Our History
Our history in pipeline construction started back in 1969 when Oscar Broederlow Snr (Dan & Josh’s Grandfather) started a company called Broederlow Trenching Limited with his two sons Oscar Jnr and Matson Snr.
BTL started out doing power and telecommunication trenching and installation for local authorities in Auckland, but eventually specialised in cross country gas pipeline contracts in the North Island of New Zealand.
The “Oil Shocks” of the early and late 1970’s created new opportunities to emerge from New Zealand's natural gas resources, due to the Government wanting to reduce New Zealand’s reliance on energy imports. The Government at the time undertook a range of “Think Big” projects including Oil/Power/Steel/Alloy plants, railways, and the Clyde Dam, creating high demand for local contractors to take on large Government projects.
Broederlow Trenching Limited became a head contractor to the then Natural Gas Corporation of NZ and other local authorities undertaking cross country gas pipelines installation contracts. The contracts involved large scale earthmoving, trenching, pipelaying, backfilling, and reinstatement through kilometers of back country farmland.
BTL gained vast experience in the construction of cross country natural gas pipelines, high pressure gas gate stations, pressure reducing stations, block valve stations, ‘hot taps’ and by-pass on live gas mains as well as being consultants in pipe welding supervision to API 1104 and ASME 9 welding codes.
Examples of other companies that competed for these type of contracts that are still around today are Brian Perry Civil and McConnell Dowell.
Examples of Some Broederlow Trenching Ltd jobs under taken between 1979-1981:
Contract: Marton Lateral
Client: Natural Gas Corporation
The construction of 23kms of 100mm API plastic coated steel pipeline with 8 river crossings, 4 road crossings (casing), 1 rail crossings (casing) and 1 bridge crossing (casing).
Contract: PALMERSTON North Lateral
Client: Natural Gas Corporation
The construction of 23kms of 150mm API tar coated steel pipeline. This pipeline was a 6.5km section then leap-frogged a 6.5 km section that had been completed the previous year, then 1.5km section to a major river crossing, then it continued out to the coast to Himitangi. Constructed during one of the wettest winters in twenty years all pipe had to be strung with a helicopter to preserve the R.O.W (Right of way).
Contract: Morrinsville Lateral
Client: Natural Gas Corporation
The construction of 16kms of 150mm API tar coated steel pipeline and 25km of 100mm API polywrap steel pipe. With 4 major river crossings, 4 major road crossings (casing), 2 rail crossings (casing) and 1 major bridge crossing (casing). Special conditions. Through 14kms of peat country the pipeline was buried 2 meters deep. It also required all pipe to be strung with a helicopter to protect the R.O.W (Right of way).
A pipeline R.O.W (Right of Way) cut through steep bush terrain to allow laying of the Maui Gas Pipeline.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/5891976/Long-hard-days-on-pipeline-job
Helicopters were used to string out pipe for welding and installation to preserve the pipeline access R.O.W (Right of Way).
Sidebooms were used to lay the long pipeline strings into the trenches for welding, bedding, backfilling, and reinstatement of typically farm land that the gas pipelines ran across.
View the video above to see how they laid kilometers of gas pipeline back in the 1960’s & 70’s.
H.S Wallace - Truck haulage
Not to be out done, Josh & Dan’s other Grandfather Hilton Wallace was also a longtime contractor, doing logging and cartage. He owned and operated a truck haulage business for many years, on the North Shore of Auckland.
He also run and operated and Engineering Business that built shipping containers and also designed and built a machine that cleaned beaches, including a contract to clean up Takapuna Beach.
2012 - Josh Broederlow in one his Grandfathers old International S Line trucks purchased off him after he retired.
Broederlow Construction
Due to major Government reforms undertaken in 1989 and 1990, local Councils began to contract out all of their water supply work and other utility upgrade contracts.
During this time in the early 1990’s Maston Snr Broederlow (Dan & Josh’s father) started his own company called Broederlow Construction Limited which specialised in open-cut trenching of Three Waters Pipelines for Local Councils and Authorities. The company became an innovative leader in the industry by helping introduce some of the first forms of ‘Trenchless Technology’ into the New Zealand market; including Pipebursting, Pipe Re-lining (including Slip-Lining and Cured in Place Pipe-CIPP), and Microtunneling.
Broederlow Construction Ltd open-cut project during the 1990’s for Auckland Council. Laying Twin 2050mm Stormwater Pipelines along Commerce St, Fort St, Queen St in Auckland CBD.
Broederlow Construction Ltd job during the 1990’s for Watercare Services Ltd - Relining of Devonports No.1 Watermain along Lake Rd, North Shore, Auckland.
Josh Broederlow operating a crane on a microtunnelling crew.
Josh Broederlow installing timber lagging shoring on a 20mtr deep shaft back in 2000.
Dan Broederlow operating a 1.8t excavator digging a 20mtr deep shaft back in 2000.
Pipeline & Infrastructure
During the 1990’s Dan & Josh Broederlow both worked part time and during most school holidays in their father’s company. Then in the early 2000’s both began to work full time in the business after leaving high school/university, and eventually purchased the business & assets from their father.
Upon the change of ownership Dan & Josh decided to rename the business Pipeline & Infrastructure to simply acknowledge the type of contract work the company would be undertaking. They both had a vision to modernize, streamline, and build the business in their own way. This is the current form of P&I we see today.
Christchurch Earthquake Rebuild (2011 to 2017):
In 2011 the company was asked by the Fletcher Construction Company to send crews from Auckland down to Christchurch to help out with emergency wastewater and roading repair works after the devastating Canterbury Earthquake on 22 Feb 2011.
The crews were meant to be away for just 6 weeks, flying into Christchurch away from their families in Auckland 10 days on and 4 days off. This turned into 6 months, which turned into 6 years with the P&I crews eventually finishing up earthquake related works in Christchurch in 2017.
P&I became a contractor to the Stronger Christchurch Rebuild Team (SCIRT) to undertake earthquake repair work for the Christchurch City Council. P&I undertook some very high profile wastewater and roading fixes such as outside the Christchurch City Council Building, Christchurch Police Headquarters Building, Christchurch Arts Centre and the Christchurch Art Gallery, all of which survived the earthquakes.
This was a extremely challenging circumstance to work through, but a very rewarding experience to help out such a resilient and welcoming group of people that Cantabrians are.
P&I crew installing a manhole outside the Christchurch City Council Building on Hereford Street, Christchurch CBD
P&I crew laying a wastewater mainline outside the Christchurch Art Gallery on Montreal Street, Christchurch CBD.
Demolition of a building next to P&I site in Christchurch CBD 2013.
P&I crew laying a wastewater mainline beside a new building construction, opposite the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings on Durham Street North, Christchurch CBD.
Going Strong into the Future:
Today Pipeline & Infrastructure are still undertaking large diameter pipeline installs, as well as bulk earthmoving, land development, and infrastructure roading projects around New Zealand.
While the basic methodology of installing pipelines are relativity the same as back in 1969, the technology has come a long way, with P&I utilising the latest advances in GPS Machine Control and surveying equipment, as well as 3D modelling and CAD drawing capabilities.
P&I completed 3D Modelling for NZTA SH1 Warkworth - 11x Barrel Culvert - This project consists of laying 11x lines of 2400mm RRJ Concrete Pipes and 2x 40mtr long concrete wingwall structures.