of a downturn in the economy.”

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CONTRACTOR FEATURE

MOVING FORWARD Five years down the track from its launch, the Government’s key roading infrastructure initiative is leaving its mark on the country. HUGH DE LACY reports.

AT THE TIME THAT Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced his government’s Roads of National Significance (RoNS) project, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) was beginning to bite, and a big spendup on infrastructure seemed a good way of softening its impact on this country.

Though it seemed of secondary importance at the time, the country’s roading network was also displaying some glaring inadequacies around the major population centres, and this seemed a good time to put them right.

Half a decade later the GFC is beginning to fade into history, and, having indeed been a bulwark against its worst effects, RoNS’ contribution to the country’s rapidly expanding economy is beginning to be appreciated.

In March 2009 Joyce listed the seven RoNS projects that, with the assistance of two three-cent rises in the price of motor fuels, would hike land transport spending from a projected $6.2 billion over the subsequent decade to $10.7b.

And while provincial interests, especially in the South Island, might grizzle that RoNS have bled local roading funds dry, the boost that the programme is already delivering to the centres of greatest economic activity seems to be widely acknowledged.

Of the seven projects, one has been completed and another not yet started, but the five that are under way are all making excellent progress, according to the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA).

The state of the seven projects is:

24 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

Western Ring Route The summer weather that brought floods to Christchurch and drought to much of the North Island allowed the completion of a significant stretch of motorway sealing on Auckland’s $1.7b Waterview RoNS project, even as the giant underground drilling rig Alice ploughed on oblivious to it all.

The Waterview Connection, which will complete the Western Ring Route, is the country’s biggest-ever roading project, joining SH16 and SH20 by way of a 4.8km six-lane motorway and give Auckland an alternative to SH1 and the harbour bridge for travel through the region.

The project stretches from the end of SH20 at Maioro Street in the suburb of Owairaka, to Waterview on SH16, with the tunnels in between.

By the middle of April the sealing of the motorway between Maioro Street and the southern approach trench had been completed with the help of the fine weather.

Work also forged ahead on the widening of the existing motorway between Dominion Road and Maioro Street, and this was set to be finished by the end of the month. Work is also progressing well at the Northern end interchange, and upgrades to the Lincoln and Te Atatu Road interchanges, along with the causeway rebuild. Work has yet to start on the St Lukes upgrade.

Meanwhile the 2300 tonne earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine Alice, with its 14.53m diameter cutterhead, continues to plough through the earth up to 45m below the surface to form the 2.4km southbound three-lane tunnel.

Alice began work from the southern end of the tunnel in November, and had completed about 650m of it by the second week in April, bounding along at the rate of 60m a week.

Her next milestone will be reaching the western rail corridor, and on completion of the first tunnel will turn round and head back southwards to create the northbound tunnel, parallel to the southbound and connected to it by emergency cross-sections.

Alice is on track to complete the tunnelling by April 2017, and the wider project is expected to be finished soon after.

Victoria Park tunnel

IMAGE: www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/puhoi-wellsford

COMPLETED

The first, and so far only RoNS project to be completed is Auckland’s Victoria Park tunnel, a 450 metre cut-andcover with three lanes for northbound traffic that have removed the last major bottleneck on the central city motorway network.

As well as the tunnel, the project involved constructing 2km of connecting motorway and converting the existing Victoria Park viaduct to three lanes of southbound traffic.

Completed in November 2012 at a cost of $340m, the project was delivered by an alliance comprising Fletcher Construction, Beca Infrastructure, the Higgins Group and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Puhoi to Wellsford Though not scheduled to start work until at least 2015, the northernmost of the seven RoNS, the extension of the SH1 motorway 38kms from Puhoi to Wellsford, has reached a Board of Inquiry hearing being run by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Conservation is expected to object to parts of the planned route.

Hearings began in early April for the project, called Ara Tuhono, to four-lane the northern motorway in two sections, the first from Puhoi to Warkworth and the second from there to Wellsford. Estimated costs for the first section of the highway is $760 million and around $1b for the Warkworth to Wellsford section.

The completion date will be somewhere between 2020 and 2025.

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CONTRACTOR FEATURE

TAURANGA EASTERN LINK Another good Bay of Plenty summer has allowed the 23km Tauranga Eastern Link project to get slightly ahead of schedule, with completion of the median-divided four-lane highway set for late next year.

Comprising seven bridges and 550,000 square metres of new road, the $450m project is on the home straight after four years work for an alliance led by Fulton Hogan and HEB. The Eastern Link, the largest roading project ever in the Bay of Plenty, runs from Te Maunga junction on SH2 to that highway’s junction with SH33 near Paengaroa, and will provide a direct route to the busy Port of Tauranga as well as accelerating regional economic growth.

The bridge over the North Island Main Truck railway at Kaituna has been completed, as has the road bridge at Maketu.

Some 85 percent of the three million cubic metres of earthworks had been finished by mid-April this year, along with 90 percent of the drainage and 30 percent of the paving.

Still to be completed in the final year of the project is the planting of 300,000 native plants to enhance the landscape.

Domain Road Interchange

WELLINGTON NORTHERN CORRIDOR Including the largely greenfields Transmission Gully project, the $2.5b Wellington Northern Corridor is providing a 110km four-lane expressway from Wellington International Airport to 10km north of Levin.

The 27km Transmission Gully is a northern approach to the capital which will leave the existing SH1 at McKay’s Crossing, about midway between the airport and Levin, and rejoin it just north of Paekakariki.

NZTA has been given approval to fund the Transmission Gully section as a public private partnership.

The first sod on the 16km McKays to Peka Peka section was turned just before Christmas by the Wellington Gateway Partnership, a consortium led by Leighton Contractors.

The Northern Corridor itself comprises seven sections, with the first from the airport including another Mount Victoria tunnel for which plans are still being drafted in anticipation of a resource consent application being made later this year.

The second section is the highly contentious tunnel-totunnel proposal which comprises the Basin Bridge, the Buckle Street underpass and improvements to the existing inner-city by-pass.

This section has attracted opposition from those who say it will ruin the ambience of national cricket venue the Basin Reserve.

It requires the consent of the Wellington City Council which is subjecting it to a Board of Inquiry process not expected to be completed until about August this year.

26 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

Paekakariki

The tunnel-to-tunnel plans also call for the duplication of the existing Terrace Tunnel, and NZTA is currently examining the design options for that.

The first stage of the Aotea Quay to Ngauranga has been completed and the second stage is awaiting funding.

Work on the McKays to Peka Peka is ahead of schedule and expected to be completed in 2017, while the section from Peka Peka to Otaki recently gained consent from a Board of Inquiry, and is on track to start construction in 2016.

A new route from Ohau and just south of Levin is proposed for the northernmost section of the corridor, and this is subject to a report due out in the middle of this year.

The $800m project to speed up access to Christchurch’s international airport and its seaport at Lyttelton, and to speed up the northern, southern and western routes through and round the city, is making rapid progress, especially in the west.

Fulton Hogan late last year completed the $140m Southern Corridor, from Halswell Junction Road north to Barrington Street, the first stage of the wider project.

Stage Two, the 10.4km stretch that extends the Southern Motorway south to Waterholes Road, just south of Templeton, is at the topographical surveying and geotechnical investigation stage.

Depending on the availability of funding, tenders for this stage are expected to be called early next year.

Construction is projected to begin in the 2015-2016 summer, with completion in 2018-2019.

Two stages of the Western Corridor, which runs north-south between the city and the airport, have also been completed while a third, Carmen Road from Yaldhurst to Waterloo Roads, will be finished by June.

That leaves just three Western Corridor sections still to be done: the Belfast greenfields by-pass that goes around the western side of the city’s northernmost suburb before joining the motorway just north of it; and the two four-laning sections along Johns Road.

These are going through the final design and consenting stages, with work expected to begin in the current financial

MAP: www.ccc.govt.nz

CHRISTCHURCH MOTORWAYS

year, and the whole of the corridor is expected to be completed in the 2017-2018 year.

The Northern Arterial, which will give access to the Port at Lyttelton along SH74 through the city’s north-eastern suburbs, is at the detailed design stage, supported by trial embankments at two sites.

This aspect of the Christchurch RoNS is currently being driven by the Christchurch City Council, which is in consultation with affected property owners along Cranford Road.

Notices of requirement are expected to be notified about September this year, though work on the three-years project will not begin until 2016-2017.

WAIKATO EXPRESSWAY A 102km four-lane divided highway from the Bombay Hills to south of Cambridge, the Waikato Expressway will take 6km off the existing route, and will provide a further 12km of new or upgraded links, plus a new bridge over the Waikato River at Hamilton.

As well as cutting as much as 35 minutes from the AucklandCambridge trip, the expressway will slash the currently high accident rates in the economically critical region.

From north to south it comprises ten sections, of which five have been completed.

These are the 22.6km from Pokeno to Mercer, the 7km around Ohinewai, the 12.3km round Ngaruawahia, the 8km around Te Rapa and the 2.4km of the Tamahere interchange.

The northernmost of the remaining five, the 5.9km Longswamp section, is still at the secondary investigation stage, and has a target opening date of 2018.

The 4.8km Rangiriri section is under construction for a late 2016 opening, and the 15.2km Huntly section, which has a target opening date of 2019, is at the preliminary design stage.

Also at that stage and with the same completion target is the 21.8km Hamilton section.

Under construction and due for a 2016 opening is the southernmost Cambridge section of 16km.

A 2010 estimate put the cost of the Waikato Expresswy at $2.4b.

CONTRACTOR MAY 2014 27

CONTRACTOR FEATURE

Lending a hand in the Bay of Plenty The generosity of the Bay of Plenty branch of NZCF means Mokoia Intermediate will get the mountain bike track it couldn’t otherwise afford.

THE BAY OF PLENTY branch of NZCF was recently looking for a project to help, and to raise the branch’s profile within, the local community.

A few local members got together over a cup of coffee and decided to approach Mokoia Intermediate School to see if they would like some help to build a mountain bike facility at the school.

Mokoia Intermediate had started the process of looking into building a mountain bike track around the outside of the athletics field but funding had stalled and they were unable to gain traction to move it forward.

After meeting with the school it was decided that as a collective, with contractors’ help, it would be possible to restart the project and see it through to completion.

The project started with the removal of a dozen redwood trees (all the wood cut going back to the school to use for fundraising), then the provision of 10,000 cubic metres of fill 28 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

to form a raised track around the field, and finally shaping of the track itself.

Southstar Adventures’ Jeff Carter, a locally renowned track builder who has designed mountain bike tracks all over the world, had already given up his time to put together a design concept for the school. Jeff kindly provided a subsequent track layout marking and general overview during the construction of the track as well.

The track has been initially shaped and is in the final stages of completion.

Students will use the track during school physical education, sports days and interschool competitions. The track will also be available for use by the wider community outside school hours.

NZCF BOP would like to acknowledge Hickey Contractors, Goodricks Contractors, Downers Rotorua, Castlecorp, Hynds Pipes Systems who have donated their time, as well as parents and families who also supported the project.

3

The generosity of the Bay of Plenty branch of NZCF means Mokoia Intermediate will get the mountain bike track it couldn’t otherwise afford.

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3 NZ Contractors’ Federation • Association of Consulting Engineers NZ • Roading NZ

CONTRACTOR MAY 2014 29

CONTRACTOR FEATURE

HE

RI TAGE

TRAILS

THE NOTORIOUS

The inspiring grandeur of the Waioeka Gorge highway, twisting for 36 miles around steep bluffs and through deep cuttings, is typified by this picture.

30 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 136, 6 OCT, 1965

WAIOEKA GORGE

IMAGES: CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 98, 9 AUG, 1962

War made the Waioeka Gorge notorious, but the scenic road through it has made it a drawcard for motorists. HUGH DE LACY tells its story.

Top: Their job is tough and dangerous... the men on the job at Foulston’s Mile are veterans of difficult road-building. Three of these men have been ‘over the edge’ with machines, and lived to return to the job. The last major work at Foulston’s Mile in the Waioeka Gorge marked the end of 10 years of work.

EAST CAPE Opotiki

Waioeka Gorge 2

Gisborne

IT SAYS MUCH about the ruggedness and inaccessibility of the Waioeka Gorge that it was where TeKooti took refuge after the massacre that attended his losing the battle of Ngatapa, and that a decent road through it was not completed until 1962.

Today the main route from Poverty Bay and Gisborne through to Opotiki and the Bay of Plenty, the Waioeka Scenic Highway is one of the country’s most stunning drives, but the gorge and the river from which it takes its name presented massive obstacles to TeKooti’s pursuers and road-builders alike.

The Waioeka River rises in the Huiarau Range and flows north to discharge into the sea at Opotiki, on the way plunging for 25 kilometres through a mostly vertical-walled gorge.

After his escape on the captured ship Rifleman from his detention on the Chatham Islands, Ringatu Church founder TeKooti had ended up taking refuge in the Waioeka, only to be eventually dislodged and driven deeper into the Urewera country in a combined government and Maori campaign that saw massacres inflicted by both sides.

TeKooti was eventually given protection by the Waikato king Tawhiao and later pardoned by the government, but meanwhile the Waioeka served as a bolthole for disaffected Maori battling the land confiscations of 1863.

Settlers were attacked all along the Bay of Plenty coast, and the missionary Carl Volkner was murdered at Opotiki in 1865.

In response, the Armed Constabulary pushed a road south from Opotiki and some distance up the river in the 1870s, and as the fighting waned settlers moved in to farm, albeit with mixed success.

The military road remained the main incursion into the Waioeka Valley until 1913 when, following a deviation through the Motu River valley, it began to be pushed south towards Matawai.

At about this time there was a plan to link Palmerston North with Hamilton by way of a railway through from Gisborne to Opotiki.

CONTRACTOR MAY 2014 31

IMAGES: CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 10, 24 JAN, 1963

CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 68, 25 FEB, 1960

CONTRACTOR FEATURE

Top: The high road and the low road at one of the Wairata bluffs.

Above left: The opening ceremony at Wairata, which was held on the bluff centre left of the picture, and (pictured right), the unveiling of a plaque set in a slab of rock, attended by a crowd of around 400. The occasion marked the end of one of the most rugged road reconstruction jobs done in New Zealand, that of carving a full-width highway through the 25 miles of unstable, near-vertical gorge which follows the tortuous path of the Waioeka River.

32 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

Launched from both directions, it got as far as Motu in the south and Taneatua in the north – barely 50 kilometres apart – but at that point it was abandoned in favour of a road connection through the Waioeka.

Local settlers petitioned the then Minister of Works, Gordon Coates, in 1920 to push the road through, and bit by bit over the next decade it was, with a service car being the first to complete the journey between Opotiki and Gisborne by way of the Waioeka in 1929.

But to call it a road by today’s standards is stretching the definition: it was little more than an unsealed bullock-and-dray track, crossing countless unbridged streams that became impassable in wet weather, manoeuvring round bends tighter than a hairpin, and clinging to sheer cliffs of mud and greywacke that dumped landslides on it at every rainfall.

The road’s primary use was for stock driven from Poverty Bay through to the markets and exporters of the Waikato and Auckland, but it proved a magnetic challenge to the owners of early motorcars.

Head-on collisions on the endless succession

of blind bends were frequent, though they seldom did much damage because the vehicles were forced to go so slowly anyway.

Though crude in the extreme, the road did feature a couple of notable bridges.

A harp construction bridge, one of only two such bridges still standing in New Zealand, was built at the north end of the gorge in 1921 to give access to families farming up the Tauranga Valley, replacing an earlier wooden bridge that had been swept away in floods in 1918.

Designed by the Public Works Department and built for the Opotiki County Council using Australian hardwood, it has a single span of 58 metres with two gantry-style towers, each supporting six steel cables. It has been registered by the NZ Historic Places Trust as a Category 1 historic place.

Not far away is the Manganuku Bridge, built over a tributary of the Waioeka, and comprising a 9.5 metre land-span of rolled steel joists, and a modified Howe truss span of 25 metres sitting on a concrete pier and abutments.

Despite its perils, the single-lane road continued to attract increasing amounts of

CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 98, 9 AUG, 1962

Above:Looking down-river from a point about half-way along Foulston’s Mile.

traffic and demands for it to be upgraded, but the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War Two that followed it precluded any major investment at the time.

That all changed with the prosperity that followed the war, and in 1950, as the Korean War generated the last great boom in wool prices, the Government announced it was going to upgrade the Waioeka route to a six metres wide two-lane sealed highway – never mind the cost.

And what a cost it proved to be: the 25-mile (40 kilometre) stretch through the gorge from Trafford’s Hill at the north end cost £2 an inch ($4 per 2.5 centimetres) or £120,000 a mile ($150,000/kilometre).

Typical of the engineering challenges was that posed by Maori Bluff, a 50 metre high cliff that had to be dropped into the river, and the river itself moved over 12 metres through solid rock, to make room for the carriageway.

Blasting brought the cliff down, but to clear the debris for the road proper, bulldozers were lowered down the cliff-face on steel ropes.

It was as hair-raising a bit of earthmoving as was ever performed in this country.

The drivers were mostly from the local Ngati Ira iwi, and three of them – Hau Coleman, George Kahika and Puhi Campbell – lost their lives in the construction.

They are remembered by their names being on a plaque at Wairata Junction, 50 kilometres south of Opotiki, which was unveiled on December 15 1962 by William Goosman, the Minister of Works in the Holland and Holyoake governments, to mark the completion of the road widening.

“They say that if you give the engineers enough money they will do anything,” Goosman told the 400 attendees at the rain-drenched unveiling.

“We have given them the money and they have done it.”

[

Above (top-bottom): The Manganuku Bridge built over a tributary of the Waioeka, has a modified Howe truss span of 25 metres; The category 1 Tauranga Bridge built in 1921 is a harp construction with a single span of 58 metres and two gantry-style towers, each supporting six steel cables; Using 10,000lb of explosives, Ministry of Works personnel succeeded in blasting out a bluff in the Waioeka Gorge to obtain large ‘rock filling’ for reconstruction work in the gorge.

THIS IMAGE: CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 164, 28 FEB, 1968

“Blasting brought the cliff down, but to clear the debris for the road proper, bulldozers were lowered down the cliff-face on steel ropes.”

]

CONTRACTOR MAY 2014 33

IMAGE: CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO 97 JULY 12, 1962

IMAGE: SIR GEORGE GREY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, AUCKLAND LIBRARIES, AWNS-19081029-2-2

CONTRACTOR FEATURE

Above: Commencing the Waihuka Tunnel on the proposed Gisborne -Motu railway.

IMAGE: CC GISBORNE PHOTO NEWS, NO. 10, 24 JAN, 1963

Above right: Traffic awaiting the re-opening of a section of the road where workmen have just blasted down a portion of the hillside during reconstruction operations.

Right: The plaque as it is today commemorating the opening of the Waioeka Scenic Highway and the three men who lost their lives during the construction of the road.

Far right: A group of the construction gang stand in remebrance at the Official Opening of Waioeka Scenic Highway, of the three men who lost their lives while engaged on the reconstruction job.

34 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

Because of their contribution to the road’s construction, no less than their role on both sides of the bloody battles in the Waioeka Gorge, Maori played a prominent part at the ceremony.

Local kaumatua P. Baker praised the three “who fell during the performance of their duty”.

“We all feel that they, together with their co-workers, have carved out of impossibility a road – a fine and beautiful road – in this notorious and dreadful Waioeka Gorge,” Baker said.

Since 2004 the road has been subject to steady improvement, with engineering and signage upgrades, and the establishment of seven rest areas for motorists to view the scenery, and learn about the gorge’s history from plaques provided by the Department of Conservation.

The result is a road through an area that is no longer “notorious and dreadful”, but a monument to an extraordinary construction achievement in an area as beautiful as any to be found in the country.

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GLOBAL DOES IT AGAIN

Modules being loaded onto the ship at New Plymouth for the Tasman crossing.

Auckland transport logistics company moves more giant modules across the Tasman.

AUCKLAND COMPANY GLOBAL TRANSPORT has in recent years regularly managed the delivery from New Zealand to Australia of large components for major energy projects.

Its latest undertaking has been to orchestrate the transport from New Plymouth to Gladstone in Queensland of an oilrefinery plant built by Fitzroy Engineering.

The completed structure was 30 metres high, 30 metres long and 18 metres wide, but was dismantled and transported in 16 modules ranging in weight from 30 to 60 tonnes, plus one 22-tonne vessel.

“The modular sections were not particularly heavy, but what made this job challenging was the bulk of the individual modules, measuring six metres by six metres and up to 30 metres in length,” says Global managing director Richard Hyde.

As this was a vertical plant and some modules already had components installed inside the structure, extra engineering and supporting were needed to ensure they could travel in the horizontal position, both for road and shipping transport.

Because Gladstone port is very busy and has height restrictions, a private jetty was chosen away from the wharf area and closer to the Northern Oil Refinery site. However, the jetty did not comply with Australian quarantine regulations, a problem that took two months of meetings to resolve before moving the modules across the Tasman could go ahead.

The entire transport project took just 21 days, from dismantling of the plant in New Plymouth to its erection at Gladstone.

• Stage one involved lifting the modules off their temporary 36 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

foundations at the New Plymouth yard and laying them on their sides. The main crane used was a Liebherr LTM 1350.

• Stage two was the transport of the modules and vessel to the port of New Plymouth, where they were placed in temporary storage ready for shipment.

• Stage three entailed loading the modules onto a ship using one of the port company’s Liebherr LMH 400 wharf cranes. All the refinery parts were able to be shipped as a single load. The ship took five days to reach Gladstone port where the previous loading procedures were essentially reversed.

• Stage four involved unloading the ship. The modules and vessel were discharged onto a barge for the trip to a landing area about two kilometres from the construction site.

• Stage five entailed unloading the barge and the road haul to the site. The largest modules measuring 30x6x6 metres were transported using two four-axle trailer units connected with a spacer.

• The final stage was a repeat of stage one: standing the modules up and placing them on their final foundations. The main crane used was a 450-tonne Grove GMK 7450.

“In summary this complex project involved all the essential elements of a special transport job – cranes, heavy haulage, ships, barges, and the right company to combine them all for a successful outcome,” Richard Hyde says.

The Northern Oil Refinery will be capable of processing up to 100 million litres a year of used lubricating oil to produce about 60 million litres of hydrocarbon-based oils.

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CONTRACTOR TECHNOLOGY

REMOTE CONTROL

While asset security is the driving motivator behind many companies choosing machines fitted with remote management software systems, there are many more benefits, especially for the machine’s upkeep and, ultimately, the company’s productivity.

AS EVERYONE RUNNING a fleet of six-figure machines knows, the ‘She’ll be right’ days of leaving the keys in the cab as an operator departs the worksite for a fleeting Sunday off are long gone.

Although it still remains an issue for crews working in remote regions, fuel theft and the odd errant bit of wanton vandalism was once about as damaging as it got for many companies; no small matter in context, of course. But at least, come Monday morning, the machine would still be where it was left a couple of days prior.

Today machine theft has become a much bigger deal though, with quick-flight operations hauling gear out of the bush and into warehouses for stripping or re-spraying in a matter of hours. The image of the back alley ‘chop shop’ was once the sole domain of stolen Japanese turbos and Aussie V8s being freighted this way and that in bits; now add expensive excavators, loaders and forestry equipment to that list.

And it isn’t just remote forestry blocks or civil works sites off the beaten path that are being targeted either; in August, Christchurch Police declared a “feeding frenzy” of theft was occurring across the many construction sites in the city, with tools, trucks and machinery all going missing in large volumes. One thief was discovered asleep in the cab of a $150,000 truck, mere kilometres from where he’d stolen it. Needless to say, the back of the truck was full of similarly purloined gear too.

Thankfully modern satellite GPS and cellular communication technologies are helping to stack the odds back in favour of owners and operators; a sort of binary front line in the war on gear theft.

38 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

John Deere’s JDLink monitoring system is one such factory level add-on that is proving popular with owners.

Not only is this technology becoming more prevalent and cheaper to adopt, many manufacturers are now offering it as standard fitment (or at least available with a tick of the right options box) on machinery.

And rather than purely a means of defending against theft, remote machine management software has a number of crucial spin-offs that further both company productivity and machine health as well.

John Deere’s JDLink monitoring system is one such factory level add-on that is proving popular with owners.

GPS tracking has been around for some time, but the next level of satellite tracking technology involves what is known as geofencing. The JDLink system allows an operator to set up a theoretical worksite for any given machine, giving a series of grid reference coordinates as the worksite boundaries. Should the machine move outside

of the prescribed boundaries, an email or text message gets sent to nominated smartphones, whether they be in the pocket of the owner, operator or even within the central service office of New Zealand John Deere agent, CablePrice.

There’s another clever aspect to geofencing too, as the software allows you to time code operational hours for any machine. If a machine starts up afterhours (that is, after the hours the owner or operator has prescribed it should be working), a similar alert gets sent. While this acts as another security level, it can also have benefits around machine health, regulatory issues (eg, noise restrictions in urban environments) and operator health and safety, where long hours are being worked to get tasks completed.

Hitachi runs a similar system called MIC, or Machine Information Centre which, like JDLink, boasts a series of operational reports that can be sliced, diced and broken down however the

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CONTRACTOR TECHNOLOGY

The Hi-mate system comes into its own when plotting service schedules for companies running large fleets.

Diagnostic data on all manner of machine functions can be fed back to an owner, operator or service provider;

40 MAY 2014 CONTRACTOR

operator or owner needs them to be.

Rather than purely for the security of the machine, these reports detail aspects of its usage that serve to extend the life of the gear and associated running costs.

Diagnostic data on all manner of machine functions can be fed back to an owner, operator or service provider; average engine speed, fuel burn, which work mode (power, eco or idle) is selected and when, digging pressures, pump delivery pressure, hydraulic oil pressure, even what ratio of the gearbox something like a grader has spent most of its working day in. What’s more, most systems let the person responsible for analysing the data set the reporting schedule; monthly, weekly, even hourly updates can be specified.

CablePrice equipment product manager, Riki Corley, says machine operators often also see the benefit of the systems, and he hasn’t heard suggestions of ‘Big Brother’ being bandied about the worksite.

“I haven’t personally heard that sort of thing from operators,” he says. “In fact I think for a lot of crews it spurs the complete opposite reaction; they know there is the potential to measure their performance based on a machine’s fuel burn or work hours versus idle hours, so they actually see it as a way of proving how efficiently they’re working.

“The JDLink system, for example, allows up to nine different operators to be programmed into the system, so that provides a great map of work skills across an entire team. For an owner the technology can actually be utilised as a training tool and it also promotes the idea of crews really looking after their gear.”

Third party plug-and-play systems from suppliers such as Navman mean that remote

monitoring software isn’t a tool reserved solely for those buying brand new equipment either.

Using a combination of GPS and available cellular networks, Navman’s Qtanium receiver (see Contractor, September 2013) is a shockproof, waterproof, tamperproof stick-on tracking system that uses industrial magnets to attach to the side of a machine; the key sell being that the reporting software will work on any machine.

Whether it’s a 15-year-old dozer or an extra skid steer hired for a week to get a particular project completed, the Qtanium receiver will send through all the remote reporting data required, not forgetting the ability to geofence the machine too.

Remote machine management software helps service agents ensure a repair or scheduled service can happen quickly and efficiently too.

Hyundai’s Hi-mate system reports on in-field usage and machine performance and diagnostics in the same manner as other systems, but, says Porter Group territory manager Mike Goodall, the system comes into its own when plotting service schedules for companies running large fleets.

“The Hi-mate system has the service schedule for the machine logged already when it is first delivered onsite, so our tech team know when the 250, 500, or 1000 hour services are due. It’s very clever technology because it helps fleet managers with gear spread over a wide area keep track of what needs servicing, and when.”

While ensuring any machine simply stays in the place it’s supposed to be – with the right person in possession of it – is a key incentive for investing in remote machine management software, there are plenty of other reasons why this technology increasingly looks set to become standard across the industry.

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CONTRACTOR MAY 2014 41

CONTRACTOR COMMENT

Taking advantage of Contractors’ camaraderie JEREMY SOLE CEO,NEW ZEALAND CONTRACTORS’ FEDERATION

I WAS PONDERING ON what to write about this month when a TV news clip came on where a contractor had finally lost the plot and was busy digging up the supermarket car park he had just built. Why? Because he hadn’t been paid – and it wasn’t the first time, he was on the edge and he had reached the limits of his endurance.

It appears that his plight resonated strongly with a large portion of the contracting community – because, while they typically don’t resort to such dramatic actions, most of the industry has experienced this at one time or another, or multiple times.

Of course the solutions don’t need to be so dramatic – or expensively damaging to the affected contractor.

While we don’t know the full extent of this particular case, the property developer took the public blame for this – and it may actually be that it wasn’t their fault (this time).

One of the reasons such business owners resort to this type of action is that they have no support network to discuss or to let off steam with. This points to one of the key findings in our recent federation review process where ‘camaraderie’ came out as a key benefit of membership. Participation in such a supportive and mutually understanding industry organisation as the federation can be one of those things that one can take for granted. But when we see what can happen when there is no support, it brings it home to us.

Had the chap in question been a member of the federation, his colleagues would have counselled him against the destructive tendencies and perhaps steered him towards our free expert technical and contractual advice support or advised him to go to his lawyer first.

I’m picking the advice he would have got would also be useful to every other federation member who has faced 42 MAY 2014

similar issues.

The most sage advice that might have come from the federation’s contractual expert, Malcolm Abernethy, would have been to ensure that schedules are submitted under the Construction Contracts Act (CCA) and that in the event of non-payment the first thing to understand, assuming CCA provisions are met, is that the unpaid monies would have been called a debt due in law and therefore able to be registered in the courts as a debt due (get your lawyer to do that).

Informed contractors will understand that when a payment schedule was not received, or the amount claimed was not paid, or an amount that was unacceptable was paid, they can enter into dispute resolution (adjudication) procedures in accordance with the Act. They would also have known that when applying for an adjudication they should also advise that ‘Suspension of Work’ procedures will be invoked. This procedure requires a five day note of work being suspended and in many cases the defaulter will make payment happen before the suspension takes effect.

Of course many conflict situations will only work their way through satisfactorily if the contractor had their eyes open when they signed the contract. What is really sad is that many firms are still not using these mechanisms and not using the free federation help service more than 10 years after the Act was passed and almost as many years since NZS3910

has been in existence. Many firms have gone broke or suffered unnecessarily through ignorance of these things. Our advice is to pick up the phone and speak to someone before taking action out of frustration or desperation or fear.

That is one of the primary functions and benefits of federation membership.

On a completely different note: I recently received a number of calls from people setting up bids for the new NZTA state highway network outcomes contracts (NOCs). These people wanted to better understand the federation’s position and the background to the requirement in the bids to include a ‘healthy industry statement’.

My response was along the lines of our expectation that: contract conditions be fair and reasonable (ie, consistent with the CCA and NZS3910:2013 or its new cousins); that adequate opportunities are provided for local industry to bid for; that the tender, evaluation, appointment, and performance management processes are open, fair and transparent; that subcontractors, assuming good performance, have a degree of certainty of forward work; that the mix includes packages of work that are substantive contractor work rather than simple ‘man and machine hire’; and that the spirit of collaboration and mutual support pervades through the relationships in the same way that NZTA expects that to function between the primary contractor and the NZTA teams.

Our advice is to pick up the phone and speak to someone before taking action out of frustration or desperation or fear. That is one of the primary functions and benefits of federation membership.

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CONTRACTOR COMMENT

Reform to overweight fines long overdue JONATHAN BHANA-THOMSON CEO, NZ HEAVY HAULAGE ASSOCIATION

THE NZ HEAVY HAULAGE ASSOCIATION is welcoming the proposed changes to the enforcement and infringement fine system for vehicles travelling on overweight permits that has recently been consulted on. The proposal also affects the fine regime for any overloaded freight load as well as the HPMV permit regime. But it is more a feeling of relief, than a triumphant fist pump that we generally support the changes.

This association has been pushing for changes for many years to the regime due to the inequitable fines that are currently imposed on members of the heavy haulage sector. It is not uncommon to see fines that are in the order of $30,000 being dished out to operators for what is in most cases a small overloading of some axles on a transporter due to the load being slightly misplaced on the deck.

Categorisation of permit conditions The proposed reform sets in place a new hierarchy of the conditions imposed on an overweight permit (and HPMV permits); namely those that are critical, additional conditions, and those that make the permit invalid if there is non-compliance. The association welcomes this, but also advocates that the whole permit structure is looked at, as over the years it has become a mishmash of conditions and good advice.

Introduction of differing fine levels Based on the hierarchy of conditions, the “critical” conditions attract a new $2000 fine which is intended to focus the attention of operators onto those specific requirements, which include exceeding the gross weight of the permit, exceeding vehicle design limits, and also for breaching 44 MAY 2014

BESS requirements.

Meanwhile, breaches of those conditions that would make the permit invalid would still attract significant fines, as they would invalidate the permit. These include deviation off any routes specified on the permit, making unauthorised changes to the permit, or if the permit is being used by a person who isn’t specified on the permit.

The proposal contains a plethora of “additional clauses” many of which the association believes can now be scaled back, as they are actually now contained in other sections of VDAM if the vehicle is also over-dimension, or they are already specified elsewhere in the permit.

The association is seeking permit conditions that are simple and easy to understand and therefore this should result in enhanced compliance.

The big news for the heavy haulage sector is that the additional clauses contain the need to comply with individual axle loadings. This is the area which has caused the most grief and has resulted in the out-of-proportion fines in the past. In the future, noncompliance will not mean that the permit is “void and of no effect” but rather it is still valid and therefore infringement fines will instead be calculated between the weighed up weight and the axle loadings specified on the permit. This is excellent news and supported by the association.

Deviation off the route Often where there is an accident or road works, then loads on overweight permits or HPMV permits are stranded because they are not permitted to deviate off the identified routes on their permit. An interesting development is the proposal to allow deviation off the route when directed to do so by Police or a Road Controlling Authority. While there does need to be some consideration as to

whether there are any weak structures on the detour route, this proposal does potentially solve an issue with this scenario. However the Association does want to see this defence written into the VDAM Rule proper rather than just being a condition on the permit.

General increase in overloading fines The proposal does bring in an increase in many of the levels of fines associated with overloading on general freight, as well as HPMV and overweight permitted loads. NZTA states that the current levels of fines were set in the 1990s, and inflation over this time has meant that the intended deterrent effect has been reduced. The association believes that while a deterrent is necessary, on overweight loads there are concerns still that the cumulative effect of all the different fines may stack up to a high level.

Tolerances The issue of weighing tolerances on overweight permits has long been a point of conjecture, and thankfully these proposed changes include a stated tolerance of 500 kilograms.

There is some concern within the industry about whether this level of accuracy is possible with weighing scales right across the weight ranges, including the higher axle loadings in the heavy haulage sector. Therefore the association has proposed a weighing tolerance of 1000 kilograms across any axle set.

So in summary, this association welcomes the changes, but has also made a number of useful suggestions that should aid operator understanding and compliance with the permit regime.

We look forward to the proposed changes being introduced towards the end of 2014.

COMMENT CONTRACTOR

What we are doing to meet the future freight task HARRY WILSON FREIGHT PORTFOLIO DIRECTOR, NZ TRANSPORT AGENCY

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 New Zealand’s current freight task and 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 New Zealand in 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 New Zealand; 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. New Zealand’s economically vital air freight, particularly the import/export air freight through Auckland International Airport, weighs little so cannot be 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

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.

highway network carried 1.8 billion kilometres worth of heavy vehicle trips in 2004/05, by 2012/13 this had increased to almost 2 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 NZ Transport Agency 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.

MAY 2014 45

CONTRACTOR COMMENT

Improving health and safety through emulsion seals CHRIS OLSEN CEO, ROADING NEW ZEALAND

IN APRIL, after six months of research and investigation, Roading New Zealand decided that replacing hot cutback bitumen seals with emulsion seals would improve the health and safety performance of the Roading sector due to the reduction in the consequences and impact of the health and safety incidences.

Roading New Zealand also decided to take an Industry Self Governance approach to the issue of safety around bitumen and any need to cease using hot cutback bitumen seals except in exceptional circumstances. It would implement this through its Code of Practice for “The Safe Handling of Bitumen Materials Used in Roading”.

In making this decision, Roading New Zealand was mindful of the need to update the Roading sector with recent advances in emulsion technology and has requested emulsion manufacturers to hold a New Zealand study tour for those clients, contractors and consultants interested or concerned about the quality and environmental impact of emulsion seals. A transition period of five years was also agreed to for making this change, to allow time for addressing any quality, environmental or commercial issues.

Roading New Zealand is now working with the Transport Agency, the Industry/Transport Agency’s Health and Safety Leadership Forum and WorkSafe on the findings and decisions arising from the study. Under proposed new legislation, the Transport Agency is now a “Person Controlling a Business or Undertaking” (PCBU).

The study over the past six months investigated the possibility of improving the health and safety performance of the Roading sector by replacing hot cutback bitumen seals with emulsion seals. In essence, it considered the practicality of using emulsion seals against the health and safety risks and hazards (burns and explosions) of hot cutback bitumen seals. It also considers an industry response to the investigation.

To do this the investigation looked at • the health and safety performance of the two products • quality issues and how practicable was it to use emulsions • the environmental performance of both products • any economic issues such as cost or market considerations In the health and safety area, company statistics over the past five years were analyzed by looking at hot cutback bitumen and emulsions ACC claims, as well as the number of fatalities and serious accidents, explosions, fires and spillages. All incidences were then converted to frequencies per 100,000 tonnes sprayed per year and the severity of each 46 MAY 2014

incidence was categorised as low, medium or high.

The investigations showed that emulsion seals are safer than hot cutback bitumen seals because the impact and harm consequences of incidences involving hot cut back bitumen are significantly more severe than those for emulsions. It is worth noting that the frequency of health and safety incidents for hot cutback bitumen seals and emulsion seals were about the same.

For the environmental area, the frequency and impact of spills on the environment were also considered. The study found that the carbon footprint of emulsions was about half that of hot cutback bitumen and there was a 40 percent reduction in VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) released into the atmosphere through using emulsions. On the other hand the frequency of spills increased considerably, but mitigating measures could be taken to minimise the impact on the environment from these spills.

A number of case studies considered the practicality and quality of emulsion seals. They found that new technology had generally overcome the problems associated with emulsion seals in the past. However, some contractors were not fully satisfied that this was the case, so further education is needed in this area, perhaps through a roadshow and further trials.

The cost of emulsion seals is currently 10 to 15 percent higher than that for hot cutback bitumen seals and appears to be one of the major reasons for NZTA and local authorities not using emulsion seals in the past. However, under the provisions of the new Health and Safety Reform Bill this shouldn’t be the case as the cost is not grossly disproportionate to mitigation of the hazards.

There are some commercial concerns from contractors who do not manufacture emulsions suggesting that it may be very difficult for them to compete because all the emulsion manufacturers are also contractors and competitors. These concerns appear able to be mitigated though Commerce Commission requirements, competition between emulsion suppliers, joint ventures and the provision of a five-year transition period.

It appears that emulsion seals are safer and now a practical alternative to hot cutback bitumen seals. It is also apparent that their additional cost is justified under the new Health and Safety Reform Bill. On this basis the contracting industry should cease to use hot cutback bitumen seals and replace them with emulsion seals except in exceptional circumstances where emulsion seals can’t be used.

For a full copy of the report please email Chris@Roadingnz.org.nz.

TRAINING CONTRACTOR

Championing a strategic approach to ‘People’ HELMUT MODLIK CEO, INFRATRAIN

I RECENTLY had the pleasure of attending the inaugural New Zealand Infrastructure Summit in Auckland. The Summit examined the big picture for infrastructure delivery from every conceivable angle including government, local government, commercial, financial, contracting, consulting and many others.

The calibre of speakers and presenters at the Summit was superb. And while each brought their own unique perspective to ‘how we do infrastructure well’, many common themes emerged. The strongest of these for me was the fact that infrastructure is inherently a strategic subject that requires a strategic approach. Time and time again, the Summit heard how failure occurs when tactical or short-term approaches to planning, delivering or maintaining infrastructure is used.

This message really resonates with me, particularly in terms of ‘people’. Traditionally, many industries, including our own, have taken a short term and proprietary approach to staffing which overlooks the depth and breadth of the people requirements of the industry. Instead of asking, “what does the industry need?” we have usually asked, “what do I need for this contract?” It is increasingly apparent that this thinking and approach will not solve our future ‘people’ requirements.

We need to adopt a whole of industry approach, rather than working in silos.

It is widely recognised that a shortage of skilled people is one of the key issues facing the infrastructure industry. Civil construction in particular has a track record of proprietary approaches to staff. This, together with a perceived lack of career development options and competition from other trades, means that we are scrabbling to grab what we need from a talent pool that is already too small.

The people issues in our industry are accentuated at times like now when investment is increasing, and it is more important than ever to be strategic. The good news is that we still have time to turn things around, despite coming to the party late.

So, what are we doing about this?

The Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation is proud to be championing a shift towards a strategic approach to people. Our goal is to leave behind yesterday’s proprietary and short term thinking and approaches. We will do this by promoting a strong culture of qualifications, linked to career pathways, growth and development in the industries we serve. We are proud of our industries, and want to create a value proposition for potential employees that reflects this.

We will be working to promote infrastructure as a career of choice for young people rather than a ‘last resort’. This will be

linked to the Vocational Pathways developed by the Ministry of Education, and will aim to attract all types of people from skilled labourers, through to trades people, and technicians.

We are also looking to increase prestige and mana for achievers within the infrastructure industry. This is currently stronger in some industry sectors than others. The electricity supply sector, for example, has a strong culture of qualifications which are linked to safety and regulation. They also have a strong culture of celebrating the successes of their people as they train and achieve. We are looking to replicate this in the civil sector with the Trade Certification model which we’re currently developing in partnership with the New Zealand Contractors’ Federation, Roading New Zealand and other industry stakeholders. Support and buy in from industry to date has been fantastic, and we are confident that the initiative will take off over the coming year.

BUSINESS FOR SALE! An exciting opportunity exists to purchase a profitable and established business, with an exceptional reputation and a strong client base in the Northland area.

This civil construction business, specialising in the construction and maintenance of forestry roading, comes with a strong and stable workforce with excellent systems in place.

Included in the sale is an extensive fleet of vehicles, machinery and equipment. All equipment is well maintained utilising an in-house team of mechanics and technicians.

The latest financial statements show sales of $6.9M for the year ended 31 August 2013 with a Gross Profit margin of 36% and an EBITDA in excess of $2M. For a Sale Information Memorandum, please direct your expression of interest to:

Anne Lensink (09) 470 0444 alensink@spireca.co.nz

MAY 2014 47

CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES

M

ASSIC

S

CL

A C E H I N

The Allis-Chalmers HD-6 For a period of just under 20 years (1955-1974), Allis-Chalmers produced one of the most popular small track type tractors ever built, the model HD-6. BY RICHARD CAMPBELL

Taken at Brown Owl, Upper Hutt in 1956, this is an early Allis-Chalmers HD-6 belonging to Merv Max Ltd, towing a CPC-6, 6 cubic yard hydraulic scraper.

The angle blade has been removed to aid manoeuvrability. Merv was a staunch Allis-Chalmers user and owned several over the years including the HD-6’s predecessor, the HD-5.

48 MAY 2014

IT WAS NOT THE first successful small crawler that Allis-Chalmers had manufactured and in fact replaced another remarkably popular machine, the model HD-5, which had been the first of Allis-Chalmers’ post WWII tractors to be introduced, in 1946.

Following Allis-Chalmers’ acquisition of the Buda Engine Company in 1953, the company set out to design replacements for its existing track type tractors that were all powered by GM (General Motors) diesels.

The HD-5 had been powered by a 2-cylinder, 38 horsepower GM 2-71 and was a remarkably versatile little machine, so Allis-Chalmers management had high hopes for the new HD-6.

Initially powered by a 4-cylinder Allis-Chalmers (Buda) model D-344 engine rated at 57 flywheel horsepower, the new machine was immediately embraced by contractors, loggers and the agricultural sector alike and by 1963, when AllisChalmers began to upgrade its track type tractor line, it had sold over 13,000 examples of the HD-6.

A change to the fuel injection system was made in 1963, replacing the original Buda Lanova type fuel injection pump with a Bosch inspired design that metered the fuel more accurately resulting in more horsepower, reduced fuel consumption and with easier starting and cleaner burning.

This engine was known as the 6000 series and it produced 52 horsepower in naturally aspirated form.

As the HD-6 evolved there were many versions of the machine to cater for different customer requirements and conditions, and like the HD-6’s biggest competitor, the Caterpillar D4, the HD-6 was available in two track gauges – 44 inch and 60 inch.

To gain a better understanding of these different HD-6s, as Allis-Chalmers did not always differentiate well between models creating some confusion, here is a short summary of the main models.

From 1955 through to 1963: • HD-6 60” gauge, 4-roller frame, manual transmission, 57 hp;

[

Allis-Chalmers pulled the plug on HD-6 production not long after its final integration with Fiat, but the machine left a lasting legacy and many are still in use although its ranks are thinning a bit due to the scarcity of parts.

• HD-6B 60” gauge, 5-roller frame, manual transmission, 66 hp; • HD-6A 44” gauge, 4-roller frame, manual transmission, 66 hp; • HD-6E 60” gauge, 5-roller frame, manual transmission, 66 hp; • HD-6PS 60” gauge, 5-roller frame, powershift transmission, 72 hp; All of the above machines were powered by the D-344 diesel.

From 1963 onwards the models were: • HD-6B 60” gauge, 4-roller frame, manual transmission, 69 hp; • HD-6A 44” gauge, 4-roller frame, manual transmission, 69 hp, (discontinued 1964); • HD-6E 60” gauge, 5-roller frame, manual transmission, 69 hp; • HD-6EP 60” gauge, 5-roller frame, powershift transmission, 75 hp.

These were all powered by the model 6000 diesel.

As can be seen from the chart, the 60” gauge model was by far the most popular size.

Although we are focusing on the HD-6 dozer in this feature, mention must also be made of the track type loader variant that was based on the HD-6, the model HD-6G. This was also a very highly regarded machine and will feature in a future article.

Just to muddy the waters even further, there was also an HD-6AG model, built specifically for agricultural purposes with a 60” gauge, 5-roller frame and 90 horsepower at its disposal.

Allis-Chalmers pulled the plug on HD-6 production not long after its final integration with Fiat, but the machine left a lasting legacy and many are still in use although its ranks are thinning a bit due to the scarcity of parts.

It was replaced in the Fiat-Allis line by the model 8 (later FD-8).

]

Another early model HD-6 with a very short exhaust pipe doing a spot of tracking.

This machine is equipped with a scarifier, which looks as if it may have come off an International TD6 Payloader!

Any form of ripper on a bulldozer this size was unusual in the day (late 1950s) unless fitted to a loader.

The Allis-Chalmers HD-6 described Of conventional track type tractor layout, the HD-6E (for this review) was powered by an AllisChalmers 6000 series diesel engine rated at 69 MAY 2014 49

CONTRACTOR CLASSIC MACHINES

BRIEF SPECIFICATIONS

1969 Allis-Chalmers HD-6E

1

2

1. The subject of our in-depth review, an Allis-Chalmers HD-6E engaged in track building in the central North Island. A fairly late model tractor, equipped with a hydraulic angle blade and a Standen 3-shank ripper. The bulge at the lower front of the radiator contained the hydraulic tank.

2. Factory photo of a later model HD-6 under test at West Allis, Wisconsin, USA, 1965. Fitted with a hydraulic straight blade, something not often seen on NZ examples of the type. Most users here preferred the angle blade for cutting tracks, casting and spreading fill.

3. This HD-6 is equipped with an angle blade and rear controls for a hydraulic scraper. It is quite apparent from this image as to what a great view the operator was afforded on this machine with its tapered hood and excellent operator positioning.

50 MAY 2014

Engine: Allis-Chalmers 6000 series, 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated diesel engine rated at 69 flywheel horsepower @ 1800 rpm Transmission: Allis-Chalmers 5-speed sliding gear, manual Clutch: Multiple plate, oil cooled Steering: Hydraulically assisted multiple clutch Brakes: Hydraulically assisted contracting band Track gauge: 60 inch Track frame: 5-roller Tracks: 37-section, sealed Standard track shoe: 13 inch Operating weight: 6.5 tons (bare)

3

flywheel horsepower and connected, via a multiple disc oil clutch, to a 5-speed sliding gear manual transmission, which was also manufactured by Allis-Chalmers.

Gear ranges from 1.5 to 5.8 miles per hour were standard with a 2-speed reverse.

A 5-roller track frame with one carrier roller per side was pinned through the rear final drive housing and joined at the front by an equaliser bar, which allowed approximately 28 degrees of oscillation.

The HD-6E was what could be called the “deluxe” version as it had power assisted steering clutches and brakes, which made it a pleasure to operate.

Unusually for a tractor of this size, the HD-6E had double reduction final drives, a feature that undoubtedly added to the machine’s longevity.

The operator’s area was conventional in layout and quite compact with all the levers falling nicely to hand. A small instrument panel was slightly offset to the right hand side and a deeply cushioned seat was provided for the operator. Some models of the HD-6E had adjustable seating but this was usually an optional extra on other versions of the machine.

One of the other nice features of the HD-6 was the excellent visibility it provided to both front and rear. This was built in from the very first production machines with a tapered hood, sloping fuel tank and operator seat placement.

Attachments Just about anything could be mounted on, pushed in front of, or drawn behind an HD-6! By the time the machine went into full production in 1955, Allis-Chalmers had purchased one of its main attachment suppliers (Baker) and so had access to all the ‘goodies’ necessary to equip the machine.

Lighting sets, canopies, cabs (rare in NZ), agricultural conversion packages were all provided in-house to equip the HD-6 for customer needs.

Paccar’s Carco division manufactured a nice little winch that could be fitted if required.

The New Zealand connection Allis-Chalmers HD-6s were very popular in New Zealand and were sold from one end of the country to the other. Exact importation records are unavailable as neither of the agents selling the machine (CablePrice in the North Island and Andrews & Bevan in the South Island) have kept any records.

4

The HD-6 was particularly popular in hill country and in logging where many owners believed it was superior to the Caterpillar D4 due to the HD-6’s lower centre of gravity.

Many operators have told the author that it just clung to the sides of hills “like a magnet” and that they felt very safe behind the controls.

The ‘average’ New Zealand-delivered HD-6 was fitted with a bush canopy, hydraulic angle blade and Carco winch on the back. Ripper equipped machines were not too common but there were quite a few delivered set up to tow small scrapers such as the CPC-6, Caterpillar No.40, Blaw-Knox BK60 and Onions 4-6.

To tow the latter scraper, the machine needed to be fitted with a suitable cable control (PCU).

For the model collector

5

A bleak outlook as no manufacturer has to date produced a model of the HD-6.

This is a bit of a travesty really considering the number of these machines that were manufactured.

There is a model of the machine’s predecessor, the HD-5, but it is old, inaccurate, expensive and to a very odd scale.

4. Another classic New Zealand photo of an HD-6 “down on the farm” doing some land clearing with a good keen Kiwi bloke at the controls!

The angle blade has been set to straight for bulk pushing and the bush canopy is one of the neater examples that this author has seen. One of the nice touches that Allis-Chalmers offered was the headlight installation behind the radiator guard that afforded good protection to the lights.

5. HD-6 in classic New Zealand configuration with angle blade, bush canopy and winch engaged in discing operations. The HD-6 was a very well respected machine for these kinds of conditions as it had a very low centre of gravity and could cling to hillsides that would roll other tractors.

MAY 2014 51

CONTRACTOR MOTORING

BY PETER GILL

NZ favourite fades from view

Shedding the bad boy image When your brand is driven by lots of people who cut the peaks off their baseball caps and sew them onto the back and play rap so loudly that it splits the cochleas of drivers beside them at the lights, you worry about your image. That’s been a problem Subaru has been trying to deal with for some time. Cheap used import versions of the Legacy and WRX appeal to folk whose IQ has the numeric value of today’s date, causing concern for the company in trying to sell new ones to the grown-ups. The reason Subarus appeal to the head bangers so much is that the boxer engine sounds very throaty when the standard exhaust is cut off and replaced with something of the dimensions of a railway tunnel. The latest version of the WRX model just released, shows signs that Subaru is trying to tone down the car’s bad boy image by using more sophisticated styling, although the enormous scoop is still there, as though the car feeds on crill.

52 MAY 2014

A truck brand that has slowly faded from our roads is Britain’s AEC. That’s because the company stopped making them in 1979 so any that are left would be quite old. AEC stands for Associated Equipment Company and was founded in 1912. The brand was popular in New Zealand in the contracting and general haulage sector and was renowned for reliability. There was a strong bus division, the most famous product of which is the iconic Routemaster bus built for London Transport.

Atom oddball One of the British oddities of the 1950s and 60s was a car brand called Fairthorpe. The early models had motorcycle engines, but proper car engines were used later. Production went from 1955 to 1969. The first model produced was the Atom. Nothing less ‘Atomic’ could one imagine. The Atom was the 1955 brainchild of one Air Vice Marshal DCT Bennett. I assume the officer had rather a bad war.

Style takes centre stage Nissan’s X Trail SUV vehicle, while highly competent, has for years looked like a 20-foot shipping container on wheels. Its boxy-ness is exceeded only by its boxy-ness, in a world where swoopy doopy curves are the thing of the moment. A new model has been launched and this time around, the stylist was obviously not a part-time barcode designer. Curves are very much involved. The X trail has a 2.5 litre petrol engine and comes with the choice of two and four wheel drive and five or seven seats. Prices start at $39,990.

MITSUBISHI MAINTAINS LANCER LEGACY One of the best value new car packages on the market today has become the best seller in its class. It’s the Mitsubishi Lancer. It’s a 2-litre sedan, or hatch if you want it, and it starts at a surprisingly low $25,990. Despite having a front grille designed to eat little boys, it’s generally tastefully styled. Mitsubishi has had a Lancer model in New Zealand on and off since 1974. Many Mitsubishis have equinerelated names, such as Colt, Canter and Lancer. The name of their famous sports car of the 1970s and 80s, the Starion, was a bit of a stuff-up. Perhaps the badge-making factory misheard the phone order from the man from Mitsubishi. It was supposed to be Stallion.

MAY 2014 53

CONTRACTOR PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Real Steel lightweight trench shield Wellington-based Real Steel has been thinking of new ways to take advantage of its highly advanced Swedish steel, and the latest solution from its design team is an innovative lightweight trench shield.

Developed specifically so contractors can use smaller machinery to manoeuvre it easily and safely, it measures 4 x 2.3m with a 1200kg tare weight (excluding struts) and offers a safe working load of 25kPa. Components are formed using Hardox wear plate and Domex high strength steel on their 8.2m long 1000t press brake leading to a lightweight design with fewer welds that is stronger and less prone to damage. Hardox in particular is known for it’s extreme toughness that stands the test of time.

All this combines to make a trench shield that is significantly lighter and stronger than aluminium or

other steel solutions.

PSL Plumbing is the first customer of the lightweight trench shield and they have been impressed with the performance so far.

“Real Steel’s trench shield enables us to be more efficient on site with our own machinery and avoid the expense of hiring larger gear,” said PSL general manager Brendon Verry.

Real Steel custom makes these to suit any size and strength required. Current designs are SWL rated upwards of 60kPa. Optional upgrades include an adjustable strut design to quickly change the width of the shield and tailor-made lifting points. Each trench shield is fully certified with its own unique online reference guide and certification documentation for access at any time out in the field.

Best Bars international certification

New Topcon excavator system A global leader in 2D and 3D grade indicate system development and technology has announced the new low-cost X-33 GNSS excavator system.

“Topcon’s X-33 ensures a fast, accurate cut grade and completely eliminates over-excavation,” says Mike Milne, managing director of New Zealand Topcon importer and consultancy firm, Synergy Positioning Systems.

The X-33 allows for the creation of multiple, complex elevation and slope designs to be cut continuously without the need for the operator to continually reset the machine or laser.

New Zealand towbar manufacturer and vehicle accessory company, Best Bars, has been awarded a highly sought after international quality certification. The technical specification is within the ISO framework and focuses on the application of quality management systems for automotive production and service parts organisations.

Stephen de Kriek, CEO of Best Bars, says the recent certification to ISO/TS16949 underlines the strong technical and quality focus the company has been pursuing and will underscore customer confidence in the products and services it delivers.

The certification can often be a prerequisite to doing business with the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and industry associations.

E-commerce website innovations TRS Tyre and Wheel is developing further innovations for its recently launched e-commerce enabled website. Consumers will be able to create a database of their own machinery with the website providing instant tyre replacement options and a useful tool for maintenance, planning, and budgeting.

“The new website reflects our commitment to providing consumers with a resource rich in technical data designed to inform them about tyre technology and facilitate informed purchasing decisions,” says sales and marketing manager Andrew Gillam.

A DV E RT I S E RS IN D E X Advancequip 55 CablePrice OBC DitchWitch NZ 37 Drive Train 7 Global Survey 3 Groundwork Experts IBC Hirepool 35 Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards 10

54 MAY 2014

Infratrain 11 Mimico 9 Navman IFC NZCF ACENZ / Roading NZ Conference 29 Prime Pumps 12 Real Steal 43 Rocktec 21 Ryco Hydraulics 7

Spire Chartered Accountants 47 Subscribe to Contractor 13 Taylor Built 39 Topcon 15 Transdiesel 23 Trimble 41 Youngman Richardson OFC, 8, 16,17

CONTRACTOR WHAT’S ON

ConExpo 2017 dates confirmed After record attendance numbers and a hugely successful show, dates for the 2017 CONEXPO-CON/AGG showhave been locked in. The Las Vegas Convention Centre will again host the triennial event from March 7-11, 2017.

Richard Goldsbury from Bobcat/Dooson Infracore has been named chair and will lead the management committee, a group of volunteer manufacturers and other industry stakeholders overseeing the show.

“2017 will definitely build on the momentum of 2014, and we are already in analysis and planning mode just weeks after such a successful event,” says Goldsbury.

Contractor managing editor Kevin Lawrence reported that Kiwi visitors he spoken with at the show were impressed with the sheer scale of CONEXPO. The World Tunnel Congress will be held in Iguazu, Brazil this year.

Tunnels for a better life The World Tunnel Congress (WTC) will be held May 9-15 this year at Iguazu in Brazil. The event will bring together builders, designers, equipment suppliers, and more, with the purpose of exchanging experiences and spreading ideas about the use of underground space.

The theme of this year’s meeting, organised in part by the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association, will be “tunnels for a better quality of life”. It will illustrate how tunnels can help address traffic congestion, flooding, transportation, and environmental conservation.

Applications open for bauma 2016 Exhibit applications are now open for the world’s biggest trade show, bauma. A full two years before the event begins in Munich, exhibitors are able to submit applications online to take part in the enormous event.

The 2016 show has been dubbed the ‘31st Edition of the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment’. Over half a million visitors from over 200 countries visited Munich for the last bauma in April 2013 with a total of 3421 exhibitors taking part.

The final deadline for receipt of applications is March 6, 2015.

CONTRACTORS’ DIARY Date Event

Venue

Contact

8-11 May 14

SaMoTer & Asphaltica

Verona, Italy

www.samoter.com

3-7 Jun 14

CONEXPO Russia 2014 Crocus International Exhibition Center in Moscow, Russia

www.conexporussia.com

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 MAY 2014

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