Precasting concrete is a common process found in modern-day construction, critical to a plethora of builds around the country and reliant on efficient transport to be successfully completed. As its name suggests, precasting involves casting and curing concrete into a specific mould or form before it is transported into a construction site and installed.
Within this world of casting, curing and carting concrete to designated construction spaces, Westkon Precast has made an impressive name for itself within the near five decades that it has contributed to Australia’s construction industry. Since 1987, the concrete contractor – a family business operating out of Cobblebank, Victoria – has been producing structural precast components and detailed architectural products for some of Australia’s largest and most prominent landmarks. These have included materials for buildings, sporting stadiums and road developments.
Though coming from humble family beginnings, Westkon Precast’s current capabilities extend to an encompassing range of builds according to Westkon Precast Business Operations Manager, Camille Zeiback.
“We offer a complete solution to our customers in the civil, commercial, residential development and general construction industry,” he says. “Remaining a family-owned and managed business since our founding, Westkon is proud to offer the latest in prefabrication techniques and solutions of exceptional quality and finish.”
Throughout Westkon Precast’s growth and success in the industry, its capabilities and appetite for projects have been strengthened by its relationships with companies that have filled other roles in its production chain. A preeminent example of this is Westkon Precast’s relationship with Krueger which has supplied the fleet with trailers that have been critical to moving its precast concrete to building sites.
“Westkon has relied on Krueger’s expertise in the past and has always been satisfied with the outcome,” Camille says.
Already sporting 12 Krueger trailers in its fleet, made up of 11 drop decks and one flat top, Westkon Precast has again looked to bolster its construction capabilities with another delivery. Its latest order included 15 custom builds consisting of 10 45’ flat tops and five drop decks.
These trailers, produced for the sole purpose of delivering concrete in a safe and efficient manner, have all been ordered with a range of specifications to achieve the task. These features include the addition of custom pockets to fit Westkon Precast’s unique fall prevention system, side underruns and rated headboards and blind spot warnings and reverse squawker alarms. Additionally, the drop decks have been customised to make use of container pins when securing Westkon Precast’s range of precast transport frames.
Each trailer has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 38 tonnes with a payload figure of up to 24 tonnes as standard. When coupled to Mercedes Benz Actros 2653 prime movers, the units boast Gross Combination Masses (GCM) of 42.5 tonnes. Camille said the critical nature of choosing the aforementioned specifications was to be able to transport precast concrete around Victoria as productively as possible.
“All of these considerations and planned specifications have resulted in a fleet of trailers that allow us to achieve our goals efficiently, safely and consistently,” he says. “Although Westkon services projects all over Australia, Victoria is where the company does the bulk of its work. It would come as no surprise to see our product being delivered through the CBD, up into the hills of Mount Hotham or down the coast to Geelong all in the same day.”
Camille and the Westkon Precast team were significantly impressed with the quality of Krueger’s manufacturing upon the delivery of the new units.
“The standardised manufacturing at Krueger means we can be confident and reliable in our ability to deliver Precast,” Camille says. “The trailers allow us to exceed industry standards in safety, load restraint and delivery.”
Krueger National Sales Manager, George Athanasi, expressed the importance of manufacturing trailers that are best suited for the task of moving Westkon Precast’s materials. According to him, the transporter’s role of a recurring collaborator has made Krueger’s trailer production process much more efficient each time.
“By combining our standard engineering specifications with Westkon’s detailed brief, we’ve been able to develop assets that are uniquely designed for their operations,” he says. “Transporting precast concrete is no small task. It’s heavy, and in many ways, you must be somewhat delicate or secure when it comes to transporting it.
“The concrete plays a critical role as structural support in construction. That’s why Krueger’s careful planning and engineered modifications are essential – because they ensure each asset is perfectly suited for the requirements.”
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