Sign In / Register
Wellsford-based company Wharehine has taken delivery of its first Smart Dig hydro-excavator and vacuum truck, manufactured by Warkworth-based ITSS Engineering.
At the recent handover, Wharehine managing director Rob Gibson welcomed the new machine, which he says takes the guess work out of where services such as power, gas, telephone and fibre optic cables, are located.
He says there are so many services underground that it can be a “real nightmare” for contractors. The new trenchless excavator will ensure our teams remain safe, provide certainty and protection of clients’ assets, and ensure minimal disruption to road users.
“Also, having our own unit based in Rodney will mean we’ll be able to quickly respond to any emergency clean-up events on the state highways, helping to get the road open as quickly as possible,” Gibson says.
The hydro excavator uses high pressure water to excavate around or locate services, then a vacuum removes the spoil created in the process and transports this offsite to be recycled.
“We investigated several different build options from United States, Australia and around NZ, but in the end it was an easy decision to go with the Smart-Dig unit.
“To begin with, it is locally made and supported, and built for our environment and conditions.
“The machine has a well thought out design, large capacity and extra added features not on other international units.
“Being locally made from a 100 per cent NZ owned company was a massive plus for us, ensuring the dollars spent stayed in the local community and NZ.”
Smart-Dig is a partnership company between Rob Southey (Southeys Group) and Hugh Harvey (ITSS Engineering) and has been operating for 10 years.
ITSS’s workshop produces 90 per cent of the unit, with the rest being made or imported through other New Zealand companies. ITSS Engineering has a production line currently capable of building 12 to 15 units a year.
