An investment in a purpose-built Neilo tractor attachment is reshaping how a New Zealand contractor delivers pavement maintenance for its clients.
In the technical world of road stabilisation contracting, efficiency is the metric that matters most. By consolidating multiple processes and machines into a single high-output platform, Graham Civil has unlocked productivity along with cost and safety gains across its maintenance contracts.
Founded in the Manawatu in 2020, the business has rapidly evolved into a key regional player, delivering projects across earthworks, civil roading, drainage, and residential works.
The company employs a team of 23 staff across the Manawatū and Waikato regions, and has contributed to some of New Zealand’s most notable infrastructure builds, including the Waikato Expressway, Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway, and the Cambridge/Piarere roundabout.
Graham Civil also services several regional maintenance contracts, with a focus on road stabilisation and pavement repairs.
Multi-purpose pavement platform
Graham Civil Director Richie Graham said that under robust performance and cost pressures, the way maintenance work is delivered becomes critical, especially as many pavement contracts are paid by the metre.
To increase output and reduce duplication of plant and labour, Graham Civil partnered with Neilo to transform one of the manufacturer’s graders into a versatile, multi purpose pavement maintenance machine.
“We wanted an integrated solution incorporating a cement vane, stabiliser mill, road broom, lifting attachment and front end loader bucket — all on a compact, manoeuvrable tractor platform that had never previously been built in this configuration,” Richie said.
At the heart of the build is a Kubota M5111, selected for its 110 horsepower engine, reputation for reliability, and the availability of an optional front end loader to handle cement bags and support the cement vane system.
“Neilo then equipped the tractor with its flagship 3050 millimetre undermount grader blade, together with chassis extensions, and the necessary hydraulic and electrical systems to integrate the suite of attachments,” Richie said.
“Packaging a 1.6 tonne stabiliser on the rear three-point linkage, two 107 litre water tanks, and a 900 kilogram cement vane on the front demanded careful engineering to maintain balance, performance and safety.”
Consolidating plant and labour
Richie said the finished product, named the M5111 Stabiliser, was a masterpiece of engineering due to its ability to replace multiple machines and operators in typical stabilisation workflows.
“Previously, a standard road stabilisation or pavement maintenance job for Graham Civil steer, road broom and grader have effectively been removed from the typical resource list, with their roles carried out by a single, integrated machine. This reduces capital ties, transport demands, and ongoing maintenance costs.”
Cementing productivity
The benefits become more apparent when the team needs to move between work fronts.
Capable of travelling at over 40 kilometres per hour, the M5111 allows the operator to load the cement vane onto the transport trailer along with the roller and drive directly to the next site, cutting out the multiple float movements previously required.
“The business now typically needs only a single truck journey to shift between maintenance jobs, delivering a reduction in transport costs for both Graham Civil and its clients,” Richie said.
Mounted on the front end loader, the Active VMA cement vane is central to the efficiency of the new set-up.
“The vane can be removed or re-attached quickly via the quick hitch, allowing the operator to switch between cement spreading, lifting, sweeping, and loader tasks without losing time,” Richie said.
“Application rates and spreading widths are easily controlled from within the cab, turning cement application into a precise, fast and repeatable operation that aligns with production-focused contract environments.”
A feature of the cement vane system is the integrated bag cutter, which enables one-tonne cement bags to be lifted with the frontend loader and lowered onto the cutter for clean, mess-free operation.
Before adopting this system, Graham Civil used 20kg cement bags that had to be manually cut and distributed across the road surface, a process that slowed production and placed physical strain on crews due to continuous manual handling.
“The move to one-tonne bulk bags, roughly half the cost of the equivalent quantity in 20kg bags, means that cement spreading can now be handled by just one or two operators, saving time and labour, and reducing manual handling risks.”
High capacity stabiliser at the rear
The machine’s centrepiece is the FAE RSL/ST 150 stabiliser mounted to the tractor’s three-point linkage.
Fitted to a side-shift arrangement, the stabiliser can work behind the tractor or be offset to mill close to the edge of the carriageway, improving versatility on constrained pavements and shoulders.
Equipped with ultra hard replaceable teeth, the unit can mill asphalt, soil or aggregate to depths of up to 280mm in a single pass, supported by two tanks integrated under the rear wheel arches that supply water for tooth cooling, dust suppression, and cement activation.
Operator control and cabin environment
All stabiliser and associated functions are managed from within the M5111’s cabin, streamlining control and reducing operator workload.
“Despite the high loads and demanding ground conditions, the cab remains impressively quiet, even when the stabiliser is running at capacity in hard material,” Richie said.
“This quieter working environment, coupled with reduced machine changeovers and manual handling, contributes to better operator comfort, safety and long-term wellbeing.”
Grader blade for final trim
Neilo’s 3050mm undermount grader blade plays a pivotal role in finishing each pavement to specification.
Built to the same dimensions and standards as Neilo’s other M5111 grader configurations (including cabin and ROPS versions), the blade delivers the same power, control and accuracy expected from dedicated grading equipment.
“For Graham Civil, the grader function comes into play after cement spreading, stabilisation and compaction are complete, allowing the operator to achieve final levels and crossfalls from the same machine used for earlier stages,” Richie said.
Integrated road broom solution
To complete the one-machine concept, Graham Civil utilises a customised version of Neilo’s broom system.
The broom mounts on the front end loader quick hitch, enabling the operator to quickly connect and clean up gravel or asphalt surfaces once paving or stabilisation works are finished.
“This keeps finishing and clean-up integrated within the same platform, minimising the need for additional support equipment on site,” Richie said.
Engineered for the final finish
