| 65 CONTRACTING Canterbury Concrete Cutting NZ CERTIFICATE IN INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS LEVEL 2 GET HANDS ON WITH THE GEAR AND LEARN IT PROPERLY. siadmin@vhnz.co.nz 0800 72 33 848 verticalhorizonz.com FREE TRAINING! * *eligibility criteria applies T T Kelly Deeks New machine brings immediate benefits Concut provides a full suite of services, including wall sawing, wire sawing, diamond drilling, scanning, controlled bursting, and internal demolition and excavation. “It keeps people out of high-risk areas, gives very controlled demolition, and improves productivity without compromising safety.” Canterbury Concrete Cutting (Concut) is combining specialist skill, advanced machinery, and a strong safety culture to stay at the forefront of concrete cutting and excavation across the South Island, delivering precise results on complex projects, while helping reduce risk on-site. The family-owned business, established in 1970, has grown into one of New Zealand’s largest concrete-cutting operators, employing more than 40 staff and working across civil, commercial and infrastructure developments. Director Jamie Duff says continual investment in people and technology is what keeps the company moving forward. “We want to lead the field,” Jamie says. “Our vision has always been about machinery and technology. If you can reduce human risk and bring in smarter equipment – that is hugely important in this industry.” That commitment is clear in the recent addition of a remotely operated 1.7 tonne demolition excavator, a specialist machine Concut has introduced to improve safety and productivity on difficult sites. The compact unit allows operators to work from a safe distance while carrying out demolition in hazardous or confined environments. Jamie says the machine was a significant investment, but one the company believed would deliver long-term value for both staff and clients. “They are hard to come by and still expensive, so it was a risk. But we have seen the benefits straight away,” he says. “Customers are excited by it, too. We had a building company come to us specifically because they wanted to see that machine operating.” The machine has already proven its worth on major jobs, where work that would traditionally require several workers over multiple days was completed by one operator in a single day. Jamie says the gains go well beyond speed. “It keeps people out of high-risk areas, gives very controlled demolition, and improves productivity without compromising safety.” While demolition remains an important part of the company’s workload, Jamie says the Christchurch market has evolved significantly in recent years, with increased demand for seismic strengthening and structural alteration projects. “We are doing more strengthening work now on a larger scale,” he says. “That means working closely with structural steel companies such as BRP. We have good relationships, and we figure the projects out together.” One of the company’s most significant recent contracts was the demolition and removal programme at Highbank Power Station near Methven. The 10-week project required crews to operate around the clock on 12-hour shifts, removing 800 tonnes of concrete from the 85-year-old facility while managing a demanding rural location on the banks of the Rakaia River. Despite the scale and pressure of the programme, the result was one of Concut’s proudest achievements. “We had seven extra days of work added to the contract and still finished 10 days early,” Jamie says. He says the project also lifted confidence within the team. “It was a job many people did not want to take on, but the team really enjoyed it in the end. “Having the full demolition contract ourselves, rather than being a subcontractor gave us a lot of confidence.” Alongside major projects, Concut continues to provide a full suite of services, including wall sawing, wire sawing, diamond drilling, scanning, controlled bursting, and internal demolition and excavation. With in-house engineering support, an extensive fleet, and a willingness to invest early in new technology, Concut is proving that precision contracting today is as much about innovation and planning as it is about cutting concrete.
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