Solid workmanship by the bucketful

Seger Roading's construction machinery is often on site for a year or more.Photo/File

Tauranga-headquartered Doherty Couplers and Attachments is benefiting from solid growth in log exports, providing equipment to long-time client Seger Roading, which develops new roads for forestry owners.

"Sometimes we don't see a machine and attachments for a year or more because we service and fix all our machinery on site," said Seger Roading managing director Derek Maisey.

"The cost of unplanned downtime could be five times more than on a civil roading project, so we employ two engineers and two mechanics to keep all gear maintained no matter where its located."

Doherty general manager Bevan Zachan said Mr Maisey knew what he wanted.

"He'll come in and we'll design buckets to suit his specifications," he said. "It's got to be a big solid bucket that's going to be going nonstop all the time, in the middle of nowhere. They don't want it to break down and they don't want to be transporting it out."

Seger Roading works mainly with 15 and 20-tonne diggers, with a wide range of attachments such as rock buckets, tilt buckets, hydraulic quick hitches and rippers. Seger recently bought the Snaplock+ Coupler and two tilt buckets from Doherty.

The Port of Tauranga reported that its log exports were up 29 per cent by volume in the last half of 2013, compared to the comparative period in 2012, largely as a result of strong demand in China.

Seger Roading manages about 20 forestry roading crews in the region.

The teams operate a production-line system with excavators and bulldozers at work first, followed by a culverting crew, drainage and then a sealing crew. If the digger at the front breaks down, that can hold up the entire project.

Mr Maisey said Seger Roading used CAT excavators and Doherty attachments because of their quality and service. "Having good quality machinery and good support is absolutely critical," he said.

"They're good quality attachments. The designs solid. We know what were working with and we know how to keep them in top working order."

Operating for just over seven years mainly in the Western Bay of Plenty region, the Rotorua-based businesss activities include roading, earthmoving and quarrying.

Mr Maisey said that working with local suppliers was an important advantage as they understood his needs and could respond quickly to his requests.

"The local thing is big for us because if there are any issues we know we can get them fixed," he said.

"We started using Doherty because when we called them, they actually answered the phone and they've always got the parts we need, when we need them."