Toowoomba business wins big New Zealand electricity project

A Toowoomba-based construction materials provider will design and fabricate cross arms for a major New Zealand electricity distribution business.

Wagners patriarch Henry Wagner rings the bell to launch the Toowoomba-based concrete, quarries and transport company on the ASX. Picture: Peter Morris/Sydney Heads

TOOWOOMBA-BASED construction materials provider Wagners will design and fabricate cross arms for a major New Zealand electricity distribution business.  

Wagners' Composite Fibre Technology division has designed composite fibre cross arms for Unison that are expected to withstand the harsh volcanic environments in the Hawkes Bay, Taupo and Rotorua areas of New Zealnd.  

Unison's network spans almost 10,000km and supplies more than 110,000 connected customers with about 1,590 GWh of electricity, making Unison one of the biggest distribution business in New Zealand.  

Unison's asset specialist Robert Wiltshire said the company had awarded the contract to Wagners because along with some rigorous testing, their long-standing reputation supplying arms to more than 90 per cent of the Australia market had made them industry leaders.  

"We were looking for a 'go to company' to support Unison's vision of reliability and longevity for the network," Mr Wiltshire said.  

"Wagners has earned a reputation both nationally and overseas for providing high-quality products and excellent service."  

Wagners Composite Fibre Technology (CFT) executive general manager Michael Kemp said the Toowoomba-based company was delighted to involved with the project.  

"We are excited to partner with Unison to supply our technology and design capabilities for the network, which they will then install," he said.  

Mr Kemp said Wagners' composite structures were designed to withstand the harshest environments and provided low maintenance, long-term assets for communities around the world.  

"Having supplied composite fibre cross arms, boardwalks, bridges and a wide range of other structures all across the world our materials are perfect for coastal, marine, and environmentally-sensitive areas such as tidal flood plains, protected mangrove swamps, and corrosive mining facilities," Mr Kemp said.  

Wagners' CFT has already been used in the New Zealand market with the design and installation of the country's first  clip-on pedestrian walkway and cycleway to the Chesterhope Bridge in Hastings.

Originally published as Toowoomba business wins big New Zealand electricity project