Some businesses are built on spreadsheets and five-year plans. Exact Contracting was arguably built on something simpler: one man’s love of yellow machinery.
Founded in 1992 in Alice Springs, Exact Contracting has grown from nothing into a remote infrastructure specialist, now operating across three Adelaide-based sites and delivering projects Australia-wide.
A FATHER’S PASSION
People joked that the company existed purely so the founder, affectionately known around the industry as “Rhodesy” has an excuse to keep buying yellow gear.
“It was never really about the spreadsheet for Dad,” says Director Alex Rhodes. “It was about the gear, and the people who used it.”
Rhodesy passed away around three years ago, just as Exact Contracting was stepping into some of its biggest infrastructure jobs to date. Alex reflects that his father would be proud of both the projects delivered on time and on budget, and a fleet that has grown to roughly 700 pieces of Cat equipment.
From the saddle to the site
Alex brings an unusual perspective to leadership. Before returning to run the family business full-time, she spent ten years racing professionally as a road cyclist for Australia in Europe.
“Racing taught me the value of surrounding yourself with top-tier equipment and like-minded people,” Alex says. “That’s a philosophy I carry directly into how we work with Cavpower and Caterpillar today.”
Weathering the tough years
Exact Contracting’s growth wasn’t always smooth. Around a decade ago, the business took some hard financial hits from difficult clients. Rather than walk away, Cat Financial stepped in to refinance the business. A vote of confidence Alex says helped Exact Contracting rebuild into the operation it is today.
It’s also a relationship that understands the family’s particular quirks. “Dad had a habit of quietly buying machinery and just having it show up without warning,” Alex laughs. “Cavpower always rolled with it.”
On the ground in Carpentaria
That fleet is hard at work today on a major job in Carpentaria. A 30-kilometre road upgrade involving a bridge structure, running everything from Cat 24 Graders and D6/D10 Dozers to 657 and 623 Scrapers, plus a full line-up of Rollers and ancillary gear.
The timing lines up neatly with Caterpillar’s 100-year anniversary, a milestone Alex says feels especially meaningful given how much the brand has shaped his company’s own growth.
the machines and the people behind them
General Manager Dave Fellows has been with Exact Contracting for seventeen years. His role centres on travelling between job sites, looking after people, and making sure the fleet stays in top shape.
On site, machine operator Justin Willock is four and a half years into running the 24M grader. “The cab’s spacious, comfortable, and the visibility is excellent,” Justin says. “It’s like operating from a lounge chair, except you’ve still got everything you need to work safely.”
Beyond operator comfort, the crew points to two advantages that matter most out on remote sites: GPS integration that helps minimise wastage in resource-limited gravel pits, and strong communication support for sites located 1,400 to 1,500 kilometres from the nearest dealership.
That connectivity means fitters can diagnose issues using Cat SIS and check parts.cat.com for availability, so replacement parts are ordered and moving before a problem ever fully stalls the job.
A partnership for the books
Exact Contracting’s relationship with Cavpower goes back more than 25 to 30 years, and the team frames it as an ongoing partnership rather than a simple vendor arrangement. One that keeps them looped in on new equipment coming to market, with early access to new machines.
The industry itself is shifting too. Alex points to the growing presence of women in construction leadership, noting Cavpower’s own CEO, Jo Jones, alongside two female directors now at Exact Contracting, as part of a broader change taking hold across the sector.
The legacy continues
After three decades, the story of Exact Contracting still comes back to the same idea that got it started in the first place: good gear, and the people who stand behind it, make all the difference.
“Dad built this on a love of machinery and a handshake,” Alex says. “We’re just making sure it keeps growing the way he’d have wanted.”