Fuel Storage Tanks & Sheet Metal Products

When David and Katrina Birchall needed a double dog box for their two Huntaways, Mainline’s customisable service was the answer.

Waikato-based Lowline cattle breeders, David and Katrina Birchall needed a new dog box to transport their two Huntaways. The height of the farm dogs meant the usual size of dog box was too cramped and small. Now, thanks to Mainline’s customised dog box design, the Birchall’s canine companions travel in style and comfort.

Cam Besley, Mainline’s workshop manager, worked with the Birchalls to create a dog box that would tick, well… all the boxes.

The project brief was for a sturdy and durable dog box that was also light enough to be removed from the vehicle easily.

“It had to be well vented and have a removable divider between the two compartments,” says Cam.

Mainline’s standard double dog boxes are lightweight and ideal for ute decks, trailers and vans, but the challenge was to build a box that would allow for the size of the dogs. Huntaways are a taller breed than many other dogs.”

Designer dog boxes

Cam initially designed the double dog box on Solidworks, Mainline’s manufacturing software. This allowed for alterations to be easily made to the design following customer input. Solidworks also determines the overall weight of the item, which is crucial when manufacturing something intended to be easily lifted by one person.

The Birchall’s dog box was fabricated from 3mm aluminium tread plate and fully TIG (tungsten inert gas) welded to ensure the seams were strong. The floor was welded in and all front panels were bolted so they could be easily removed for cleaning.

Delivery was made and the Birchalls’ dogs now ride in style and comfort.

Projects fit for purpose

“Working with Mainline was great,” says David. “We had no problems with the customisation process at all.”

Trisha King, Mainline director, welcomes customisable projects. “The best thing about being able to make a product to an individual customer’s specifications is that we know we’re creating something one of a kind and 100% fit for their specific purposes.”

“Happy customers are what we like,” she says. “Happy customers create positive feedback and we know we’ve achieved our goal.”

Customised to your dog’s needs

Mainline double dog boxes come in two standard sizes – medium and large. The medium-sized dog boxes fit well-side utes, while the large fits flat deck utes. Double dog boxes feature galvanised sheet metal, plywood floors and rear vents. They are lightweight at 20kg and have handles fitted for easy lifting and securing with tie downs.

The Birchalls’ box is a Premier design. For customisable boxes, contact Mainline to discuss your requirements and pricing.

When Toll Petroleum needed a trailer tank to relieve the load while theirs was being built, Mainline’s Bluey saved the day.

Paul Topper of Toll Petroleum found himself in a bind when customer demand for small fuel deliveries exceeded his capacity to supply. The Whangarei-based fuel and oil additives provider needed an extra trailer tank to fill the gap.

Toll and Mainline have enjoyed a long relationship. Mainline has been manufacturing the company’s tanks for years, so it was New Zealand’s leading manufacturer of fuel storage tanks that Paul called for assistance. And help came in the form of Bluey.

“Bluey is one of our trailer tanks,” explains Mainline’s director, Trisha King. “She came about when one of our customers thought it’d be a good idea to have one available occasionally.”

Road trip for Bluey

Bluey is a 1600L tank and is painted Mainline blue. “I offered her services to the guys at Toll Petroleum and they came down the next day to pick her up,” Trisha says. “It was great to be able to fill the resource gap for them. They’re loyal customers and it’s always nice to be able to offer help where we can.”

Bluey was the extra vehicle enlisted to deliver smaller volumes of fuel to customers as required.

“We service a lot of customers that have exceptional seasonal needs,” explains Paul. “They have a fuel storage tank on the farm but often it’s not enough to see them through to the next truck delivery. We’ll head out with a tank like Bluey to top them up in those between times.”

Bluey spent four weeks in Whangarei and delivered 60,000L of fuel. “With numbers like that, Toll Petroleum had a very heavy delivery load and we’re rapt Mainline and Bluey could help,” says Trisha.

“We’ve always enjoyed working with Mainline,” says Paul. “They’re very helpful and very flexible. We needed a hand and Mainline sorted us out.”

In preparation for an influx of visitors to the Hamilton New Zealand Temple (Mormon Temple) grounds for the annual Christmas lights display, Mainline manufactured a gleaming handrail to accompany a set of stairs.

Every December, up to 100,000 people descend on the Temple to visit the Christmas lights. This festive spectacular has become a regular event on the Hamilton calendar, with locals and tourists alike flocking to Temple View during the final month of the year.

In 2017, the Mainline team were tasked with the manufacture of a handrail to be installed alongside a set of stairs on the Temple grounds. With a change in parking location for visitors coming to the Temple, groundsman Matai Parata said the set of stairs was going to be the main access route for families.

The stairs connect the new Stake Centre where Sunday chapel services are held with the Temple grounds. Lit at night, with LED lighting, spotlights and white strip lighting, the stairs are almost a feature of their own. Now they come complete with a handsomely manufactured stainless-steel handrail.

Made up of 32 linear/metres of 50ø stainless tube, 21 bends and 16 stanchions, the handrail was manufactured and delivered in five sections and assembled onsite by Mainline’s sheet metal workshop manager, Cam Besley and senior tradesman, Patrick May.

Cam said the job wasn’t without its challenges. “We needed to get accurate measuring for starters because each set of steps were a different height and length. We also needed to keep a plumb line through all the bends, while following the concrete edge.

“Prefabricating each stanchion in the workshop proved tricky at times too with differing heights and base plate angles,” Cam said.

Mainline Director, Trisha King said she was extremely pleased with Cam and Patrick’s work and professionalism on the project. “Without their expertise, Mainline wouldn’t be able to do jobs like this,” said Trisha.

Mainline also has a very happy customer in Matai and his team.

“Mainline were excellent,” said Matai. “The handrail took about four weeks to manufacture and install. In fact, Mainline did it ahead of their time. It is very good.”

The result is a gleaming, stainless steel handrail with a Mainline touch, that guides visitors safely through the Temple grounds.

Need fabrication and welding expertise? Contact the Mainline team today.

When a rural contractor from the Bay of Plenty needed a new diesel tank trailer, he didn’t know where to turn. But when a friend recommended Mainline, he was amazed at how easy the process was and ended up making the purchase over the phone.

When Darryl Isaac, an agricultural contractor from Te Puke, needed a new trailer, his circle of trusted friends all pushed him in the same direction.
“I was after a 1400 litre, single axle braked, diesel tank trailer; run-of-the-mill factory designed and all galvanised,” said Darryl. “I needed something that travelled well and was well balanced. When I saw Mainline had the size tank, single axle and everything I wanted, I decided to give them a go.”

Service made simple
Darryl has purchased a lot of expensive machinery in his agricultural career, but never over the phone. On his first call to Mainline he got through to Trisha, who relieved all his fears and convinced him a sight-unseen purchase would work.

“It was their reputation that encouraged me to continue over the phone, because they honour what they sell. I’d never done this sort of thing before. In the past I would have sighted the manufacturers, gone to the workshop, sighted the staff. I did do my homework briefly with people in the industry and all those I spoke to said to expect pretty good results.

“To be honest, I had my doubts about the process, considering how much money was involved, but it turned out very well. I wouldn’t do it with anyone, but Trisha was very good, it was all so easy.”

The result
Darryl got a stress-free, full night’s sleep on delivery day, because the trailer was under warranty and he had negotiated payment of cash on delivery. “I wasn’t asked to pay a deposit, which I wouldn’t have paid. They supply the goods and if it’s what they say it is, you inspect it and pay, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Trisha King, Mainline director, said Darryl had very specific requirements. “I knew quality was very important to him. He wanted a bright orange tank for visibility and safety.”
The straightforward design, included a nozzle stand inside the front motor box where the engine and pump sit.
“The pump nozzle sits up in the air on a stand so you can lock it in, which was great. And we put a very expensive filter system in there and paid for it. All those options are available to people, but most won’t do it,” said Darryl.

“I’d recommend Mainline to friends, family or contractors; their service was exceptional.”

Mainline are passionate about providing customers with excellent service and quality workmanship. Products are guaranteed to do their job as intended and any workmanship problems will be fixed promptly. Collectively, our wealth of experience and industry knowledge can’t be beat.

Need a fuel tank? Contact the Mainline team today.

If you’re passing by the award-winning South Bloc building on Knox Street, stop in and grab a coffee from John Knox. Not only do they make great coffee, they serve it up on a beautiful brass sheet countertop, created by the Mainline team. The benchtop, which is 5metres long with a 24mm box fold, is made of 2400 x 1200 brass sheets. These were butt joined and glued to plywood and weighted down to get a seamless finish. We made a plywood template to run a flush trim router to fit the shape of the two sinks into the brass bench top, but the real challenge was delivering it without any scratches to the polished brass.

When Auckland specialist vehicle repair service Fine Finish on Rosebank Rd needed a new diesel storage tank, a quality, and more importantly compliant, product was top of the agenda. Mainline delivered – beyond expectations.
Fine Finish on Rosebank, a high-quality panel beaters and crash repairs specialist in Auckland, needed an upgrade on their old diesel storage tank.

“The old one was getting a bit crusty, but that’s about all I knew,” Jo Lynch, administrator at Fine Finish says. Security and safety were obvious priorities in such a work environment and after a quick Google search, Mainline’s website provided all the assurance Jo needed to make a call.

Mainline not only manufacture quality products, but storage tanks, such as that which Jo needed, meet WorkSafe compliance for a diesel tank connected to a burner. “The compliance officer will look for a tank that has a WorkSafe Register/approval number and a fabricator who has WorkSafe approval,” explains Mainline owner, Trisha King. “This is particularly important for our customers, like Jo, who have an annual audit. Our register number is FAB0018, otherwise the tank would not be signed off on site. This makes the service and products we offer, specialist.”

Service made simple
Right from the first contact, Jo was really impressed at the service she received from Mainline. “The staff were easy to deal with and answered my million and one painful questions,” Jo recalls. “I wasn’t too sure what I was doing but the help and advice Trisha gave me was awesome.”

During her phone call, Jo was guided through the various storage tank options on the website, all her questions were answered fully, and Jo knew she had found just the product she needed. “I really couldn’t fault them,” she says.

Why us?
At Mainline, we are passionate about providing customers with excellent service and quality workmanship – and have been doing so for 30 years. We are New Zealand’s leading producer of fuel storage tanks and sheet metal products, all precision manufactured to the highest industry standards.
Jo could order a 490 litre home-heating tank for Fine Finish, knowing the product would be delivered on time and with Mainline’s full guarantee.
“I was told the tank would take three weeks to make. Then they emailed me a quote on the same day and it was here three weeks on the dot. It was all really easy,” she says.
Manufactured in a modern purpose-built workshop in the Waikato, Mainline’s fuel tanks and sheet metal products can be found all over New Zealand. If our extensive standard range does not meet a specific need, we work to design and manufacture products to meet clients’ requirements. With our 18-strong team, we can offer a huge wealth of experience and industry knowledge and as Jo quickly discovered, we are expert problem-solvers.

Need a storage tank? Contact the Mainline team today.

Fieldays is a regular event on our calendar but this year was bigger and better than ever before. Our new site (G70) put us closer to other dairy related industries, which was a good move for the team. Sporting a new look and logo we put one of our tanks to good use, giving away 200 litres of free water over the four days – in branded water bottles of course! Mainline also helped four St Paul’s Collegiate School students with an innovation – the De-fence tool. Designed to make the removal of old gate-latch staples easy, the boys won the Young Inventor of the Year award for their efforts.