Keeping Major Rail Projects On Track In Difficult Times

Kennards Hire Major Projects (KMP) and Coleman Rail have worked closely together throughout the pandemic.

This kept large-scale commercial rail projects moving in the regional Victorian town of Shepparton, as well as at the Melbourne port suburb of Williamstown.

Overcoming the challenges of COVID-19

Our long-standing relationship with Coleman Rail has strengthened over the last two years, as a series of COVID-required restrictions made it increasingly hard to keep projects moving along.

As labour and supply chain restraints bit, we stepped in to plug the gaps and ensure Coleman Rail had everything they needed to stay productive, from full site compound mobilisations - including ongoing project management - to daily and weekly ad-hoc equipment hiring needs.

Drawing on the two complementary Kennard Hire arms of major projects and general hire, we supplied a high volume of specialist rail equipment, such as dog pullers and rail trollies (for track stripping), along with major project essentials, including:

• Site sheds
• Portable toilets
• Generators
• Light towers
• Water carts
• EWPs
• Compaction equipment
• Traffic managements (signs and barriers)

On-site real time management is key

According to KMP Project Manager, Pavle Durkic, supplying the equipment is really just the start - KMP offers so much more.

“We work with our major customers on their site, so we can offer assistance across the spectrum. Rather than just dropping the items off, we work closely with them to ensure a seamless hiring experience," he said.

“This involves showing them how the equipment works, setting up site sheds, organising the crane, managing on-site safety and, where necessary, managing external contractors to wire and plumb temporary structures. In this way, we’ve provided Coleman with real-time, on-site solutions.

“We can help troubleshoot, as problems arise. If our rep isn’t physically there, they are always at the end of a phone line, so support is available whenever it’s needed.”

The strengths and benefits of embedded KMP support

The beauty of KMP lies in its ability to help customers navigate the ongoing challenges that every large-scale project presents. KMP, and the strength of the Kennards Hire branch network, delivers:

• A genuinely flexible approach that changes, as necessary, with the circumstances.
• Capacity to source a wide range of specialist items to meet customer needs.
• Quick turnaround time to keep large-scale commercial projects on track.
• Ability to find tailored, on-site solutions as problems arise.
• Two contacts for every job, ensuring consistency and reliability.
• As Pavle said, it’s the strong one-on-one relationships that make KMP so effective.

“With two representatives embedded in every major project, the customer always has a go-to person, whatever the challenge. They have the expertise and experience to keep the project rolling and the site productive.”

Customer service to rely on

Ralph Calara, site engineer at Coleman Rail, sheds light on the strength of the working relationship with KMP.

“It’s the excellent customer service that really sets Kennards Hire apart from its competitors,” he explained.

“They’re always checking up on us, really managing their hire items well, and making sure we get the best out of them.

“Other companies have got too big to care about relationships but, with Kennards Hire, the focus is always on keeping the customer happy. It’s worked out perfectly for us.”

During August and September 2021, KMP worked with Coleman Rail on a major Williamstown project. The piling and platform works, involving trenching and conduits, were hit by a raft of COVID restrictions.

With limited numbers of personnel able to access site sheds and toilets – and supply chain problems making them hard to locate – KMP stepped in with the right equipment, at the right time.

“Tony and Chris, our points of contact, really delivered for us. They sourced items from anywhere they could. I was really impressed with the tight turnaround time. In just a couple of days, we had what we needed to keep works going.”

Beau Gallagher, general superintendent at Coleman Rail, said KMP’s quick thinking also saved the day on the Shepparton rail upgrade, where equipment was sourced and brought in across the NSW border.

Looking to the future

According to Beau, Coleman Rail will continue to work closely with KMP on upcoming projects.

These include the next stage of the Shepparton corridor (Grade 3), planned for late this year, with a completion date of December 2023. The Murray Basin rail project is also lined up, with new stages being released on a regular basis.

As companies emerge from the pandemic, many are seeking tailored support to ease the transition from lockdown, and help them scale back up to full capacity.

At KMP, we’re taking hire higher every day and are excited to be collaborating on many more projects in the future, providing a genuine one-stop shop - across sectors - for specialist hiring needs.

As Pavle points out, KMP services multiple sectors including construction, green energy and infrastructure. Coverage currently includes Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.

If you’d like to know more about KMP services, we’d love to discuss the options.