Home Blog

Just breathe

0

Within the construction industry, the issue of silicosis has been in the spotlight in recent years, specifically the danger it poses to many workers on building sites, with many urgently calling for better diagnostic tools.

Silicosis, often called a ‘silent lung disease’, is a chronic, potentially fatal, lung condition caused by inhaling silica dust, a common mineral found in sand, concrete, and stone.

In July 2024, the cutting and use of engineered stone was banned due to the risk of silicosis. But for any workers in mining or on tunnelling construction projects, like Sydney Metro West, Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel or Brisbane’s Cross River Rail, the dangers persist.

Fortunately, there’s now hope on the horizon thanks to groundbreaking research at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), where a team of scientists has developed a revolutionary rapid breath test that could catch the disease far earlier than current diagnostic methods.

The new diagnostic tool can analyse a person’s breath for signs of silicosis, even at its very earliest stage, within a matter of minutes. The test combines mass spectrometry—a scientific technique that analyses molecules—and AI to rapidly detect silicosis from breath samples, providing a non-invasive diagnostic tool for at-risk workers.

If the UNSW research lives up to its early promise, it could be a game changer in the working conditions and health of construction workers. Most importantly, it could provide a potentially life-saving shift in how occupational lung diseases are managed.

The research project has been underway over the past two years, led by Professor William Alexander Donald and Conjoint Professor Deborah Yates. Merryn Baker, a PhD candidate in the UNSW’s School of Chemistry, is one of the lead researchers.

“The main issue about silicosis is that it’s usually diagnosed at a late stage because the technologies we currently use, like X-rays, CT scans and lung function testing, can only pick up the disease much later once it’s visible or has caused significant lung damage,” Baker says.

“Once it’s chronic, it can have a huge impact on a person’s life and there’s only limited treatment options, or it could be fatal. So the need to diagnose it early, to limit exposure and prevent progression, is crucial.

“With the work we’ve been doing, the potential to now have earlier diagnoses and intervention can make a huge difference to the health outcomes, treatment options and long-term wellbeing.”

Unlike X-rays and CT scans that need to be conducted in a clinical setting, this new test could be deployed for mass worker screenings onsite and provide results within minutes. It also does not involve doses of radiation as X-rays do.

“Our method is very sensitive, and it can detect molecules down to parts per trillion, so it has an amazing capacity to pick up things that are at very small concentrations, which is what we can see with disease biomarkers in the breath,” Baker explains. “This is a disease where early detection is vital.”

The new detection device itself is surprisingly simple. “It’s a benchtop instrument that is only about one metre squared,” Baker explains. “It only takes one or two breaths into a plastic bag, with the contents then analysed by the machine. It takes one minute to run the sample and less than a minute for the AI to analyse the data. It’s all very fast.”

The technology can also be deployed on worksites. “There are some logistical considerations, like requiring nitrogen gas, but there’s no specific need for it to be in a clinical setting,” Baker says.

Historically, diagnosis of silicosis has lagged behind exposure by decades. According to Lung Foundation Australia, many cases of respiratory disease only surface long after workers have retired.

The journey to this new breakthrough has been full of challenges, Baker admits.

“When you’re working with AI and machine learning, you often don’t know if it’s going to work. The molecules we’re detecting are at such low concentrations that it’s hard to know if we’re picking up meaningful data until we run the AI algorithm. So when we saw it working with such high accuracy, it was a really great surprise.”

As the research project has another year to run as more testing is completed, there’s more work to be done before the device becomes widely available. Regulatory approval for medical devices—especially those involving AI—can take lengthy periods of time.

“In terms of instrumentation, the mass spectrometry devices are already available, but we need to do larger studies and get strong correlations between biomarkers and disease for approval, but we are getting closer,” Baker says. She remains optimistic, however, the device could be available within the next 12 to 18 months.

Baker reveals it’s been the important real-world impact the end result could have that has kept the UNSW team highly motivated by their project. “This test could help prevent a disease that has caused so much harm in people’s lives,” she says. “If we can help construction workers stay healthy and avoid the devastating consequences of silicosis, then that’s a massive achievement.”

Going the distance

0

North-west Queensland is remote country, home to scattered towns such as Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Hughenden. It’s a place where distances are measured in hours it takes to drive rather than kilometres.

Across the region are businesses where machinery, parts and stock must be delivered in a timely manner. If you’re waiting a week for parts to arrive, staff aren’t working and money is being lost hand over fist.

When operating hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest supply hub, planning is everything—but sometimes, even the best-prepared teams need a rapid fix.

That was the case for Guerrilla Maintenance Services (GMS), an Indigenous-owned and operated maintenance, construction, and engineering company based in Cloncurry, Queensland. While running a brownfield project near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, GMS suddenly found itself in need of a critical component to keep the job on track.

GMS operations manager Clint Turner picked up the phone and called CSS member Mount Isa Mining Supplies. The part was in stock, but it was 660km away. “Clint wanted to know if we could get it to him that day,” recalls Brett Peterson, founder and manager of Mount Isa Mining Supplies. “No problem. We put it in the back of a ute and drove it to Tennant Creek. One of our staff members added a 13-hour round trip drive to his workday but the component was delivered on time.”

GMS is no stranger to the demands of remote projects. From plant construction, underground mining to settlement dam builds, the company has learned to navigate the challenges of distance, unpredictability, and logistics. To stay ahead, GMS keeps healthy stock levels at its Cloncurry base. For everything else, they rely on smart supply partnerships.

One key relationship is with Mount Isa Mining Supplies, who do a weekly stock run to Cloncurry. Their rep, Emmalee O’Hara, has become a vital link in the chain. “Emmalee’s the next best thing to having a store in town,” says Turner.

“I send her a list of non-urgent items, and she’ll throw in extras she thinks we might need. It’s up to us if we buy them or not.”

It’s a practical solution to an impractical challenge; keeping critical parts flowing in some of Australia’s most isolated regions. Whether it’s a last-minute dash across the desert or a well-planned weekly run, partnerships like that between GMS and Mount Isa Mining Supplies keep the wheels turning in regional Australia. It’s not just about parts; it’s about trust, reliability, and backing each other when it counts. In the world of mining and industrial services, that’s the difference between a project stalling and a project finishing strong.

Diamantina Shire Council in Central West Queensland covers an area of over 94,000 square kilometres. Maintaining and building roadwork, both dirt and tar, is a major part of their core responsibilities. The works manager liaises with the engineers to set the schedule for the year, then coordinates with the work crews.

Josh Oehm is the workshop foreman at Diamantina Shire Council and part of his job is ensuring stock levels for the various work crews. The council’s remote locations must be factored into all supply decisions.

“Adequate amounts of tools, fasteners, fittings and bolts need to be on hand at all times,” he says. “It’s important because the work must continue smoothly and without interruption.”

Another Cloncurry-based business, Curry’s Diesel & Machinery, services the rural mining and commercial sector. The team covers everything from rebuilds to machinery hire to repairs.

“It takes a bit of foresight to ensure adequate stock levels to keep our business operating,” says Joe Robertson, workshop supervisor at Curry’s. “You need to plan ahead and allow for all eventualities. Time is money and any delay is costing our customers and ourselves.”

Diamantina Council is 500 kilometres from Mount Isa while Curry’s Diesel & Machinery is 115 kilometres away. Despite this, both businesses use Mount Isa Mining Supplies to supply tools, consumables and any specific items they require. The secret weapon is, once
again, Emmalee O’Hara. She loads up a van and hits the road to deliver whatever these businesses need.

“When we put in an order, we’re confident it will arrive during Emmalee’s weekly run,” says Robertson. “She will also have other items in the van for us to browse. Her instincts are usually right.”

Diamantina Council has the same service every fortnight. “The service they supply is excellent,” says Oehm. “When an item isn’t readily available, Emmalee will use her connections to find it for us.”

Mount Isa Mining Supplies has overcome the problems of distance and delivery due to Brett Peterson’s firsthand experience prior to setting up the business.

“I spent 10 years underground handheld mining,” he says. “I saw all sorts of problems due to a lack of supply. When I started Mount Isa Mining Supplies in 2003, I knew it was imperative that customers be supplied with goods promptly.”

While still primarily a mining supply company, they deal with a wide range of businesses. “After all, anything used in the mines can be used anywhere else,” says Peterson. “And we’ll have it delivered on time.”

You owe me

0

When an out-of-pocket subcontractor recently fell victim to the collapse of luxury Victorian building group VCON, he did not take it quietly. Rather than wait for administrators to determine how much, if any, he and the other unsecured creditors would receive of the substantial amount they were owed, the subbie allegedly tampered with water mains and poured concrete down a water pipe at the site of one of VCON’s large apartment projects.

While exacting revenge probably felt good, it also caused more than $1 million in damages and potentially put the subbie on the wrong side of the law.

Earlier this year the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Bruce Billson, publicly acknowledged that the issue of bad debtors was impacting those working in the sector.

Billson noted the ASBFEO assistance helpline was getting more and more calls from small businesses, tradies and subcontractors “worried that not only are their invoices not being paid on time, but that their business customer might never pay as they are insolvent.”

“If those in the building supply chain can’t have the confidence that they will be paid in full and on time, they are facing constant financial insecurity— and they start finding it hard to pay their own subcontractors in time. It’s not fair and the construction sector insolvency numbers are frightening.”

Fortunately, tradespeople don’t have to resort to illegal means to retrieve money owed to them while protecting their interests as a creditor.

A Central Coast-based builder says that when he launched into self-employment 35 years ago, he was frequently owed money. “In the early days, it was pretty frequently, once a month, every month, I’d have to chase something. The average amount owed was a couple of weeks’ pay, equating to around $5000-$6000. The largest amount I had outstanding was around $40,000.”

Being owed such large amounts affected his cashflow, not only making bill-paying difficult but also making it harder to source materials, he says.

As time passed and he gained more experience, the builder says he developed some strategies that made getting paid easier. These included getting his partner to “write stern letters” and even threats of legal action. You need to be constantly on the customer’s back so they get sick of hearing from you. With the smaller jobs, I sometimes arranged to get ‘progressive payments’. So if they didn’t pay at the times I’d arranged, I refused to work, and the job would be at a standstill until I got paid.”

Tradesperson concierge service Tradebusters says when it comes to recovering debt, many tradies are being stung twice. “Getting clients to actually pay on time can be a nightmare. It’s even worse when you also have to waste time chasing those payments.”

Tradebusters says the best way to ensure you don’t get stung by bad debtors is to do your research before agreeing to the work. “Research your clients carefully. Just as a customer may do background checks on you, so should you [do such checks] on them. Be wary of customers that call you in to ‘finish off ’ a job that some other tradie has started. Perhaps the tradie never came back because he was not paid? Drill down into what happened and why the job is only partially complete.”

In addition to providing simple, easy and clear payment options and offering discounts for paying on time or early, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) also advises those in the construction sector to check whether a company is in liquidation or deregistered on the ASIC registers.

Both Tradebusters and ASIC insist the key to ensuring customers meet their financial obligations to you is to ensure your terms of business are robust. Both say it is worth including a clause in the terms and conditions about the consequences of unpaid invoices.

“These may include a late payment fee, interest charges, stopping further work and/or passing the account to a formal debt collection agency,” TradeBusters says.

ASIC says other ways to recover outstanding debt include contacting the customer in writing to request payment, setting up regular payment reminders, and sending a formal letter of demand.

If the customer still won’t pay it may be worth contacting a debt collection agency who as part of their service will contact and pursue debtors, send a letter of demand, prepare a summons and, if necessary, assist with court action.

If all else fails it may be time to escalate the issue by obtaining help via a community legal centre or legal aid commissions, ASIC suggests, before conceding not all debts are worth chasing.

“In deciding whether to pursue debts, you’ll have to consider how much is owed, the cost and time it will take you to recover the debt, and whether the business you are chasing has the ability to pay the debt.”

Taking the dive

0

In 2024, Rhiannan IffIand extended her invincible status for yet another season, collecting her eighth Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series title in a row along with a fourth World Aquatics Championships gold medal. After exploding onto the scene in 2016 with a debut victory in Texas, the 33-year-old has gone on to rack up unparalleled records in the sport. With 41 victories in 51 stops, 49 podiums, two unbeaten seasons and numerous other streaks and high-scoring achievements, the Australian has simply been untouchable for the best part of a decade.

Despite dominating once again last year, winning six out of eight World Series events and wrapping up the title with a stop to spare before being crowned on home soil in Sydney for the second time, the Newcastle native described it as her most challenging season yet. “The biggest challenge has been trying to hold onto the motivation, the drive, the training, staying mentally focused for such a long season.”

Reflecting further on her career though, she admits, “I find it really important to take a step back and look at my world from the outside in, and try to remember how proud I should be of what I have achieved and how far I’ve come as a diver.”

An avid trampolinist from a young age, Iffland began diving at the age of nine. “Anna Bader from Germany was my hero,” she says. “Before I was involved in the world of cliff diving, I watched an event which Anna was involved in and was amazed that a female had such courage to be involved in a sport like this. From then on it was a dream to be a part of this amazing sport. After meeting Anna I was welcomed to the sport by her—such a talented, courageous, happy and humble athlete.”

Nonetheless, she admits to being “petrified” the first time she clambered up onto a platform. Soon enough though, she was competing regularly from three and 10 metres, before utilising heracrobatic skills to entertain crowds on cruise ships in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. It was during this time that she was first introduced to high diving.

What’s her family’s attitude towards her dangerous passion? “They’ve always loved it and have been my biggest supporters from the start!” she laughs.

“Though, I’m pretty sure my mum watches with one eye closed—it can’t be easy seeing your daughter up at those heights. They’ve always recognised the passion and effort I’ve put into this, so they’re thrilled to see me living my life through this sport.”

As to what advice she would give that 10-year-old girl if she could go back and meet her? “Embrace the journey. Set goals, but don’t get so caught up in chasing the big ones that you forget to celebrate the smaller milestones along the way. Remember, life is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Cliff diving is a highly technical pursuit that requires a unique combination of strength, flexibility and acrobatic skills. Iffland says that a lot of cliff divers get their start in diving, gymnastics or even a circus background. But no matter where they’ve come from, it takes a lot of work and persistence to get to the Red Bull platform.

“It’s not like we walk straight up to 21 metres and do the dive. It takes a lot of work to master the basics and then take it step by step to get there.”

To prepare for the World Series, her training schedule varies throughout the year. Pre-season sees her in the pool five or six days a week at the NSW Institute of Sport, training with the diving team. In these sessions, she’s working on take-offs, twists, rotations—doing it over and over and over again until it becomes second nature. Add in three or four gym sessions, as well as some gymnastics-based training with trampoline somersaults.

While there are lots of similarities to Olympic diving, there are plenty of differences too. Given the extra height of the platform, cliff divers need to land feet first rather than headfirst to absorb some of the impact. That means adding in a half twist or more of a rotation to ensure their feet hit the water first.

Then there’s the mental discipline required to launch yourself off cliffs on a regular basis.

“Mentally, it’s a whole different ball game,” she told Red Bull last year. “There’s a lot more going through your mind when you’re standing on 20 metres in comparison to 10 metres. So when I made the transition [to cliff diving], that was the hardest thing to adapt to at first, and to understand that it was a normal reaction that when you’re standing there, you are going to go through the rush of emotions, adrenaline, fear …all of those sorts of things.”

The mind-body connection is an important one in cliff diving—not only during the adrenaline-fuelled events, but also to adapt back to life on dry land between competitions.

“I’ve been working with [Red Bull’s elite performance coach] Nam Baldwin this year to not only learn how to deal with the competition nerves but also, when an event finishes, trying to regulate how I’m feeling mentally, and then get straight back into a regular training schedule. The more you do the training physically and in the pool, the more confident you feel when you go into a competition. So body
and mind really connect.”

Even though Iffland has been cliff diving for eight years now, she says the rush of fear and adrenaline still feels the same as it did in the beginning—but she’s learnt how to manage it these days.

“When I started, I was always thinking, ‘Oh, this is going to go away once I get more experience under my belt.’ The thing is, it never changed. But what I’ve taught myself is to do the thinking process before actually stepping onto the end of the platform. Because if there’s
too much going on in your mind, then it’s hard to focus on what you have to do technically, and to do it right. So when I am standing on the end of the board, it’s just focusing on a couple of key things that I need to do depending on the dive.

“Obviously, there’s always the inner voice that’s telling you what could go wrong, or telling you that it’s scary, or telling you that you should be nervous, but as long as you can control those things, it’s kind of just focusing on what you need to do.”

The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series sees the world’s best cliff divers make eight stops around the globe throughout the year, including Takachiho Gorge in Japan and Sydney Harbour. And then there’s the historic town of Polignano a Mare on Italy’s southern coast.

“Diving off somebody’s balcony and then walking through the cobblestone streets of the small town Polignano is amazing,” she says. “The World Series has been going there for a long time, so the fans always show up and the energy is always amazing. It’s such a beautiful place.”

That’s not to say that life on tour is all sea and sunshine. Iffland says that all dives are challenging in their own way, and she still remembers the scariest dive of her career in Chile six years ago.

“I was going into the final and I was injured in the penultimate stop, but I still had a chance to take out the World Series title. Basically, I didn’t do any training dives because I wasn’t sure how my injury was going to hold up, so I decided I’d go straight into the event. That first dive of the event, after not training for a month, was probably one of the scariest dives that I’ve done in my career. But in saying that, it also taught me a lot—to listen to my body and trust my mind that I knew what I was doing.”

In 2019, Iffland enjoyed the type of year most athletes can only dream of, winning all seven World Series stops to complete an historic perfect season. Remarkably, she then returned following the pandemic break to do it again in 2021, this time adding a first ‘perfect 10’ dive to her growing list of records.

In recent seasons, the champion has come under increasing pressure from Canada’s Molly Carlson, who not only broke her 13-stop winning streak in 2022, but is also the only diver to keep her off the top of the podium since 2018, doing so twice last season.

In a few short weeks, Iffland will face another significant milestone: competing for her eighth world title in a World Series event in front of her home crowd in Sydney. How does she prepare for such a monumental moment?

“This summer, I was training in Madrid up until [the most recent World Series event in] Turkiye, and now I’ve arrived home and I’m going to get back in the pool at Olympic Park, and back to the gym. I’m just going to go hard for it, train the best I can and really try to enjoy the atmosphere and the energy that this event is going to bring.”

Having stated her intentions to continue cliff diving for at least the next five years, Iffland could soon match the legendary Gary Hunt’s haul of 10 titles, perhaps surpass it. For now though, “my main goal for 2025 is to focus on staying consistent while easing the pressure I put on myself.

“After eight title wins—I’m not getting any younger—I’ll hope to look for new ways to push my limits with my dives, just to keep it fun and fresh.”

You can watch the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Finals here in Sydney free 9 and 10 November at Mrs Macquarie’s Point.

Good Crew

0
Crew Built Kieran Flanigan

Taking lessons from the big end of town and adapting them to a residential setting has been a key driver behind the success of the team at South Australia’s Crew Built. Founder and managing director Kieran Flanigan comes from a background in large commercial builds and says that the lessons he learned there have influenced how he operates now.

Flanigan and his co-founder Alex Warner met when they were both site managers at a large commercial building operation before deciding to set up their own smaller building company, with a plan to specialise in custom residential projects.

“I was previously a commercial construction site manager and a tradie (carpenter, joiner, plumber and gasfitter) before that as well,” Flanigan explains, adding that these are all transferable skills to their own business. “We have taken the commercial principles that matter and then implemented them into a residential building company.”

Because, as he says, while the scale of the projects is different, many things remain the same.

“When I was at those companies, I used to sit in the pockets of the estimators, project managers and construction advisers to get a holistic approach on how they did their job and what that job title entailed,” he recalls.

“When I went out on my own, I had a pretty good understanding of estimating, costing and tender proposals and job tracking.”

Flanigan says he has always wanted to run his own business and loves the autonomy and freedom it brings. “It was always a destination I wanted to get to once I had enough experience and felt comfortable to do so. I just needed a good foundation of how to build and how to cost and how to be a good tradesman first, and then do a diverse range of projects. Once I did all that, I felt comfortable to go on this journey.”

This diversity of projects is what drives him. “It’s good to get to pick and choose what projects we get to do and how we build them,” he says. “We have control over the clientele that we work with, consultants we work with, and what we choose to build, which makes it a lot more fulfilling.

“I like the diverse range of projects we do. They’re all genuinely different with their own complexities. We just like solving those issues in different ways and having a portfolio to show that as well. It’s about being able to build what gets us out of bed and what excites us.”

Crew Built has a small team of three—Flanigan, Alex Warner and James Fallon, along with a group of regular subcontractors.

“There’s only three of us,” he says. “We’re a really small firm so we control the projects ourselves. So, I run two or three projects simultaneously and Alex will do the same, and so will James.”

They focus on custom builds, working with local architects and designers. “We construct individually tailored custom-built homes,” says Flanigan.

“Depending on the client budget and their taste, we introduce them to a small pool of architects and interior designers that would best suit their design brief. And then they do the drawings in conjunction with us advising on cost and the design.

“And then from there we all agree on a final design and move to construction.” Being involved from an early stage allows Crew Built to provide value engineering at the right time, which leads to good cost management.

“It’s not just the bottom line,” Flanigan adds. “I mean, that’s always important but it’s also about being outcome focused. Delivering amazing sorts of products and services is more what we’re about.”

Founded in 2021, the company has already won a swag of awards, including last year’s HIA Australian Start-up Business Award & HIA South Australia Emerging Builder of the Year Award.

These awards are new categories of the HIA awards program, and for brand new businesses in early development stages that have only traded between 18 months and five years at the close of entry date.

As an HIA national judge noted, Crew Built’s robust systems, operational management and positive customer feedback put them in the lead.

In the 2024 HIA South Australian Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards, Crew Built also won the Australian Apartment of the Year, and multiple awards for Australian Renovation/Addition projects. Flanigan says that winning awards, especially as a new company, has made a difference to them as a business and given them more credibility.

“I think it just shows your future clients and people in the industry how much you care and your attention to detail. It’s recognised on a bigger scale that we’re a safe set of hands and we enjoy what we do.”

Kincrome

0

Built by the Burgoine family, our vision has always been to provide professional quality products at affordable prices and create loyal customers for life.

We pride ourselves on being ‘product people’. Key to our longevity and success has been product innovation. Our team works alongside local trades to understand how tools can be developed and modified to help them work better.

Taking these insights, tools are designed in Australia and manufactured by some of the best specialist tool manufacturers in the world.

At Kincrome, we offer an extensive range of tools and equipment to cater to a wide variety of industries and applications. From hand tools and power tools to automotive and industrial equipment, we have the right tool for every job.

Our product range is carefully curated, featuring innovative solutions to ensure that our customers have access to the latest advancements in the industry.

WWW.KINCROME.COM.AU

Level Up!

0

Aptella is excited to introduce the all new iMEX Z99R! The most cost-effective professional dual-grade laser level on the market. The concept for this new laser level came purely from market demand, to accommodate all trades on the construction site.

Designed for a wide variety of applications, it can be used for horizontal, sloping, and vertical laser applications. Slopes up to ±10% can be used in either the X or Y axis. Turn it on its side and use it for layout and alignment applications. The Z99R excels in long range operation. Need to shoot elevations up to 400m from your laser? No problem!

This instrument has the power and range to cover an 800m (diameter) jobsite. It includes new iMEX 18V (CAS) battery platform – power to last all week, iMEX LRX-10 digital mm receiver and remote control. The Z99R is the perfect jobsite companion and with its IP66 rating, the unit can withstand dust, a sudden shower and even a heavy rainfall. iMEX stands behind this reliable and accurate laser with a 5-year warranty!

Aptella has trained technicians in 10 workshop locations around Australia, able to perform calibration and servicing on laser levels to offer the highest after sales service possible.

Please contact your local Aptella rep for more information!

Tradies, it’s time to upgrade your nailer game

0

It’s never too early in the year to invest in tools that boost your productivity— and HiKOKI’s 2nd Generation Cordless Nailer is designed to do exactly that. Built for power, precision, and efficiency, this gas-free nailer delivers a next-level performance that busy tradies will appreciate on any job site.

Forget the hassle of gas cartridges. This cordless new HiKOKI nailer is powered by a durable brushless motor, delivering consistent firing power without the need for ongoing gas refills— saving you time, money, and reducing environmental impact. Its lightweight, ergonomic design reduces fatigue during long workdays, while offering superior maneuverability and control, especially on larger or overhead projects.

HiKOKI has engineered this nailer with advanced features, including a dry-fi re lockout for safety, a fast reload system to minimise downtime, and smart tracking capabilities to monitor nail usage and maintenance alerts—so you stay on top of every job.

What really sets it apart? Its sharp, angled nose design allows for precise skew nailing, making it ideal for framing, decking, or sub-floor work. Every nail lands exactly where you want it, delivering professional results without the struggle.

Cordless, gas-free, and packed with innovative features, the HiKOKI 2nd Gen Cordless Nailer offers tradies the freedom to work smarter, faster, and safer. Backed by HiKOKI’s trusted reputation, this is the upgrade your toolkit deserves.

Available now at leading hardware stores. Discover true cordless freedom with HiKOKI.

The market leader

0

Molytec Nickeltec Anti-Seize is a nickel based anti-seize compound. Developed to protect metal parts from corrosion, galling and seizing. Nickeltec eases assembly & disassembly of slip fit and threaded joints. Formulated for severe environments, these products protect against high temperatures up to 1450c.

High Temp Resistance – Formulated with high quality grease and solid lubricating agents for optimal temperature resistance up to 1450c.
Seals Against Corrosion – Displaces and seals against contact with moisture and other corrosive liquids.
Reduces Friction & Where – Reduces metal-to-metal contact resulting in less friction & wear.
Extreme Chemical Resistance – Perfect for applications in chemical plants, oil refineries and water / sewage plants.

Packaging – 7 different sizes available, tub, brush top tin, tubes, pail and aerosol.

Molytec Australia
2/38-44 Enterprise Street
Cleveland, QLD 4163
Sales Phone 1300 45 2355
sales@molytec.com.au

Drill like a pro with the Norton Clipper CDM 204

0

When it comes to serious core drilling, professionals know that performance, durability, and ease of use aren’t optional – they’re essential. That’s where the Norton Clipper CDM 204 handheld core drill steps in, setting a new benchmark for power and precision in its class.

Powered by a robust 2200W motor, the Norton Clipper CDM 204 is built for both wet and dry drilling applications, tackling even the toughest materials and conditions with confidence. Whether you’re drilling through reinforced concrete or masonry, this tool makes light work of the job for drilling up to 202mm in diameter with ease.

Engineered with the operator in mind, the Norton Clipper CDM 204 features an ergonomic design, along with an integrated water-inlet and dust-extraction connector to keep your worksite cleaner and safer. A 3-speed mechanical gearbox and soft-start switch give you total control, allowing for smooth operation and optimal performance across varying materials and drilling conditions.

And when the job’s done?

Transportation is no hassle. The Norton Clipper CDM 204 comes conveniently packaged in a heavy duty carry case, making it as portable as it is powerful.