70 | nzdairy DAIRY SERVICES » Crawford Platforms Crawford’s cost-effective platform services The company provides 24/7 maintenance and breakdown services, carrying out refurbishments, rust repairs, flat and roller replacements, wear strip resurfacing, platform relocations, platform extensions, and gearbox rebuilds. Rosa Watson Stratford-based Crawford Platforms is changing the game for dairy farmers in the Taranaki region, providing cost-effective solutions to rotary platform instalment and maintenance. The company provides 24/7 maintenance and breakdown services, carrying out refurbishments, rust repairs, flat and roller replacements, wear strip resurfacing, platform relocations, platform extensions, and gearbox rebuilds. They specialise in platform relocations, providing a cost-effective solution for farmers to be able to utilise an existing platform from another farm to upgrade their farms infrastructure without the major cost of a new set up. “We also specialise in refurbishments and extensions from major rust repairs, cutting the outside of platforms off and replacing or extending them, and refurbishing the mechanics of the platform replacing rollers and wear strips,” owner Brendon Crawford says. Another service offered is using a mill machine underneath platforms to resurface the wear strip, giving it a true flat finish to match new rollers. Brendon started in the engineering trade through an apprenticeship at Hotter Engineering in Eltham, Taranaki, fixing and building rotary platforms across New Zealand and overseas. After a break from dairy shed work, he worked at Tetra Pak as a service engineer servicing equipment in dairy factories throughout New Zealand. He eventually returned to platforms through Preston Engineering, working alongside Gary Preston who he had previously worked alongside at Hotter. With 20 years’ platform experience under this belt, the opportunity presented itself to buy the company’s growing platform division in May last year. He says in the beginning work was steady and operated primarily as a one-man operation with staff brought in for big jobs. Today there is now a full-time contractor Rob Creswell working alongside Brendon, and extra help is brought in when needed. The business covers the Taranaki region from Urenui to Whanganui, and branches out across the North Island for bigger refurbishment jobs. Some recent big jobs were relocating a 30-bail platform from Pahiatua to Rahotu and rebailing it with new Waikato bails, and relocating a 44-bail platform from Kapuni to Te Kiri, a 40-bail platform from Te Aroha to Opunake and a 50-bail concrete platform from Whanganui to Rahotu. At the same time, there was also a job extending a 24-bail platform to a 30-bail platform and completing multiple major rust cuts. “It was a demanding time but with hard work and a good team we manage to knock it out with help from my wife on the weekends and family to look after our kids to make this sort of workload possible,” Brendon says. They also carried out flat and roller replacements on sheds that are now milking all-year round with autumn and spring calving, but still requiring the major maintenance to continue. For big relocation jobs, Crawford call on Central House Movers to move platforms with their impressive trucks, and Agtrans to crane the platforms into place once the skirt and rollers are in. The company provides clients with an efficient cost-effective way to keep farmers milking and trouble- free, with the option of being able to utilise second-hand platform and upgrade at a costeffective rate. “We pride ourselves in providing the best service and best quality maintenance and refurbishment work around,” Brendon says. Plans for the future are to “ride this wave” and knuckle down, continuing to provide the best work possible to farmers. Brendon is hoping to have a new Crawford Platforms platform available on the market next year, utilising any milking machine outfit on the market. Helping trades related businesses in New Zealand. - Accounting for trades and construction businesses - Business Advisory for trades and construction businesses - Team alignment days - Strategic business planning - NZ Wide rechargegroup.co.nz 0279009064 ben@rechargegroup.co.nz www.bgbuilder.co.nz | 027 739 5912 | bmguthrie@xtra.co.nz BLAIR GUTHRIE BUILDER LIMITED Cowsheds Silage Pits Concrete Pole Sheds Houses
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