To bring in the new year, it is our pleasure to announce that Itero Australia has become the first Australian distributor of V-Deck™. Over the past year, as well as becoming official trainers and installers of V-Deck™, Itero Australia has been working closely with Velo Tech Systems (VTS), UK designer and manufacturer, to promote the benefits of V-Deck™ in supporting our clients’ access challenges. Being a distributor of V-Deck™, Itero Australia and VTS, will be working closely to improve the accessibility and operational support of all VTS products to the entire market in Australia and New Zealand.

In the rope access industry, there are many projects that are not suited to be done solely off ropes, however a full scaffold in these areas can be expensive, time consuming and impractical. V-Deck™ is a safe, lightweight, robust, engineered hanging platform, delivering considerable savings, dramatically reducing direct and indirect costs. The system is best suited under jetties, bridges, under-deck structures, conveyor belts, pipe-racks, heli-decks, internal storage tanks or any industrial structures with access challenges.

V-Deck™ delivers the following efficiencies when compared against tube and fit scaffolding:

• Significant time and cost savings
• Lightweight
• Fewer contact points
• Fewer components making for easy installation
• More anchorage options
• Higher factor of safety (3:1)
• Significantly reduced dropped objects risk and manual handling risk
• Reduced personnel requirements
• Works well where encapsulation is required

There will always be a place for traditional scaffolding which is why V-Deck™ is also fully scaffolding compatible making it an extremely versatile solution that works seamlessly alongside other access methods. It is up to the contractor to decide which access methods will best suit each individual project to maximise time and cost savings for their client whilst maintaining the highest standard of safety.

V-Deck™ can be designed in two ways:

1. A traditional full encapsulated platform that can be installed in a faster and more cost-effective manner.
2. Alternatively, V-Deck™ can be installed as a “tertiary/temporary” access system where minimal decks can be installed at the specific task location to allow access operators to conduct the works whilst standing on the platform and maintaining 100% attachment. Due to the minimalistic nature of the tertiary system, it is incredibly time and cost effective to install whilst improving rope access safety as there are many tasks in the access industry that are not ergonomically viable or can be unsafe to conduct whilst suspended on ropes.

As an Australian distributor of V-Deck™, Itero Australia will provide the following services to support Australian and NZ operators and service providers:

• Rental or purchase of V-Deck™.
• Training both on and off-site.
• Supply of rope access V-Deck™ installers to your projects (with desired trade qualifications if required).
• Engineering design to suit your structure/project.
• Trouble shooting/ technical support.
• Direct onsite support for project kick off if required.

Itero Australia are committed to supporting all market sectors and contractors including all rope access providers in the supply, use and training of this system. We are excited to be able to offer these innovative products as a new approach to difficult-to-access projects around Australia and NZ as we feel this is for the greater benefit to the access industry as a whole.

Itero currently have a training V-Deck™ system installed at their facility in Osborne Park which is also being used to demonstrate and provide interested parties with a better understanding of the extensive benefits this system can bring to their projects. If anyone is interested in learning more about how VTS products can benefit their projects, please contact our team by emailing admin@iteroaustralia.com.au or calling 08 9468 1600.

High-profile, high-risk project work and asset remediation specialist, Melchor Access, has been bought out by founding director, Patrick McCormack, relaunching as ITERO Australia.

Melchor Access was established in 2017 as a division of Melchor Group, rapidly growing to become one of WA’s leading industry operators. Both founding directors, Shane Jones and Patrick, felt that the specialist division was being somewhat diluted as the broader business grew predominantly in the construction sector and that the buyout was an opportunity to refocus on asset remediation and maintenance across multiple industries.

‘ITERO’ itself is derived from Latin, meaning – to do a second time, repeat, renew, re-life. It is the perfect fit for the business, as they focus on bringing difficult to access assets back to life with timely and cost-effective strategies, for projects ranging from minor maintenance works, to assessing and completing large projects from start to finish.

The brandmark symbolises and reinforces the meaning of ITERO. The mobius strip is continuous and never-ending, which reflects the lifecycle of the assets remediated.

The new business has also adopted the slogan, ‘Reassuringly Sensible.’, a statement that Patrick feels truly sets them apart, and an honest reflection of what ITERO’s clients can expect.

With the age, and aging, of many significant Australian assets there is a real and growing demand for highly skilled remediation contractors who can combat complex challenges that arise when access is complicated by height or confined space. ITERO has strategically assembled a team of highly experienced and technically diverse personnel, along with specialised tooling and equipment which consistently results in safe, high-quality workmanship.

Whilst ITERO will continue to provide the same services as Melchor Access to commercial, industrial and resource sectors such as rope access trade technicians, advanced rigging, scaffolding, suspended platform systems and other access methods, the injection of unique skill sets will deliver an incomparable approach to asset remediation projects and maintenance across the state.