b'A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWNPricingfirst principlesthe Te Rapa dairy project and the cargo sheds at Sulphur Point. Rod returned in 2003 as Rudimentary pricing methods had plagued Commercial Manager, where he remainedthe structural steel industry right up to thefor the next 10 years. mid-2000s. The approach revolved around It was during his second term that Rod the guestimated hours per tonne, recalls introduced Fabtrol, a material resource and Rod McIntyre.planning (MRP) system to manage estimating, A fabricator would typically considerinventory and production. Coupled with a the difficulty of a job and the price wouldsuite of supporting tendering and contract go up or down depending on the perceivedadministration processes and standards that level of complexity. Mike helped to changehe developed, it helped to avoid loss-making this antiquated pricing practice through hiscontracts and ensure proper recovery ofinvolvement with HERA and SCNZ. cost variations. The outcome was a move to firstIt meant that Dixon & Haddon started principles estimating. Its really laborious,winning the jobs that it wanted to andsays Rod, explaining the requirement toleaving the unprofitable jobs to others.consider all the elements of a job, every hole,The more accurate pricing and subcontract every metre of weld, every cut and everycontrols, including variation recovery,assembly. But it changed the game. allowed the company to forge ahead, Rod completed two tours of duty at overcoming inconsistent contract viability. Dixon & Haddon. He spent close to three yearsMeanwhile, rivals remained stuck in the there in the early 90s, working as a quantitytonne-rate mentality.surveyor and estimator for projects including 76'