| 63 CONTRACTING Master Craft Concrete Pumping Grout Pumps Mobile Concrete Pumps High Rise Concrete Placing Booms Grout, Mortar & Plaster Pumps Stationary High Rise Concrete Pumps Crete Buster Spare Parts New Zealand’s leading supplier of concrete pumping equipment CPE provides a superior level of expertise, technical assistance, maintenance advice & training programs. We o er longer lasting, better-performing machinery & spare parts. 06 368 4044 | sales@cpenz.co.nz | 47 South Road, Levin For expert advice on your next project give us a call. WWW.CONCRETEPUMP.CO.NZ T T Hugh de Lacy Pumping investment paying off Master Craft Concrete Pumping was established in August 2024, and soon after that, took delivery of its state-of-the-art German Putzmeister concrete boom pump set up on a Scania P450 truck. “The pump is Putzmeister’s most popular, with a 38.5-metre five-stage boom capable of jobs of any size.” A reputation for service and safety built up over a decade and a half in the concrete- pumping industry in Central Otago and elsewhere has enabled Alistair Corbett and partner Rebecca Hodgkinson to launch out on their own with a flash new pump and truck in Wanaka. Master Craft Concrete Pumping was established in August 2024, and soon after that, took delivery of its state-of-the-art German Putzmeister concrete boom pump set up on a Scania P450 truck. “The pump is Putzmeister’s most popular, with a 38.5-metre five-stage boom capable of jobs of any size,” Rebecca says. “It features greatly reduced boom vibration, backed up by the latest hydraulic dampening systems to deliver more precise concrete placement in a cleaner, safer way.” Putzmeister – the name translates as Plaster Master – is based in Aichtal, Germany, and is the world’s leading manufacturer of pumps for water, compost, sewage and fly ash. “The whole set-up cost us a good few dollars, and we had to take a deep breath and take on a considerable debt load to pay for it, but the investment has turned out to be worth it, with the new unit performing brilliantly,” Rebecca says. Alistair had run his late father John Corbett’s concrete pumping companies for about 15 years, but on John’s death they were sold off, and the couple had to take serious stock of the situation. Already highly respected as a concrete pump operator in Wanaka, Queenstown and Blenheim, Alistair had a reputation that ensured an enthusiastic reaction from Wanaka and other district building companies. “What made the purchase of the new plant viable was the standing that Alistair had built up in the local construction industry working for his father. “He was known for his skill, his safety and his utter reliability – things that money just can’t buy,” Rebecca says. Master Craft Concrete Pumping quickly found itself involved in a range of commercial and residential projects, mostly in Wanaka itself, but also in the outlying areas. The Lakefront Apartments on the shores of Lake Wanaka, the Cardrona ski-field project, Cook Brothers’ commercial building and Power Sports’ new premises were all projects in which the company had a role. Demand has been steady to strong since Master Craft Concrete Pumping was established – surging with good economic news and holding steady through the bad. “We’ve felt the impact of the Iran war through a more than 100% jump in diesel prices, which we have no choice but to pass on,” Rebecca says. “The cost of fueling the pumping unit has doubled from around $500 to over $1000, and that’s a big adjustment to make. It’s had a big impact with some intending builders holding back on their plans till the economic repercussions have resolved themselves, but we’ve still got a steady workflow. “Alistair has a strong focus on safety, because he’s seen how under-experienced some overseas workers are, and the risks are just now being recognised. “Health & Safety have been keys to his building his reputation,” she says.
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