14 | Taranaki construction firm a name in The team also construct feed pads, yards, maize and silage bunkers, and commercial chicken sheds as part of their wide range of services. Rosa Watson For more than 40 years, Inglewood-based Construction Company Fabish and Jackson has carved out a name in innovative constructive services The company were the developers behind the Octa-lock dairy parlour, that remains a high quality, functional and effective option for dairy farmers. Forty-four years ago, owner Steve Fabish was asked to designed a free-standing shed that could house a rotary parlour. “And that’s what started it,” he tells Rural North magazine. The parlours are based on an octagonal design, with their key structural elements including Glulam (glued, laminated timber) structural beams that the company manufactures at one of its sites. The design suits the installation requirements for a rotary milking platform, and it has a smaller building footprint than conventional buildings for a given turntable size. “It has a bigger platform and less wasted area,” Steve explains. While the downturn was having a “massive effect”, they were still carrying on with the design of it and making modifications. Timber paneling around the outside has been replaced with concrete precast panels, and timber poles have been replaced with steel. “Basically, timber wasn’t going to last in the ground as long as steel,” Steve said. The shed has gradually become bigger, starting off as a 17-cow rotary growing to a 60-cow rotary. The company has even built a 100-cow rotary. “It’s gone through changes over the years, but it’s basically the same process,” Steve said. One thing that remained the same was the laminated beams that make the roof structure. The shed kit sets are made offsite before being installed onsite, which saved time on the job. As well as the sheds, the company also has a team of highly trained skilled staff manufacturing the Glulam beams. These are strong structural beams, RURAL PEOPLE » Fabish and Jackson which have high earthquake resilience, greater fire resistance than other building materials, and treated timber to resist fungal and insect attack. Steve believes there are possibly only about five Glulam manufacturers in New Zealand. “We have a team of highly trained, skilled staff manufacturing laminated Glulam beams.” The team also construct feed pads, yards, maize and silage bunkers, and commercial chicken sheds as part of their wide range of services. The company employs seven full-time staff and has taken on an apprentice. The Glulam beams are produced out of a 400sqm workshop that also houses the joinery shop, and there is a 150spm engineering shed. Timber is sourced out of the Waikato region. The company hadn’t been able to escape the effect of the downturn, and Steve was concerned at how high costs were becoming. “The cost of building is going to go up again, and it’s not letting up.” The agriculture sector was being hit hard, he said. And in the dairy sector, the payout was significantly down. While in the first years of the business dairy sheds were the main area of work for the company, it was no longer the case. “The downturn is having a massive effect. We used to do four or five a year – big dairy sheds.” But while the economic environment continues to affect business, he said their main work would continue to be new builds and renovations. Free Quotes Stratford - 06 765 4094 Jason - 027 413 1225 bunnearthmoving@xtra.co.nz Bunn Earthmoving With well over 20 machines, we have the right one for the job Logging crews, all Metal aggregates, Diggers, Bulldozers, Trucks and Transporter. All work 100% guaranteed. Specialists in all Earthmoving, Logging, Lined ponds and Quarry work Muralflex Cowshed Coatings
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