Case Study: Nelson Civil Construction achieves 50%+ productivity boost with Trimble SPS Essentials Kit

Trimble technology really pays off for small construction company

Nelson Civil Construction (NCC) is a small, family‑run contractor in Nelson, New Zealand, that operates graders and excavators with a seven‑person crew. Facing relentless 12+ hour days, high local demand for subdivision work, frequent reliance on external surveyors, and staff hesitation about new technology, owner Darryl Gibbons wanted to reduce downtime, increase capacity, and improve site accuracy.

NCC deployed the Trimble SPS Essentials Kit (SPS985L rover, SPS855 base, SCS900/Site Mobile and cloud connectivity) with remote support, enabling fast GNSS grade checks, digital design transfer and on‑site staking. The change delivered more than 50% productivity gains, cut surveyor costs and rework, sped job completion, improved safety and worker fatigue, and let NCC confidently take on a full, two‑year schedule.