Camera on Wheels Saves the Day

HydroTech recently won a contract to inspect and repair several kilometres of drains in Whangarei.

A leader in building and maintaining water and drainage infrastructure, HydroTech has a reputation for problem solving and a commitment to strong environmental management and sustainability.

When they ran into a problem early in the inspection process, Kennards Hire was able to assist. The expert team excels at solving one-off problems and complex challenges.

The Challenge of Equipment Failure

Not far into the job, which starts with using a remote controlled camera to inspect the pipe and identify problems, Hydrotech’s CCTV unit suffered technical difficulties and had to be sent for repairs. With workers on standby, they needed a temporary replacement pipe camera urgently.

A Replacement Camera Solution

Taine Newland, from the Kennards Hire Test & Measure branch, was having a day off when he took a call from HydroTech’s area manager, Lincoln Amosa.

Once Lincoln had explained the problem, Taine recommended an iPek Rovion® robotic camera, designed for inspecting pipelines between 150 and 600mm. The camera is mounted on what looks like a toy truck and is attached to a 200m reel.

Taine drove an hour to meet Lincoln at the Auckland City depot. “Lincoln was driving two hours from Whangarei, so I wanted to deliver the unit, answer any questions and make sure he had everything he needed for the job.

A Client Happy With the Results

Lincoln was so impressed with the iPek camera tractor that he ended up hiring it for a week.

For Taine, it’s about working with clients and suppliers to find the best equipment for each job. Kennards Hire offers the latest testing, safety and environmental measurement equipment to the oil, gas and mining industries, sewer and water mains construction, electrical data, communications and plumbing industries.

“We ask the customer to isolate their problem so we can figure out the easiest and most cost-effective solution,” he says.