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Nixin Contractors Ltd

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Nixin Contractors Ltd

Cable logging contractors based in Masterton, New Zealand.

04/04/2026

Hi again peeps, time for an Easter ramble and some pics from our second crew. (Mr Chaney still won't let me go and annoy the big crew... lol) I've also stolen a couple of pics from some dodgy truck drivers that visit. hahaha
Cheers Patrick Chapman and Shaye Mitchell

We've just finished a side hustle on our current job, we got asked to pull a neighboring stand with an average haul distance north of 800 metres. Holy smokes, the poor old skidder has never worked so hard, we were thrashing the wheels off it from dark to dark. I'm just thankful we finished it before diesel prices really started to bite, it literally wouldn't be economic now. We'd have to pull the pin on it.
Luckily, we're back in the main block and pulling regular distances again, albeit we have one more landing to roadline.

And the topic that's gripping the nation. Fuel prices. F@$ken fuel prices. I can't decide what's going to be the bigger issue, the continual price increases, or supply running out? Or will the price increases get rid of supply issues as it makes jobs not worth doing, and we'll just stop using fuel and wait it out?
But, as a contractor, what do we do? Our wage bill is north of 100k per month. If we stop logging, where does that money come from? We have really good people in our business, and they have mortgages, and children, and other obvious costs of living, we can't just stop paying wages. So then what? Death by fuel bill? It's a s**t sandwich, and everyone looks hungry...
To be clear, we're not in danger of dying tomorrow, but we probably can't cope with this silliness forever, either.
And it's a problem for everyone, not just contractors. And we can't just FAF our way out of this, it's not the forest owners and managers fault. I think we're all gonna have to do our best to share the pain and get through with the least damage we can? What else can we do?

15/03/2026

Hi all, it's time for some Nixin pics again.
Our small crew is chipping away at Bideford, effectively roadlining ready for the harvestline to come and pull through the winter.
I've also included a pic of Kermit the second, I almost stepped on this little fellow walking down through the farmland to bunch some wood for the skidder.
Speaking of the harvestline, it's been out in the wild for a few weeks, subbing to another contractor. It's good to have it out and about, earning it's keep.

The main crew have just moved across their forest to clean up a couple of months worth of windthrow.
Low key amusing side note, we bought the pictured 548LL so that we could retire (or semi retire) the old 324DFM. Oh no, no, no, no! The poor old girl has been out shoveling and probably working harder than it ever has. **sigh** the best laid plans, of mice and men... lol

Last but not least. Fuel. Bloody fuel prices. ⛽️⛽️
What to do? Our fuel price has basically gone up a dollar a litre in the last couple of weeks. I nearly cried when I saw the price notification email for this week.
With margins in forestry already thin, it's gonna be great fun discussing FAF with the forestry companies, God help us. She's gonna be brutal for a few weeks, I'm guessing.

01/01/2026

Happy new year to all our logging peeps!!!

In saying that, it must be the time of year for the winds of change to blow through, as one of our operators is moving on to different pastures. So our late model, immaculate Cat next gen 538 is looking for an operator early in the new year.
As ever with us, character and attitude is more important than skill set. We can teach the skills to a good bu**er without too much drama.

We'd also entertain an operator for our Cat 336 processor as well, with the same or similar outlook as above.

If you're not squeaky clean on the drug testing front, don't waste your time either, we haven't got time for that silliness.

We have very low turnover and like to look after our people, and we're playing a long game. Hence, we don't mind training if you're a decent sort.

Pm Nick or text me on 0274 888 029 if you're interested.

22/12/2025

Holy smokes!!! The end of the year has rolled around again, faster than ever.

As always our team is what makes Nixin Contractors what it is, and we really appreciate their help.

Like everyone else, we had our ups and downs this year, but far more good than bad, which is good.
We've added a couple of machines to the fleet recently, both second hand, which is unusual for us, but the fragility of the forest industry these days, it seemed like the best option.
We put a Tigercat 855 into the second crew so it's effectively mechanized now, and a relatively low hour Cat 548LL to load out at the JNL crew.

Neil Anderson of HDT and his band of merry men gave both machines some serious loving after purchase, and they both came up a treat.
The 548LL effectively replaced our 324DFM which is about to hit 21k hours and we've had a really good run out of it. I think we re-sealed the final drives quite early on, and it's had a heui pump and injectors last year and that's all we've ever done to it. It's probably a testament to Cat quality that it's lasted so well.

07/12/2025

Just some pics from crew 6. Mr Chaney relented and let me me run their loader for the day which was good fun. Normally I'm not allowed on site as he's adamant I'm just a nuisance. Which is probably true, but oh well... hahaha

These boys are doing a bloody good job of it as we count the days going into the Christmas break.

All the gear will look nicer after their Christmas wash down, too. Especially the Eltec processor, it always comes up a treat.

Also, a couple of pics of both processors together, which is a very rare occurrence. Luckily, Jordy had the presence of mind to suggest a couple of pics before they went their separate ways.

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Masterton

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