Late last year saw the 2016 New Zealand Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NZRMCA) Awards, held at the Concrete Industry Conference at the Ellerslie Events Centre in Auckland.
Plant Audit Scheme Supreme Award
WINNER: Atlas Concrete, Takapuna Plant
In producing large quantities of concrete to a reliably high quality across a number of years Atlas Concrete’s Takapuna plant demonstrated continuing excellence in performing to NZS 3104 Specification for Concrete Production. The judges highlighted the fact that this plant had received Excellence Awards in each of the last five years, which is indicative of the attention to detail shown by the concrete production management team.
“The plant is an example to all other ready mixed concrete producers across the country,” they say.
Extra Distance Award
WINNER: Allied Concrete for the Curvey Basin Chairlift and Remarkables Ski Field Base Building (client NZSki)
Over two years in the off season, Allied Concrete supplied over 2900 cubic metres of concrete for this project. The majority of the concrete supplied was a 30MPa six percent air entrained mix to deal with the freeze thaw conditions, and with an hour travel time was retarded. It was a 50 kilometre round trip, with the last 13 kilometres a steep climb on an unsealed road. Access up the mountain was up an even steeper 1.6 kilometre climb on a ‘Cat Track’.
Technical Excellence Award
WINNER: Firth Industries – University of Canterbury Structural Engineering Laboratory for client Dominion Constructors.
Inaugural Concrete Apprentice of the Year
Carl Hay, who is an apprentice at Eastern Bay Concrete 2014, Opotiki, took home the inaugural Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award.
Carl is approaching the completion of his National Certificate in Concrete Construction, after which he intends to enrol in the National Certificate in Concrete Production.
Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand (CCANZ) chief executive, Rob Gaimster, says the construction industry is currently faced with a shortage of skilled workers, and having more people enrolling in BCITO qualifications is a key strategy in addressing this issue.
“As such, CCANZ and BCITO decided it was time to celebrate high achievers, along with those that offer their support, by establishing the Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award for all those enrolled in, or who have recently completed, one of the BCITO’s concrete apprenticeships.
“The quality of the finalists was outstanding, covering those that work (and train) in precast concrete, placing and finishing, concrete production and concrete construction. To say the judges were impressed is an understatement.
“However, Carl stood out as a particularly worthy candidate who thoroughly deserved to be recognised for his technical competency in concrete construction, as well as his appetite to learn, and his leadership, communication and enterprise skills.”
The award was open to all those enrolled in, or who had recently completed, any one of BCITO’s concrete based apprenticeships.