Volume 32 | Issue 8 | November 2023 www.waterfordpress.co.nz Delivering hope Nelson’s Habitat for Humanity is helping families to attain a decent home of their own. Page 94
2 | Contents 26|Alpine luxury Mt Cardrona Station development offers contemporary living in an alpine environment. 54| Barging on Picton’s Kenny Barging has a long and proud history in the Marlborough Sounds. 104| Buzzing with excitement Taylor Pass Honey has been internationally recognised for its ongoing commitment to sustaintability. 54 104 26 These conditions are prescribed for the sake of understanding between the Company and its clients. Advertising is charged for on the basis of space taken up using a standard tabloid page. Actual space may be reduced during the printing process but this will effect all advertisers equally so no credit will be given for any reduction in size due to processing. The Company reserves the right to alter, change or omit entirely any advertisement or article that it considers to be objectionable or which may contravene any law. In the event of a failure on the part of the Company to insert advertising as instructed the Company may publish the advertisement at the first available subsequent reasonable date unless the advertisement features date sensitive material. Every care shall be taken to publish the advertisement in accordance with the advertisers instructions as to page and position but the Company reserves the right for whatever reason to place advertising in a different position and in doing so shall incur no liability whatsoever. Advertisers must advise Business South immediately of any error or omission in advertisements and shall work constructively to remedy the situation which in the first instance shall be a rerun of the corrected advertisement in the next available issue of Business South. Where advertisement proofs have been faxed or mailed to the client 48 hours prior to the nominated printing cutoff time acquiesce shall be taken as confirmation and acceptance. Corrections made by telephone shall be accepted but the Company reserves the right to decide whether a further proof should be faxed or mailed to the client. Accounts for advertising are due for payment within seven days of publication of the newspaper. Accounts not paid within this time may incur a penalty of 3% per month until the account is paid. Any debt collection costs incurred by the Company will be added to the account of the debtor. Views and opinions expressed in Business South are not necessarily those of the editors, Waterford Press Ltd or publisher. Business South welcomes contributions from freelance writers & journalists. All articles published at editors discretion. Business South accepts no responsibilty for loss of photos or manuscripts. #businesssouth #yourstory www.waterfordpress.co.nz Ngāi Tahu Property ........................................................03 Fulton Hogan ..................................................................04 Halswell Timber ..............................................................06 Design Energy .................................................................08 Smart Machine ...............................................................09 Fonterra Edendale .........................................................10 Silver Fern Farms - Pareora ..........................................12 C King Construction .......................................................16 Todd Mudie Group ........................................................17 Port Blakely .....................................................................18 Fahey Design ..................................................................20 No8 Distillery ..................................................................23 Dunedin Self Storage .....................................................24 Morton Property Group ................................................26 Quartz Development Group .........................................30 Modcon Projects ............................................................33 Inverurie Estate ..............................................................34 Qestral Corporation .......................................................36 Joseph & Associates .......................................................40 Gull NZ .............................................................................41 Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade - Fulton Hogan ..........42 Fulton Hogan Ashburton ..............................................43 Linton Contracting .........................................................44 E.D. Swain .......................................................................45 Clyne & Bennie ...............................................................46 Transit Homes & Haulage .............................................47 R&R Hiab Services ..........................................................48 Heavy Diesel Parts and Services ..................................50 Dunedin Truck Servicing ...............................................53 Kenny Barging ..............................................................54 MD Engineering ..............................................................57 Seafarer Marine Engineering ........................................58 Architype .........................................................................60 Choice Architecture .......................................................62 Geoff Tune Architecture ................................................63 Cadzow Design - Cook Brothers ...................................64 CA Architecture ..............................................................65 Stephan Meijer Architecture .........................................66 NB Architects ..................................................................68 Paul Rolfe Architects ......................................................69 Husk Design + Draft .......................................................70 W Hamilton Building ......................................................74 Bennett Homes Southland ...........................................78 Fraemohs Homes - Tasman ..........................................80 Versatile Homes Invercargill .........................................82 Bruce Ensor Builders .....................................................84 SJ Mitchell Building ........................................................85 McKay Brothers Building ...............................................87 David Wraight Cottages.................................................88 Smith & Sons - Queenstown .........................................89 GE Construction .............................................................90 Deborah Still Interior Design ........................................91 Ashburton College .........................................................92 Habitat for Humanity.....................................................94 Hillmorton Hospital Christchurch ................................98 Takahanga Community Facility ..................................100 Whittle Knight ...............................................................101 Bangor Farm .................................................................102 Taylor Pass Honey .......................................................104 OUR PARTNERS: Christchurch Office 112 Wrights Road, Addington, Christchurch Phone 03-983 5500 PO Box 37 346 www.waterfordpress.co.nz Queenstown Office 70 Glenda Drive, Queenstown 9300 PO Box 2581, Wakatipu MANAGING DIRECTOR James Lynch james@waterfordpress.co.nz BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Chris Pearce chris.pearce@waterfordpress.co.nz EDITORIAL Editor Nick Gormack nick@waterfordpress.co.nz Sub-editors Paul Mein, Randall Johnston Journalists Alexia Anderson, Ange Davidson, Kelly Deeks, Hugh de Lacy, Russell Fredric, Richard Loader, Kim Newth, Sue Russell, Karen Phelps, Rosa Watson, Virginia Wright RESEARCH & MARKETING James Anderson, Sam Dart, Chris Graves, Megan Hawkins, Annie Patrick, Chris Pearce, Danielle Percival, Adam Shirra, Leo Smith, Alasdair Thomson sales@waterfordpress.co.nz PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT General Manager Luke Lynch luke@waterfordpress.co.nz Graphic Artists Connor Gosnell, Anton Gray, Francesca Hildawa, Sophie McCleary, Liki Udam art@waterfordpress.co.nz CONTENT COORDINATORS Alissa Crosby, Ann-Marie Frentz, Josie Villa OFFICE AND ACCOUNTS Helen Bourne accounts@waterfordpress.co.nz Jill Holland reception@waterfordpress.co.nz Lyn Barlow lyn@waterfordpress.co.nz
| 3 “To be able to deliver 450 parks within easy walking distance of the hospital is something we’re proud of.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Ngāi Tahu Property: Ngāi Tūāhriri Hospital Car Park T T Kim Newth Car parks a boost for central Chch The new building has ground floor parking, seven levels of parking above, and lifts for accessibility to all levels. Precast Enquiries: 03 384 6364 Proudly supporting Ngai Tahu Communications & Engagement Over 30 Years’ Experience C O N S T R U C T I O N L T D LANYON LE COMPTE & Specialists in: • Thermomass • Concrete Homes • Domestic / Commercial • Precast Concrete • Panels, Beams & Stairs • Domestic / Commercial l , i Lewis Bradford has been delighted to provide the structural engineering expertise for this signi icant building. Congratulations to Ngai Tahu Property, the CDHB and the wider project team on this essential development for the health sector and the people of Christchurch. www.lewisbradford.com On track to open at the end of November is a long awaited new public parking building on the corner of St Asaph Street and Hagley Avenue. Close to Christchurch Hospital, the new building with 450-plus parks will be a welcome addition in the central city. Replacing parks lost due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, the building has been developed in partnership between Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ngāi Tahu Property, Ōtākaro Ltd (now Rau Paenga Ltd) and Te Whatu Ora Waitaha. Ngāi Tahu Property has led the project’s development and will hold the building’s lease for 35 years, with ownership then transferring back to Te Whatu Ora Waitaha. “We hope that the availability of car parking in close proximity to the hospital removes some of the barriers and challenges for patients and their whānau,” says Blair Forgie, Ngāi Tahu Property General Manager. “We are looking forward to providing the essential infrastructure to the community.” This new building will be convenient to the hospital with outpatients just 260-metres away and main hospital entry at 310-metres. Laurie Corbett, Ngāi Tahu Property Development Manager, says anyone with friends or whānau in Christchurch and the wider Canterbury area will appreciate the pressing need in the community for additional parking near the hospital. “To be able to deliver 450 parks within easy walking distance of the hospital is something we’re proud of,” she says. “This is a public carpark, primarily for the hospital and providing a much-needed service. It has capacity to service the local Hagley Park area also. “As this is an on demand carpark, there will be no reserved spaces. As you drive through, all the parks will be visible – you’ll simply loop through the building and park at the first empty one you see. A counter outside the building will show how many spaces are available inside. It is a very ordered, very simple system.” Working to a design by Ikon Architects, Naylor Love has led construction of the steel and concrete building on site. The project’s structural engineer is Lewis Bradford. “We’re really pleased with the whole consultant team. All have been reliable and professional in their approach.” The new building has ground floor parking, seven levels of parking above, and lifts for accessibility to all levels. Including mobility parks on the lower levels, the total number of parking spaces is 463. A number of unforeseen factors contributed to delays on the building, originally projected to open by the end of 2022. “Firstly, we had Covid-related factors. On top of that, ground conditions were challenging with a high water table. That added a lot of time, requiring a very specialised piling solution. We also had to move an oxygen line going through the site.” Once open, people will be able to approach the new building via Riccarton Ave or St Asaph Street. Wilsons Parking will manage the building using automated systems, including automated barrier arms that scan car number plates for ticketing. People will pay for parking at a lobby pay station using either Eftpos or cash. The building will be open 24/7 with no limits on parking times. Cyclists can park for free using covered bike racks on the ground floor. The building will also have eight EV parks with four Meridian free fast charging units.
4 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Fulton Hogan: Te Ara Ihutai Christchurch Coastal Pathway T T Karen Phelps Penguins hasten pathway completion About 200 metres of the pathway, between the Christchurch Yacht Club boatsheds and Shag Rock, are cantilevered out over the AvonHeathcote Estuary. “Outside of those months was our construction window and we doubled our resource for four months to complete any significant works within the penguin habitat area.” Due to some feathered friends taking up residence earlier than expected, a section of the Te Ara Ihutai Christchurch Coastal Pathway has had to be completed in a shorter timeframe than initially anticipated, says Fulton Hogan project manager Kieran Davis. The white-flippered penguins were predicted to begin their moulting and breeding season from mid-November but moved in around August effectively reducing the construction timeframe to just four months. An ecologist monitored the penguin burrows and Fulton Hogan had to ensure noise was kept to a certain decibel rating and set backs instigated to avoid disturbing them. This saw Fulton Hogan significantly re-programme to reduce construction activity during that time and bring in additional resource outside the moulting and breeding season to deliver the project by the required timeframe. At peak Fulton Hogan has had a team of over 40 staff on site. “Outside of those months was our construction window and we doubled our resource for four months to complete any significant works within the penguin habitat area,” explains Kieran. “Quieter finishing works like balustrade installation was done in the breeding and moulting season. It shows our ability to be flexible and work with clients and subcontractors to meet project requirements.” With about 200 metres of the pathway, between the Christchurch Yacht Club boatsheds and Shag Rock, cantilevered out over the Avon-Heathcote Estuary because the road space was limited in that area, Kieran says collaboration has been a key part of successfully delivering the project. Fulton Hogan has worked alongside the client and subcontractor on the design of the cantilevered path foundation. Other challenges included working alongside a narrow roadway while ensuring traffic to Sumner kept flowing. The project included digging back into the road in parts and the water, wastewater and Orion network were renewed before work could commence on the cantilevered path section. Fulton Hogan has also restored a WWII pillbox, which had previously been covered and made into a seat. The Te Ara Ihutai Christchurch Coastal Pathway will run from Ferrymead to Scarborough Beach, Sumner, providing new seaside access for cyclists, pedestrians and other path users. The section Fulton Hogan is working in spans 885 metres, is four metres wide and consists of a -220 metre long cantilevered pathway and -530 metre long asphalt section, the majority of which is supported by a rock retaining wall. Construction also included a new 13-metre timber bridge spanning Rifle Range Drain. The project is using about 6,000 tonnes of locally sourced rock, including rock collected from Sumner Road following extensive damage in the 2010-11 Christchurch earthquakes. At present, as the project nears completion, Fulton Hogan is currently finishing off the cantilevered path section, magnum stone wall and shared path along with the final parts of balustrading. Remaining surfacing of the shared path has just been completed. Kieran says the plan is to open the estuary side path to the public in late October/early November, which will allow Fulton Hogan to finish all the works on the opposite side of the road. Completion date is end of January 2024 and Kieran says Fulton Hogan is on track to deliver the project by the deadline.
Decarbonised Energy Solutions If you are wanting to decarbonise your heating systems, talk to us. We have delivered cost effective solutions without subsidies. 4kW heat energy output 1kW electrical power input 3kW free heat energy from environment FUELED BY COAL, DIESEL OR LPG? In the New Zealand market, Decarbonised Energy Solutions (DES) has continued the development of commercial Variable Flow heat-pump technology as a clean and cost-effective solution for medium temperature boiler replacement applications. In projects to date, Variable Flow heat-pump Technology provides the lowest carbon emission heating technology available on the market today. Variable Flow heat-pumps utilize highly efficient inverter compressors and pumps to deliver heating to the building, with the heat-pumps automatically regulating output to meet the instantaneous heating needs. The Variable Flow system was developed for the Northland Hospitals in 2017 as part of the diesel boiler removal project, with the results so impressive that a new class of heat-pump was developed. Similar technology is also applied to domestic hot water systems. Two of their modular, centralised domestic hot-water systems were selected for the Toiora Cohousing project in Dunedin that recently won the Multi-unit Award at the NZIA 2023 Southern Architecture Awards. Toiora Towards zero-carbon with Variable Flow Heat-pump heating solutions Cohousing is also Aotearoa’s first certified multi-unit passive house project. Business co-founders Vaughn Cooper and Adrian Kerr are proud of the difference they are making with Decarbonised Energy Solutions. “Having all this recognition is fantastic,” says Vaughn. “As a Co-housing project, it really leads the way in showcasing the future of building systems in New Zealand.” A second, 19 unit project in Dunedin’s Student Quarter provides high quality accommodation with extremely low space and water heating requirements. As a former Dunedin Student, “the contrast with how we lived in the 1990’s is stark”, says Adrian. Another recent project for DES - at George Manning Heritage Lifecare in Christchurch - provides a template for decarbonisation of Care-home facilities. The 2022 project involved the replacement of existing diesel space-heating and domestic water heating with Magnus Variable Flow heat pumps. As well, a 30 kWp Solar PV system was installed by Sunshine Solar. Effective integration with the heat-pump system has allowed all the solar energy generated to be consumed on site, avoiding low value exports to the grid. An EECA case study of this project estimates a 97% decrease in annual carbon emissions for heating and annual cost saving of nearly $138,000, (for a payback period of just four years), and without subsidy. “The complete system now runs on less electricity than the site previously used – bringing huge operational cost savings - and we have completely eliminated the use of diesel.” All DES projects are supported by the InControl Remote Monitoring system allowing detailed energy performance data from the day the units are installed. A key advantage is should there be any issues, the problem can usually be identified before a technician goes to site reducing cost and downtime. Magnus Variable Flow heat-pumps are locally made to last in New Zealand condition’s salty maritime environment by Temperzone, the largest manufacturer of commercial building heating systems in Australasia. “For heat-pump to be worth the initial investment, not just financially but also the embodied energy incurred during manufacture and installation, they have to last. Units that need to be replaced after 10 years are not the answer to decarbonising our energy systems” says Adrian. The Magnus heat-pumps are designed to last 15-20 years of reliable operation, with parts being available fromTemperzone for the life of the unit. Government investment in decarbonisation of industry has opened up exciting co-funding opportunities for commercial, horticultural and industrial businesses. Magnus based systems qualify for EECA’s Clean Tech Hot-Water Heat-Pump Programme. DES is an EECA approved installer and provides all aspects of project delivery from design and supply of equipment to installation and servicing. CONTACT Decarbonised Energy Solutions Adrian Kerr - M: 021 345979 Vaughn Cooper - M: 021 482667 E: contact@decarbonised.co.nz W: www.decarbonised.co.nz
6 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Halswell Timber - Christchurch Ange Davidson Timber specialist serves growing market Halswell Timber’s premises in Christchurch - the machinery is separated into three sites to ensure the plant can always stay in production. Your True Partners in all packaging requirements. Proudly supporting Halswell Timber www.acepackaging.co.nz | jason@acepackaging.co.nz We have been proudly supporting Halswell Timber. 319 Brougham Street, Christchurch P: 03 365 0907 M: 027 439 7825 Email: info@pyeelectrical.co.nz www.pyeelectrical.co.nz CONNECTING YOU TO THE RIGHT SOLUTION If you’ve tackled a renovation project on an old house, or built a new architectural home, chances are you’re familiar with Halswell Timber. The family-owned business has been supplying retail and commercial customers throughout New Zealand with timber products since its doors opened in 1997. I spoke with Jill Dawson General Manager and Mark Batten the Yard Manager. The company has expanded its repertoire since 1997 and now 85% of orders are machined into a finished product such as weatherboards, decking, window reveals, flooring, fencing, laminated stair treads and tops, mouldings, and customised timber profiles. The popularity of natural timber in building keeps growing and the company now imports exotic timbers like Western Red Cedar, American Oak, Red Oak, Ash, European Beech, Kwila, Garapa and Purple Heart Decking. Timber is a beautiful natural product that’s always needed and always trendsetting. A lot of new homes are using timber as a feature like an entrance way or panelling. They can custom machine any profile for mouldings and skirtings, or laminate timber for large benchtops, stair treads, tables, and Vanity Tops. Specialised profile machining has become a big part of the business, and everything is made on site which makes for faster turnarounds, higher accuracy, and the ability to make off-the-shelf and truly custom one-off profiles. They have been creating their own profiles for some time and have a library of knives. They can produce one to match your profile. On site they have 3 moulders that profile all four sides to create a custom profile. There’s a great skill set on-site and it’s incredible what they can achieve. People can bring in samples or a piece of timber they want to match and talk to the sales team to get professional advice. They also offer pre-priming. If a picture says a thousand words, Halswell Timber’s showroom speaks volumes! Specialised products and timbers are on display where customers can feel the texture of the timber and see the variety of colours and applications. There are laminated timber tops, a large variety of flooring, mouldings, panelling and much more. The sales team are available for advice and can provide samples to take home. The sales team all have their own speciality so there’s a huge depth of knowledge inhouse. They also have a sales representative in the North Island. Halswell Timber imports from all over the world and supplies New Zealand native timbers. They have a large inventory of pre run timber available in the racks. The company stock a range of joinery timbers along with timber for building construction and landscaping. Imported timbers such as American white and Red oak are popular for commercial joinery and is used a lot for cafes, bars and furniture. Demand is always high for Western red cedar. Because of its high durability, stability, and light weight, it has established a reputation as an excellent species mainly used for cladding. Laminated panels are made to order for projects that require a wider dimension and are used for timber bench tops, table-tops, stair treads and more. Laminates are manufactured by gluing smaller boards together to the required dimension (length, width, and thickness) and are delivered to customers sanded and ready to finish. The machinery is separated into three sites at Halswell Timber to ensure the plant can stay in production. Different job types are allocated to each site and three separate ducting systems supplied by Egmont Air Ltd ensure clean air and safe working conditions. Treated and non-treated timber shavings and dust are separated by the ducting system with most of the untreated timber shavings being transported to landscaping companies. It is important to Halswell Timber that they can separate the waste product so they can dispose of it responsibly.
| 7 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Halswell Timber - Christchurch Imported timbers such as American white and Red oak are popular for commercial joinery and are used a lot for cafes, bars and furniture. SEEARCO INDUSTRIAL ABRASIVES, NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING COATED AND BONDED ABRASIVE SPECIALISTS. PROUD TO SUPPORT HALSWELL TIMBER LTD CHRISTCHURCH 32 Coleridge Street, Sydenham PH. 03 381 0077 | E. sales@seearco.co.nz AUCKLAND 155 Neilson Street, Onehunga PH. 09 838 1112 | E. salesakld@seearco.co.nz Halswell Timber in Christchurch recently turned to Egmont Air for their industry experience when needing to upgrade their dust extraction system. Egmont Air designed and installed a unique combination of three modular extraction systems that are interconnected. This gives Halswell Timber the ability and diversity to be able to process treated and un-treated products by separating the wood dust & shavings through ilters and fans into separate containers. Haswell’s Machine-shop Manager comments “Fromplans to fruition, the systemworks exactly howwe envisioned, more than halving our downtime”. Mr Todd Prestidge from Egmont Air comments that “Our goal is to provide a dust extraction that increases e iciencies and productivity by removing waste, allowingmachines to performbetter and provide a workplace that is healthy and clean from respiratory dusts” Established in 1996, ccontrolling dust for healthy workplace environments has seen Egmont Air Ltd become industry leaders in dust and fume extraction solutions. Egmont Air can design, specify and recommend an extraction system to A Legacy of Timber suit your application using a proven 11-step quality check process to ensure you receive a top quality and e ective solution. Calculating extraction needs starts by de ining a preliminary scope, an on-site evaluation, documenting the layout of machinery, known and problematic areas, plus any outstanding issues to design an extraction system speci ied tomeet existing requirements and future proof for growth and development. With its own CAD design team, project management, and installation crew, Egmont Air is able to deliver the full solution. Egmont Air have a lot of experience in di erent industries and provide solutions for a range of customers Dust and Fume Extraction requirements whether that’s manufacturing kitchen joinery, boat building, powder coating, spray-painting or agriculture. Egmont Air provide a full back-up service with scheduledmaintenance, a troubleshooting and diagnostic team for on-site analysis of any extraction application or dust and fume issue. For more information, contact www.egmontair.co.nz Before After Clean Air Solutions Increased Productivity & Safety Through Clean Air
8 | Robotics specialist at cutting edge Design Energy is focused on providing practical automation solutions for lower volume, higher product variations. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Design Energy T T Rosa Watson Leading robotic automation in New Zealand We use the power of robotic automation to help our customers become more productive, competitive, and improve their health and safety. 0508 ROBOTS (762 687) | 027 249 3531 paul@designenergy.co.nz | www.designenergy.co.nz 1 Tanner St, Woolston www.contex.co.nz 03 389 9296 postmaster@contex.co.nz Proudly supporting Design Energy A Christchurch-based robotic automation firm is helping companies across New Zealand to combat the productivity and labour challenges facing the country. Design Energy has been producing robot centred manufacturing equipment since 2007. They have worked with companies across New Zealand, large and small, across a wide range of applications including packing, stacking, cutting, assembly, welding, gluing, liquids handling, nailing, stapling and routing. The company is also involved in robotic research and development projects where entirely new processes and techniques must be developed, proven and then implemented as a fit for purpose, production ready machine. Founder and managing director Mike Shatford gained valuable experience while working in large factories overseas, and was motivated to use his knowledge and experience to help New Zealand companies deploy and enjoy the benefits of automation in their own factories. “Here at home a lot of our work is bespoke, so we must be versatile in our approach and deep in our knowledge, both in the use of robots but also able to understand and bring experience to the table with respect to the actual processes we automate. For example, it would be difficult to automate a welding process without knowing how to weld,” Mike said. The team shares 150 years automation and robotics experience, and has deployed hundreds of robots up and down the country. Mike said robotic automation was growing strongly across the globe. “This is great news for New Zealand producers as new robot technologies are solving old problems every day.” On the other hand, with robotics enabling automation on a much larger scale – over 500,000 new robot installations around the world in 2022 - New Zealand needed to make sure it didn’t fall behind. He said robotic technology producers were highly focused on providing practical automation solutions for lower volume, higher product variations that suit the production model of most small to mediums enterprises, which make up 97 per cent of the country’s businesses. Alongside new, more affordable technology there was a far better understanding of the value of productivity, and the labour related benefits such as cost, safety and labour availability. “The savings are clear. It used to be that value would only be considered in terms of the labour saved. But an increase in productivity provides benefits such as increased revenue, which can far outweigh this, especially where you aren’t keeping up with your orders.” From humble beginnings, Mike worked from home as a design engineer for hire. The company now employs 20 people in its 1600qsm Christchurch facility, and is supported by over 30 local suppliers who manufacture all their custom machine components. The company has five to 10 projects on the go at any one time, with the majority being turn-key solutions – robotic machines which are complete, tested and installed to specification at the customer’s site. “The advantage for customers is that they can get on with what they do best, with the knowledge that Design Energy has the bases covered – one throat to choke as they say,” Mike said, With robots involved in every job, he said it was an interesting place to work. “As our reputation grows, we find ourselves a destination for people with talent, passion and curiosity. And we build more experience and momentum are able to offer more and better learning and career opportunities for our people.” Mike is active in supporting robotic research and development initiatives, and provides industry advisory services to the University of Canterbury, robotic expertise to Callaghan Innovation and to early-to-automation commercial enterprises nationwide.
| 9 T T Richard Loader ‘Oxin’ a game changer for viticulture The Oxin machine is capable of undertaking increased operational functions like mowing, mulching, trimming, defoliating and spraying simultaneously with each row pass, to maximise available operator time and convert this into in-row productive work time. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Smart Machine admin@laserfabriweld.co.nz | 03 548 8620 | 027 235 3480 Nelson based Laser Cutting CNC Pressing, Sheet Metal & Welding Engineers, Stainless specialists, Aluminium Fabrication. POWERING AGRICULTURE 0800 CumminsPh 0800 286 646 cummins.com/engines/agriculture FOR NEW ZEALAND Blenheim based hi-tech company Smart Machine has achieved its goal of reimaging and reinventing the humble tractor for viticultural farmers. Named ‘Oxin’, and now in its fourth generation, the machine is a fully autonomous, tracked machine with smart implements that change the game for growers. Smart Machine’s CEO and co-founder Andrew Kersley says Oxin solves the major issue of sector wide labour pressures, operating with heightened efficiency and sustainability, with the highest levels of precision and safety. “We’ve built the world’s first fully autonomous viticultural tractor, using our product development expertise to combine industrial design, agricultural engineering, AI, IOT, machine vision. cloud computing, mechatronics and a deep understanding of viticultural practises and processes. “Fleets of our machines can be controlled by individual operators and the industry specific design approach has reconfigured a machine more sustainable and suitable for its environment.” Andrew says Oxin is capable of undertaking increased operational functions like mowing, mulching, trimming, defoliating and spraying simultaneously with each row pass, to maximise available operator time and convert this into in-row productive work time. “The Oxin enables growers to consider how they not only use their available labour resources but potentially attract and retain new resources. “It’s effectively a step-change in how you can operationally manage your vineyard. You’re not reliant on the operator skill or the same levels of availability to get a good job done — the capability, precision, safety and data sits within the machinery. “This I believe will enable the operator to focus on additional activities outside of the operational tasks being undertaken.” The first prototype was built in 2019, and Andrew says the team gave themselves 12 months to build the prototype, validate autonomy and test some basic functionality. “Off that back of the proof of concept we built a fleet of generation one machines to validate some of the business productivity assumptions around autonomy. “Over the past four years we have built four generations of the Oxin and supporting implements. Although the general design has remained we have really focused on improving our manufacturability, robustness and reliability transitioning from prototype to production model. “To date we have built twenty-one machines with our first export model now operational in Australia.” Andrew acknowledge there have been significant challenges to overcome both on the business and technology side of the project. “What we’re developing here is fifty separate products rolled into one. There are significant software challenges around autonomous driving, navigation, machine vision, communication and safety. Everything that we’re doing is leading edge. “On the hardware side, we’ve re-imagined and built a 100hp tractor and supporting implements from scratch. When you consider the significant software and hardware challenges alongside the time-frames and resource constraints that come in the start-up space, then to do what we have is incredible, and something that I’m very proud of. “We’ve been fortunate to employ a talented team who have a passion for problem solving, what we’ve built is a credit to them all.” Smart Machine and Oxin was a finalist in both the 2022 and 2023 NZ Hi-Tech awards. Andrew says entering the awards is a great opportunity for technology businesses to share their achievements and acknowledge all the supporting players. “In our line of work your constantly focused on what you can do better. “In some ways you take what you’ve achieved for granted, so it’s nice to take some time out look at what you have done and celebrate.” “Fleets of our machines can be controlled by individual operators and the industry specific design approach has reconfigured a machine more sustainable and suitable for its environment.”
10 | Southland: Fonterra Edendale T T Russell Fredric Top performing plant on a mission Fonterra Edendale factory is recognised as one of New Zealand’s top dairy processing sites. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Southland Plumbing & Pumps 85 Bill Richardson Drive Avenal Invercargill (03) 214 3136 Need Water Filtration? New House Pump? For all your Domestic & Commercial Plumbing, Gas Fitting and Water Filtration needs. Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Civil Engineering, Construction throughout Southland and Central, West and South Otago AJAX BUILDING CONTRACTORS LTD PO Box 388 Gore Mataura Highway GORE 9740 Phone: 03 208 9145 Tom: 027 215 1037 www.ajaxbuilding.co.nz +64 21 684634 sarah.skinner@ixom.com www.ixom.com Proudly supporting Fonterra Edendale Our Key end Markets: Our Products include: • Speciality and commodity chemicals • Membrane chemicals and specialist services • Chemical storage and dispensing equipment solutions • Chemical monitoring and reporting tools • Cleaning verification and validation • Specialist consulting services • Alkali Detergents • Acid Detergents • Membrane Detergents • Specialty Chemicals • Sanitisers • External Cleaners • Food Additives Our Services include: • Cleaning and Process Expertise • Chemical Handling & Storage • Innovation & Development • Total Chemical Management With 140 years of operation to its credit, Fonterra Edendale factory is recognised as one of New Zealand’s top dairy processing sites. A significant employer in Southland with a staff of 650, the plant makes a large financial and social contribution to the region. Every day during the peak season, its fleet of 63 tankers transports 13.5 million litres of milk to the plant for processing into a variety of products, mostly for export, and has continued to enhance its operations through investment in key upgrades, with the most recent designed to mitigate constraints on its water supply. ED1/ED2 south plant manager Julie Walkinshaw says Fonterra Edendale is categorised as a water constrained site. “All of our water that we need to turn milk into a product is sourced from the Edendale aquifer and for the last couple of years we’ve had extremely dry summers in Southland and that’s put a lot of pressure on the aquifer and the province. “It also creates risk to us as a processing site because we don’t have an alternative water source.” Consequently, the plant has invested in a project, known as Cow Water Max, that recycles water from the milk evaporation process. “We capture that, we purify it through a membrane plant, and now we can use it for processing milk. We use it for cleaning silos, cleaning evaporators and dryers.” The result is a reduction in the water abstraction from the aquifer of 750,000 to 912,000 cubic metres of water a year. The project was undertaken over a two year period, with Invercargill engineering firm Bmac Engineering as the main contractor and Tetra Pak New Zealand the designer of the system. “It was a big project that is a big success. To see results almost instantly [on completion] is pretty remarkable.” Nationally, Fonterra is working towards other sustainability goals such as its decarbonisation strategy with the aim of reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and is currently assessing biomass, electrification and heat pump technology at Edendale. Fonterra sees these technologies as the best solutions possible at this stage. Fonterra is also trialling alternative energy options for its tanker fleet and currently has a fully electric tanker, Milk-E, operating in the North Island. “Our onsite pool cars have all been converted over to electric vehicles, that’s where we are heading as well.” Fonterra Edendale produces whole, skim and buttermilk powder and fat filled milk powder. With increased competition for milk supply in Southland and Otago in recent years and a more limited supply, it aims to add as much value as possible from the available milk pool as well as considering future investment in manufacturing higher return products. “That is why in the last substantial expansion we added the milk protein concentrate plant; that’s earning good revenue and we put in an additional AMF line which processes cream into pure fat which is also very valuable. “As a cooperative, we are owned by our farmers and it’s exceptionally important to us to make sure that we add as much value to their product as possible.” Fonterra Edendale has a significant presence in the local community and greatly values this relationship and the support it provides through various programmes and grants. There is an ongoing need for trade and higher educated staff, and vacancies in these areas are often difficult to fill, Julie says. However, Fonterra is very proactive in providing incentives for qualified people to move to the region, and to assist university students with work experience and to become a part of its team when they qualify.
| 11 Southland:Fonterra Edendale With a staff of 650, the plant makes a large financial and social contribution to the Southland region. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Proudly supporting Fonterra Edendale Specialists in mechanical fabrication & installation works
12 | South Canterbury: Silver Fern Farms - Pareora T T Richard Loader Heat pump puts coal on back burner REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Maize & Fodder Beet Precision Planting Chopping - Grass, Maize & Wholecrop Baling - Squares & Rounds - Balage, Hay, Straw Ag Work - Ploughing, Ripping, Direct & Roller Drilling Cartage - Feed Sales - Woodchip Bryce: 027 200 8871 www.sarahssolutions.co.nz "Best training on the planet!" Team Leader, Silver Fern Farms Pareora Solutions for your company through empowering your workforce. As a business, investing in the well-being of your employees is not only a moral responsibility, but it also makes good financial sense. By providing unique and effective training to improve personal, financial, and emotional health, you can create a positive and productive work environment that will ultimately lead to increased business success. sarah@sarahssolutions.co.nz Sarah Searle, Managing Partner T T Ramping up - page 14 With the support of $1 million from the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) fund, Silver Fern Farm’s (SFF) Pareora meat processing facility south of Timaru has recently installed and commissioned a high temperature heat pump to preheat hot water used throughout its processing activities. Pareora’s heat pump is one of three SFF installations, which include the Finegand and Belfast sites and is part of Silver Fern Farms’ significant goal to reduce carbon emissions by 42% by the end of the decade. Costing $2.6 million, the high temperature heat pump was commissioned in July this year, and will shift heating load away from the existing coal boiler. The previous Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Megan Woods, said that between the three sites the heat pumps’ implementation would result in a carbon reduction equivalent to 7000 fossil fuelled cars being taken off the road, explains Pareora Site Manager Bruce McNaught. “The heat pump is designed to recover about 300kw of heat from our refrigeration compressor oil cooling and a further 300kw from our direct ammonia condensing. It then uses that energy to heat our water up to about 62° Celsius. The heat pump system generates about 2,500 kilowatts of hot water when running and uses 40 kilowatts of electricity, giving it an efficiency of 550%. Pareora’s target is to reduce coal consumption by 2000 tonnes per year and we’re well on the way to achieving that target as a result of this project which was commissioned in July 2023. We’re now looking at getting rid of all our coal fuelled boilers and replacing them with two high temperature heat pumps, plus a small electrical boiler.” Bruce says the technology is not new, but the size, scale and complexity of the heat pump is significant and sits within its own two storey pre-cast concrete building. While construction work commenced June 2022, conceptual planning began in earnest two years prior. “Much of the success of the project rested on its planning and scope agreement, before we broke any ground. A lot of pipe bridges had to be built from the existing boiler room, right around the plant to get to the building that houses the heat pump itself. The heat pump had to be integrated into our aging legacy systems and fits in with our six-year plan which includes the construction of a brandnew fit for purpose engine room. The heat pump is a component of our modernisation programme.” While the main installation of the heat pump was carried out by HVAC specialist Revtech, with the support of Christchurch based ACIM Electrical who carried out a significant amount of the electrical work, Silver Fern Farm’s own on-site trades including electricians, engineers and engine room specialists were very heavily involved. “The on-site trades involvement in the project was absolutely critical and was a great example of a combined and united effort. There were a whole lot of moving parts to the project, and everyone shared the same ultimate goal. They have gained a deep understanding about how the complex technology operates, enabling them to resolve issues as they arise.” Bruce acknowledges that in line with any major and complex project there have been a number of teething challenges to resolve and learn from. But he says the project has been highly successful with energy targets being met. “We’re well on our way to our coal reduction targets. I am enormously proud of the project, those involved and what has been achieved. “Over the last three years we have seen significant investment put into modernising the various plants, including Pareora, bringing them up to the high standard of modern food processing facilities.” The heat pump system generates about 2,500 kilowatts of hot water when running and uses 40 kilowatts of electricity, giving it an efficiency of 550%.
| 13 South Canterbury: Silver Fern Farms - Pareora Costing $2.6 million, the high temperature heat pump was commissioned in July this year at SFF’s Pareora plant, and will shift heating load away from the existing coal boiler. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Proud to be a preferred supplier to Silver Fern Farms ENGINEERING • Stainless Steel Fabricators • General Engineers • Sheet Metal Works • Structural Engineers • Precision Engineers • Aluminum Fabricators Proud to be associated with Silver Fern Farms - Pareora menzies.group@xtra.co.nz P O Box 166 timaru 7910 | 03 684 8440 0800 102 324 • ROOFING • PLUMBING • DRAINAGE No Job Too Big Or Too Small 03 684 9100 www.coolpak.co.nz “Coolpak Coolstores Ltd are a Proud Supplier to Silver Fern Farms” Cold Chain Storage Solutions & Service, With You In Mind.
14 | Stock ramps pass muster The unloading of sheep, lamb and bobby calves is now done in one area and reduces a lot of physical handling. South Canterbury: Silver Fern Farms - Pareora REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T Richard Loader Certified plumber & drainlayer with 16 years experience in the industry. We are well known in South Canterbury for being reliable & honest with quality workmanship. Contact us today for all your plumbing requirements. Proudly supporting Silver Fern Farms Pareora 027 207 7274 nick@strachanplumbing.co.nz Newly commissioned stock load-in ramps at Silver Fern Farms’ Pareora meat processing facility just out of Timaru is gaining positive feedback from staff and truck drivers alike, who cite significant reductions to unload times, reduced manual handling and improved animal welfare. Site Manager Bruce McNaught says the Pareora plant is one of the few, if not the only plant in New Zealand, capable of processing goats, sheep and lamb, bobby calves, beef and venison, and had a holding capacity for 14,000 animals in its ovine / bobby calf yards. “Pareora used to be a four-chain plant and we’re now down to two, as a result of the reduction of the national flock, and had sheep yards capable of holding four chains worth of livestock. Also, we now only do sheep, beef and bobby calves. Two years ago, I visited our load-in ramps and saw that they were showing signs of deterioration, and the harsh environmental effects of the neighbouring Pacific Ocean.” From this initial assessment a consultant was engaged to look at the integrity of the structure and load-in ramps, ultimately resulting in the design project, with a view also to reduce the footprint of the holding yards. “Because we’re now down to two chains, we only need a holding capacity of 8000 animals. When we processed bobby calves we had a separate un-loading ramp, which was essentially two forty-foot containers joined together. We wanted to integrate the unloading of sheep and lamb, and bobby calves so that it could all be done in the one area in a very modern and safe environment. As with all animal species, there’s a lot of animal welfare involved, but particularly with bobby calves because they’re only a few days old and take a lot of physical handling. One of the things we FIRE EXTINQUISHER SERVICES 0800 347 392 Fire Equipment Sales & Service Fire Suppression Systems Fire Extinguisher Training Marine • Industrial Commercial • Domestic Rural Insurance Approved Supplier Locally Owned & Operated - IQP Registered • FPA Member Firewatch South Canterbury Ltd www.firewatch.co.nz wanted to concentrate on was reducing some of that physical handling.” The design solution was a bobby calf unload ramp that is effectively a conveyor. The calves come off the truck and onto a conveyor, and onto an 80-metre-long travelator that takes them well into the yards, to be penned for processing. “The travelator takes away a lot of the physical handling. We also looked at the human safety side, and built a lot of interlock switches into access points on the moving conveyor. Sensors on the pad in front of the unloading ramps prevent the ramps from operating unless there is a truck backed up to them. From the unloading point of view, the truck drivers reverse their vehicles up to the conveyor, and must go to the back of ramp to raise or lower it. Everything is guarded to prevent access under the ramp. That all applies to both the sheep and lamb, and bobby calf processes.” While Invercargill company km-mec was engaged to develop a conceptual design for both the load-in ramps, SSF Pareora yard staff were involved in reviewing the designs and providing feedback based upon their hands on experience. The fine-tuned designed load in ramp designs were provided to Christchurch based Southern Engineering Solutions for fabrication, while Menzies Engineering did a lot of work reconfiguring the actual yards themselves and the installation of a new belly wash system. “The reduction in yard size has enabled everything to be brought onto site,” says Bruce. “The old unloading ramps came straight off a public road and this project has enabled the whole thing to be brought within our boundary fence, giving us better control. While it always takes a while for people to adjust to change, there has been very positive feedback from staff and from truck drivers who all appreciate the new safety measures. It had previously been such a manual way of unloading calves that it took a lot of time. We had trucks backed up for quite some time just waiting to be unloaded.”
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