With Australia’s population expected to increase by 24 per cent by 2034, the infrastructure sector is seeing huge, ongoing growth – a boom that is expected to last for at least the next 15 years. With so many infrastructure projects currently underway, a competitive edge is more important than ever, making it critical for developers to invest in high-quality machinery and equipment that is fit for the job.

Large-scale civil construction contracts across Australia are being planned more quickly than they can be completed, making the completion of projects on time and on budget a high priority. According to Vermeer, investment in reliable, purpose-built machinery is a key first step to reaching this goal.

With decades of experience in providing equipment solutions to the construction industry, the team at Vermeer are experts when it comes to getting maximum production out of each hour and know all too well the impact that investment in machinery has on quality and efficiency.

The cost of downtime

While using the most inexpensive machinery and equipment may make finances look favourable in the short term, Vermeer’s General Manager of Sales, Jeff Lawson, warns that this often comes at the expense of cost and time.

“When heavy construction equipment breaks down, it’s not only a waste of time, but also of human resources,” Mr Lawson said.

Large-scale construction projects rely heavily on their equipment, meaning that a work site effectively comes to a standstill when that equipment is not operational. With many sites functioning as a result of several pieces of machinery working seamlessly together, a single faulty piece of machinery can have a huge impact.

Not only does downtime on site mean that a project may take longer to deliver, it also has a flow-on effect to the overall cost of construction.

“While one piece of machinery may be down, other costs will continue to build, regardless of whether the project is any closer to completion,” Mr Lawson said.

Machinery that makes sense

According to Mr Lawson, the large-scale infrastructure projects currently underway in Australia call for some serious machinery.

“If infrastructure developers want a competitive edge, they will need to increase the quality of machinery and equipment to ensure it’s up to the job. That’s where we come in,” Mr Lawson said.

When it comes to earthmoving, civil projects require machinery that offers fast, precise and on-grade surface excavation.

Vermeer’s range of Terrain Leveler surface miners precisely excavate rock while also managing noise levels, vibration and air quality, and are backed up by Vermeer’s trusted after-sales support service.

Where hard rock is involved, an effective solution for dealing with residual dust and debris will increase productivity and reduce overhead costs. Systems such as Vermeer’s onboard dust suppression system, which is compatible with its range of Terrain Levelers, will also eliminate the need for a separate trail-behind dust system unit.

“There are many benefits to this type of technology. The suppression system is hydraulically driven and reduces the need for an external power source or an operator. This also helps to reduce diesel consumption as well as emissions and labour costs,” Mr Lawson said.

Sites will also get more productivity from a piece of machinery if there are options for optimisation. Vermeer’s T1255 Terrain Leveler SEM for example, is available with either a chain drive or direct drive drum attachment depending on the requirements of a job.

“The chain drive drum is ideal for the removal of ground surface or creating a smooth, level area for preparing a site, whereas with the drive motor mounted directly to the cutter drum, the direct drive drum maximises efficiency and reduces wear costs that can be associated with other types of transmissions,” Mr Lawson said.

With no end in sight for the infrastructure boom, machinery that eliminates exhaustive processes and can take on a diverse range of tasks is an investment that requires careful consideration.

To talk about maximising machinery efficiency to deliver projects on time and on budget, get in touch with your local Vermeer Australia team.