Founded in 1933, Fulton Hogan is one of Australasia’s leading civil construction companies.

They are legends in their field.

Fulton Hogan’s teams deliver high-quality infrastructure projects, from road construction and maintenance to water infrastructure and civil works. So they need to partner with trusted suppliers who give their teams the support and tools they need to work safely and efficiently.

Sorting small work sites, trench stability, and worker safety. (Tick, tick and tick.)

On the Waikowhai, Ōwairaka and Wesley, (Auckland watermain project), Fulton Hogan is working with Watercare across multiple sites. When completed, the project will upgrade crucial water infrastructure to improve services and facilitate future development in the area.

Guardian, are doing their bit, supplying shoring, road plates, access platforms, and Davit winches to support the project.

Guardian trench shields meet AS/NZS standards and provide certified protection up to 7.2 metres deep.

But there’s more to their story.

Glen King: Fulton Hogan Senior Supervisor

Glen has oversight of the project. He says hiring Guardian shields solved some significant challenges. “Previous shoring systems were heavy and difficult to manage – often requiring large excavators to move them around and extending the workspace.”

Reduced road and site damage

Guardian’s reduced shield weight meant less damage to the road, and shields were safer to move around.

There’s also reduced plant costs and reduced footprint. They were easy to shift between sites, with up to 3 sites working at once, starting in Richardson Road then Penney Ave, Eaton Road, Olsen Ave, Katheryn Ave, Oakdale Road, Dominion Road Extension and ending in Glass Road, with more earth works still to come.

Savings

Glen says the shield hire was very competitively priced, and costs have been saved on the project by using smaller, more cost-effective machines.

Would you recommend Guardian Shields?

“Yes, already have and will continue to do so. It’s a great product and very good service.”

“Initially, we were unsure, but this quickly proved to be a great decision. We are very impressed with the service Ben provides and have built a good rapport. All my supervisors are extremely happy with Guardian products and look forward to working closely with Ben and Lincoln in 2025.”

Guardian remains a trusted partner on this project, working to keep the Futon Hogan teams going home safe every night.

Richardson Road; Wesley site (Watermain project)

Fetuuloa Havili, the Fulton Hogan Supervisor on the Wesley site had multiple challenges, working in the built-up, residential area. Among them, overhead powerlines, and streetlights restricting the movement (and size) of diggers, along with the need for trench stability and extensive servicers underground to work around.

Game-changing in confined spaces

Fetuuloa’s team used, mostly, Guardian 3.6m x 2.4m shields (code: 2375). This light aluminium shield could be lifted by a small 14 tonne digger with a short arm, so it poses no danger to the power lines or streetlights. (Using heavy steel shields and a 30 tonne digger to lift them, would risk hitting both. Not good for workers or residents!)

Fast, responsive service

Fetuuloa’s said his Guardian account manager Ben was very responsive.

He said the trench shields were sturdy but lightweight, and easy to assemble and disassemble. Which meant less time on site. (The small, 2.4m shield takes only 10min and 2 people to construct.)

“I would recommend these shields. I have worked closely with Ben for 10 months or so and I’m very happy with the Guardian service and product.”

Denny Avenue; Wesley site (Watermain project)

On the same project, but at Denny Ave., Fulton Hogan Supervisor Edward Ham was also working in tight areas on the road; under overhead wires, and around parked cars.

He says he viewed the Guardian shields at the Guardian Auckland hire yard and realised they were a good fit for the job.

Using 3.6m and topper boxes and the small 2.4m Guardian shields, helped avoid accidental damage to property and like other supervisors on the project, he says the lightweight and easily assembled design stood out with the reduced weight allowing his team to use a smaller digger to lift them.

Faster turn-around times

Since switching to Guardian trench shields and boxes, Edward has noticed key improvements on his work sites including faster turnaround times ensuring projects stay on track.

Edward said, “the shields are a cost-effective solution with competitive pricing which helps stretch project budgets.”

“It’s easier for our guys to use the shields and assemble them.”

Multiple sites around Mt Roskill and Hillsborough (Watermain project)

Using all size Guardian shields including attachments on different sections of the project, Fulton Hogan Supervisor Daniel Dennehy and his team also experienced benefits.

Well-maintained, and on time

Reliable service and well-maintained products is the difference for Daniel. "Products are easy to use, have a good hire price, are available when I need them and presented well - all clean and tidy, and the customer service is great!"

He says same-day delivery removed hold-ups, delays and uncertainties.

Tidier sites

One of the benefits of using Guardian shields, Daniel says, are tidier sites.

The lightweight aluminium trench shoring is more straightforward to manoeuvre, and storage and handling is more efficient than with steel alternatives.

No on-site hold-ups

Before partnering with Guardian, Daniel's team faced challenges in promptly accessing hire equipment. With construction demands being largely reactive, delays in equipment delivery often halted progress on-site.

Would you recommend Guardian Shields?

"Yes, I would recommend Guardian shields. They are easy to use, especially around services and tight pits/trenches.

"Ben and Sione are always a pleasure to deal with. Ben goes the extra mile when it comes to getting us the gear we require, and you can always guarantee a call back. Very transparent and a wide range of products."

For Guardian’s full range of shoring options, please click here:

https://www.transquip.co.nz/Hire/Trench-Shields-Hire