72 | RURAL SERVICES » Summit Earthmoving Summit offering an expanded range of services Its plant includes 14 and 25-tonne excavators, a 25-tonne bulldozer and tip trucks. Karen Phelps Summit Earthmoving & Drainage has transformed from a specialised high country track and fenceline operation into a comprehensive earthmoving business offering an expanded range of services to farmers throughout Southland and West Otago. We bought the company in 2020 about two weeks before the first lockdown,” says Mark Prattley, who co-owns the business with partner Jo Russell who does the company administration work. “That was certainly a bit stressful but it’s proven to be a great decision.” Mark had previously worked alongside the former owner on a beef and sheep station before taking the reins of the business. He also had spent many years working for an agricultural contractor as a manager. While the timing of purchasing the company couldn’t have been more challenging it has achieved significant growth through a deliberate strategy of service diversification and business acquisition. Diggers and tip trucks have been added to the fleet and it acquired a local drainage business, taking on both its equipment and client base. “It’s been a good wee business with great local clients, so it complements what we were already doing,” says Mark. “The work is more farm maintenance-focused so it has given us more security regardless of farming industry fluctuations when farmers tend to halt bigger projects.” After weathering a difficult period when farming struggles impacted demand for earthmoving services, Summit is now experiencing a significant upswing. Business is now flat out after experiencing a noticeable surge after Christmas, says Mark. “We’ve gone from one extreme to the other with the rise in payouts. Bigger jobs that had been put on hold have come back on line again. We’ve taken on a contract operator and we’re still flat out every day.” Bruce Sheat, a qualified builder with extensive digger contracting experience, has brought valuable skills to complement Summit Earthmoving’s expanding workload. From its Riversdale base Summit Earthmoving offers a range of services including new track and fence line construction, track and lane maintenance, paddock contouring, gully filling, general farm maintenance and stock water schemes, ripping and aerating of soil, house and shed site preparation, ponds, stump and tree removal and air strips. Its plant includes 14 and 25-tonne excavators, a 25-tonne bulldozer and tip trucks. One recent significant project involved tidying high country tracks at Glenaray Station, one of the largest privately owned stations in the country. Mark was there for a month, camping out in one of their musters’ huts. The connection runs deep for Mark: “I grew up there as my parents worked there. I’ve worked there in the past as well. In fact it was one of the main reasons I bought Summit Earthmoving as I had a good regular client - General Engineering - Machining - Manufacturing - Hydraulic Hoses - Transport Truck Set-Ups - Truck Decks - Lift Out Sides - Hydraulics Tony Rutherford 0272 465 933 riversdaleengineering@xtra.co.nz 29 Main Wendonside Road, Riversdale We are a specialist bulldozing & earthmoving company, based in Riversdale, Southland. With highly skilled and experienced operators, we have the expertise to provide a top quality finish to every job Professional Earthmoving and Drainage solutions summitearthmoving.co.nz and I love spending time there.” Summit Earthmoving has other substantial projects coming up including a stock water scheme involving 12.5 kilometres of water pipe and 68 troughs while Bruce continues with maintenance work, track improvements and drainage projects. The company’s busy period mirrors the improving agricultural outlook across the region. Talking to my clients, there is a lot of positivity out there at the moment,” says Mark. “It helps the whole rural community and the whole country when things are going well.”
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