Heavy vehicle expertise behind viticulture success
Marlborough wine production earned the region nearly $1.3 billion last year, largely through export sales. Yet none of this production would be possible without the benefit of local automotive heavy engineering expertise.
Blenheim-based agricultural contractors C J Hagen Ltd provide such expertise to local wine producers. They own and operate two grape harvesters, four truck and trailer units, eight tractors plus assorted agricultural mowers and sprayers, all of which are contracted out for use in Marlborough vineyards.
It’s very much a family business, started by the parents and these days managed by the son.
"Mum and Dad started the contracting business in 1985," says 23 year old Jim Hagen.
His parents were happy to see Jim take on the family business. He is now a qualified automotive heavy engineering technician, having completed his apprenticeship through the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Inc) (MITO) three years ago.
Jim gained his National Certificate in Motor Industry (Automotive Heavy Engineering) with strand in Agricultural Equipment while working at Tractor Repairs & Spares Limited in Renwick.
After finishing his apprenticeship, Jim thought about going to Christchurch to work for a company that built its own grape harvesters, but found it too hard to leave sunny Marlborough and the opportunity to work in the family business.
The business services the local viticulture industry full time.
The grape harvest season runs for six weeks from early March. "It’s a very labour-intensive time," says Jim. "Our two harvesters and the trucks and trailers are all operating flat out."
Most of the off-season work is in servicing the harvesters and some driving work - mainly contract fertilising for vineyards.
Grape harvesters are high maintenance vehicles. During harvest season they need to be washed down between harvesting each block, as each block can be a different variety of grape. It is also important for wine makers to see that clean vehicles are used, so the end product is not contaminated.
At the end of the season each harvester must be stripped right down. "There’s a couple of months work in each one," Jim says, and he does all this work himself.
"It takes one day to clean the harvester by water-blasting, one week to pull the machine apart, two days to clean the parts and check the shafts for damage and wear."
"Then one and a half weeks to put the machine back together. After that you need to run the machine up and check everything is working, check the hydraulic system and that the pressures are set correctly."
Each of the Hagen’s two grape harvesters was imported brand-new from the Gregoire factory in France, at a landed cost of $450,000 each. And every year a representative of the factory visits the Hagens from France.
Asked if he has any plans for the future, Jim says he’d like to visit the Gregoire factory in France – to see what it is like. Also, since completing his apprenticeship he has thought about further study and is considering MITO’s ATech® (advanced technical) programme.
Jim’s Industry Training Advisor during his apprenticeship, Paul Hawkes, thinks he would have no problem achieving higher qualifications. "He was a very motivated apprentice; he always had his eye on the next goal, and he was very intent on achieving and being the best of the best."
While admitting the hardest part of his apprenticeship was studying in his own time after work – Jim persisted – and now reaps the rewards.
"I apply what I learnt in my apprenticeship every day in my work," Jim says.
Thanks to his hard work, technical aptitude and determination in achieving a recognised qualification, Jim Hagen is now a vital part of a vibrant local industry.
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