Case Studies
Barrier Up & Risks Down at this Auckland Warehouse
One of our most popular barrier setups is the 910-2 Barrier, and for the cherry on top it's finished with our Tru-Gard Hand Rail. This was the solution of choice for a large new-build warehouse in Auckland, where the goal was simple: keep pedestrians safe while they navigate the full perimeter of the building. Personnel Gates were placed in key high-traffic areas, including office entrances and exits. By slowing people down and requiring them to open the gate before stepping onto the warehouse floor, staff get a moment to check for forklifts and moving vehicles. It’s a small pause that makes a big difference when people and machines share the same space. Bollards were also installed in strategic locations to protect sensitive electronic equipment. Nobody wants downtime caused by accidental damage, and our certified bollards provide tough, reliable protection exactly where it’s needed. This project is a solid example of how we combine smart design, certified protection, and practical placement to keep both people and assets safe. In a busy warehouse, it’s these little touches that make a big difference. \\
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A Boost of Yellow for Harvey Norman's Storeroom
Like any Harvey Norman store, this location runs a busy on-site warehouse, constantly receiving stock and moving furniture and appliances out to an eager customer base. So, when they needed a solution to make this busy store room safer we were happy to help. The store room had been operating at full capacity for some time, with forklifts and pallet trolleys moving through the same areas where staff were managing inwards and outwards goods. With no traffic management system in place, it was a high-risk environment. There were no pedestrian safety zones and no barriers protecting valuable stock. Our solution was simple but effective. We installed runs of our 910-2 Barrier to cordon off danger zones while keeping plenty of access points through Personnel Gates in key areas. Full protection was essential around office and administration spaces, doorways leading from traffic areas into the kitchenette and toilets, and specific storage areas where stock could be at risk from passing machinery. The result? A safer, more organised warehouse where staff and stock can move around with confidence. It’s great to see the difference a little extra yellow can make!
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Where Foot Traffic Safety Meets Freight at Mainfreight Dunedin
If you’ve had a look through our case studies, you will see we’ve worked with our fair share of Mainfreight depots over the years. So we have learned a thing or two about the hazards and requirements of their busy transport sites. People are at the centre of everything Mainfreight do, and keeping pedestrians safe on site is always a priority. It’s something we’ve enjoyed collaborating with them on many times before. Creating safe walkways in high-traffic zones is something we do best. So when the Dunedin branch needed help, we were happy to advise. This busy depot sees national consignments move in and out all day, every day. Our role was to help establish a secure pedestrian zone around the warehouse, separating foot traffic from forklifts. A combination of our Barrier, Hand Rail, and Personnel Gates was the ideal solution, providing modular, high-visibility products that fit seamlessly into the environment. Built to last with a 10-year warranty, staff and visitors can have the confidence that this is an investment in their safety for years to come. This site is just another example of how we partner with Mainfreight to put people protection first, every step of the way. Read more about our work with Mainfreight Hobsonville, Mainfreight Derrimut, and Mainfreight Gore.
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Saving Downpipes & Dollars at Mainfreight Gore
Smashed downpipes cost businesses thousands of dollars every year, yet they’re often some of the most exposed and overlooked parts of a building. Time and time again we see it happen: a vehicle gets too close to a wall and side-swipes a downpipe, leaving fragile material broken and unusable. If you’ve ever had to replace one, you’ll know how painful it is, both in terms of extra work and unexpected costs. One of the handiest steel products we make is our Tru-Gard Downpipe Protectors. You can go subtle with a galvanised steel finish, like these installed at a Mainfreight Gore, or stand out in our classic ’Safety Yellow’- the choice is yours. This project was a new-build depot for Mainfreight, a busy transport site with trucks and forklifts moving around constantly. Several downpipes needed extra protection, and these weren’t just any downpipes. They carry water under pressure from a large collection tank on the roof, so any damage could have caused serious mess and disruption. The standard galvanised finish not only protects against the elements but also blends seamlessly with the building’s corporate colours. The result is a smart-looking, well-protected building that keeps both downpipes and operations safe. If your assets could do with an added layer of protection you can shop our downpipe range here or contact our team today for more information.
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Keeping People and Freight Moving Safely at Lindsay Transport
Lindsay Transport is one of Australia’s largest transport companies, moving more than 1.6 million tonnes of freight for over 5,000 customers along Australia’s east coast each year. With more than 37 stores and depots, health and safety is a core consideration across its warehouse and logistics operations. At this Victorian freight site, the day-to-day environment is busy and complex. High volumes of pedestrian workers move throughout the warehouse and around loading and unloading bays, while a constant flow of trucks and forklifts keeps the site active from start to finish. The focus of this Tru-Gard project was clear: create well-defined, safe pedestrian walkways for staff and visitors navigating the site. Working alongside our local supplier and installer in Victoria, we installed long runs of 910-2 Tru-Gard Barrier and an added handrail. Multiple Personnel Gates were also added to control foot traffic and prevent pedestrians from stepping directly into high-risk driveways and forklift zones. The result is a site with clearer separation between people and vehicles, improved traffic control, and safer movement throughout the facility. It is a practical example of how thoughtful barrier placement and pedestrian management can reduce risk in busy freight environments, without compromising day-to-day operations. If your site could do with a safety overhaul, chat to our team about everything from Barrier to Driver Protection Zones and a modular safety system to suit.
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Built to Take the Hit: The Story of Tru-Gard Downpipe Protectors
Back in 2019, we started seeing a clear trend across factories and warehouses. Sites were busier, vehicles were bigger, and the knock-on cost of damaged building services was becoming harder to ignore. Downpipes in particular were taking a hiding in high-traffic areas. That growing demand for better asset protection led to the launch of our Downpipe Protector range. This Christchurch warehouse project was one of the first to put them to work, with 17 Downpipe Protectors installed as part of the site fit-out. From the outset, the focus was simple. Protect vulnerable services, reduce repair costs, and help drivers spot hazards before contact ever became an issue. Typically, Downpipe Protectors are installed from ground level to shield the most exposed section of pipework. On this site, however, some downpipes were positioned in areas used by larger trucks. To suit the traffic profile, several protectors were installed slightly above ground level to guard against higher impact points, showing the flexibility of the system to suit real-world conditions. Finished in high-visibility safety yellow, the protectors act as an early visual warning for drivers moving through the yard. In most cases, that visibility alone is enough to prevent contact. If a minor collision does occur, the 3 mm steel guard absorbs the impact, keeping fragile pipework intact and maintenance crews out of reactive repair mode. Our Downpipe Protectors are available in standard and large sizes, with adjustable widths to suit a range of pipe diameters. Each kit is designed for straightforward installation and supplied with fixings and clear instructions, making them easy to integrate into new builds or retrofits. What started as a response to a growing problem has since become a core part of our asset protection range. Today, Downpipe Protectors sit alongside our Column Protectors and Pallet Racking Protectors, helping sites across New Zealand and Australia protect critical infrastructure and keep operations running smoothly.
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Safer Steps at CHEP Dunedin
It will come as no surprise that a busy CHEP warehouse is home to plenty of forklifts. It is also no surprise that these can create hazards for pedestrians, and that is where we come in. Creating safer foot traffic areas along the allocated walkways to and from the dispatch office and other areas of the store was a simple yet effective way to keep workers and site visitors safer. Once again, our 910-2 Barrier System, combined with Hand Rail, came to the rescue. High visibility, built for impact, and cost effective, it was the optimal solution. If you have walkways that could benefit from a touch of Safety Yellow barrier, talk to our team today to find out more.
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Walk this Way: Keeping Workers Safe at CHEP Auckland
Anyone who’s spent time in a CHEP warehouse knows they are busy places. Forklifts are constantly on the move, pallets are shifting, and staff are often navigating the floor on foot alongside machinery. It works well when everything runs smoothly, but clear separation is key to keeping people safe. That is where this project came in. To better protect staff on foot, we installed clearly defined pedestrian zones, surrounded by certified Tru-Gard safety barrier. These walkways give people a safe space to move through the warehouse, without having to second-guess what is happening around them. The solution uses our classic 910-2 Barrier System, designed to deliver strength, visibility, and peace of mind in busy warehouse environments. Personnel gates were added to provide practical access points between the pedestrian zones and the main warehouse floor, making it easy for staff to get where they need to go without crossing active traffic routes. In high-foot-traffic areas, a double-gate system was installed. One gate can be used for entering, the other for exiting, which helps keep foot traffic flowing and avoids those awkward bottlenecks during busy shifts. The end result is a safer, more organised warehouse environment where people and machinery can do what they need to do, without getting in each other’s way. All the right traffic management and health and safety boxes, ticked.
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A One-Stop Safety Shop for Woolworths CFDC
A one-stop safety shop — that’s how you might describe us. Especially during the Primary Connect Woolworths CFDC project. With over 280 metres of barrier, 230 metres of handrail, 34 door frame bollards, and plenty of bollards throughout the site, this was no small order. We worked alongside client Primary Connect and construction team Watts & Hughes to deliver a mix of off-the-shelf and modified safety products, each tailored to the unique layout and activity zones of the site. From protecting charging stations with bollards, to shielding expensive door mechanisms with our door frame bollards, creating safer pedestrian zones with mesh panels, and even supplying custom pre-assembled handrail for dock stairs, we covered it all. Every area presented its own challenges — from busy pedestrian zones to high-traffic loading bays — but our modular systems made it easy to adapt. Close collaboration with the site team ensured every product not only fit the space but performed exactly as needed once operations were underway. Anywhere safety was paramount, we had a solution to suit. With over six months from start to finish, this all-new site was a major project that showcased the full scope of what Tru-Gard does best: making workplaces safer. If you'd like to find out more about how we can do the same for your facility contact our team for a bespoke safety solution to suit.
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Mesh Barriers That Mean Business at Woolworths AFDC
Here’s a trip down memory lane - back to 2022 and our very first installation of the Tru-Gard Mesh Barrier System. Our client, Woolworths AFDC, came to us wanting to create a safer pedestrian zone around the perimeter of their new-build distribution centre, something that would provide much greater protection than anything else on the market. One of their main concerns was the close proximity and height of stacked pallets adjacent to the walkway, and the risk that falling objects or pallets could pose to pedestrians. There was also the classic warehousing challenge of moving forklifts, vehicles, and pedestrians sharing the same space. Essentially, they needed all the benefits of a traditional barrier system that could provide vehicle protection, with the added height to prevent toppling items from endangering pedestrians. Our team created the ideal modular kit by combining our proven Tru-Gard Barrier with taller support posts and a custom mesh designed to act as a ‘net’ for falling objects. By pairing this with some modified pallet stops, this warehouse went from safety zero to safety hero. Now, pedestrians can feel safe walking around the perimeter, and forklift drivers know their vehicles and pallets are clear of pedestrian pathways. If you’re interested in a solution like this, here’s more information on the kit — or contact our sales team today. Kit details: Taller support posts at 2400mm centres Tru-Gard Barrier at 2400mm centres Tru-Gard Mesh Panels – 2250mm W x 1210mm H All fixings included Available in Galvanised or Safety Yellow over Galvanised for internal, external, wet, or dry use
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On Brand and On Guard at Stanley Black & Decker
When pallet racking protection is essential – but so are your brand standards – we’re here to help. That was exactly the case for Stanley Black & Decker when they were developing their new distribution site here in New Zealand. With a directive from head office that everything had to be branded in their signature yellow and black, we were only too happy to accommodate. Working alongside Dexion, who supplied the shelving and racking solutions (also in custom colours), we created a safety system that ticked both the protection and branding boxes. Enter our 610-2 Barrier – built for impact and ready to withstand accidental hits from forklifts while protecting valuable racking. It’s the ideal solution for a space of this scale. Positioned at the ends of racking, throughout key points in the warehouse, and in front of essential equipment like servers, this barrier delivers reliable protection while creating a standout finish and a strong visual deterrent for forklift drivers. ‘Easy By Design’ is the tagline of Black & Decker NZ, and with the modular and customisable nature of our products, we like to think we fit that description too. We aim to make safety as easy as possible for your site – so if custom colours are a must, you need a product modified to suit, or you’re not even sure where to start, our team is happy to work with you to create the ideal safety solution. If you’re looking for a robust solution that will also keep you safe from your marketing department, chat with our team about a custom colour safety solution that works for you. From retail environments to large-scale warehousing, we’re here to help.
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Safety Starts at Home: Protecting Our Own the Tru-Gard Way
At Tru-Gard, safety isn’t just something we supply – it’s something we live. Aka “Living Yellow” as it’s known around the office. Here in our Dunedin warehouse, we use the very same products we deliver to sites across New Zealand and Australia to keep our own team and assets protected. With forklifts, people, and products constantly on the move, we understand first-hand how these can create a hazardous mix. That’s why our warehouse is a showcase of our safety solutions in action, from pallet racking protection and handrail walkways to personnel gates, bollards, and even pallet stops to keep skips securely in place during adverse weather. We’ve considered each workstation, hazard, and product we have to find the best solution for our team. Our pallet racks are protected by pallet stops to keep products (and rubbish bins) in place, along with a combination of end-of-bay rack kits and upright protectors to guard against accidental forklift damage. Our walkways feature personnel gates and handrails, and we even have bollards in place for robot welding protection. “We help protect workplaces around New Zealand and Australia every day, so we know how hazardous a site can be, which is why we prioritised making sure our people and our assets are protected first. From pallet racking to handrail walkways and personnel gates to bollards, our site isn’t designed to meet safety requirements; it’s there to exceed them.”— Mark Taylor, Managing Director By putting our own products to the test every day, we’re proving that safety really does start at home and showing our customers exactly what the Tru-Gard Difference looks like. If you’d like to know more about turning your site safety from zero to hero, contact our team today.
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