MB Plumbing Group this year marks two decades of operations, with the plumbing and plant hire business having expanded its service suite over the years to increasingly cater for the commercial and industrial sectors, building its reputation around tackling projects both large and small with a strong attention to detail.
Michael Brenton told EEM that he had started the business, based out of the Sutherland Shire, in 2002, with it having initially been focused on working high-end residential plumbing projects.
“Prior to that I was playing footy for the Sharks, I broke my shoulder, and then started my plumbing apprenticeship,” he said. “Ever since then I’ve been in business.
“We were in the luxury homes space for at least six or seven years – working properties including James Packer’s house, and the house of Jim Cooney, owner of Sydney to Hobart yacht Brindabella – then we broke out into the commercial sector, and now we’re in the industrial sector.”
In turn, MB Plumbing’s equipment fleet has grown significantly over the years, and Michael pointed to the importance of maintaining efficient and reliable machines.
“I certainly invest a lot of money back into the business, including plant, equipment and specific tools for our trade,” he commented. “It’s not cheap, but you definitely need those pieces of equipment to do the work, that’s for sure.”
Going above and beyond to get the job done
Michael told EEM that MB Plumbing is strongly focused on providing a consistently high-quality service when it comes to catering for client requirements, including maintaining open lines of communication and ensuring it is available when needed.
This involves developing a thorough understanding of client wants and needs, with the business having forged close, ongoing relationships with its client base, which has in turn led to a busy schedule of projects in the industrial sector.
“We specialise in a lot of in-ground sewers, in-ground fire hydrants, in-ground cold water supply and recycled water supply, especially for industrial warehouses, hence why we need all the equipment,” he explained.
Among MB Plumbing’s latest projects, Michael said it has recently finalised work on two big warehouses being developed by industrial, logistics and commercial property developer ESR Australia in Horsley Park, undertaken for construction company Hansen Yuncken.
“We were there for 14 months,” he said. “The one warehouse was about 40,000 square metres and the other one was about 70,000 square metres.
“We’re also currently working on a 100,000 square metre factory at Kemps Creek for Techtronic Industries, which we’re probably about 50% through, and the builder for that project is also Hansen Yuncken.”
STM Trucks & Machinery backs Kobelco excavators with first-rate service
Of course, in undertaking large-scale, highly demanding industrial projects, robust and dependable equipment is required, capable of both powering on through from one day to the next and getting the job done efficiently and effectively.
MB Plumbing’s acquisition of three Kobelco excavators – a 7.5 t SK75SR-7, a 13.5 t SK135SR-7 and a 22.5 t SK225SR-2 – within the space of three months earlier this year has bolstered its operational capacity, providing it versatility in tackling a range of applications.
Michael told EEM that the excavators have been accumulating plenty of operating hours, noting that beyond the significant power and productivity benefits provided, it’s the finer touches that make Kobelco machines a high-quality option.
“I think that all the technology features inside the Kobelcos make them a far superior machine,” he observed. “The excavators have been unbelievable. They haven’t missed a beat; we haven’t had any issues with them at all.”
While the excavators have been hard at work in the field, Michael also noted that STM Trucks & Machinery has provided an exceptional level of service, giving him confidence that support is on hand if required.
“I can’t speak highly enough of them,” he said. “The team at STM is unreal. It’s a family business and they sort of treat you like family, to be honest.”
As it stands, the excavators are set to continue seeing plenty of action in the near future, with MB Plumbing enjoying a steady flow of work and set to navigate a busy schedule throughout the remainder of the year and well into 2023.
“Currently right now we’ve got work locked into around April next year and there’s plenty more in the pipeline,” Michael said. “We’re definitely looking to grow in the next 12 months.”