70 | CIVIL CONSTRUCTION Wanaka Civil T T Kim Bowden Agile contractors focus on quality While they are based in Wanaka, more than half of their work is over the Crown Range in Queenstown. A small, family-owned civil construction company with a sharp focus on roading work is developing a reputation for its do-it-once, do-it-right work ethic. Wanaka Civil was born five years ago, when co-owner Fletcher Cranfield decided to swap project oversight for hands-on delivery – back to what he had been doing earlier in his career working for a tier 1 civil construction company. Several years on, Fletcher was joined by his brother-in-law, Henry Wilson, who bought into the business. Together, they now lead a team of eight across three crews. The pair have carved out a niche, opting to stay small and specialised, focusing on doing one thing exceptionally well instead of spreading the business too thin. “We have no desire to get big and try and take over the world – we just want to stay lean and agile and respond to the market,” Fletcher says. “Time is money, so our philosophy is, the quicker the team can do a job the better, but always with that focus on quality – you don’t get paid to do it twice, so we do it once, do it right.” They are doing jobs for district councils, the New Zealand Transport Agency, and private developers, as well as subcontracting to bigger companies. “We could be rebuilding a section of highway, or we could be going into a new subdivision and building a road in there,” Fletcher says. While they are based in Wanaka, more than half of their work is over the Crown Range in Queenstown, with Hanley’s Farm, a 2200-lot development on the town’s southern fringe, a cornerstone project for the team. They are also willing to travel further afield, with a solid portfolio of work accrued in and around Oamaru and throughout Southland. Staff recruitment is probably their biggest challenge, Fletcher says. “It is always front of mind for us. We’ve got a good reputation in the market for delivering high-quality projects, so making sure we’ve got skilled and experienced staff to do that is very important, and that’s often a challenge in this region.” For Fletcher, holding on to his team comes down to ensuring a steady pipeline of projects, paying fair wages, and reacting quickly to what the team needs, whether it’s gear, support, or just a sense of being seen. “We’re agile – if someone needs something, we just go and do it. There’s no approvals process or layers of management. If we need a new bit of kit, we go buy it, and the guys appreciate that.” Fletcher’s not afraid to get his boots muddy, either. “They like seeing the business owners onsite,” he says. “I’ll jump in on the roller or jump in with a crew. You hear about the real issues that way, and you can fix things straight away. It makes a big difference being face to face.” Operating in Queenstown, where space and supply chains are squeezed, adds another hurdle, which requires strong project management and local contacts to surmount, Fletcher says. “There is plenty of traffic congestion, and getting your raw materials is an issue, so we work closely with other contractors to help us with that. Gravel gets carted out of Fairlight, for example, and you’ve got to go through Kingston to get there, which is a big turnaround.” Political and funding pressures can have an impact on smaller operators like Wānaka Civil as well, and a shake-up is on the horizon. Ten years of being locked out of much of the road building work on state highways, due to pavement renewals being rolled into long-term maintenance contracts, “turned the industry upside down,” Fletcher says. Now, a new maintenance delivery model is set to open up 20% of work on the national network to contestable tender, giving Wanaka Civil a long-awaited shot at projects they have had the capability for, but not the access to. “We’re NZTA pre-qualified, so we have access to that work, which is very exciting for us.” It’s good news, particularly with local government roading projects impacted by other political manoeuverings. “There seems to be a large focus on the three waters upgrades at the moment, which means the roading budget tends to take a hit,” Fletcher says. MOBILE AGGREGATE CRUSHING WITHIN SOUTHLAND AND CENTRAL OTAGO WE HAVE SEVERAL PITS AROUND SOUTHLAND FOR EITHER CONTRACT CRUSHING OR WITH STOCK READY FOR SALE DEMOLITION WASTE RECYCLING creating your outdoor dream • Bulk Earthworks • Truck Cartage • Site Preparation • Landscaping • Ready lawn • Hydroseeding • Fencing • Retaining Walls • Planter Boxes Cellphone 022 647 1390 office@quantumlandscaping.co.nz quantumlandscaping.co.nz
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