| 93 Simply Fire CONTRACTING Potential for expansion T T Hugh de Lacy At forefront of fire-safety Simply Fire designs, installs, and maintains fire-alarm systems. T T Kelly Deeks BMC Cranes All it would take for Bevan Irving to turn his part-time mini-crane business in Hamilton, BMC Cranes, into a full-time job would be a bit of advertising, and that’s his fallback strategy if the giant dairy co-operative Fonterra should dispense with his services. Bevan operates just a single 4WD Isuzu D-Mac utility with a Maxi-Lift 380.4 crane on the back, and most of his work involves lifting spa pools into or out of the ground for people selling, buying or shifting house. Otherwise, his time is spent working on a project for Fonterra, involving safety supervision, and as the current project nears completion he has his eye on cranking up the mini-crane business. “At present, I spend as little as six or eight hours a week on the mini-crane, and I seem to have found this niche in the Waikato for moving spa pools around, but beyond that I’m called in to lift and move everything from rocks to trees to small buildings,” Bevan says. “I also do a bit of light engineering construction as demand arises, but the mini-crane work at the moment has to fit in and around my work for Fonterra. Should that work dry up, I’ll start advertising the mini-crane service and I’m confident I can build BMC Cranes up into a full-time occupation.” For nearly a decade, Simply Fire has been at the forefront of fire safety in the upper North Island, delivering expert services in passive fire protection, fire-alarm systems, and fire-protection equipment. This Hamilton-based, family-owned business has grown into a trusted name in the industry, offering comprehensive solutions to ensure commercial, industrial, and residential buildings remain safe and compliant. Founded in 2016 by Steve Bradburn, Simply Fire initially focused on passive fire protection, a critical but underrepresented aspect of fire safety at the time. Passive fire protection involves installing fire-resistant walls, floors, and doors to contain fires and prevent their spread, ensuring safe evacuation routes and minimising property damage. “When we started, there was a significant gap in the market,” says Jamie Bradburn, who is Steve’s son and one of the company’s quantity estimators. “We spent a lot of time educating the industry on its importance, and today, it’s a mandatory part of fire design for new buildings.” Simply Fire’s passive fire-protection services extend from Waikato and Bay of Plenty to Auckland. Their expertise has made them a go-to provider for large-scale projects, includBevan started out doing a fitter-welder apprenticeship with Ludwig Engineering in Hamilton, coming out of his time at the end of 1992, and skipping off to the United Kingdom for three years of overseas experience. Back home, he resumed his work for Ludwig and stayed with that firm for a further eight or nine years, when he made a radical change in direction by taking up a job underground for state-owned Solid Energy in Huntly. He was with the doomed coal company for 10 years before being made redundant, and after a year filling in elsewhere was offered a contract by Fonterra in the cream plant at Te Awamutu, starting in 2014. Post-Covid, Bevan was looking for a new challenge, and purchased the existing BMC Cranes from a friend early in 2021. He also transitioned into contracting for the Fonterra projects team about this time, and found himself frantically busy meeting the demands of both jobs. Bevan works mostly by himself on the crane, though he previously had his son Francis available to help him out as needed, but with Francis away playing rugby in France at the moment, Bevan calls in friends, and/or his stepson Kane, to help out from time to time. “I’m busy enough at Fonterra, so I don’t chase the crane work, but the business is there for me to fall back on if I need to,” he says. ing working with the Waikato District Health Board to assess and remediate fire-safety systems across multiple facilities. As the business expanded, so did its service offerings. Simply Fire now designs, installs, and maintains fire-alarm systems throughout the Waikato region, extending down to Taupo. Their team ensures fire alarms meet the latest regulations and building codes, working closely with schools, on government projects, and commercial developments. “We manage about 150 sites in the Waikato, testing their fire alarms monthly,” Jamie says. Completing their fire-safety trifecta, Simply Fire provides, installs, and maintains a range of fire-protection equipment, including extinguishers, blankets, and related systems. They cater to businesses across Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty, ensuring fire-safety equipment is compliant and operational at all times. The company partners with industry leaders such as Pertronic, a trusted manufacturer of advanced fire-detection and alarm systems. “Pertronic has been a fantastic supplier. Their reliability and experience in the industry make them a great fit for us,” Jamie says. Simply Fire’s supplier network also includes Ryan Fire, a passive fire-protection provider that has been instrumental in testing and developing new systems. Bevan operates just a single 4WD Isuzu D-Mac utility with a Maxi-Lift 380.4 crane. NZ’S LEADING PASSIVE FIRE SUPPLIER NZ MADE NZ TESTED www.ryanfire.co.nz 09 443 0362 Stainless Steel Fabricators, Welders and Fitters based in the Waikato Continuous Stainless offers onsite and mobile stainless steel fabrication, welding and fitting services of a high professional standard. Whether its industrial, commercial, residential or customised, we can fabricate and install. Talk to our team about your project today. 027 847 6038 James | 022 588 3411 Matai info@continuousstainless.co.nz Commercial & Industrial Residential Custom Projects Maintenance & Repair www.continuousstainless.co.nz
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=