32 | T T Kelly Deeks Providing expert transport & cartage Managing director Mike Crawford says the company is heading into its busy season. Crawford Cartage has become a trusted name across the Wellington region for its contribution to major infrastructure projects, providing expert transport and cartage services and maintaining the high standards that see the company repeatedly called back for some of the capital’s biggest jobs. Managing director Mike Crawford says the company is heading into its busy season, with general road maintenance work, the new Ōtaki to Levin expressway, the resealing of Transmission Gully, and multiple stages of upgrades on State Highway 58 all on the programme. “We’ve been part of many of the large roading contracts around the region over the years, including Transmission Gully, the Pahiatua Track improvements, and the Smart Motorway,” Mike says. “Now we’re preparing for another big summer of work, and it’s great to see so many projects getting underway after what’s been a fairly slow year.” Crawford Cartage has also played a long-standing role at Wellington Airport, where work on the EMAS (Engineered Materials Arresting System) project – a specialised safety stop at the end of the short runway – is set to recommence early next year. “We love projects like that,” Mike says. “We’ve worked at the airport since I started the business in 2008, alongside Fulton Hogan, Higgins, and now Downer with the EMAS project. It’s a large infrastructure project that has real importance for the community, and we’re proud to contribute to it.” The company’s involvement in State Highway 58 upgrades is another example of Crawford Cartage’s expertise supporting regional growth and safety. After earlier work on the Haywards Hill section in the Hutt Valley following Covid, the team is now preparing for the next phase, including a new roundabout and further road widening. “These projects are delivered in stages, and we’ve been part of them from the beginning,” Mike says. “It’s satisfying to know that the quality of our work keeps us coming back as the stages progress.” Crawford Cartage’s reputation is built not just on capability, but on reliability. Mike says his team of 8 to 10 drivers are highly experienced, take pride in their work, and understand the importance of representing the company well on site. “Our guys know the jobs, they’ve got the track record, and they carry themselves well,” he says. “That’s why we keep getting invited back onto these big projects – because clients know we’ll get on and do the job without any drama.” Mike himself grew up around trucks and heavy machinery, working alongside his father from the early 1990s before purchasing his first truck in 2008. “I still have that truck – he’s part of the family now,” he says. Since then, the fleet has grown to 10, with a mix of six and eight wheel tip trucks, trailers, and transporters, offering a complete service package including freight, loose cargo cartage, storage, distribution, and unpacks and consolidation. With a background in all things mechanical and a reputation as a hands-on manager, Mike sets high expectations for his team but is always available to support them. “These days I’m driving the computer more often than the trucks, but if anything changes on site, the guys know they can call Crawford Cartage TRANSPORT me straight away,” he says. “We’re a team that looks after each other and takes care of our clients.” As Crawford Cartage gears up for another busy summer, the company remains firmly focused on what it does best – delivering the transport and cartage expertise that keeps Wellington’s infrastructure moving.
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