50 | STEEL INDUSTRY Dean Steel T T Karen Phelps Diversity on display Art installations have become a surprisingly strong part of the workload. From large-scale structural steel to intricate artworks, specialist precast moulds and marine engineering support, Auckland-based fabricator Dean Steel is demonstrating just how diverse a modern engineering workshop can be. With a staff of 15 and a reputation for taking on complex, high-precision work, the business continues to invest in new technology to stay ahead including a new 3 kilowatt twin-wire laser welder, a machine the company hopes will be the first of its kind in New Zealand to be certified for structural work. “This welder allows us to do fine, clean welding on various materials from stainless to aluminium to mild steel,” says co-owner of Dean Steel Justin Goldsmith. “The twin wire allows us to get a 3–4mm fillet weld, which few other laser welders in the New Zealand market generally can do. Being a three-kilowatt power source, we are getting it certified for doing structural items, and we think this will be the first welder of its kind in New Zealand able to do this.” The company was established in 2001 to fabricate structural steel for major construction firms working on commercial buildings and multi-storey projects. While large projects remain a core part of its workload, it has broadened significantly, now tackling everything from multi-level structures down to single house beams, as well as complex concrete formwork, precast moulding, cast-in plates, precast panel bracketry and bespoke fabrications. Justin says its highly skilled tradespeople allow it to take on technical, high-tolerance work that many production-line fabricators avoid. One niche is precision precast moulding, which can require exact accuracy over long spans. Another is plasma profile cutting, with bevel capability up to 50mm in mild steel, stainless and aluminium. Art installations have become a surprisingly strong part of the workload. The team works closely with several artists, supporting them with material processing, problem-solving and installation design. One long-standing collaboration is with local artist James Wright, whose large, fabricated pieces often incorporate complex plate cutting and structural engineering. “We do the majority of his profile cutting and plate processing along with helping him come up with innovative new ways of doing things that also give his works a point of difference,” says Justin. The most notable example is James’s Hereford Bull, which features a striking hot-metal zinc coating. The company also plays a role in major marine and environmental work. It works closely with Andrew Johnson and the team at Johnson Bros, having built a 100-tonne barge and engineered key components for the Caulerpa sweeper and screening plant used in the Bay of Islands. “The invasive Caulerpa project, led by the Northland Regional Council and MPI Biosecurity, required a fast, non-diver-assisted dredging system capable of clearing seaweed at unprecedented speed,” says Justin. “Johnson Bros designed a sweeping dredge head feeding a high-capacity pump, while Dean Steel supported fabrication, barge work and ongoing engineering refinements. Innovation continues as screening systems are developed to separate Caulerpa from sand more efficiently.” Other standout projects include hook moulds for Gallivan Group to support a highend roof structure at Tara Iti, as well as concrete formwork for the Eden Park grandstand redevelopment and AUT’s complex tri-column structure. To support its increasingly varied workload, the company has also invested in automation. The LORCH Cobot welding system, used for nearly a year, has lifted productivity on repetitive work, says Justin. “It provides perfect positioning for circular and multipass welds and delivers consistent results at roughly twice the speed of manual welding.” Based in Auckland, Dean Steel works on projects in New Zealand and offshore. It is currently working on products heading to Alaska and recently produced items for a client in Australia. For 16 years, one of New Zealand's most reliable fastening suppliers. Unit 4, 103 Cryers Rd, East Tamaki, Auckland 2013 09 272 2203 | sales@boltlink.co.nz | boltlink.co.nz Auckland based with nationwide coverage, we continue to deliver the reliability, expertise and service that defined us from the start. Celebrating a fantastic relationship with Dean Steel Ltd
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