88 | Beautiful solutions created with metal With a workshop capacity of up to 550sqm, Fabworx specialises in medium-size metalwork projects. ENGINEERING Fabworx T T Virginia Wright The family-owned-and-operated business, Fabworx, was established in Tauranga in 2011 by Jason and Tania Carter when Jason recognised a gap in the market for providing skilled project engineers for large and heavy-industry businesses. As their reputation for thinking outside the box and coming up with pragmatic solutions to complex engineering problems grew, their focus shifted towards supporting the construction sector. Fabworx is still contacted from time to time for plant maintenance shuts or large fit-outs, but more commonly it’s their expertise in the design, fabrication and installation of bespoke architectural metalwork solutions that is called upon. Director and project manager Jason Carter’s background includes aircraft engineering, designing super yachts and project managing on large processing and power plant projects. At heart he’s a problem solver, coming up with clever design solutions to engineering and architectural metalwork problems, and building around him a team of equally clever, like-minded problem solvers. General manager Leith Swinney joined the team about a year ago. His background includes having qualified as a carpenter through the military, and working his way up through the commercial construction industry into client-side consultancy and project management, managing contracts and design while running big projects for clients. He first came across Fabworx when he was project manager for the multi-million-dollar seismic rebuild of the 110-year-old Rotorua Museum. “I was leading the design work on how to keep it stable, and working with consultants like Fabworx, who were helping the main contractor resolve the structural design elements. At the time it was the second-most technical seismic job in the country behind the Christchurch Cathedral,” explains Leith. “My background is more the technical side of things, understanding how the projects need to come together on-site. Fabworx deals with a lot of designers working out how to resolve complex design issues around metalwork, turning projects around and getting things back on track.” Having done a few years as operations manager for Generation Homes meant Leith could cover a lot of bases when he came to Fabworx, including managing the day-to-day needs of the highly skilled team of 10, including engineers, fabricators, quantity surveyors, project managers and admin, working closely with business manager, Tania Carter. The relatively small team gives everyone opportunities to improve their skill base, and there’s always a metal fabrication apprentice or two, as they all believe in supporting the industry. Safety is a priority, while providing the best solutions on time and on budget, and Fabworx likes nothing more than when all three come together in a win all round, as happened with the recent Wairakei Spa project in Rotorua. “We did the structural steel framing for the building, including the roof, which involved hundreds of tonnes of steel. We pre-fabricated the whole roof structure and craned it on, which saved time and money as well as avoiding the safety issues of working at height,” says Leith. With a workshop capacity of up to 550sqm, Fabworx specialises in medium-size metalwork projects. They could be fabricating all the structural steel from the ground up for a commercial development, but they are just as comfortable designing and fabricating aluminium and steel handrails, or the bespoke metal staircases beautifully crafted for an architectural build. Complex, bespoke, light commercial or residential, as long as they are making magic with metal, the Fabworx team are happy. adding ‘enginuity’ to building projects 07 571 7070 Fax: 07 571 7080 red@redco.co.nz www.redco.co.nz Redco House, 470 Otumoetai Road, Tauranga 3110 Redco NZ Ltd with specialist engineering design Fabworx Providing our friends at
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