The Australian Pipeliner spoke with Austrack Equipment about what it takes to become a trusted machine hire partner in the pipeline industry.
Across Australia’s pipeline sector, contractors face tight timelines, remote locations and zero tolerance for error. That’s why choosing the right machinery hire partner matters, and why companies like Austrack Equipment are leaders in the field.
Choose a specialist, not a generalist
While a generalist hire company might supply capable machines, a specialist brings hard-earned pipeline experience, and niche equipment dialled in to the intricacies of pipelining. Companies founded within the pipeline sector understand the challenges of a pipeline project, from common operational inefficiencies to environment hazards and their effects on machinery. They know what crews need, when they need it, and how each piece of equipment fits into the broader sequence of works.
Austrack Equipment built its business around this exact niche. Company founder Michael Benson has been involved in pipeline construction – from machine operator to construction superintendent – since his arrival in Australia roughly 25 years ago.
“All the while in those frontline roles I was learning what pipelining was all about,” he told The Australian Pipeliner.
“When the time came to do my last fly-in fly-out, when the last section of pipe had been hammered home, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to set up a heavy equipment hire company that would bring a very particular expertise to service pipeline contractors.
“The knowledge I had gained I could now use to assist pipeline contractors to get the best equipment to complete their projects.”
Komatsu D375A dozer to the yard. Image: Austrack
Pick the right tools for the job
General hire machinery might be more geared towards an urban construction environment, rather than remote worksites that deal with extreme temperature fluctuations, dust, limited maintenance, and similar challenges.
“Our emphasis is very much on bringing smart solutions so that our customers can kick their project goals. Their success is our success,” Benson said.
“We keep an eye on technology across the world thus ensuring we can offer our customers the very best equipment that is available.”
Nowhere is this more evident at Austrack than in the development of its SafeVac Lifting Systems range of vacuum pipe lifters. These Australian-made excavator lifting attachments, built to conform to the European EN13155 Standard, lift and place pipes safely and efficiently. The SafeVac has multiple iterations, from the smaller and more nimble wheeled excavator SV200, to the 36-tonne tracked excavator SV400i.
Similar efficiency benefits come from another Austrack machine, the customised EF450 Sand Hopper backfilling unit. Sand is the usual choice for pipe bedding material but as it is imported material it needs to be transported to site, making it expensive. Additionally, conventional backfill techniques, where sand is dumped along the line and bucketed in with an excavator, have the drawback of resulting in significant wastage, increasing the possibility of backfilling contamination, and the requirement for additional manpower and machines to complete the task.
Fortunately, Austrack Equipment’s customisation of the Trenchmaster EF450 Sandhopper addresses all of these issues. The integrated unit has a sandhopper holding 60 tonnes of sand which it receives directly from a delivery dump truck. It is operated remotely by a single operator. It moves inexorably at 5km per hour and the sand gets placed precisely where it needs to go by an accurate trench delivery paddle system.
And when trench backfilling is being considered, Austrack has the answer to compaction requirements and ensuring pipe integrity.
Austrack can supply specially designed compaction haunchers, which are customised excavator attachments connected to a vibe plate which straddles the laid pipe in a horseshoe configuration. These customised haunchers can achieve even the most exacting level of compaction. For Austrack, it’s just one more cleverly designed attachment in its arsenal of specialised pipeline machinery.
Look for runs on the board
Experience speaks for itself, and having a machine hire partner with a proven track record is no exception. When picking a machinery hire partner, it’s important to look for companies that have supported major pipeline builds, handled complex conditions and delivered consistently.
Over the course of its 15 years in operation, Austrack has consistently proven its worth on many of Australia’s pipeline projects, including the Gladstone to Fitzroy pipeline, the Haughton Duplication pipeline, the Murray River–Broken Hill pipeline, the FMG Ironbridge project, and many more.
The care factor
Machinery matters, but mindset is just as important. The best hire partners don’t just deliver equipment to a work site – they deliver considered service. They respond quickly, communicate clearly and stay invested in a project’s outcome.
“Set and forget is not the Austrack way,” Benson said.
“Having the quality and range of equipment is only half the battle. Back up service when it is on site is absolutely fundamental to what we do. Whether it is ensuring manufacturers’ service personnel are available or supplying our own fitters to become part of the project, as we regularly do, we know equipment back up service is a non-negotiable part of our customer offer.”
Pipeline construction leaves no room for guesswork. The partner you choose directly impacts performance on the ground. Companies like Austrack Equipment show what that looks like in practice: a partner built for pipelines, proven in the field and committed to delivering results for its customers.
“Getting it right all the time is almost impossible,” Benson said.
“But getting it right will always be the Austrack ambition.”
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