Check out what's been happening at Monkeytoe in June in our latest monthly news feature.

A note from Budd

Hi everyone,

We’re already in the second half of the year, and what a year it’s been for all of us. There’s plenty of chatter across the construction industry about volatility: record numbers of consents have been issued, and the sector is busier than ever – while at the same time some organisations haven’t been able to pull through, and the demand for key building materials is outpacing demand. Lots of projects are seeing delayed timelines, which is making landlords and builders alike pretty anxious!

Being prepared is one thing we can do – and that means having a plan for those what-ifs of a project that might crop up. The other side of that is knowing what opportunities are there, when you need them.

In this quick update, we’re teasing the launch of XBEAM Residential, and celebrating a couple of interesting projects over on the other side of the Tasman. 

Head on into June’s update and see what’s worth shaking a stick at.

Cheers,

Budd

Coming August 2022: XBEAM Residential

It’s been almost two years since we launched XBEAM to the world. Lighter, stronger, and capable of going more places than any beam before it, Monkeytoe’s unique XBEAM has been raising the bar.

Hold onto your hats, because in August we’re launching a new solution for the residential market: XBEAM Residential. With the weight of timber and the strength of steel, XBEAM Residential will open up new possibilities for the market, offer a new option in the place of traditional lintel beam members, and help address a shortage of alternative products.

Watch this space for more.

Two gigs in New Zealand

The team on the other side of the Tamsan keep pretty busy. After all, New Zealand’s construction sector has enjoyed a solid boom the last couple of years. So we were fortunate to be involved in a couple of new projects worth celebrating here.

NZ Post Centre

Recently, Macrennie Construction were awarded the contract to construct an NZ Post parcel handling and distribution centre in Wiri in the North Island of New Zealand. With such a large project, Macrennie needed a mechanical plant platform that would support more than 6 tonnes of HVAC equipment.

Located above the office block, the designers had anticipated a massive platform in steel that would weigh at least 23,000 kg to the roof – and that’s without any architectural louvre screens.

Monkeytoe were able to design a competitive solution using our one-of-a-kind XBEAM products that would weigh just over 6,000kg (nearly a quarter of the weight of the original design!) for a massive 22m x 9.5m portal-mounted platform with 65 sqm of louvre screens. With less structural loading, NZ Post’s new XBEAM platform can support more weight with better safety for the people and equipment in this state-of-the-art facility.

We were also able to supply and install without any on-site fabrication or hot works, and the XBEAM platform was connected to the portal after the roofing iron, meaning there wasn’t the need to have multiple steel contractors, access providers and louvre façade installers. Our solution helped reduce time on site, and streamlined their project management – while producing a standout access solution that’ll last the life of the building. 

656 Great South Road

As part of their significant gutting and refitting project for this Ellerslie site, Mansons TCLM needed safe and reliable access across a new saw-tooth design roof, as well as safe access between new plant platforms.

Saw-tooth roofs saw a huge revival in the 60s and 70s, particularly thanks to architects who wanted to bring in more natural light to factories and office blocks. And while stunning, they also present unique challenges for access and internal gutter maintenance that need careful consideration.

Monkeytoe were able to provide 16 marine-grade ladders to allow workers to service the parapets and gutters, as well as full walkways that would help protect the expensive new roof from heavy workboots. Lightweight and durable, these access solutions will last as long as the roof and provide safe access for years to come.

Mansons had already chosen heavy structural steel platforms for their HVAC units by the time Monkeytoe came on board. While there would have been a great opportunity for us to reduce loading on the roof and potentially provide greater overall savings with a complete suite of Monkeytoe and XBEAM solutions, we were still able to give value with stairs and handrails to the structural steel units. Plus, Monkeytoe brought in three XBEAM platforms for their roof-mounted fresh air systems in addition to the walkways and ladders – making for a pretty comprehensive set of solutions for a handsome roof. 

The building has already been tenanted, so look out for this hive of office and retail activity in Ellerslie when you next head past.