New Zealand owned and operated since 2003, Pipe Technologies provides a smart, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional small bore pipe rehabilitation methods.
From initially being a CIPP patch installing only company, PipeTech has strived to bring in sustainable products and services. Thanks to its good relationships with both colleagues and suppliers in NZ, Australia and the United States and through the sharing of knowledge and experiences, the company has been able to continually grow itself to be better.
Managing Director Rowan Burgess comes from a background within the civil engineering and construction industry. When the opportunity arose to move into his current role at PipeTech, Burgess was interested in the challenge posed by the increased responsibility and the opportunity to make his mark within the business.
According to Burgess, PipeTech prides itself on its integrity and reliability. Through these attributes, the company has been able to do best by its clients and forge longstanding relationships which continue to drive the company further towards success.
“Within PipeTech we push humility, perseverance, and determination. Something we not only focus on for our clients, but as a company as a whole including all our staff,” says Burgess.
“The phrase ‘no, it can’t be done’ doesn’t fit in our vocabulary or mindset. There is always a way or another solution and finding the right one is the most satisfying aspect of the job.”
PipeTech deeply values its ongoing relationships that are forged through these philosophies over any profit margin, explains Burgess. The company is constantly striving to provide consistent high-end quality service to its customers and have continued to push themselves in a bid to enhance its technology and materials for all its products and services.
“It’s a very niche market in New Zealand. I believe our smaller size —for now— compared to some of the bigger players helps us keep costs down while continually investing in better technology and sustainability,” says Burgess.
Recently, PipeTech has been working on a large-scale project in Masterton in which they were awarded the opportunity to install over 1100 m of 300 mm diameter liner, including 120 lateral cut-outs. This project was completed using PipeTech’s New Zealand licenced uPVC fold and form product, AM Liner.
This project had come following a successful 150-225 mm lining programme the company had completed on behalf of the Masterton for the district council.
The Masterton job involved a major overland pumping set up which local contractor City Care managed alongside us to complete the job.
“Some of the distances of liner we pulled in were stretching our capabilities as our manufactures had never had this length of uPVC on a reel either,” says Burgess.
There were several logistical factors that the PipeTech team had to consider when attempting to fit the oversize reels into containers for shipping from American to New Zealand.
Ultimately, the team was able to achieve what they had planned with the council working alongside City Care and removed the need for extra manholes to be installed to achieve the lining which, in turn, saved the client substantial costs and assured they maintained their budget. It was a long project for the PipeTech crew due to a peppering of unavoidable complications that pushed out operations, including the tail end of the project being located close to and under a state highway meaning the project had to be completed on a night shift.
“We weren’t surprised as we knew PipeTech could achieve the programme but it’s still a good feeling when you deliver a project that meets the client’s needs and expectations,” says Burgess.
“I’m super proud of the relationship we have with Masterton District Council —along with our other long-standing clients—and I believe our core values of integrity, honesty and humility are a catalyst for this.”
Since the company was established, PipeTech has been dedicated to further developing and maintaining the relationships it has built with its customers and suppliers to achieve more in the trenchless industry.
“Whether this be by reducing costs, speed of delivery, environmental impact minimisation — we are continually working towards improving these aging and deteriorating underground assets for future communities and our tamariki,” says Burgess.
The upcoming Three Waters Reform Program in New Zealand will see the overhauling and rehabilitation of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure country wide.
“The three waters reform is going to have huge implications towards change in New Zealand and we are working to ensure we’re positioned in the right way to make the transition towards these changes manageable and as efficient as possible,” says Burgess.
Reflecting on the past year, Burgess noted that while the year has been busy so far, the workflow has no signs of dropping off anytime soon – which is absolutely a positive.
“We have just purchased a new Cosmic TopHat system so this will be fit-out in a new IVECO van arriving soon so it will be nice having that unit operational and on the road.”
“Over the next few years and beyond we are already poised for increasingly more development and investment into NZ’s underground pipework assets, with I believe a huge increase in use of trenchless renewals. It’s becoming a more widely known and viable option in the technological advancements.”
For more information visit PipeTech’s website.
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This article appeared in the October edition of Trenchless Australasia. Access the digital copy of the magazine here.