48 | Arcwell Engineering T T Richard Loader Dedication and hard work will prevail Arcwell’s commitment to partnership has enabled it to serve a diverse range of customers. ENGINEERING “If you think you’ve finished learning, you’re finished,” says Arcwell Engineering’s General Manager Andre Garton. “It’s one of my favourite quotes, and it’s a belief that we encourage each member of our team to take up.” Arcwell Engineering’s journey began in 2003 when Andre’s father, Richard, took a step into the relatively unknown world of business ownership, acquiring a small Whangarei based engineering and blacksmithing company armed with nothing but his engineering experience and the simple ethos that dedication and hard work will find success. Over the years, this has certainly been borne out, and this belief continues to permeate every aspect of Arcwell Engineering’s operation, which twenty years later has grown from its humble beginnings into a much larger enterprise. Things really took off in 2019, when in order to help provide employment opportunities for his family, Richard made the decision to take on another Whangarei based engineering company, Parahaki Engineering. This allowed Arcwell to expand into larger structural steel and metalwork projects — thanks mainly to the much larger workshop and yard that the new company was based out of. After the initial expansion, the Arcwell team were able to organically grow the business by over 100%, an accomplishment Andre puts down to their business philosophies of hard work, dedication, and by acting as the main contractors ‘partner in steel’. “We try to work as close as possible alongside the main contractor during the tender stage of these large commercial and residential projects to identify any potential issues and opportunities within the drawings and offer suggestions and timelines to help the build move smoothly. “We try to be accommodating, helpful, and generally easy to work with and believe firmly in open and honest communications. “That helps to generate a mutual trust. Construction can be a stressful industry, and if we can help make a main contractor’s life a bit easier we’re doing the right thing.” Arcwell’s other key advantage is that they can do it all and it’s not just structural steel. Andre says the business is fortunate to have a deep range of skills within the team enabling the metalwork requirements to be completed as well, and only one subcontractor to manage for all things steel. Showcasing their metalwork mastery is a recent project completed for Canam Commercial, Whangarei District Council’s new civic centre building, where the Arcwell team suppled fabricated Corten shrouds, planter boxes, stainless steel mesh net, handrails, and even illuminated handrails to the interior stairs. Arcwell’s commitment to partnership has enabled it to serve a diverse range of customers, including Tier one and two construction companies, group home builders, and group housing companies. Arcwell fabricates, coats, and erects structural steel, and undertakes metalwork, secondary steel, and seismic strengthening components for a variety of projects, from large commercial warehouses to low to mid-rise apartments and stunning architectural homes. Recently, Arcwell took another step in their journey and expanded into the Auckland area with the acquisition of Legacy Steel, a fabrication company based in Onehunga. “Acquisition has been an effective and efficient way of gaining workshop space and an immediate presence — both important factors for this industry. We’ve been incredibly privileged to have been entrusted with several large and exciting projects across Auckland and Northland in both residential and commercial sectors, and I can’t wait to be able to showcase them.” With a team of 30 talented individuals, including estimators, project managers, CAD Drafters, machinists, and site crews, Arcwell cherishes its in-house talent and strongly believes in promoting from within wherever possible. Its commitment to career development is exemplified with four ongoing apprenticeships, training and developing the fabricators of tomorrow. “We’ve been able to move some of our team off the shop floor and into office-based roles, and I’m a big believer in apprenticeships, so by making apprenticeships available we’re giving young people an opportunity to get ahead. “They’re getting a qualification while they are earning money – ‘learning while earning.’” “We try to be accommodating, helpful, and generally easy to work with and believe firmly in open and honest communications.”
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