A GROUND breaking piece of machinery developed by Wauchope road contractors, Stabilcorp, is set to revolutionise road construction in Australia and abroad.
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Australia's first shoulder paver attachment has already scooped the national 2015 Civenex Innovation Award - and the attention of Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss.
Whilst in Wauchope last Thursday, Mr Truss was treated to a demonstration, which proved the machinery's time and cost saving potential for road widening, rehabilitation and construction.
Mr Truss gave the 'Shoulder Master' a vote of confidence, marvelling in the fact that "a sophisticated piece of machinery like this has been developed in the country and clearly has market potential in Australia and across the world".
"It's amazing how much of Australia's innovation happens in regional areas.
"This is capable of doing a relatively intricate operation, but is a low-cost solution, which adds an extra degree of safety and could be very useful in the road construction industry," he said.
Stabilcorp's managing director Peta Pinson believes the Shoulder Master is "a game changer" because it is the "quickest and cheapest way to repair and widen road shoulders ever seen in Australia".
She said the new patent-pending technology, which was designed with Australian road conditions in mind, is 50 per cent more cost effective than traditional methods and is quick, safe and effective, whilst minimising traffic disruption.
"The savings for councils will mean almost twice as much road repairs can be carried out with the same budget," Mrs Pinson said.
According to business manager Mark Pilgrim the attachment, which connects to a skid steer loader within minutes, "easily lays 100 metres of construction material every hour".
Due to the overwhelming interest from councils, the Roads and Maritime Service and private contractors at a civil engineering expo in Sydney in May, Mr Pilgrim said the Shoulder Master has now gone into production, with the first attachments expected to roll off the manufacturers line at the end of August.
Chair of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's roads and infrastructure portfolio, councillor Lisa Intemann, has also thrown her support behind the Shoulder Master, referring it to council staff for further consideration.
Councillor Sharon Griffiths agreed that "given council's road maintenance backlog, anything that improves efficiencies needs to be looked at".
"This is an excellent piece of machinery that goes to show that innovative ideas can be born right here in Wauchope," she said.
