It’s that time of year where we bring you our seasonal roundup of the Industry News that affects our Hawke’s Bay community and the industries in which we work.

This Winter has been a busy time for roading in Hawke’s Bay and we’ve got lots of news to share about improvements to the roading network in our region.

While this round of Industry News doesn’t have a lot of machinery updates, we’re expecting more news to share for our next edition in March. Make sure you sign up to our email newsletter to receive updates direct to your inbox.

The final and largest phase of Cyclone Gabrielle recovery efforts in Tairāwhiti

In August this year the Gisborne Herald reported on the beginning of a $50m TREC project that aims to realign, repair and rebuild SH35 at Mangahauini gorge. This project includes undertaking work to reposition the riverbed.

Read about it here.

Hawke’s Bay Expressway gets $600m: Four-lanes for ‘busiest’ stretch, ‘fewer deaths’ and flood protection

Investment continues to flow into the Hawke’s Bay Expressway, a vital arterial route in Hawke’s Bay. This August article in Hawke’s Bay Today outlined the scale of the investment, including: “7km of four-laning between the Links Rd and Pākōwhai Rd intersection and Taradale Rd, two two-lane overpasses at Meeanee Rd and Kennedy Rd, a two-lane bridge over the Tutaekuri River, and a four-lane grade-separated interchange at the Links Rd and Pākōwhai Rd intersection.”

Our featured image shows a glimpse of the new northbound bridge over the Tutaekuri River, as shown in the fly-through video released by NZTA in June.

Read about the full project and expected timelines for completion here.

Get ongoing progress updates from NZTA here.

The latest update from the Hawke’s Bay TREC Roading Recovery in Hawke’s Bay

The latest edition of the TREC Roading Recovery Update was issued at the start of September. This edition includes: upcoming works on State Highway 5 (SH5), strengthening efforts at Rail Bridge 217, a retaining wall going up at Devil’s Corner on State Highway 2 (SH2), and what makes a good or bad stone for a rail track bed.

Read the full update here.

Hawke’s Bay Councillors give their take on building consent reform

Earlier this year the National Government announced their plans to streamline the Building Consent process with a Regional Building Consent Authority. This article in Bay Buzz canvassed feedback from local councillors on how this would impact Hawke’s Bay.

Read the article here.

Fulton Hogan are now underway on the Rissington Bridge rebuild

A concept image of the Rissington Bridge replacement which is now underway. Photo / Hastings District Council

The Rissington Bridge was one of 19 large bridges and culverts that were destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle. In September Hawke’s Bay Today announced that work was due to begin on rebuilding the Rissington Bridge, with Fulton Hogan confirmed as the contractor to do the job. Work is expected to be completed by September 2026.

Read the full article here.

It’s that time of year where we take a look at what’s been happening close to home and further afield, and provide our round-up of some of the latest industry news.

In this article you’ll find a focus on the environment and improved safety in the latest machinery advances, a building industry focus on burnout (and preventing it) and escalating building costs, and some updates on local projects in roading and water.

Read on for all the details. If you’ve got any feedback we’d love to hear from you – you can get in touch at marketing@allwayshire.co.nz

The latest machinery news

A move towards sustainable innovation for Yanmar

Yanmar is continuing its “strategic move towards sustainable innovation” with a focus on electrification of its “off-highway” machinery. A new unit of the business begins operations in April 2025 with a focus on e-powertrain solutions, including batteries and eDrives. It will be exciting to see how this innovation is used in the design of excavators, wheel loaders, and other industrial machinery.

Read more.

Using technology to create a safer work environment with Ammann

Amman is sharing its first advances on the road to full machine autonomy at Bauma 2025 this April. These include new 360 view camera and Ammann Safe Assist (ASA) technology. ASA is an active safety assistant system designed to prevent collisions on the jobsite.

Read more

The latest industry news

44% increase in the cost of home building reported

It’s been reported in Building Today this Autumn that the cost of building has increased by 44% over the past 4 years. This was the major finding from a recent QV CostBuilder study that looked at the comparative cost of building a standardised 150sq m home across six main urban centres — Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton and Palmerston North.

Read more.

Burnout is a real risk

Builders and Contractors started the year with a focus on the risk of burnout for tradies and contractors. If you haven’t already read the article and you’re battling with long hours and high pressure on the job – this is well worth a closer look. Their aim is for everyone to be able to spot the signs in themselves and others.

Read more.

Local News

Work on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway continues

If you need to get from one side of Hawke’s Bay to the other, you’re sure to have been affected by the ongoing work on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway.

You can keep up to date with the project as it progresses here. The planned completion date is 2034 and NZTA regularly posts project updates on the site.

Find out more.

A significant investment in our region’s roading

The green light has been given to the planned rerouting of the Napier-Wairoa road to bypass the troubled Waikare Gorge. Described by NZ Herald as “the most expensive highway reconstruction ever in Hawke’s Bay” it’s planned cost is up to $425 million.

Read all the details about the project here.

Plans for a water storage facility

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has confirmed that plans for a water storage facility to support the natural environment and economic prosperity of the Heretaunga Plains, including Napier and Hastings, are moving into a full feasibility phase.

“The facility would supplement river and lowland stream flows for environmental purposes, enable existing water use which is increasingly constrained, deliver new water to help adapt to a changing climate, and enable growth [in] the world-class, fertile soils of the Heretaunga Plains.”

Read about the planned process and timelines, and the reactions from the different councils across Hawke’s Bay.

It’s halfway through 2024 and we’re sharing our latest round up of what’s been happening locally and further afield in our industry, and in those industries that have an impact on us. We’ve selected a range of stories that appeared over the last couple of months in local and international news.

Accessing the news is easy. Simply click on a headline to go directly to the original article or scroll through our blog to read the highlights of each story.

Headlines:

Hawke’s Bay’s sustainable silt clean-up efforts have won a national award

Just started – the next stage of the Puketapu bridge rebuild

Mitre 10 honours Cyclone Gabrielle’s local heroes

2024 budget announcement demonstrates government’s continued focus on investing in infrastructure and roads

Introducing New Zealand’s first operating hydrogen truck, by Hyundai

Kenworth unveils futuristic super truck

Volvo electric compact machinery now available in NZ

John Deere is branching out with new compact equipment offerings

Amman group has finished its acquisition of ABG Pavers

Hawke’s Bay’s sustainable silt clean-up efforts have won a national award

Image courtesy of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst says so far about 2.76 million tonnes of flood waste has been separated and removed from more than 800 affected properties.

“From the start, the [Silt Clean-up] Taskforce has been committed to diverting as much away from landfill as possible, which has not only reduced the burden on the landfill, but has kept costs down, while creating materials that have helped others in our community as our region recovers.”

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) and Hastings District Council (HDC) initiative received the ‘Most Sustainable/ Innovative Waste Disposal Initiative’ award at this week’s WasteMINZ conference in Hamilton.

Read the full article

Just started – the next stage of the Puketapu bridge rebuild

Image courtesy of Hastings District Council

Fulton Hogan are now establishing a construction site to begin the next phase of work on the creation of a new bridge to cross the Tutaekuri River at Puketapu. The relocation of utilities (power lines and fibre cables) was completed during April and May.

The bridge on Vicarage Rd (sometimes known as Vicarage Bridge) was one of three bridges over this river that were washed away by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Read the full article

Mitre 10 honours Cyclone Gabrielle’s local heroes

Image courtesy of constructionnews.co.nz

The Mitre 10 Community of the Year Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau Award recognises groups who have shown the very best of community spirit. This year in a departure from tradition, the award has been given to all the people and volunteers who helped out in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle. “If you helped in any way, big or small, this award is for you.”

Read the full article here.

2024 budget announcement demonstrates government’s continued focus on investing in infrastructure and roads

Image courtesy of transporttalk.co.nz

“The New Zealand Government’s 2024 Budget announcement, featuring substantial increases in funding for roading and infrastructure projects, has been met with a positive yet cautious reception from the road transport industry.”

Read the full article here.

Introducing New Zealand’s first operating hydrogen truck, by Hyundai

Image courtesy of transporttalk.co.nz

Fieldays 2024 has been the event chosen for the NZ launch of the new light duty hydrogen truck from Hyundai. Visitors to the show have been able to see this first of its kind truck featuring a Thermo King refrigeration unit.

Read the full article here.

Kenworth unveils futuristic super truck

Image courtesy of transporttalk.co.nz

Kenworth is looking to the future and finding ways to make existing fuel sources more efficient. Its latest super truck design uses a fraction of the fuel and embraces a mild hybrid system to maximise the output from the energy it uses.

Read the full article here.

Volvo electric compact machinery now available in NZ

Image courtesy of TDX Limited

The advance of Electric Vehicles continues with the launch of the new range of Volvo’s electric compact machinery – now available in New Zealand. Electric machines don’t just offer a zero emission solution – they are also quieter, have reduced vibrations, and are more comfortable to operate. A great solution if your business is focused on reducing its carbon footprint.

Read the full article here.

John Deere is branching out with new compact equipment offerings

Image courtesy of John Deere

If you’re a fan of John Deere you might be interested in its new range of skid steers and compact track loaders. These machines are packed full of technology to make it easier to work more accurately and efficiently.

Read the full article here.

Amman group has finished its acquisition of ABG Pavers

Image courtesy of Amman

With roading repair a focus worldwide, Amman has invested wisely in its acquisition of ABG Pavers from Volvo Construction Equipment. “ABG is a strong brand that we’re proud to welcome to Ammann,” said Hans-Christian Schneider, CEO of Ammann. “We will continue to build on ABG’s exceptional product line and reputation and provide complete roadbuilding solutions for the industry.”

Read the full article here.

Here’s our six-monthly round up of what’s happening in the construction, roading and machinery industries. Read on to explore our handpicked highlights of news and interesting articles.

Remember to subscribe to our newsletter to get our Industry News delivered direct to your inbox.

Electric-powered equipment continues to be a focus for manufacturers

The eARX 26-2 from Ammann has a focus on being easy to charge [image credit: ammann.com]

Manufacturers have got zero emission goals firmly in their sights with a range of battery powered compaction machinery being launched across the industry.
Check out the range of new zero emission compaction tools from Weber and the new electric roller with integrated smart charger from Amman.

Lack of infrastructure support for climate change

[Image credit: transporttalk.co.nz]

A recent survey in New Zealand highlighted concerns within the industry about our ability to cope with the impact of climate change. Read all about the survey and its findings here.

One of many machines helping out after Cyclone Gabrielle

Prime pumps being used as part of the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery [image credit: constructionnews.co.nz]

The prime pump became an essential component of the clean up after Cyclone Gabrielle. This article takes a closer look at how it helped in the recovery efforts.

The latest news from the JCB pothole pro

The JCB Pothole Pro in action [image credit: jcb.com]

We’ve featured the JCB pothole pro before in our industry news. The latest updates show it hard at work in the UK, dealing with 9 years backlog in roading repairs.

Read all about it here.

Want a more efficient worksite? Try getting connected.

Connectivity could be the secret to a more efficient worksite. [image credit: forconstructionpros.com]

You may not have considered hooking up the Wifi when you set up a new worksite, but this article shows how it could make a difference to your team’s productivity. Improved project management and better safety are just 2 of the 8 benefits this article explores.

Read the full article here.

Heavy equipment grappling with the impact of climate change

Kimo Clark’s heroic exploits during the Maui Wildfire have been well documented. [image source: Truth Excavation]

The construction industry in Hawke’s Bay went hard to work supporting our community after Cyclone Gabrielle. We were impressed to see how Truth Excavation did the same after the devastating Maui wildfires. These may not be the conditions that our machines were designed for but we all muck together to help our communities when it counts.

Read the full story here.

In case you missed it…

Five construction trends for 2023

From the rise in rental/hire equipment to a focus on electrical machines and connectivity. This article from February this year predicted the trends to look out for in the Construction Industry in 2023.

Read the full article.

Yanmar introduces its first compact track loader

Earlier this year, Yanmar brought its first compact track loader onto the market.

Read all about it and its features here.

The Allways Hire brand is ready for a refresh. We’re showing you our new look and sharing the journey we’ve come on to make the change.

We’ve been around a while

• Allways Hire started operating in Hastings in September 2007
• Since hiring out our first digger in 2007, our fleet now offers over 70 different types of construction and roading equipment, all available to hire in Hawke’s Bay.
• We started with one person and now we employ over 12 full time staff.
• Today we’re the preferred choice for equipment hire for thousands of individual businesses, across Hawke’s Bay.

We’re only just getting started…

It’s time for a new look

As a small, local business that’s competing with national players – we want our logo to look the part. Today we’re announcing a refresh of the Allways Hire brand. We want to reflect what we do best: being quick and adaptable so you can always get the job done. Our new logo represents our aim to go above and beyond what you expect from your locally owned and operated hire company.

We’ll start rolling out new signage in our Hastings branch over the next month. You’ll also start to see it on our uniforms and marketing material. We don’t plan to change the branding on our machines. We like the flexibility that unbranded hire equipment gives you to grow your fleet as your business needs it.

New branding doesn’t mean we’re going to stop here. We’ll keep our focus on finding more ways we can go beyond your expectations. We’re committed to giving our fellow Hawke’s Bay businesses the equipment they need to succeed. If you’ve got ideas or feedback on how we can do it even better – we’d love to hear from you at marketing@allwayshire.co.nz

New machines perform better, feature better technology and operator comfort, and are more reliable on the job. That’s why Allways Hire has a young fleet of machines that we focus on growing continuously, driven by what our customers need.

Based on recent demand we’ve been adding new equipment to our Hastings yard. We have some great new kit for you to take advantage of, that we’ve listed out below. Take a look at what’s available to hire and get in touch if you would like to make a booking or find out more about what these machines can deliver.

Hire the Giant G1200 Compact Loader

The Giant G1200 Compact Wheel Loader

The Giant G1200 Compact Wheel Loader is perfect for working on turf or in tight spaces. With excellent manoeuvrability and attachment options of both forks and a loader bucket, this is definitely a piece of machinery to put on your wish list. It even comes with its own trailer so is easy to transport to site.

Find out more or hire it today

Available to hire: Yanmar 1.7T Excavator

The new Yanmar 1.7T Excavators are now fitted with Robur Dynamo Tilt Hitches so all buckets can tilt 90ᵒ.

The Yanmar 1.7T Excavator is a popular machine in our fleet. Small but highly adaptable to different jobs, it comes on its own trailer with three different bucket attachments to choose from. Also features the new Robur Dynamo Tilt Hitch (all buckets can tilt 90ᵒ).

Hire it today or find out more details

Growing our fleet: Yanmar 2.0T Excavator

The Yanmar 2.0T Excavator is very popular with Allways Hire customers

The Yanmar 2.0T Excavator has been part of our fleet for a while now and is a long term favourite with our customers. Due to demand we’re increasing our numbers to make sure they’re available when you need them. This model includes a tilting wide bucket and a choice of attachments. It also comes on its own trailer for easy transport to site.

Hire it today or find out more

Power when you need it: Yanmar 5.5T Excavator

The Yanmar 5.5T Excavator in action on a new build site.

The Yanmar 5.5T Excavator has been a highly popular choice amongst our customers for a while so we’ve increased our numbers to meet demand. The Yanmar 5.5T Excavator is a rubber track digger with zero swing. It’s a great choice for site levelling, roading and more.

Hire it today or find out more

Popular and mighty: Yanmar 10.0T Excavator

The 10.0T Yanmar Excavator is a popular choice for drains and trenchwork.

This 10.0T Digger works hard at whatever task you put it to. For excavating large areas, ramming in posts for fence and orchard work, and for trenchwork and dams. It’s popular for its power so we’ve increased our numbers.

Hire it today or find out more

Newly available to hire: JCB 3T Site Dumper

The JCB 3T Site Dumper is a new addition to the Allways Hire Equipment line up.

This 3T Site Dumper from JCB is a great mid-range dumper that’s got loads of benefits. A 3T Front Tip Skip and hydrostatic transmission, this site dumper has a 180 degree swivel tip and is great for carting loose material off road. That makes it a handy addition to any construction or roading worksite where you need to easily move material from A to B. Comes on its trailer so it’s easy to transport to where you need it.

Find out more or hire it today

Newly available to hire: Master 2000L Water Blaster / Water Jetter

The Master 2000L Water Blaster / Jetter comes on its own trailer for easy transport. Pictured – The Master Water Jetter cleaning out a drain.

Whatever type of clean up you’ve got planned, chances are the Water Blaster / Jetter from Master will make light work of it. With a water flow rate of 30L/min and a 3500 PSI, the Master Water Blaster / Jetter can be fitted with either a water blaster wand or drain cleaning water jetter nozzle.

Easy to transport on its own trailer and featuring a huge 2000L tank capacity which is especially handy in rural areas or where it’s difficult to access water.

Find out more or hire it today

Want to keep up to date with the latest machines to arrive in our yard? Subscribe to our newsletter today for all the latest news from the team at Allways Hire.

We’ve stayed up to date with the latest supplier news and kept our finger on the pulse of the headlines from international news sites. Here’s our summary of some of the top Industry News from the past few months that could be of interest to you and your business in March 2023.

Remember to subscribe to our newsletter to get the next edition of our Industry News direct to your inbox.

Turning old tarseal into new roading material

Photo credit: Newshub

With such a wet Summer behind us, there’s no doubt New Zealand roading companies will be looking for solutions that allow them to achieve more with less. That means it’s a great time to introduce the Keestrack R3e.

Fulton Hogan is said to be excited about the potential of this first of its kind machine in Australasia. It’s been designed to not only recycle road materials like asphalt and concrete but also to make it possible to construct roads with fewer emissions.

Read the full story on Newshub here.

Ammann launches new low emission rollers

The new rollers from Amman are low emission and include a range of features to enhance versatility. [photo credit: Amman.com]

In January 2023, Amman announced the launch of its new low emission rollers. Not only designed to meet the world’s strictest emission standards; these rollers are also packed full of a range of state of the art features that make them versatile and easy to operate.

Read the full story here.

Robur Attachments End of Year Stock Clearance

There’s just time to grab a bargain at the Robur Attachments End of Year Stock Clearance. The sale is scheduled to end on 31 March 2023. The team are clearing out excess stock and are offering it at some fantastic prices. While stocks last.

Take a look at the great deals on offer here.

Komatsu puts the emphasis on ‘intelligent’ machines to increase productivity at ConExpo

Komatsu’s PC360LCi-11 “intelligent” excavator. [Photo credit of Komatsu America Corp.]

If you’re a fan of Construction Equipment then you’ve probably heard of ConExpo – the largest construction show in North America. This year’s March event had plenty of highlights, including the new PC360LCi-11 “intelligent” excavator from Komatsu featuring its iMC 2.0 technology.

The intelligent operating system is designed to be adjustable to the operator experience level while offering increased precision and real-time positioning.

Want to find out more? Read the full article here or explore the product brochure.

We’ve touched base with suppliers, international organisations, news sites and more, to bring you the latest headlines related to the heavy machinery industry and the construction, roading and services industries in New Zealand. Read on for the latest updates and remember to subscribe to our newsletter to get the next edition of our Industry News direct to your inbox.

Making headlines as fast as it fixes potholes: JCB Pothole Pro

If you’re a road user or a roading contractor you’re probably cursing the impact that a wet winter has had on the state of our roads. Headlines across New Zealand bemoan the increase in the number of pot holes and the devastating cost that road repairs will account for going forward.

That’s just one of the reasons we’ve got our eyes on this amazing piece of kit from JCB that’s been making headlines in the UK. The Pothole Pro makes lightwork of road repair – featured here in Ireland.

Council invests in JCB Pothole Pro to maintain 1000 miles of road

Tow gear warning – have you checked yours recently?

Your tow gear may not be a part of your truck that you pay much attention to – but you should. In August, WorkSafe issued a Tow Gear Warning to businesses following a prosecution related to the death of a 9 year old girl in Northland.

Failing to look after your tow ball could lead to a dangerous road incident that could be harmful to you or other road users.

Child’s death prompts tow gear warning to businesses

Can electric power take on the heavy lifting work?

The move to more sustainable power sources has many industry experts waiting with bated breath for eDiggers and eTrucks that can haul the same weight as their diesel equivalents. In August Volvo announced the launch of its first two electric powered machines – a compact excavator and a compact wheel loader – at the 2022 Ag Progress Days in North America.

Volvo Brings Future of Electric Construction Machinery to 2022 Ag Progress Days

Hydrogen Power becomes a focus for key suppliers

If you’re not sold on the power potential of electric engines, you may prefer to keep an eye on hydrogen power as a future power source. Isuzu, DENSO, Toyota, Hino, and CJPT have recently announced that as part of their drive for carbon neutrality they are now working together to move towards hydrogen powered engines for commercial vehicles.

Starting with research and planning, their work together recognises that hydrogen power could be the solution for combining power and sustainability in combustion engines.

Isuzu, DENSO, Toyota, Hino, and CJPT to Start Planning and Foundational Research on Hydrogen Engines for Heavy-Duty Commercial Vehicles

In case you missed it…

Virtual Reality aims to make working at heights safer

With an increased focus on safety at work in the construction industry of late, you may be keen to explore working at heights training for you and your team. This article from July focused on a business in New Zealand who are using virtual technology to train construction workers to work safely at heights.

New training package targets $24 million cost of falls from heights

In brief

Yanmar has been furthering its own developments in sustainable technology by investing in Battery Technology Company ELEO and sharing its Electrification Strategy. If you’re a fan of Yanmar like we are, you can find out more in the articles below.

Yanmar Introduces Carbon-Neutral Electrification Strategy at bauma 2022｜2022｜News

Yanmar Acquires Majority Ownership in Battery Technology Company ELEO｜2022｜News