Screening, Crushing, and Expanding: The Holden Heavy Hire Story

In the limestone quarry of Te Kūiti, AJ Holden stands among the machines — an S5 track stacker, a K5 screening plant, and a B3 jaw crusher all running on site.

“This quarry is where it all started for us,” AJ says. “My father, Warren, started contracting here under Ruakuri Contracting over 20 years ago. It’s special being back here with our own gear.”

A Small Team with a Wide Reach

Holden Heavy Hire is still a small operation — five staff across the workshop and sites, including AJ’s father and his partner — but their work spreads across the North Island.

“We’ve got hire gear over in Tauranga — a Cat 352, a couple of 730 dump trucks, and a D7 dozer,” AJ explains. “Up in Whangārei, we’ve got another K4 screening plant, and we’re working on a deal to possibly get another R3 crusher up there by the end of the year.”

Their approach to hire contracts is hands-on. “We try to customise each job,” AJ says. “We sit down with the client, see what products they’re making, what kind of splits they’re after, and try to offer any added value we can.”

We started here with one machine. Now we’ve got gear running all over the North Island. - AJ Holden

Why Keestrack?

Holden Heavy Hire have tried different brands over the years, but they keep returning to Keestrack machines.

“They’re the most reliable, easier to work on, and very versatile,” AJ says. “Being able to change different screen decks and punch plates from finger cassettes makes it easier to screen different materials and produce a cleaner product.”

The K5 screening plant is a step up from the K4. “It gives a bit more screening deck area, which means more retention time for the rock and a cleaner product at the end,” AJ says. “You can also shift the main belt down onto the bottom deck, so you don’t always need a three-way split — a two-way split works if that’s what the job needs.”

Currently, they’re running a 30x33 screen split — a 65mm punch plate on top and a 40mm screen on the bottom — creating a three-way split. The material feeds into a closed-loop circuit with the crusher, so everything is reprocessed and sorted again, keeping the final product consistent and free of contamination

The K5 gives us more deck area, more retention time, and a cleaner end product. - AJ Holden

Support When It Counts

Even with reliable machines, problems can arise. AJ says Equip2 has been a key part of keeping the operation running smoothly.

“We’ve had a few issues over the years, but if we get stuck, Equip2 are always ready to help,” he says. “Everyone — from sales to parts to service — has been great to deal with.”

When local work slowed, Equip2 helped get Holden Heavy Hire’s machines out on hire around the country, which helped launch the hire side of the business.

Looking Ahead

From the Te Kūiti quarry where it all began, Holden Heavy Hire continues to grow its presence across the North Island.

“It’s still a small team, but we’ve got gear running in multiple locations,” AJ says. “We hope to get even bigger over time.”

Equip2 didn’t just sell us machines — they helped us build a business. - AJ Holden

Key Takeaways

Local Roots: Started in Te Kūiti, still running from the original quarry.

Hands-on Hire: Contracts customised to client needs

Reliable Gear: Keestrack machines chosen for ease of use and versatility.

Consistent Product: Closed-loop screening ensures uniform output.

Backed by Support: Equip2 provides parts, service, and advice when needed.

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