22 | T T Richard Loader Bolstering region’s economic growth Zane and Rachel Britton - committed to Northland community. Northland: BOI Plumbing & Gas “My focus has always been to do well with the business, but the real goal is keeping Northland strong.” Bay of Islands Plumbing and Gas (BOIPG) aims to not just deliver exceptional service, but also to bolster Northland’s economy. Founded by Zane Britton in 2018, the company has quickly become an example of local business success and a driving force for regional economic development. “My focus has always been to do well with the business, but the real goal is keeping Northland strong,” says Zane Britton, owner of BOIPG. Born and bred in Northland, Zane brings over 25 years of plumbing experience to his company, including valuable insights gained from working in Australia. This wealth of knowledge has shaped BOIPG into a versatile powerhouse, offering services in plumbing, gas fitting, drainlaying, and civil pipe laying. What sets BOIPG apart is not just its comprehensive service offering, but also its dedication to nurturing local talent. The company employs a team of 20 staff, including five apprentices at various stages of their five-year apprenticeships. “When we set up the business, we struggled to find staff. So that’s led us to train apprentices,” Zane explains. “This approach not only addresses the skills shortage, but also provides career opportunities for locals.” Zane also emphasises, the focus on developing a highly skilled team has assisted the company to help keep profits from local projects within the region by giving BOIPG the ability to take on larger projects when they come up. This local-first approach has paid dividends. BOIPG has secured numerous significant contracts, including a 35-home social housing development in Morewa for Ngāti Hine Health Trust, refurbishments at the Copthorne Hotel in Waitangi, and civil pipe laying for Metlifecare Oakridge Villas in Kerikeri. These projects not only showcase BOIPG’s capabilities, but also contribute significantly to the local economy. The company’s success has led it to garner numerous accolades, including the Halo Business Growth award in 2021, and Supreme Master Plumber of the Year for New Zealand REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT and Excellence in Business Medium Sized Business award from the Northland Business Excellence Awards. In 2023, the company added the Master Plumbers NZ Safety and Wellbeing award to its impressive list of achievements. Zane says he entered the awards to bring not only recognition to his own business but to the talent in Northland: “This shows we have the talent and skill-set to operate at a high level. Awards like this have secured recognition for Northland, so anyone doing any building work here starts to look locally rather than further afield.” Zane’s influence extends beyond his own company, and he says his aim is to help other local plumbing businesses as well. As the founder and president of the Northland Master Plumbers branch, established in 2023, he is working to elevate the entire industry in the region. “I realised that most plumbers here were smaller, one-man-bands that couldn’t compete for the larger jobs when they came up. So we needed a local dedicated Master Plumbers branch,” Zane explains. “We are increasing our membership, and the feedback is that they want more training in this region rather than having to travel to Auckland. So that’s our current focus.” By providing local training opportunities, he says Northland Master Plumbers is not only improving the skills of its own workforce, but also contributing to the overall skill level of the region’s plumbing professionals. This, in turn, enhances the quality of services available to Northland residents and businesses. Looking to the future, BOIPG continues to innovate. The company has recently acquired a franchise called Nuflow Northland, offering trenchless pipe-rehabilitation services. Zane says the technology is beneficial for Northland’s infrastructure needs as it requires minimal surface disruption, offers improved health and safety and is often more cost-effective due to reduced labour, equipment and restoration expenses, and projects can be completed much faster than traditional digand-replace methods. “I’m a passionate Northlander, and I want to keep growing and innovating to help ensure business in Northland is thriving.” 09 439 8189 09 438 8189 09 407 9476 09 401 0044
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