Select Plant Australia offers the construction industry some of the most technically advanced cranes and services available. In line with Select’s dedication to a sustainable future, the most recent addition to its crane fleet is the first TIDD PC28-3G from TRT. Nathan Mitschuinig, Select’s Business Unit Leader, provides insight into the organisation and the purchase of the new TIDD PC28-3G.
With over 30 years of global experience, Select takes pride in delivering forward thinking, innovative, top-tier construction solutions. Select offers customers the latest in technology, ranging from plant hire to logistics and on-site solutions, including the provision and installation of on-site accommodations, facilities, transport management and services.
Select Plant Australia aspires to be the recognised leader in sustainable, safe, and innovative plant solutions and a true integrated solutions provider.
“We service clients in the construction, civil, rail, infrastructure and utilities industries. We have depots in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia but our industrial transportation services enable us to deliver plant and equipment to every corner of the country,” said Nathan.
Sustainability
Together with its parent company Laing O’Rourke, Select is committed to leading the market toward a sustainable future.
“We have committed to reducing scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions, reaching operational emissions to net zero by 2030 and being a net zero company by 2050,” said Nathan.
“As a leader in sustainability within the Australian hire and rental industry, we are dedicated to investing in building a modern, innovative and environmentally sustainable fleet that incorporates electric, solar and hybrid-powered solutions. We already have two site compounds operating off solar energy and our fleet is expanding weekly with low and zero-emissions equipment,” he said.
Safety, Inclusion and Diversity
The health and safety of its people, customers and suppliers has always been the number one priority for Select.
“Our dedicated safety team is committed to improving our safety performance and minimising incidents. Safety is more than just our physical welfare; it is about our psychological wellbeing. We promote a culture where everyone is included and has the courage to stand up if something doesn’t feel right,” said Nathan.
“At Select, we are committed to continuing our journey of inclusivity and diversity. We pride ourselves on reaching our targets, particularly around gender balance and cultural diversity. Our goal is to ensure equality of genders across all levels and locations of the Select business by 2033,” he said.
Across much of the business, Select has already reached this target with 65 per cent of salaried positions occupied by women. The next step is to encourage, train and mentor these women to ensure they’re confident to apply for senior positions within the organisation. As for our cultural diversity commitment, Select proactively encourages and supports positive relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We have collaborated with more than 40 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises, contributing more than $32m across a range of diverse businesses. As we engage with Indigenous communities across the nation, our intention is to continue to build on these relationships of respect. This year we are focused on increasing our early learning talent with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” said Nathan.
Nathan goes on to discuss the Select Plant crane fleet.
“We manage a fleet of crawlers, mobile and tower cranes. Our mobile and crawler cranes range from 60-tonne rough terrain cranes up to 350-tonne crawler cranes with Superlift capability. We also offer a range of tower cranes, from small, flat-top type hammerheads, such as the CTT332-16, to larger capacity luffing types, such as our CTL430-24. Excitingly, we have recently added the first two 250t electric crawler cranes in the Australian construction industry to our growing sustainable fleet,” he said.
Select took delivery of its first TIDD PC28-2 in February 2023 which is currently operating on a project in Western Australia says Nathan.
“One of the fundamental principles shaping our plant investment strategy is a strong focus on safety. It’s worth highlighting that the TIDD PC28-2 demonstrates great safety features, including TRT’s exclusive Slew Safe® system, a critical safety component specifically designed to help prevent rollovers.
“Other advanced safety features included Traction Air® for regulated tyre pressure, ROPs style safety frame, the latest Allison Transmission with retarder and full ABS Brakes tested and compliant with the 2023 ADR35/06 standard. Coupled with the strategic positioning of LMI controls, seamlessly accessible from both the interior and exterior confines of the operator cabin.
“As we assessed the new TIDD as part of our evaluation process, another critical factor that influences our decision is our commitment to sustainability. TRT has manufactured the TIDD PC28-3G with the latest Cummins Euro 6 engine, offering the highest emission control diesel engine in the pick and carry crane market,” he said.
TRT Made Possible
Nathan explains what initially attracted Select to TRT’s products and services.
“What initially attracted us to TRT’s products and services was that they have key product support with both the parent manufacturer TRT in New Zealand and the Australian subsidiary. TRT also offers extensive industry experience to support Select’s ventures. We have dealt with Neil and the Australian team who have been supportive throughout the whole process,” he said.
Neil Webb, General Manager of TRT Australia, provides insights into the advancements in the latest TIDD PC28-3G model. While the ADR emission standards will be enforced starting next year, TRT has gone above and beyond by adopting the state-of-the-art Cummins Euro 6 emission engine, making TRT’s TIDD Pick and Carry Crane the cleanest available in the market.
“Our design and engineering teams didn’t stop there. As well as including the Euro 6 Emission Cummins engine, they wanted to improve the safety innovations on the new TIDD to meet the demands of Tier One builders and contractors. In this quest they’ve managed to engineer a retarder into the new unit which provides superior downhill braking, delivering increased safety and control, lowered operational expenses, less wear and tear on the crane and reduced noise in urban areas.
“We conducted extensive tests on the retarder system, and it performed above expectations. Operators rarely needed to use the brakes as the retarder system was doing all the work as expected. The TIDD PC28-3G takes operator control to the next level, reflecting our commitment to innovation and safety,” said Neil.
“The construction industry is showing a growing interest in enhancing sustainability and diminishing carbon footprints and emissions. Tier One builders and contractors are not only assessing the environmental impact of the end product but are also examining the sustainability of the product’s manufacturing process.”
“While a manufacturer may claim to produce an environmentally friendly machine, their manufacturing facility may not necessarily adhere to sustainable practices. TRT’s manufacturing facility in Hamilton, New Zealand, is 33,000 square metres with 9,000 square metres under the roof line.
“A recent initiative from the board focuses on cutting the organisation’s carbon footprint not only through our product but throughout the entire organisation.
“We have installed a complete solar system on two of our manufacturing sheds from which we generate enough power to run all our machinery plant and equipment. It’s so successful we are looking into installing similar systems on the other sheds,” Neil said.
“We prioritise sustainability, which is why Select is an excellent partner. They’ve recently made significant investments in two all-electric Liebherr crawlers, showcasing their strong commitment to zero emissions.
“They hold a strong commitment to investing in an environmentally sustainable fleet and we’ve supplied them with what we consider to be the highest emission control diesel engine available in the Australian market,” Neil explained.
When Select decided to re-introduce pick and carry cranes into its fleet, Neil said TRT needed to showcase its qualities.
“Undoubtedly, was a significant step. We had to demonstrate that our machine’s safety and innovations set the TIDD apart as the best choice for excellence, safety, and innovation. This involved extensive months of on-site operations, thorough examination of specifications, and close collaboration with the entire Select team.
“They were highly impressed by our safety features, particularly Slew Safe. They are especially enthusiastic about the audible and visual warning notifications, as well as the tactile feedback provided through the steering wheel by our Slew Safe System,” he said.
READ MORE:
- TRT launches all new TIDD PC28-3G.
- TRT Made Possible: service and support make anything possible.
- TRT’s comprehensive crane major inspections and rebuilding solutions.
“The CTI system was another notable safety feature (for Select), managing tyre pressure to the standard 130psi on all four tyres. This is a crucial safety feature that ensures you have the correct pressure during lifting operations and includes warning devices through visual and audible alarms to promptly alert the operator of any tyre pressure issues. During on road operations CTI also reduces tyre wear and tear.
“At TRT, we are committed to environmental responsibility and safety, but we are also dedicated to manufacturing strong and reliable lifting equipment, as demonstrated by the PC28-2. With more powerful front suspension cylinders, lifting capacity has increased up to 17 per cent (on average) when articulated or working on a side slope, and in some cases, by over 40 per cent, which is an incredible improvement,” he said.
“The fantastic aspect of this upgrade is that we’re not leaving any of our customers behind. Everyone who has purchased the PC28 can take advantage of this upgrade allowing them to access the same load chart as our latest model, part of our continuous focus on innovation and actively exceeding expectations for our customers.” Neil explained.
