Civil Contractors New Zealand and CablePrice signed an agreement confirming Platinum Sponsorship and naming rights of the CCNZ CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition until 2027 at Parliament’s Grand Hall in Wellington last week.

This means National Excavator Operator Competition naming rights sponsor CablePrice will continue to provide Hitachi excavators and extend its longstanding support for New Zealand’s national and regional excavator operator competitions for a further two years.

CablePrice has been the competition’s premier sponsor since 2009, supplying powerful Hitachi excavators for CCNZ’s regional and national excavator operator competitions, as well as providing significant in-kind support for the competition.

Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard said CablePrice provided outstanding support for the competition, and was ‘a driving force’ in delivering the event across 12 regions, culminating in a national final featuring regional champions.

Mr Pollard was ‘delighted’ the successful partnership would continue in coming years.

“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.”

He said the new agreement would enable CCNZ and its branches to continue offering excavator operator competitions across the country. In turn, top excavator operators would continue to showcase their skills for the public.

CablePrice Managing Director Aidan Mahony said 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.”

Mr Mahony said 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.

Mr Pollard said 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 CCNZ CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition was founded in 1994 as the brainchild of Manawatu contractors Graeme Blackley and Grant Smith. Each round sees competitors take on a series of local challenges, with the winner representing their region at the national finals, held at Central Districts Field Days at Manfeild in Feilding.

The 2023-24 competition was held in March at Central Districts Field Days in Feilding, with current Defending Champion Troy Calteaux of Andrew Haulage 2011 Ltd in Otago breaking new ground by winning his fourth national title earlier in the year, giving him the record for the most national titles in the competition’s 30-year history. The 2024-25 competition will be held from 13-15 March, at Central District Field Days at Manfeild once again.

The year’s regional competitions were underway, with regional champions already named for Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury Westland. Upcoming competitions include Taranaki on 16 November, Nelson Marlborough on 23 November, and Northland on 7 December.

Attendees at the signing event at Parliament's Grand Hall

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon takes on the competition’s newest challenge