When Genesis Energy and FRV Australia broke ground on the Lauriston Solar Farm in Canterbury, they were taking on an ambitious project that would become an important part of New Zealand's renewable energy future.
Like any major construction project, things didn't always go exactly to plan. Workforce numbers changed, contractors came and went, and site requirements evolved as the build progressed. What the project team needed was a fleet partner that could adapt just as quickly.
Working alongside Kennards Hire and project stakeholders, Cross Country provided a flexible fleet solution that kept people moving throughout the eight-month build.
The Challenge
The Lauriston site covered 93 hectares of rural Canterbury farmland and relied on vehicles every day to move workers, supervisors and contractors across the project.
While the overall construction programme was well defined, many of the day-to-day requirements weren't. Weather conditions, changing work schedules and the arrival of specialist contractors meant fleet needs could shift with very little notice.
The project also operated under strict health and safety requirements. Every vehicle on site needed to meet specific standards, including reversing cameras, reversing alarms and beacon lighting. These weren't optional extras, they were essential to keeping the site compliant and safe.
Then, shortly before mobilisation, the project team advised that all utes would need to be supplied as wellside vehicles rather than canopy-fitted models to accommodate larger equipment being transported around site.
Keeping Canterbury's Largest Solar Build Moving
93ha
SOLAR FARM SITE
8
MONTH PROJECT DURATION
24
HOUR FLEET RECONFIGURATION
0
FLEET-RELATED DOWNTIME
Our Response
With project deadlines approaching, our Christchurch team moved quickly.
Canopies were removed and stored, vehicles were reconfigured, and the fleet was prepared to the new specification within 24 hours. To ensure compliance wasn't compromised, every vehicle was fitted with the required safety equipment, including beacon lights, reversing cameras and reversing alarms.
As the project progressed, our support extended well beyond simply supplying vehicles.
A Cross Country team member completed site induction, giving us direct access to the construction site for servicing, COF inspections, repairs and vehicle swap-outs. That meant maintenance could be completed with minimal disruption and without pulling project staff away from their work.
When additional contractors arrived on site, we were able to scale the fleet to match demand, supplying additional vehicles already configured to the project's safety requirements.
The Outcome
Over the course of the project, Cross Country delivered reliable and fully compliant fleet support from mobilisation through to completion.
Despite changing site requirements, fluctuating workforce numbers and a significant last-minute specification change, the project experienced zero fleet-related downtime. Vehicles remained available, compliant and ready for work whenever they were needed.
Most importantly, the project team could stay focused on building the solar farm, knowing their transport requirements were taken care of.
"We knew from the start that our vehicle requirements were going to be pretty demanding, with tight timelines, strict safety specifications and a dynamic work programme. It was a real relief to find a provider like Cross Country who didn't just meet the brief, but worked with us every step of the way to make it happen."
