Since Kembla Watertech commenced operations in November 1992, the company has gone on to become one of Australia’s premier trenchless rehabilitation companies, with long-standing relationships with clients such as Sydney Water Corporation.
Kembla Constructions, as it was initially known, started when Mr Meredith purchased the licence for the Ex Method lining system. From day one, the business specialised in Trenchless Technology, and in its first few years delivered a number of Sydney Water programs. To this day, Kembla Watertech continues to be actively involved in the Sydney Water SewerFix SRP programs, successfully delivering the major portion of these works.
In the trade
Mr Meredith spent his late teens completing a trade at Cockatoo Dockyard in the ship-building industry, and in his early twenties, trained as an estimator and achieved a Diploma in Production Engineering.
After approximately ten years as an estimator, Mr Meredith moved into the mining and construction industry, contracting project and operations management. In the early 1980s, whilst working for Gardner Perrott, Sydney Water commenced shedding its internal workforces which opened opportunities for external organisations to provide a variety of services. It was at this point that Mr Meredith became involved in the water industry.
“I was intrigued by the “÷black art’ of underground repairs, and the early lining companies of the 1980s were requesting high-pressure water services to cut out failed liners and/or clean and de-scale cast iron mains,” recalled Mr Meredith.
Over the years since then, Mr Meredith has been a contract service provider to the water industry for pipeline rehabilitation – be that sewer or water – and he still actively contracts today.
Company growth
When asked to recall some of Kembla’s most memorable projects over the years, Mr Meredith has a few that come to mind.
“The most satisfying project to be completed by Kembla Watertech was the Blue Mountains rehabilitation contract for Sydney Water, as it was the single largest rehabilitation contract let to any practitioner at that time. Sydney Water showed a lot of faith in Kembla, trusting us to deliver such a large amount of work over a short period,” said Mr Meredith.
“Also, in the lead up to the 2000 Olympics, Kembla delivered a massive amount of rehabilitation work for Sydney Water. It was an extremely challenging period for the company, but the fact that we still play a major role in Sydney Water’s SewerFix SRP Program tells me we did something right.”
The industry evolves
When asked to consider the main changes across the industry in the past 20 years, Mr Meredith sites the changing attitudes of asset owners.
“Most clients now realise that the unseen underground asset actually has value and needs to be maintained,” said Mr Meredith. “Clients are now conscious of the savings to be had in the utilisation of Trenchless Technology for the construction and maintenance of those underground assets.
As asset owners recognise the value of Trenchless Technology, the industry has seen impressive growth. This has largely come about thanks to the pioneers of the industry, who travelled overseas in an attempt to find innovative technologies, or developed relationships to further expand in-house ideas and technology with overseas companies.
Changes in technologies have also brought about changes in the way the industry operates. “The good practitioners are becoming larger in size, more efficient, and providing a full suite of trenchless solutions rather than just one solution,” said Mr Meredith. “No single process can resolve every problem, contrary to what some practitioners try to preach and market.”
As for the next twenty years, Mr Meredith believes the client-contractor relationship needs to evolve into a partnership-focused model, with a panel of suppliers working in alliance at fair commercial levels with committed volumes. “By achieving this, the threats I see in the future of the trenchless industry will be eradicated.”
Outside of the office
On a personal level, for the last 28 years Mr Meredith and his wife Cheryl have lived at Oyster Bay in Sydney. Together they have three daughters in their thirties.
“I have a great love of team sports and have played baseball all my life, which is why Kembla Watertech sponsors the “÷Comets’ baseball team
in Sydney,” said Mr Meredith.
“Later this year I turn 60, and in October, I hope to complete one of my bucket list items by attending the Baseball World Series in the United States.”
The last word
As the owner of one of Australia’s leading trenchless businesses, Mr Meredith has a few sage words of advice to offer:
“In this business, I believe the most important qualities are to be upfront, honest and fair in your dealings with clients; to deliver on time; to deliver
good quality service and solutions; to have good rapport with your team and to place a high value on internal safety culture.”
With a track record like his, there would be few who wouldn’t agree with these wise words.