KEITH BULLOCK CONTRACTING MARKS A MILESTONE WITH CAT
The earth of the Greater Wellington region holds the history of Keith Bullock Contracting, a multi-generational business that has shaped the landscape for over 65 years.
measurement – you’re not having to rely on years of experience chasing pegs and lasers.” Mark says Cat software like VisionLink has also proven to be a must-have. “We use VisionLink to track all the machines in our fleet – from anywhere in the country, and straight off our phones. With that we get fuel burn, hours used, service codes and more coming straight through to us. A major advantage of that is we can monitor in real time where our machines are, what they’re doing and how they’re performing.” “It’s been exciting to add the D6 XE to the fleet,” says Mark. “Being the only centennial dozer in New Zealand, sort of marking 65 years of Bullocks and obviously, 100 years of Caterpillar, it’s awesome having that in our fleet.” “We’re proud of the 65-year relationship we’ve had with Caterpillar and with Terra Cat, and we’re looking forward to continuing that relationship into the future.”
improve productivity and efficiency. That started in 1960 with Keith and the D4 that started the company,” says Terra Cat industry manager Tim O’Meara. The D6 XE represents the Next Generation of dozing technology. The world’s first high drive electric drive dozer, there are no gears to shift, so operators experience constant power to the ground, greater agility and faster cycle times. Its advanced systems deliver up to 35 per cent greater fuel efficiency than its predecessors while reducing CO 2 emissions by up to 20 per cent. The dozer is also engineered to lower service and maintenance costs, with updated components, a simplified design, and fewer scheduled maintenance tasks. “Paired with Cat Assist technology and factory- integrated Cat Grade with 3D, the D6 XE can deliver a 45 per cent increase in productivity,” says Tim. It’s a future-focused investment for the near-fourth generation family business that is always looking to stay at the forefront of technology. “Today, we’re running full GPS on every single bit of plant we have,” says Mark. “It means you can put anyone in an excavator and trim to an exact
It all began in 1960, when Keith Bullock purchased his first machine – a Cat D4 7U track-type tractor. That D4, which clocked more than 30,000 hours on local farm work and roading projects, has been carefully restored and now holds pride of place in their Porirua yard. The work they undertake looks a bit different these days. The team delivers a wide range of general contracting services across Greater Wellington and beyond, from large-scale subdivisions, roading, and landfill maintenance to detailed landscaping and local council projects. Carried forward by Keith and Betty’s son Glenn and wife Linda, before their sons Mark and Dean took the reins, Cat machines have remained a constant for Bullocks. “Over the years it’s just gotten bigger,” says Mark. “Today we run 25 to 30 items of Cat plant, ranging from 50 tonne diggers right down to 1.5 tonne diggers and everything that goes with them.”
“The reason why we love Cat – it’s the product itself. The machines, from excavators right through to the dump trucks all perform above their weight class. And the product support is the next step. The backup we get from Terra Cat is second to none.” Fittingly, Bullocks is now marking its 65-year milestone in much the same way the business began – with a new Cat dozer. This D6 XE, finished in a limited-edition ‘Centennial Grey’ paint scheme, is one of just 60 worldwide. It’s also the only one of its kind in New Zealand. Celebrating Caterpillar’s 100-year anniversary in 2025, the custom colour is a nod to the battleship grey worn by the very first Cat machines. Each model also features special markings denoting the centennial milestone and a commemorative interior plate. But it wasn’t only about the paint. “Bullocks has always been an early adopter of the latest Caterpillar products and technologies that
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