b'A RE W EN AChapter 6 Left: Dixon & Haddon built two substantial cargo sheds forthe Port of Tauranga at Sulphur Pointthe largest single-span Rigging evolution portal-frame sheds in New Zealand at the time. Below: In the early days of steel erection, the riggingfraternity resisted calls for workers to wear safety gear.It was commonplace in the industry to subcontract thesteel erection component of projects. Dixon & Haddon wasno exception. But it was a flawed practicepricing was alwaystough and the subcontractors were driven by the need to finish one job so they could move on to the next. Unsurprisingly, quality was suffering.Mike and Bob decided to form their own erection crew so that theycould control both the quality and the delivery. They brought Tau Morgan on board who, until recently, had run his own erection business and hada reputation for being one of the best in the game. This was all happening at the height of the recession in the early 1990s when construction work was scarce. Mike put Clearwater Construction on ice and transferred his team of carpenters, about a dozen, to Dixon & Haddon. There, they were taught the art of steel rigging under the watchful eye of Tau. It wasnt a stretch for them; they already knew howto build, says Mike.Rigging, too, had been a bastion for the Labourers Union, so this move mitigated against that very militant side of the industry. So, Dixon & Haddon turned its attention to site delivery. While most builders never saw what happened at the factory, they did see the delivery, says Mike. Our rigging operation was the final winner for us and rounded out the business.57'