| 69 T T Sue Russell Central hub proving cost-effective One of the company’s strengths is its ongoing commitment to support the next generation of refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians. Excel Taranaki CONTRACTING Stephen Frowde always felt that establishing a commercial and industrial refrigeration/HVAC business in Taranaki was the right move, and since those pioneering days in 2005, the business has flourished. “We started in Hawera and have spread through most of the regions now, but our central administration, management and support hub is based where we started. “We have about 40 people who look after health and safety, marketing and systems, and it’s proven to be a very good business model,” says Stephen. One of the strengths of having operational support in one place is that it’s a very cost-effective way to run a business. There’s also consistency in the application of management support. “We specialise in refrigeration and air-conditioning, and we wanted those working in our branches to just concentrate on this product and service delivery, not all the other aspects that go into running a company. We are trade-centric in nature.” Spreading into the South Island has been a strategic focus, with businesses in Christchurch, Timaru and Invercargill, and Dunedin in Stephen’s sights for another location. Acquiring Eco Chill in March 2024, which specialises in the supermarket refrigeration space, has added another string to the bow. Stephen says one of the company’s strengths is its ongoing commitment to support the next generation of refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians. He feels strongly about the obligation that goes with success – to invest in others. “I think once you’ve established a company that is reliably profitable, then other aspirations surface, and for me and the management team it is very much about opening up opportunities for young people to upskill and make a good career from this industry.” And in cementing this ongoing commitment, since 2016 the company has sponsored ‘Apprentice Week’, where apprentices employed by Excel gather to upskill and broaden their knowledge. Stephen believes New Zealanders like the idea of local ownership. It adds value for the client to know that in every branch location there is a director/owner. “Definitely, that’s been important. We’re considered very much a part of each community we’re based in, and the other key factor has been our solid branding. The same vehicles turn up every time to jobs, and there’s just a really solid sense that our customers know who they are dealing with consistently.” Excel has been involved in some impressive projects, including the dramatic transformation of the old Atkinson Building in New Plymouth, where the Ministry of Works was based. “It was great to be a part of this iconic project that saw this very ’60s’-looking building undergo a rebirth to become Ngamotu House. Its architecture is inspiring, and we were responsible for the design and install of the HVAC system.” Delivering turnkey projects is something Excel Refrigeration and HVAC enjoy. The new refrigeration plant room at Affco Wairoa is a good example of this capability. “It’s a complete turnkey project, including refrigeration, piping and mechanical and E&IC. This new system significantly improves energy efficiency, sustainability and operational performance across the facility.” The project was executed in three stages – design and build, integration and decommissioning, and connecting to existing cold storage facilities and decommissioning of the old plant room. The key features include efficient heat recovery (capturing over 1000kW of energy to produce warm water at 40°C), medium temperature heat pump (delivering 1.1MW of hot water at 65°C) and high temperature heat pump (supplying 1.3MW of hot water at 88°C. “It’s a fine example of what we’re capable of designing, building and installing, and I know everyone involved was very proud of what we delivered,” Stephen says. “We started in Hawera and have spread through most of the regions now, but our central administration, management and support hub is based where we started.“ Plant, Pipe & Machinery, Scaffolding & Rigging, Welding, Fabrication & Installation HaweraWelding Contractors 137 Glover Rd, Hawera, South Taranaki 4610 Phone: James: 0275435775 Email: james@hawerawelding.com Web: www.hawerawelding.com 0800 766 684 • smooth-air.co.nz • AKL | WEL | CHC Proud HVAC supplier to Excel Visit Our New Showroom! 15 Te Puni Street Petone, Wellington
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