| 87 T T Kelly Deeks Switchboard production boosts growth Citywide Electrical focuses primarily on commercial and industrial work, including maintenance, data installations, and specialist switchboard manufacturing. Citywide Electrical CONTRACTING After 35 years in business, Auckland-based electrical contracting firm Citywide Electrical is continuing to carve out a strong reputation for capability, diversity, and innovative problem-solving in New Zealand’s commercial and industrial electrical sector. Citywide Electrical manager Simon Coulam has been at the helm since 2002, overseeing the company’s growth from a small team to a 50-strong workforce tackling some of the country’s biggest and most complex projects. “The company was originally started by Dave Lepper in 1990, and when I joined Citywide had been going for about 12 years,” Simon says. “I had my own electrical business at the time, but we were both finding we weren’t quite big enough to take on the larger projects we wanted. So we joined forces, and that’s when the real growth started.” From a combined team of around 15 electricians, Citywide quickly scaled up, and now boasts a team of more than 50. Following Dave’s retirement six years ago and a change of ownership four years ago, Simon continues to lead the business with the same drive for quality work and long-term client relationships. Today, Citywide Electrical focuses primarily on commercial and industrial work, including maintenance, data installations, and specialist switchboard manufacturing. The company’s in-house switchboard division is a key point of difference. “We identified a big gap in the market when it came to getting custom switchboards quickly,” Simon says. “Instead of waiting four to six weeks from a supplier, we set up a dedicated team that can build a switchboard in as little as three days. That has solved problems for us, and for a number of other electrical contractors around the country.” Citywide’s switchboards now ship all over New Zealand and even to the Pacific Islands, alongside other major commercial work the company undertakes both domestically and offshore. Over the past decade, Citywide teams have completed significant projects in Niue, including a school, the New Zealand High Commission, and a tourist resort. A strong commitment to training and diversity has also been part of Citywide Electrical’s DNA. Currently, the business has about 20 apprentices on staff, and over the years has made a real effort to provide opportunities for Māori and Pasifika apprentices, who have historically been under-represented in the electrical industry. “The key for us is giving chances to young people who genuinely want to become electricians and are prepared to put in the work,” says Simon. Many of Citywide’s senior tradespeople began as apprentices within the company. In a challenging economic environment, Citywide continues to win major projects, including its involvement in one of South Auckland’s largest current industrial builds, five massive warehouses being developed by James Kirkpatrick Group, a long-standing client. The company has also made significant strides in the growing Green Star commercial building market, with completed projects including the IKEA distribution centre at Auckland Airport, the DHL logistics facility next door, and the BNZ Centre in Albany. “We’re getting quite good at Green Star projects now,” Simon says. “They’re more complicated and involve a lot more reporting and compliance, but we’re keeping pace with the changes in the rating system and finding ways to help developers meet their sustainability goals.” With a reputation for responsiveness, technical expertise, and a willingness to go where the work is, Citywide Electrical is positioned to continue its growth journey, both onshore and offshore. “We’re a big team with a lot of mouths to feed, so we’re always out there chasing the next project,” Simon says. “The industry’s evolving, and so are we.” How to Maximise Your Energy Monitoring Investment Socomec’s Digiware system is a scalable, flexible, and centralised energy management system suitable for new or existing sites. It is a modular system that grows with your needs. It supports everything from basic energy metering to advanced power analysis, as well as the ability to incorporate switchboard health. It is a cohesive system that can go from switchboards to panelboards and all centralised into a single head-end device, for visibility, granular insights without compromising on accuracy. NHP’s local team is here to help you get the most from your system, whether you need basic setup support or full commissioning. With free consultations available, it’s easy to find the right fit before you commit. Even small changes can unlock big results, if you’ve got the right data. Energy visibility enables low-disruption improvements that reduce costs and support continuous operational optimisation. As the saying goes, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”. Scan to book a free consultation with our team today. Choose smart: which system fits your site? With rising energy costs, energy monitoring and efficiency have become essential strategic investments, unlocking cost savings, operational insights, and a competitive edge. Every site is unique, and tailored solutions are key to cutting costs, preventing equipment failures, and future-proofing operations. That’s where Socomec and NHP come in. As the global leader in metering, Socomec offers a range of solutions to suit every application and NHP is proud to be their exclusive distributor in New Zealand. The first step is collecting accurate, actionable data. Selecting the right hardware depends on the types of loads and the site’s overall energy profile. Key Considerations: • What is needed? E.g. Basic energy data (I, V, P, kWh) or deeper insights like Power Factor (PF) and total Harmonic Distortion (THD)? • How will data be collected and used to drive efficiency? - PF and THD matter: poor PF and THD can drive up costs, waste energy and damage sensitive equipment. Making this data visible is essential. Countis P QCT: Compact and easy to install For compact multiload energy monitoring, Countis P QCT are quick-connect plug- and-play meters, an ideal solution for sub-metering for up to four three-phase loads. For larger or evolving sites, Digiware is a modular system that grows with your needs. It supports everything from basic energy metering to advanced power analysis, as well as the ability to incorporate switchboard health. It is a cohesive system that can go from switchboards to panelboards and all centralised into a single head-end device, for visibility, granular insights without compromising on accuracy. Available from any web browser, Socomec’s Webview M is a subscription-free, easy-to-access dashboard with options for daily, weekly, or monthly reports. Perfect for a single-site Energy Management System without the hassle of a subscription fee or software downloads DIRIS A: Smarter Insights for Complex Loads When you're dealing with loads like VSDs that can cause power quality concerns, DIRIS A gives you detailed insight, harmonics analysis. Perfect for installing in switchboards, on larger loads in retail spaces like chillers or for monitoring sensitive equipment like IT assets. Digiware: Scalable,Centralised, Future-Ready Webview M: Visualise and analyse NHP Support Real data, real savings Want to unlock better energy insights and real savings? Data, Electrical, Lighting Great Prices and Promos Whatever the scale of your job, you’ll find the right products you need, right here. We’re apart of Powerbase which means we can provide you with competitive pricing across all projects. Our team live and breathe electrical products and we draw on this pool of knowledge to provide you with the best solutions Kiwi Owned & Operated Scott Electrical have been helping electricians get the job done right since 1935. A Great Service Team Contact Us 0800 00 12 44 scottelectrical.co.nz sales@scottelectrical.co.nz
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