54 | RURAL SERVICES » Driver Laser Drainage Service offering has grown over time Sue Russell Drainage on farms and in orchards is vital work, creating optimum soil conditions for pasture to grow well in. While the company has ‘drainage’ in its name, Dargaville-based Karl Driver of Driver Laser Drainage says it actually offers a wider-array of services, from drainage, earthworks, excavation, preparing house sites, cartage by trucks and general rural contract work. Karl’s been in the industry for 30-odd years and says the service offering has just naturally grown over this time. He works over a large geography, from Kaitaia in the north to Helensville in the south, and through to the east and west coasts. Working with Karl is a core team of about 4 full-time staff, however in the busier times of the year that number can jump to as many as 10. “These days I’m finding it harder and harder to find people. To find people who want to engage in diverse jobs and be versatile isn’t so easy any more. Most people these days just want to do one thing and that doesn’t work in my game,” says Karl. Drainage on farms and in orchards is vital work, creating optimum soil conditions for pasture to grow well in. Karl says he’s accummulated years of experience providing subsurface drainage and has all the equipment needed to undertake it. Along with having the team to undertake general rural contracting work, Karl also has equipment available for hire. “With our drainage work we’re specialists in the Northland region for subsurface drainage services including all pipline cleaning and trenching projects. We like nothing more than a challenging drainage project.” Orchard drainage is another important service Karl and the team offers the region, where horticulture is a significant sector impacting positively on the region’s economy. “It’s critical for orchardists that they have the very best growing conditions for their fruit. We can precisely install drainage technologies in exactly the right place to give growers the best results. Drainage significantly impacts crop yields and quality.” Work in orchards tends to occur towards the winter months, preparing the ground for optimum growing conditions for fruit in spring and summer. Asked about maintaining his gear Karl says he looks after the bulk of that ongoing work himself. Karl enjoys still being actively on the tools on a day to day basis and says the team he has with him at the moment are skilled and hard-working. Like him, they want to see a job well done. “We all take a lot of satisfaction when we step off the land, knowing its in the best possible situation for its intended uses. A lot of our work is repeat and word spreads about what we can deliver mainly by word of mouth from our customers, which is really satisfying.” Work is delivered through the standard working week of Monday to Friday, however its common to put in 12-14 hour days at times, depending on the project at hand. Karl’s work is impacted by the weather and he’s noticed that the dollops of rain these days are much more significant in terms of impacting the land than they once were. “There’s definitely a lot more rain happening for sure.” And having the general contracting work as part of the business is a very good thing Karl says. When drainage, trenching work and the like is slower, the range of gear and work Karl and the team can take on, makes the business viable. “I’m more than happy to talk a particular project through with a potential customer. There’s isn’t much I haven’t turned my hand to and the quality of our work is well known in the district.” “With our drainage work we’re specialists in the Northland region. We like nothing more than a challenging drainage project.” •Drainage/Waterline/ Power Cable Trenching Ph Karl: 027 493 2206 www.driverlaserdrainage.co.nz Gunson McLean CHART E R ED ACCOUNTANT S Find us at 6HPHQR 6WDGLXP :KDQJDUHL 3RWR 6WUHHW 'DUJDYLOOH &DOO XV RQ RU HPDLO DGPLQ#JXQVRQPFOHDQ FR Q] ZZZ JXQVRQPFOHDQ FR Q] 3URXG WR VXSSRUW 'ULYHU /DVHU 'UDLQDJH • &DVKΌRZ IRUHFDVWLQJ • 3D\UROO VHUYLFHV • 6XFFHVVLRQ (VWDWH SODQQLQJ • 7D[DWLRQ *67 • )LQDQFLDO ,QYHVWPHQW SODQQLQJ • %XGJHWLQJ 6WUDWHJLF SODQQLQJ
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=