Sanland Equipment have put a specialised crushing and screening service team together that is available for hire to external businesses
For companies that are finding it difficult to service or carry out repairs on their plant and equipment, Sanland Equipment might have the answer with the recent onboarding of a service team, headed up by Neil Loughran.
“There aren’t many people around that have the special skillset to service and repair crushing and screening plants, or if there are they are mostly ageing out of the industry and we think it is important to get the next generation involved,” says Max Sun of Sanland Equipment.
“Growing up, none of my peers considered this industry as an option, so with Neil and his assistant Nathan [Stearns] on board, we were able to secure the future for us and the industry – we have someone who has a wealth of knowledge and international contacts, which can come in handy when problems need to be solved.”
Max goes on to say that Neil, through his business Loughran Plant & Mechanical, would frequently buy parts from Sanland and over a period of time they built up a strong working relationship. “We liked Neil’s work ethic and shared similar values, so we made a decision to buy him out and make his service business a part of our infrastructure,” he says.
“Nathan hails from Canada, he’s young and has always been into welding. He was welding in different industries but got into heavy industry work with Neil a few years ago. He’s a big fan of body art, and views welding as an art in itself, which is reflected in the quality and beauty of his welds, especially hard-facing patterns which customers seem to love.”
A familiar name
Those close to the industry will recognise Neil’s name, it being familiar both in New Zealand, Australia and his homeland of Ireland.
Known for a working knowledge of all the popular brands, his taste for mechanical work began as a 16 year old, working for his uncle’s contracting business in Ireland.
“As you know, Ireland is home to a lot of crushing and screening brands and I used to work with the names that we all know, so got to know many people in the industry there and when I moved to Australia it was the same. A lot of them are still friends, so if I need technical advice, help is only a phone call away,” says Neil.
“By the time I moved to Australia in my early 20s, I naturally gravitated to the crushing and screening industry, mainly on the mechanical side as well as running mobile plants, but I did have other roles – such as a production manager for mining company PRG, among other industry related jobs.”
Neil rattles off his brand work history, which includes all the well-known names, such as Precisionscreen, Terex Finlay, Sandvik, Powerscreen, Metso, Kleeman, and a host of others.
“I worked all around Australia when I was with Lincom and other companies, so all that combined has given me a wide range of experience and skills that I can use and pass onto the team at Sanland,” he says.
New Zealand bound
While Australia was a great place to work and gain experience, for Neil the Kiwi lifestyle eventually beckoned after meeting a local girl, where he settled down and began raising a family, something that will no doubt keep him in the country for the foreseeable future.
In New Zealand, Neil worked for Lincom again and also spent time with Screenworks on reconstruction work in the years following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.
“I eventually decided to go out on my own and contracted to a number of other businesses on their equipment,” says Neil. “I’m pretty sure my skills are appreciated, and in some cases, I’ve fixed pieces of plant that had been put on the scrap heap because others had told them the gear was unrepairable.”
One point Neil touches on is the unwillingness of older experts to pass their knowledge onto the younger generation.
“We need to make it more attractive for young people. There are a lot of gatekeepers and when they die that knowledge is lost,” he says. “A company I know well had that happen when their most experienced guy passed away. All the information was stored in his head, and it was a heck of a job for his employer to replace that. Passing on information is something we all need to do so that it fosters enthusiasm among younger people who thirst to learn new skills.”
New service warehouse
Right: Neil Loughran
As for the work the service team carries out, Neil says they are set up to handle all crushing and screening plant repairs, which includes conveyor belt replacement, welding and ancillary work. “We have service agreements in place with a number of companies and can also carry out short notice breakdown work,” says Neil.
One of the benefits of using the Sanland service team is the well-stocked parts warehouse and equipment catalogue that sits alongside the service work. “All of this will come together soon with our investment in a new dedicated service workshop, where mobile and static equipment can have repairs, maintenance and major rebuilds,” says Max. “It’s a big investment on our part and underscores our confidence in the future of the industry.”
“What we can now provide is the whole package, with a wide range of equipment and plant options, service packages and extensive parts support that equipment owners will fit for purpose, cost effective and in many cases will be a legacy to pass on for the next generation.”
For more information, visit sanlandequipment.co.nz or contact Neil directly at neil@sanland.co.nz.
Images by David Lott and supplied