| 85 Diversifying to build year-round resilience In February, Three Rivers Contracting introduced a new blower truck for delivering stock feed. Kelly Deeks RURAL SERVICES » Three Rivers Contracting Southland’s Three Rivers Contracting continues to go from strength to strength, expanding its services and creating more full-time employment opportunities while keeping its focus firmly on supporting the local community. Managing director Jeff Robinson says the company has stayed true to its agricultural contracting roots, while diversifying to build year-round resilience. “The foundation of the business is still the same - ag contracting, silage, balage, and cultivation - but we’ve grown our services quite a bit more,” Jeff says. “We’ve always done trucking, but this year we’ve really expanded in that space.” In February, Three Rivers Contracting introduced a new blower truck for delivering stock feed, giving farmers more flexibility. “You can blow feed straight into farmers’ silos, or use it as a normal bathtub truck when needed,” Jeff explains. “The trucks complement our ag work really well, filling our quieter times and letting us deliver our own products while also doing more for others.” That drive to make the business more self- sufficient led to one of the company’s biggest recent moves - purchasing a local quarry, now operating as MI Aggregates. “It was a good opportunity to keep that resource available for the community.” With its own crusher, diggers, and loaders, MI Aggregates is already supplying rock for Three Rivers’ own jobs and for other contractors across the district. “The timing couldn’t have been better,” Jeff says. “We’ve had strong demand for on-farm earthworks this season, and that gave the quarry a great start.” Not content to stop there, Jeff has also turned his attention to another innovative venture with Agrap, a new brand of silage wrap he personally developed after struggling to source a consistent quality product. “I wanted something that met European standards and performed better for contractors and farmers,” he says. “So I started working on my own recipe, visiting factories overseas and testing different options until I found the right one. It’s been a passion project about two years in the making, and I’m proud of the result.” Jeff says the new product line offers farmers a cost-effective, high-quality option while giving Three Rivers Contracting more control over the materials it relies on. “It started as a solution for our own problem, but now it’s about helping others too. Agrap is designed by contractors for contractors.” Three Rivers Contracting employs between 18 and 24 staff through most of the year, peaking at more than 30 during summer. Jeff says the goal is to reduce the seasonal swings that traditionally define the contracting industry. “Creating full-time work and career progression opportunities for local people is a big part of what we’re doing,” he says. “The quarry, the transport side, and Agrap all Proud to supply Three Rivers Contracting FOR ALL YOUR WELDING AND ENGINEERING SUPPLIES 27 North Road | 161 Bond Street | Office: 03 215 9064 Cellphone: 027 503 7853 Email: gwsales@geowilson.co.nz George Wilson Sales Ltd. help flatten out those seasonal curves.” Jeff says it’s a model more contractors are now striving for. “The whole look of the industry is changing. We want to be that one-stop shop - a contractor that can do it all, all year round.” DRIVING LOCAL FARMERS SINCE 1958 JJ LtdGore - 03 203 9970
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