THE PRODUCT RANGE OF KLEEMANN
MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY.
The Kleemann production program Whether it is an individual machine or a combination of interlinked plants with perfectly coordinated components, a mobile plant from Kleemann sets standards. MOBICAT SERIES MOBILE JAW CRUSHERS
OUR BENEFITS > Over 150 years of innovation > Best performance, reliability and efficiency > Extensive range of crushing and screening equipment > Outstanding back-up, service and support > Plant design, layouts and AggFlows
MOBICONE SERIES MOBILE CONE CRUSHERS
MOBIREX SERIES
MOBISCREEN SERIES
MOBICONE S SERIES
MOBILE IMPACT CRUSHERS
MOBILE SCREENS
MOBILE CONE CRUSHERS W/ SCREEN
Gary Payne ........................... 0278 082 530 Richard Seay ........................ 0274 426 555 Mark Joubert ........................ 0278 082 605 ROAD AND MINERAL TECHNOLOGIES
WIRTGEN NEW ZEALAND
Wirtgen New Zealand 6 Wareham Place, Seaview, Wellington 5010 Tel.: 0278 082 530, Email: gpayne@wirtgen.co.nz www.wirtgen.co.nz Wirtgen New Zealand is a branch of Wirtgen Australia Pty Ltd
Best foot forward The tragic death of founder and co-director Ian Simcox in a helicopter accident in March left staff within this close-knit company and the wider community stunned. But in the aftermath of such trauma, Simcox Construction remains determined to continue building on the solid reputation the company enjoys across the top of the South Island and further afield. Ian’s passing came just days after he had overseen the arrival and implementation of the final piece of a production puzzle that signifies for Simcox Construction an investment in superior crushing and screening technology. The company has implemented mobile tracked equipment from German manufacturer Kleemann to work across its two quarry operations near Blenheim and, a couple of months down the track, the new equipment is already proving its worth. “The biggest changes the Kleemann jaw, cone and screen have brought are in terms of greater efficiencies and increased production,” says Simcox Construction’s Antony Clark. “In fact we’re generating volume so quickly now we’ve had to change the feed excavator in order to keep up; we’ve gone from a 12 tonner to a 23 ton machine.” Simcox Construction’s three machines – a Mobicat jaw crusher; MCO9 EVO cone crusher; and Mobiscreen MS16D screen – are the
first of their type in New Zealand, representing a big commitment to the brand. But Kleemann’s growing popularity across the Tasman, combined with OEM support through parent company Wirtgen, gave Ian, Antony and colleagues the confidence to invest. “We looked to Australia and could see – with around 200 units already on the ground over there – we had a level of expertise and experience with Kleemann on our doorstep, as well as an obvious indicator of industry confidence in the product. “This is probably the single biggest investment in plant we’ve made in the company’s 30-plus year history, so we had to look at every angle before we leapt in. Then once we made the decision to go with Kleemann, we wanted the first of the machines here within a pretty quick timeframe. “Gary Payne from Wirtgen New Zealand put the wheels in motion and did an outstanding job; we ordered the mobile tracked jaw at Christmas and it was delivered in January. The ability for us to have the first machine on site without major disruptions to our schedules was a game-changer for us; it was a real signal we’d invested in the right gear and the right people.” Simcox Construction’s crushing foreman Richard Price agrees. “I’ve been involved in the quarry industry for over 30 years and I’d never actually seen a Kleemann before our machines arrived, but I was
It’s not even halfway through the year, but 2015 has already brought both challenge and change for Blenheim-headquartered Simcox Construction. By Cameron Officer.
sold on them pretty quickly. “Everything is so much faster and there is far less downtime compared to our old machines. As well as upping the size of the feed excavator, we used to have one front-end loader carting away, but now we require two. “We’ve just finished crushing a large amount of AP65 and we had no problems what-so-ever. If there’s a jam, the machines are all selfregulating, so not only will they suspend processing automatically; they’ll give you information on-screen as to where the jam has occurred. “That sort of smart technology is great because it’s protecting the integrity of the machines, which means they should be able to provide us with consistent crushing for a long time,” he says. The machines went to Pukaka Quarry first – a council-owned site which Simcox Construction operates on contract – before being moved to the company’s own Barracks Quarry. “The tracked nature of these machines means moving them is a straightforward process. We only have to lift off one belt; otherwise everything folds in for transport easily. Three machines meant three trips with our low loader between the quarries, with minimal fuss. “The technology the Kleemann equipment utilises is a big step up for us and we’ve adjusted the way we operate accordingly,” Antony concludes. “It has really given us the ability to produce a superior product at a faster rate, which is a pretty good equation as far as I’m concerned.”
Remembering Ian Simcox Ian Simcox’s untimely passing in March devastated friends, colleagues and business associates alike. The proud, popular construction identity was as well-known as a caring and compassionate member of his beloved Blenheim community as he was a gifted businessman who, with wife Margaret at his side, grew Simcox Construction from a ‘one truck, one digger’ operation in the late 1970s to become a fixture of Marlborough’s civil construction, infrastructure and earthworks industry, with a team of over 60 staff. Antony Clark says that the Simcox family will continue their commitment to the high standards Ian and his wife and business partner Margaret have set in place across 31 years in business. “We will now deliver, so that he would be proud of what we are doing,” he says. “Ian was feeling very positive about the future and his positivity was always infectious. And needless to say it remains within everyone at Simcox Construction today.” • Customer supplied article