Business North May 2021

52 | CONTRACTING Airzone Airzone delivers top quality The Ngawha Power Geothermal Power Station was a major project for Airzone. E stablished over forty years ago in North- land, family owned Airzone Ltd thrives on delivering high quality innovative com- mercial HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air-Condi- tioning) solutions. From small beginnings Airzone has enjoyed significant organic growth and now employs a team of fifty offering a diverse range of skill sets including HVAC engineers, design engi- neers, project engineers and electricians. Encompassing everything from mechanical design, project management, installation, commissioning, service and repair along with full electrical services, Airzone is at the leading edge of commercial HVAC systems. Complementing Airzone’s one-stop approach to the range of services offered, Airzone has its own sheet metal shop enabling the fabrication of much of its own HVAC ducting components. Strong relationships established with suppliers over the last forty years ensure regular supply and availability of HVAC systems and parts. Based in Whangarei, the team at Airzone routinely operates from the top of the North Island down to Warkworth with a small facili- ties team based at the Marsden Point Refinery looking after its landscaping, cleaning, plumb- ing and general facility requirements. General Manager Terry Dawson says while Airzone has in the past been engaged to do some very high-end residential projects, the company is predominantly focused on the commercial sector. “We pride ourselves on successfully part- nering with local government, commercial, industrial and infrastructure customers. The more complicated and intricate the projects the better they are for us. “We tend to thrive on those really compli- cated hard to do projects that challenge the team. We’ve been proud to support many of the top commercial construction companies in Northland with some very impressive and diverse projects.” T Richard Loader Some of those impressive project’s include Hundertwasser Arts Centre, Māori Battalion Museum, Bay of Islands Airport, Ngawha Power Geothermal Power Station and the new NDHB theatre block extension and catheteri- sation laboratory. Reflecting on the challenges that current- ly face the industry Terry says while supply chain, stock availability and pricing stability have become issues post Covid, one of the biggest challenges currently faced by the industry is a skills shortage. “We pride ourselves on our apprenticeship programme and currently have14 locally based apprentices at various levels progress- ing through the business and believe that some of our best employees are grown from within. “As a business we are putting a lot of focus on bringing through quality in-house trained HVAC specialists — qualified refrigeration engineers.” Not all apprentices come straight from school and Airzone has a number of adult apprentices, each bringing different life skills to the business. “In looking for apprentices we look for peo- ple who have the passion and the appetite to do good quality work and to grow. So it’s really an enthusiasm for learning the trade with quality at the forefront and some real energy to get the work done correctly.” Reflecting on Airzone’s success over the last forty years Terry says that it is without doubt its people, the uncompromising focus on work quality, workmanship and early collaboration with its customers. “We are passionate about what we do. We are always looking for new ways to innovate and improve and we always pass that through to our customers. All mechanical and electrical requirements are managed in-house by our own qualified specialised team, with an emphasis on design- ing systems that are both energy efficient and suit the customer’s specific environment.” An uncompromising commitment to a high standard of health and safety practices has also been a non-negotiable element of the business. Terry says while the business currently operates throughout the Northland region, he is cautiously optimistic about a rollout into the Auckland market in the near future. Proudly supports Airzone 0800 996 003 | sales@refspecs.co.nz | www.refspecs.co.nz www.ahi-carrier.co.nz www.toshibaheatpumps.com AHI Carrier NZ - proud partner of Airzone for 40 years Chillers Residential & Light Commercial VRF