Business Central December 2021

60 | 3D tech really ups the ante from page 58 Gair Contracting is presently using 3D technology in a forest road construction project in Hawkes Bay. FORESTRY Gair Contracting • Bazooka culvert pipe • Bazooka fluming • Black Snake drain coil 09 262 7070 www.tanks.co.nz info@tanks.co.nz Proudly associated with Gair Contacting Although the technology is not applicable to every forestry project, Gair Contracting is presently using it in a forest road construction project in Hawkes Bay, which involves 30,000 cubic metres to be cut from a single face to open up a new access road in steep terrain . “Just the sheer amount of dirt means that there were considerable benefits for the client in undertaking the project in this way.” Takeover Has Enhanced Offering Since Gair Contracting was purchased by Goodman Contractors in September 2020 the company has increased its capacity to take on larger projects all over Hawkes Bay, says Gair Contracting general manager Richard Jardine. “It’s been a good match as Goodman Contractors has the same family business style. We have continued to develop and incorporate new methods to ensure high per- formance and quality results making us the industry leader for bulk earthworks in Hawkes Bay,” he explains. Goodman Contractors has been shifting dirt since 1963 when Rick Goodman and his brother Tony started the business. Now Goodmans is owned by Rick’s children Stan, Lance, Vaughan and Marianne. Combined with Gair’s over 40 years in the industry, it’s meant customers benefit from an incredibly well resourced and skillset rich team, says Richard. Gair Contracting is experienced in under- taking bulk earthworks and civil construction, including project management. According to Richard it’s very much business as usual but with increased capability for projects in terms of resources. The company has a range of plant machinery including excavators, bulldozers, motorscrapers, loaders, graders, dump trucks and trucks that allows it to re- source varied job types and work sites. Types of projects undertaken include subdivisions, roading, waterways and flood protection and dams. Richard says it is the company’s experi- enced staff that allows it to provide solutions, efficiency and value: “We have the management capabilities, including a civil engineer and veteran project management team, to come up with the right methodologies to reliably carry out a range of projects. Importantly we also have high qual- ity operators who are focused on getting the job done. Some of our staff has been working in the industry for decades. A good example is our forestry supervisor Terry ‘Pnut’ Ross who has over 50 years industry experience.” Richard says a key reason that Gair Con- tracting has such a talented team is that it pro- vides secure work year-round. It also focuses on supporting staff well being with benefits such as health insurance and paying staff for their travel time to job sites. Richard says this capability is backed by smart technology to make jobs run smoother. This includes a custom built database provid- ing efficiencies in administration. “We have well established processes built on a solid understanding of how to deliver quality with value for money. Our database includes mobile capability so our staff can perform checks such as prestart machinery and safety protocols on site on their mobile phone or tablet. As another example maintenance issues that are flagged are automatically sent to the workshop so it has a record of what needs to be done. This means our machinery and equipment is always kept operating at peak efficiency, reducing opportunities for problems or downtime.” With a proven track record, Gair Contract- ing is currently busy working on a variety of projects in Hawkes Bay including a 200 lot subdivision called Brooklands Estate. In particular a large number of forestry blocks are reaching maturity, which Richard describes as the “wall of wood”. “For example we completed 9 kilometres of roading for one customer in 2016. This year that was over 30 kilometres. “We are expecting demand to remain strong and we plan to continue to deliver quality work so we are considered the number one contractor in the region.”