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For Miles and Diane Shelley, Hauraki Plains Motors is more than just a business. It’s a legacy nearly 100 years in the making. 

Founded in 1926 and still operating from its original site in Ngatea, the family-owned company has spent decades servicing farm machinery, passenger vehicles, marine equipment, and handling WOF inspections across the Hauraki Plains and Coromandel Peninsula.  

After working in the business for years, Miles and Diane took over full ownership in 2017. But as local demand shifted, they hit a physical bottleneck. 

Growth Created a New Challenge 

More caravans, motorhomes, and light commercial trucks were turning up at the workshop. The Hauraki Plains Motors team had the expertise to service them, but the shop's older infrastructure couldn't keep up. 

Their existing hoists maxed out at 4.5 tonnes, and traditional 4-post lifts blocked access around wider vehicles. Some larger jobs were simply too awkward or inefficient to handle, forcing HPM to turn away solid business. 

“The customers were already there for HPM,” Treadway Equipped Sales Director Loren Bill said. “The challenge was creating the capacity to service them.” 

Instead of scaling back, Miles and Diane decided to expand. 

Building for the Future 

Hauraki Plains Motors reconfigured part of its workshop, added a new service bay, and raised the roof to clear larger vehicles. With the structural work sorted, they needed to find the right lift. 

HPM already bought tyres, rims, and couplings from Treadway’s supply business. However, they had never worked with Treadway Equipped, the group’s workshop machinery division. HPM brought the machinery team in for a fresh look at the floor. Planning the new layout went far beyond a simple equipment upgrade. It was a complete rethink of how the workshop operated. 

Looking Beyond Another 4-Post Hoist 

At first, another 4-post hoist seemed like the obvious choice. But a closer look showed it would just recreate the same cramped layout limitations the team was trying to escape. 

The workshop needed a heavy-duty solution that gave technicians room to move. Treadway recommended the Steiner LT60KAPRO 6-Tonne Alignment Knuckle Lift. 

“When a workshop is investing in growth, the last thing it needs is uncertainty,” Treadway Equipped Equipment Specialist Josiah Garton said.  

“We were confident the LT60KAPRO would do exactly what HPM needed it to do: create more capacity, improve workflow, and stand up to the demands of a busy workshop.” 

Steiner LT60KAPRO Technical Specifications 

From Plan to Reality 

Once the team shook hands on the plan, things moved fast. Treadway Equipped supplied the machine, while the specialised team at Hoist & Garage handled the entire setup and installation. Together, they got the LT60KAPRO straight into Hauraki Plains Motors’s new service bay. 

By dropping the fixed corner posts of a traditional 4-post setup, the post-free design of the knuckle lift solved HPM’s biggest daily frustration. Technicians gained open, unrestricted under-vehicle access and clear space around wider vehicles.  

The 6-tonne capacity and extended 5.2-metre platform easily matched the larger motorhomes and light trucks streaming into the region. Coupled with dual 3-tonne rolling jacks, the hoist choice turned the workshop expansion into a highly practical upgrade. 

Fast forward a few months, and the investment is already paying off across the entire shop floor. By doubling down on their vision and expanding their setup, Miles and Diane have built the exact capacity they need to take on the larger commercial jobs they used to turn away.  

Today, the HPM team is easily handling the massive motorhomes and wider light trucks that are a regular sight around the Coromandel Peninsula, ensuring the new service bay stays busy and profitable. 

“What we've seen here is a business backing itself,” Treadway’s Loren Bill said.  

“Miles and Diane recognised where the opportunities were, invested in the workshop, and put the right foundations in place to support future demand for Hauraki Plains Motors.”  

To find out how Treadway Equipped can help unlock your workshop’s potential, visit www.treadwayequipped.co.nz or contact our team today.