CablePrice has been confirmed as the Platinum Sponsor and naming rights partner for the National Excavator Operator Competition until 2027
In a new agreement signed at Parliament’s Grand Hall in Wellington, CablePrice has been confirmed as the Platinum Sponsor and naming rights partner for the National Excavator Operator Competition until 2027, extending a longstanding partnership that began in 2009.
CablePrice will continue to supply Hitachi excavators and provide support significant in-kind support for the event.
Civil Contractors New Zealand (CCNZ) chief executive Alan Pollard says CablePrice was ‘a driving force’ in delivering the event across 12 regions, culminating in a national final featuring regional champions.
“This is the pinnacle event for excavator operators to compete and be recognised as New Zealand’s best. Because of this, it’s very important we have the right partner to support our members in proving their skills with cutting-edge equipment.
“CablePrice has shown outstanding commitment to the industry by recognising and developing the industry’s skilled excavator operators through this competition. The country’s contractors are grateful to the team for their efforts.”
The new agreement enables CCNZ and its branches to continue offering excavator operator competitions across the country. In turn, top excavator operators would continue to showcase their skills to the public.
CablePrice managing director Aidan Mahony says the partnership between CablePrice and the civil construction industry was solid through tough times as well as good, and his team was committed to supporting contractors and excavator operators.
“We’re proud to support the CCNZ CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition. With 30 years of history, this event just gets better each year. We are very proud to support it as Platinum Sponsor.
“Taking out the title over two days of intense competition is no small feat. I’m always amazed to see what operators can achieve behind the controls of the right machine, in a competition that encourages them to push their skills to the limit.”
Aidan says the competition would continue to set the standard for excavator operators across the country and praised the volunteers across CCNZ and its branches for their role in constantly improving the delivery of the competitions.
A special competition highlight for the CablePrice team this year was seeing prime minister Christopher Luxon get behind the controls of a 13-tonne Hitachi excavator to trial the competition’s newest task — a ‘connect challenge’ — prior to the national event.
Alan says the civil construction industry was grateful to CablePrice for its ongoing support of the competition, which, in turn, profiled the industry to the public.
“The more the public can see the skill, mastery and application of people working in the civil trades, the better off we will be. Excavator operators are skilled professionals and the work they do is of vital importance to the country.”
The 2024–25 competition will be held from 13 to 15 March 2025, at Central District Field Days at Manfeild.
The year’s regional competitions were underway, with regional champions already named for Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury Westland and Taranaki. Upcoming competitions include Nelson Marlborough on 23 November and Northland on 7 December.