| 23 T T Sue Russell Hiab trucks add to company’s growth Midway Cranes and Trucks now has multiple Hiab trucks operating in the region. Midway Cranes and Trucks REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Garry and Heather Crosbie established their main business Mangawhai Engineering & Marine in 2003, and as opportunities presented the business took small incremental steps to grow and develop new services. One of those was to purchase a HIAB Truck to meet the needs of the local community, and be available for hire with a trained operator for various lifting processes. That part of the business is now known as Midway Cranes & Trucks and now has multiple Hiab trucks out operating in the region. The newly formed business is still a great support for the general and structural engineering projects the original business undertakes. Daughter Jessica Crosbie is involved in the family run business and says that the Mangawhai area has been growing since well before the COVID era, meaning there has been a lot of demand to transport structural steel for buildings, cabins and relocatable homes around the district. “We help with any sort of building projects that need materials transported and lifted on to site, and also deal with various lifts at residential properties like spa pools, fireplaces and small sheds,” Jessica explains. Depending on what is being lifted and the hazards or difficulties of the particular site, a job can take from one hour to a full day, or even span over a few days, with an emphasis always on the safety of the operator and others working around the lift area. Demand for services has been solid, with customers sometimes having a one to two week lead time for bookings. Asked what the fleet entails, Jessica says there are two Hiab trucks and one Tipper truck currently in operation, with a third Hiab truck soon to be on the road. “It’s a new PK42 Palfinger mounted on a Hino truck. It will have a similar reach to our existing HIAB which can lift items within weight to 28 metres away from the truck. This will help accommodate for a lot more bookings, so customers aren’t waiting too long to get the job completed.” Mangawhai Engineering & Marine has been building the new Hiab truck and Jessica says it will add real growth to the company and value for clients once it is completed. “We’ve finished works on the chassis and deck, now it is up in Whangarei for the hydraulic fit-out and final certifications and hope to have it in operation by July 2024.” Asked about the need to engage more skilled Hiab operators and truck drivers, Jessica says the business already has operators for the new truck, but if demand continues to be solid, there may well be the need to look at engaging another experienced operator in the future. The business also offers a storage facility for building materials and machinery, and the ability for customers to purchase or hire containers on site. “That’s a great service to offer alongside the transport and lifting.” As for future plans Jessica says the business may explore expanding into the wider Kaipara region, as demand increases. Tina Lenssen 768 Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Rd, Kaiwaka Owner / Operator E office.agridustrial@gmail.com P 09 431 2148 M 021 203 3169 NEED ANYTHING SHIPPING CONTAINER RELATED? YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER IN NORTHLAND SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR HIRE, SALE, MODIFICATION AND RELOCATION - ALL SIZES FREE CALL 0508 732 266 | www.seacontainers.co.nz | sales@seacontainers.co.nz PALFINGER PARTNERED SOLUTIONS • KNUCKLE BOOM CRANES • TAIL LIFTS • HOOKLOADERS • COMPACT AND MARINE CRANES • FORESTRY & RECYCLING CRANES • TAILORED HANDLING EQUIPMENT • NATIONAL SERVICE NETWORK 0800 PALFINGER I PALFINGER.CO.NZ NZ’S NUMBER ONE TRUCK MOUNTED CRANE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=