70 | Acumen and service The firm has a fleet of modern Sermac and Putzmeister boom pumps CONTRACTING Empire Concrete Pumping T T Kelly Deeks Nak Septic Services Service keeps growing T T Virginia Wright Over the past decade, Te Awamutu-based Empire Concrete Pumping has grown from a small family start-up into one of the Waikato’s most capable and adaptable concrete pumping specialists. Founded by the Kirk Family, the business has built its reputation on hard work, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to meeting the region’s construction and agricultural needs. The Kirks launched Empire Concrete Pumping ten years ago after returning from Australia, where Nick had been working on gas pipelines. With Nick’s father, a local bricklayer, struggling to find a reliable concrete pumping service, the family saw an opportunity. The timing was ideal. A building boom was underway, and Empire Concrete Pumping quickly became known for reliability and quality service. “We started out as a real family business,” Tiana says. “Nick’s parents helped us get started and as the work kept coming, we just kept investing back into the business.” That investment has paid off. The Kirks’ original 28-metre pump has since been joined by a fleet of modern Sermac and Putzmeister Kirsty and Leon Clark bought NAK Septic Services from their friends and neighbours Nick and Kayla Ross nine months ago. Nick and Kayla (NAK) had set up NAK Septic Services three and a half years earlier as a sideline to Nick’s mechanic’s business, so when that side of things got busy, they decided to sell. Kirsty and Leon left Auckland five years ago, wanting to give their two boys a better lifestyle, and moved to Waipapa just out of Kerikeri where Kirsty’s mother and sisters live. They continued running the SkipBin company they’d had for many years for a while from afar, but eventually sold it after bringing it north. They were both ready to own their own business again and while Leon had been contracting his services out to local orchards, trucks are more his thing regardless of what he’s transporting, explains Kirsty. “When we had the SkipBin business we had a contract with the meatworks in Otahuhu, carting offal and blood and bone and, as far as Leon’s concerned, emptying septic tanks isn’t as bad as what he was doing there. He’s happy to be back behind the wheel and obviously it’s something that’s needed up here. Almost everyone in Northland is on septic tanks especially if they’re a bit out of town,” says Kirsty. boom pumps, including a 38 metre model that opened the door to major commercial and infrastructure projects. The company also operates powerful static line pumps capable of reaching more than 100 metres—ideal for long driveways, bridges, and sites with limited access. One of the company’s fastest-growing services is shotcrete, a specialist method of spraying concrete onto surfaces at high velocity. “It’s perfect for silage bunkers, retaining walls, and erosion control,” Nick explains. The Kirks recently purchased a new specialised shotcrete pump, showcased at this year’s Fieldays, where it drew strong interest from farmers. “We came away with fifteen new jobs to do before Christmas,” says Tiana. “Shotcrete has really taken off because it’s strong, quick to apply, and cost-effective.” Empire Concrete Pumping remains proudly family-oriented, now with five staff members—most trained in-house. One of our longtime operators was named NZ Concrete Pump Operator of the Year in 2024. “Our staff are outstanding and have helped shape Empire into what it is today,” say the Kirks. “Our pumps on average last year pumped over 40,000 cubic metres. That is around 8000 concrete trucks.” While there are other septic tank services around, NAK Septic Services remains a family-owned business with no staff other than Kirsty and Leon themselves. Having no overheads they aim to keep their prices low while concentrating on their core services through the Mid to Far North Districts which is cleaning out septic tanks and grease traps for restaurants and the occasional cess pit. “We’re small but we give good service and we’re flexible, so we’ll prioritise emergency jobs over something that’s not urgent, and we have a 24/7 call out so we always answer the phone. For us it’s about serving the community and you’re either talking to me, or Leon’s there doing the job as the owner of the business so it’s more personal,” explains Kirsty. Kirsty does the office work and Leon “sucks poo” just like their number plate says. Having a truck capable of carrying 7000 litres, or the contents of two full standard septic tanks, means they can offer a deal if there are two tanks on one property, or on properties beside each other, which they can empty at the same time. As a complementary sideline they have 12 portaloos for short or long-term hire that are often hired out to builders on a house-site or orchards for their workers and so on. While they’ll happily increase their numbers to meet a long-term contract with the portaloos as with the septic tank services, they aim to keep it simple and give good service as the business grows through word of mouth and social media. EMPIRE CONCRETE PUMPING OPERATES WITHIN COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND DOMESTIC. NO JOB IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL! GET IN TOUCH 756 Bond Rd Te Awamutu, 3800 | 0272710054 | nick@empireconcrete.co.nz www.empireconcretepumping.co.nz Filokreto - Concrete construction specialists proudly serving the North Island and beyond. admin@filokreto.com FilokretoNZ www.filokreto.com Proud supporters of Nak Septic Services
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