16 | Summerville Bros T T Karen Phelps Glenbrook mill a focus for busy firm The Glenbrook work can involve tasks such as replacing roofs more than 50 metres above operating plant, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Auckland-based construction company Summerville Bros Ltd has built its reputation in some of the country’s most demanding industrial environments, combining family leadership with highly specialised construction expertise. Established in 1988 by qualified carpenters Blair Summerville and his brother Peter, the company originally focused on residential and commercial building. However, a pivotal shift came just a few years later when it began working with New Zealand Steel at Glenbrook. Today, director Blake Summerville says the company’s work at the steel mill forms the backbone of its operations. “We are based primarily at New Zealand Steel, and that’s where the majority of our work happens,” he says. “It’s heavy industrial construction and maintenance, and it requires a very specific skillset and approach.” Since becoming a preferred contractor to the steel producer in the early 1990s, the company has carried out a wide variety of work supporting the plant’s maintenance and capital projects. “That can include everything from major concrete works and new construction to maintenance jobs in some very challenging environments,” says Blake. Those environments can involve tasks such as replacing roofs more than 50 metres above operating plant, sometimes directly above molten steel production. “We’ve laid more than 50,000 metres of roofing since 2020, much of it over live plant operating 24 hours a day,” Blake explains. “You’re dealing with extreme heights, restricted access and highly active industrial settings, so planning and safety are absolutely critical.” The company’s teams regularly work with specialised lifting systems, including large cranes, personnel hoists and elevated work platforms, while also relying on strict fall- protection systems and experienced rigging crews. “Working above live furnaces and operational equipment is not something many contractors are set up to do,” says Blake. “That’s where our experience and the systems we’ve developed really come into play.” While industrial maintenance forms the core of its work, the company’s expertise spans a wide range of construction activities. These include demolition of redundant plant, installation of new equipment and foundations, refractory casting, structural steel work, road construction and weighbridge installation. It also undertakes building refurbishments, relocations and office fit-outs for industrial clients across the Auckland region. “We’re a specialised company doing specialised work, and that’s really where we’ve found our niche,” says Blake.” Family leadership continues to play a central role in the company’s growth. The second generation stepped into the business in 2014, when brothers Blake and Clayton Summerville became directors. Both bring formal training in quantity surveying and project management, complementing the practical construction experience established by the founding generation. “Coming into the company allowed us to build on the strong foundation Dad and Uncle Peter created,” says Blake. Summerville Bros Ltd also undertakes its own commercial developments, creating additional opportunities for staff and long-term investment. A recent example is tThe Inlet Road industrial development in Takanini was designed, built and developed by the company. “We buy the land, design the project and carry out the full construction,” says Blake. The development included extensive site works and substantial concrete foundations. Precast panel design and installation, steel works, roofing and internal warehouse and office fit-outs were also part of the build. MOBILE 021 415 594 www.safetynetsnz.co.nz • Independently tested by the engineers at Massey University, we offer NZ’s only fully certified safety net system for use on residential construction sites. • Specially developed debris/asbestos containment & fall protection systems - ideal for re-roofing works. • Cost effective fall protection solution & no impact on build time. North Island: 0800 NETSNZ (638 769)
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