Bypass project a huge opportunity for local fencing contractor

operations7194
5 days ago
4 min read

When plans for the Levin bypass on State Highway 1 were presented to the local community prior to its construction, fencing contractor Dale Poulton saw an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

“I knew it was coming up because they’d been talking about doing the bypass for a long time, so they had some meetings in town organised by the Horowhenua Company,” he tells WIRED Magazine.

The Horowhenua Company Limited is the region’s independent economic agency dedicated to driving impactful economic development.

“There was quite a bit of information handed out about how to tender, and health and safety, etcetera,” Dale says.

The project - delivering 24km of new highway - got underway in September last year and was split into a northern alliance and southern alliance, aimed at speeding up delivery, reducing construction and spreading delivery risk.

Dale’s business, Dale’s Fencing Crew, tendered for and was awarded the contract with Fulton Hogan, fencing off an exclusion zone for the northern alliance with mostly – around 95 per cent – conventional seven-wire fencing, three to four metres apart, along with some paling fencing.

The team – himself and two workers – also constructed deer fencing around compounds with offices and amenities, and acoustic fencing for properties affected by noise and dust.

“There are some properties where people are staying, so NZTA has been putting in high paling fencing,” Dale says.

The tender process was a new experience for Dale, who works primarily in agricultural fencing.

“It was a little bit outside my area of expertise.”

But the NZTA team were very understanding and offered plenty of support, he says.

Keeping his pricing competitive had been an advantage in winning the contract.

“I didn’t jack up my prices at all. I don’t overcharge."

“I take a decent enough return as it is, I don’t need to be greedy.”

Working alongside the many contractors working on the project hadn’t been a problem, he says.

“Everyone’s been really good to work with.

“Coming from a farming background, I’m pretty used to working around other contractors.”

He deals with one point of contact at Fulton Hogan, which makes communication straightforward.

“If I’ve got a problem, I ring him, and if he’s got a problem, he rings me. It’s great having the one point of contact.”

A good relationship with the local Farmlands store ensures materials are in full supply, with Farmlands staff making sure there is plenty of stock on hand at competitive prices and delivering to site.

“Loyalty goes a long way,” Dale says.

Posts are sourced from nearby Mitchpine.

Ensuring a safe environment on site for staff is a priority over haste, and Dale encourages the team to report anything.

“It’s important to do a timely job, it’s more important to do a good job, but it’s most important to do a safe job. I tell the guys, “If I ask you to do something you are not comfortable with just let me know.” Sometimes in the middle of the day something happens and you haven’t noticed, it’s important to have those open lines of communication.”

Most of the exclusion fencing has been completed, and there is now the odd job, such as fencing off areas of significance.

Dale says work will pick up again at the end of the project, fencing from one end to the other.

All the while he’s been working on the bypass, Dale has been ensuring he is looking after local clients.

“Just trying to keep the local clients happy as well, we’ve been working all weekend doing local work and then all week doing the bypass project.

“I don’t want to let (local clients) down just because we’ve got this project.

“It was pretty full on for about three or four months.”

But the bypass was too good an opportunity to pass up, he says.

“If I was driving along and I saw someone putting fencing through my backyard, I’d just kick myself. It’s literally just five minutes down the road.

“It’s really satisfying driving past it and seeing it there, and it’s all looking good. It’s good to be making my own mark.”

The work was lucrative, being nearby with little travel costs, and with the advantage of long runs of fencing.

The only challenge was with Health and Safety requirements on the project; the team had to be fully covered all day for long hours, which was harder than a day in the usual tee-shirt and shorts.

Dale started Dale’s Fencing Crew six years ago, purchasing a John Deere tractor, FencePro post driver, and a good quality rock spike, which has been very handy on the bypass project.

“Being a riverbed, you’ve got to have a good rock spike.”

He brought plenty of fencing experience into the business, having a background in farming.

Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength, Dale says.

“It’s just got busier and busier. I’ve not done any advertising, it’s all been through word of mouth. I have an awesome wife and wider group of supportive colleagues, which makes so much difference in the running of my business.”

When asked about his team, Dale says, “Both my workmates come from an urban background, and I’m really happy with how they’ve adapted to working primarily rurally. They pick things up quickly, and are good with the gear and customers. Neither had experience in fencing. It’s been really rewarding teaching them how to fence to a high standard, and seeing them progress and take such pride in their work.”

Dale says he wouldn’t hesitate to take on another similar project to the bypass in the future, while at the same time is keen to build on his agricultural work.

Written by Rosa Watson