Building air bridges still a family affair
Knowing that generations of Kiwi travellers have traipsed all over the work of his family’s business fills James McLennan with a sense of satisfaction.
McLennan is the workshop manager for J & D McLennan Engineers, a company that specialises in making air bridges - the raised tunnels that protect passengers and crew from the elements as they board aircraft from the terminal gate.
In an age where more people than ever are flying, the air bridge might be an easy piece of infrastructure to overlook at a sprawling airport but McLennan still likes seeing his creations in use.
‘‘Whenever you see something that you’ve pushed from the planning stages to completion, it feels good. Especially when you’ve done something out of the ordinary, it gives you a sense of pride.’’
The Lower Hutt company was founded in the 1940s as a general engineering firm by his grandfather and great uncle and has been producing air bridges since 1974. McLennan is part of a third generation of family to have worked at the company.
While they still take on general engineering projects, air bridges and other airport equipment makes up most of their work. J & D McLennan has rolled nearly 300 of the structures out the workshop doors over the years.
Having produced all the air bridges in use in New Zealand, McLennan would able to go to any major airport in the country and point out his company’s work.
They are the only company in Australasia to make passenger boarding bridges and also have clients dotted all over Australia and the Pacific.
While they could not compete with their competitors in China, India and Spain on price, McLennan believed their advantage was in service and workmanship.
‘‘We’d expect our bridges to have a 20 year plus service life.’’
The size of the bridges made them difficult to shift. Moving them usually took place at night to minimise the impact on traffic and their routes had to be planned to ensure there were no low bridges or tight turns.
For McLennan, continuing the work at the family company was a special feeling. His father, uncle and brother have also been involved with the business.
‘‘That means a lot; to carry on doing the same thing. Especially in Wellington where manufacturing is not so flash.’’