46 | Vida Precast Ltd T T Richard Loader Shift from dairy farming to building The bulk of Vida Precast’s projects are for commercial builders. “All our products are manufactured here in Matamata, and then transported to site where the construction company erects the panels. Because of the weight of the elements we tend to stick to projects within the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The team at Vida Precast Ltd often go on a bus trip around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions to view buildings that they have been part of in the construction process, to appreciate first-hand what they have helped to achieve. Vida Precast has been part of the wider Nauhria Group since 2017, and the Group’s Mission is to help build a greater and safer New Zealand. “For the team to see these concrete structures and for us to say this is your legacy and what you have achieved during your working lives, is something they can be really proud of,” says Dan Wong, Vida Precast’s General Manager/Director. “Vida Precast’s success is about the people. I have a very good team, very dedicated and they believe in what we’re trying to do here. They are all pretty good folks; like me they just want to have a good place to work and enjoy coming to work. We have fun, get amongst it and get it done.” A carpenter by trade, Dan had been working on the family’s dairy farm when he reached a crossroad in the farm’s direction, deciding in 2014 to take a new tack and lean on his carpentry background. “I bought an existing agricultural construction business based in Matamata that built some concrete products, with the intention of turning it into a commercial pre-cast company. A few years later we became part of Nauhria Group, which is a huge manufacturing and construction business in Auckland.” Over a ten-year period, Dan has grown Vida Precast from a team of about 12 to a team of 28 staff, and completely changed the product offering from 100% agricultural to be 100% manufacturers of commercial and residential precast products. “We don’t do any site-based work anymore,” says Dan. “All our products are manufactured here in Matamata, and then transported to site where the construction company erects the panels. Because of the weight of the elements we tend to stick to projects within the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. “We will send panels to Auckland to support the Nauhria plant when needed, and they will also support us if we need help due to workload.” The bulk of Vida Precast’s projects are for commercial builders, routinely servicing the same seven or eight builders, following a tender process. Projects might be for large single level buildings that include a large commercial space with an office on the front, while substations also form a large percentage of work and are highly complex requiring lots of ducting for cables. “About eight percent of our work is for residential builders, and that’s for very high spec architectural homes. We typically have at least one of those on the go at any one time. A very small percentage of our work is for private people. For example, we’re currently building four precast walls for a client’s 5m x 2m compost bin.” Effectively supplier/subcontractors to commercial construction companies and residential builders, Vida Precast responds to tender invitations, and if successful produces a set of shop drawings based on the documentation supplied by the client. “Those drawings are approved by the engineers and architects, we then procure and manufacturer the product, and deliver it to site. The Readymix is supplied by Bowers Brothers Concrete. Every day we’re pouring panels, lifting panels, resetting panels, and transporting panels. We do four main line classes; precast concrete panels which are flat panels of thicknesses varying from 100mm to 300mm, we do precast concrete columns, precast concrete beams, and we do precast concrete stairs.” Dan says the key reason that people use concrete panels in commercial buildings is fire protection. “It allows developers to build to the boundary, and as a commercial developer you want to maximise every square metre you can get. In the absence of fire protection, you have to be twelve to fifteen metres plus from the boundary. “A key benefit of pre-cast concrete panels built off site is that they are delivered finished, erected and installed and it is in place. Whereas you can opt to pre-cast on site and tilt up, but everything has to be built on site in all sorts of weather, so many builders prefer off-site precast, because they have greater control of their programmes.” Precision & General Engineering CNC Machining, Turning, Milling, Drilling, Welding, Rolling, Plasma Cutting, Profile cutting and CAD drawing and design. (07) 888 8075 colchester.co.nz FINANCIAL ADVICE Insurance KiwiSaver & Investment Mortgages & Lending Employee Benefits www.totallife.co.nz 0800 267 768 Tota l L i f e More financial advice to more NZer's SUPERIOR QUALITY. Gregory Draughting provides detailed and accurate documents tailored to each projects needs. All of our projects are modelled in 3D using Revit and/or Microstation Software. With the use of 3D modelling we can provide high quality and accurate documents. Proudly Supporting Vida Precast Ltd +64 6 358 8853 todd@gregorydraughting.co.nz www.gregorydraughting.co.nz
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=