One Earthwork Contractor’s Formula for High Productivity and Accuracy: Technology, Total Stations and an Excavator

One Earthwork Contractor’s Formula for High Productivity and Accuracy

Roughan Haulage & Excavations Pty Ltd., based in Melbourne, Australia, specializes in civil construction, including rail and road projects for public and private entities throughout the state.

Business Challenge
Achieving high accuracy on job sites with poor GNSS signal.

Solutions Implemented

Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform
Trimble SPS930 Universal Total Stations

Key Benefits

Ability to work in tight spaces with an excavator
Continuous positioning, even in GNSS-limited areas
Infield adjustments
Millimeter accuracy

Workflow Visualization in Action

Roughan Haulage & Excavations equipped a 14-ton Sumitomo excavator with Trimble 3D machine control, immediately improving productivity and precision on road projects. The addition of a Trimble SPS930 Universal Total Station further enhanced accuracy, particularly in areas with poor GNSS coverage.

Trimble SiteVision enables foremen to perform pre-construction walkthroughs, aligning teams and identifying underground risks before work begins. This reduces utility strikes, avoids delays, and ensures safer, more efficient operations.

Trimble WorksManager and Business Center streamline data flow, replacing slow USB transfers with rapid, secure updates of design models directly to operators.

Taking Precision to the Cab

Roughan also invested in a Cat 308 Mini Excavator equipped with both UTS and GNSS, fitted by SITECH Construction Systems Pty Ltd.—the first of its kind in Australia. This combination provides unmatched precision, allowing operators to maintain consistent tolerances even in tight intersections or areas where graders cannot operate.

Operators benefit from real-time 3D guidance directly in the cab, minimizing errors, reducing rework, and completing jobs faster. Projects such as the Youth Justice Centre at Cherry Creek demonstrate the flexibility and accuracy of UTS/GNSS-equipped machines.

“We’re now hitting sub-10 mm tolerances on tight schedules,” said Matthew Roughan, founder and director. “UTS on every machine has become standard—it’s a game changer for productivity and quality.”

Why Roughan Stands Out

By integrating Trimble technology into all aspects of their workflow, Roughan Haulage delivers faster, safer, and more accurate results. With SITECH’s support, the firm can adjust designs on the fly, reduce surveyor dependence, and maintain high standards across projects of any scale.

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