Tony Smith presents Mike Ryan Quarry Manager at Ihumatao Quarries with the GoughCAT Travel Award.
Mike Ryan has been involved with the quarrying industry for 35 years, since joining Downer & Co Quarries Division as a despatcher at Wiri Quarry in 1976. In 1981 he took up a position at Roscommon Quarry as a Production Leading Hand where his passion for plant operation and maintenance developed. Mike was responsible for keeping daily production records and reporting of equipment failures to Production Manager.
In 1983 he sat and passed his A Grade Quarry Manager’s Certificate. and in the same year he was transferred to Downer’s Shingle Quarry in Upper Hutt assisting with extraction of river material for Te Marua Lakes supply contract. In 1985 Mike transferred to Galatea as Quarry Manager responsible for the overall operation including repairs and maintenance of all quarry and mobile plant.
In 1988 he transferred back to Roscommon Quarry as Production Manager responsible for 25 staff and coordinating repair programmes to mobile and stationary plant. Mike has always had the ability to work alongside his staff and his quiet nature and nicely spoken manner ensured the works got done in a timely fashion.
By 1989 he was also responsible for Manukau Quarries Scoria Quarry production of product and developed rosters to cater for day and night shifts to ensure production targets were met.
By the time he left DML Resources (after they went into receivership in 1997) Mike had a reputation for his ability for record and document keeping and he had worked on a whole host of crushers including: Jacques 60×48; Universal 36 x 24; Jacques Hydrocones; Nordberg HP300; Symons 7ft, 4 1/4 , 4ft; Jacques 536 impactor; Kumbee #1 and #3; Hammermill Chipmaster #4
As well as all manner of static, vibrating grizzly, wire-mesh and finger screens; and the mobile Nordberg Locotrak crusher / screening / conveying plant.
He had also involved himself in drilling and blasting operations of the quarry and was responsible for ensuring drilling machines were regularly maintained and serviced, as well as maintenance of all records for storage and issue of detonators and explosives.
Since 1998 to the present time Mike has been Quarry Manager at Ihumatao Quarry. In order to meet conditions of Resource Consent some buildings and plant were demolished and considerable upgrade work on the processing plant was carried out. Mike has continued to have a professional approach to record keeping, health and safety, and strict attention to plant maintenance and repairs on mobile machinery and processing plant. Over the past few years, Ihumatao Quarry has taken delivery of some new CAT plant including a 770 dumper and 972H front-end loader.
Mike has meticulous handwritten record keeping. He has been a member of the IOQ since 1989 and always follows with keen interest developments in the quarrying fraternity.
The GoughCAT Award is an appropriate reward for a such a dedicated quarryman. Well done Mike.