78 | Shane’s fleet has grown to include five diggers – from 1.7 to 16 tonnes – a bulldozer, a front-end loader, a truck and trailer, rollers, a tree shredder, mulchers, and a rock breaker. Shane Mitchell Contracting CONTRACTING ‘Can do’ approach keeps firm busy T T Kim Bowden Based just outside Arrowtown, a civil construction business is quietly building a reputation for getting challenging jobs done at a fair price. Shane Mitchell Contracting tackles a broad scope of projects, from residential subdivisions to bespoke lifestyle blocks. “Pretty much anything that needs doing with diggers or drainlaying – we do it,” owner Shane Mitchell says. The business started 10 years ago with a single 1.7-tonne digger and a small truck, as Shane backed himself and his work ethic after years in the industry working for bigger players. Today, Shane’s fleet has grown to include five diggers – from 1.7 to 16 tonnes – a bulldozer, a front-end loader, a truck and trailer, rollers, a tree shredder, mulchers, and a rock breaker. Shane says he’s willing to invest in the right equipment to get the job done. “When someone says, ‘Can you do a job?’ we just go, ‘Yep’, and then work out how we’re going do it.” Committing to work others might shy away from is part of the ethos and, in a region crowded with civil contractors, this approach makes the company stand out. The 10-strong team takes on projects that demand skill, flexibility, and a can do attitude. “I like a challenge,” Shane says. “If someone tells me something can’t be done, well, I reckon there’s often a way around it.” Professionalism and precision remain central, and Shane describes himself as someone with “a high level of attention to detail”, who “can’t leave a job undone”. He also has a collaborative mindset, maintaining good working relationships with engineers, geotech specialists, architects and other contractors to ensure even the trickiest job is well executed. “You should never assume you know everything,” he says. “If you combine your knowledge you get a way better effect than just trying to do it yourself. When you can ask for help, it will ultimately get the job done better.” Shane has assembled a versatile work crew around him, and they bring backgrounds in farming, landscaping and arboriculture to the business. “It’s quite a diverse crew,” he says. “They just love doing different jobs every day.” Staff culture is important, and Shane reckons it’s the little things – “golfing, go karting, a cold beer and a chat after work” – that can go a long way to making workers feel valued. Achieving SiteWise Gold certification with a 97% score demonstrates the company’s unwavering commitment to Health & Safety. The assessment, conducted by Site Safe NZ, evaluates various aspects of a contractor’s Health & Safety practices, including policies, procedures, and on-site implementation. Shane says the company is proactive in using new technology to keep workplaces safe, and they bring in a specialist contractor to ensure everything they do in this space is continuously assessed and improved. Off the worksite, family life is central for Shane, and he loves nothing better than heading into the hills with his young fella on a thar hunt. After years of early starts to get paperwork sorted, seven-day work weeks, and long days on-site, he’s learning to strike a better balance as leadership within the team grows. “It is definitely a juggling act between family and work/life balance,” he says. HITACHI delivers the performance, reliability, and uptime that operators demand. Supported by a nationwide network and round-the-clock service, CablePrice are with you every step of the way. NZ’s #1 Mid-Sized Excavator* – For a Reason. Proudly supporting Shane Mitchell Contracting • Excavators • Rollers • Skid Steers • Generators • Trailers • Haul trucks • Wheel Loaders • Plate compactors • Air-conditioning servicing • Attachment repairs • ALL things machinery! ENQUIRE TODAY E: MATT@DIESELDOG.CO.NZ M: 027 252 9977 DIESEL MECHANIC Field Service & Repairs
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