72 | CONTRACTING Young firm enjoys rapid growth Sue Russell Romanes Construction NZ Paul Romanes established civil contracting business three years ago, starting with only his own drive, ambition and skill-set. “I had been working in quite senior roles prior to the first lock down when I went out on my own and I soon identified we needed a site engineer which was my first priority. Within a couple of months we engaged with Council and were gaining some work momentum.” Concentrating mainly on procuring work with regional and district Councils, the Ports of Auckland, Napier and at Kinleith Mill in Tokoroa gave Paul and the team a positive solid start in business. The company carries all its own plant including a fleet of diggers, off road dump trucks, rollers, crane and site sheds. “We are solely a head contractor, and even though we started right on the outbreak of COVID, we’ve acquired several key contracts in quite a short space of time.” The business targets infrastructure projects in the region and today employs a team of 20 experienced civil contracting staff. “They were hard to find but we offer good employment conditions and pay well and once we had engaged in a few projects in the district we found interest in working for us grew.” Late last year Romanes Construction completed an important upgrade of the Kaituna Mole, at Maketū. Work on the Mole was necessary to ensure the structure remained fit-for-purpose and safe for the public to access. Built in 1958 this was the first structural attention the Mole had received since being constructed. The Mole provided resistance from the sea’s currents pushing the river further south. Up to 50 metres of new sheet piling was installed around the existing piles. Once this stage was completed a new concrete deck was built, along with safety handrails and concrete benches, with the aim of improving public use of the structure. Paul says, the project went smoothly and was delivered ahead of schedule in early December 2021. “We’ve future-proofed this important facility and made it an attractive space for locals to use while future-proofing the structure’s integrity and ability to withstand the forces of nature.” Romanes Construction specialises in the design and delivery of heavy in-situ concrete works, architectural and structural steelwork, seismic strengthening, pre and post-tensioning, earthworks and offers full project management capability. “I think this is one of the key reasons we’re thriving. We offer a full suite of allied services and can see the project through from concept, design through construction and completion at a consistently high standard.” Often working in marine environments with sensitive ecological value Paul says the projects the company has so far engaged in have demonstrated its broad capabilities and standards. Romanes Construction NZ Ltd also offers both planning and civil construction services for developers of subdivisions and is currently engaged in earthworks developments, in what promises to be a very special project, near Lake Tarawera. And with demand for services growing Paul says he is actively interested in employing more experienced civil workers, engineers and project managers. Asked how far and wide he sends teams to work Paul says ideally within a radius that allows staff to get home comfortably at the end of the day is the priority. “There is plenty of development happening within our preferred area to work and we’ve developed some very strong relationships with allied trades and businesses who we engage with in our projects.” Each edition priority delivered to your door. . www.waterfordpress.co.nz/subscriptions . . . i i 03 983 5525 Stay informed; we work with business owners and decision-makers across all economic sectors, profiling their success. i ; i i i i - ll i , ili i . Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. r i , r I tr , r . businessnorth Volume 21 | Issue 3 | June 2022 www.waterfordpress.co.nz businessnorth
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=