| 105 Xcel Builders BUILDING All Aspects Concreting Experts Limited AACE is a concrete preparation and placing company, owned and operated by Israel Rika, qualified and highly experienced concreter. Offering everything your job will need from site prep, excavation, formwork, steelfixing, basic drainage & specialised finishes, AACE is committed to a top quality experience for the client, leaving them with a job they are proud of. Based in Whakatane, Bay of Plenty. 027 568 5292 admin@aaceconcrete.com www.aaceconcrete.com PROUDLY SUPPORTING XCEL BUILDERS T T Kelly Deeks Creating safer, more resilient spaces Growth has also brought a strong focus on developing the next generation of construction workers. As marae take on a bigger role in their communities, a new generation of building projects is emerging for Xcel Builders, as the Rotorua-based company helps communities, hapū and whanau create safer, more resilient spaces. Founder and managing director Asher Nikora says his Māori-owned business was established in 2014, bringing together his experience and interest in developing projects that support whānau and local communities with his son Chaye’s skills in construction and his daughter Reana’s management expertise. “Marae are the heart and soul of Māori culture which is a part of the Aotearoa New Zealand identity, and our work affects a significant amount of people which has the benefit of building local capacity” Asher says. “Our building projects are niche standalone projects in their own right, but at the same time we are impacting communities in a positive way.” That role has become increasingly important as extreme weather events expose the vulnerability of some marae sites, particularly in coastal and rural communities. Following Cyclone Gabrielle, Xcel is involved in a major project in the Tairāwhiti Gisborne region to relocate an entire marae facility to higher ground after flooding made its existing location unsafe. Asher says the role of marae is evolving from its principal traditional function, with many becoming default civil defence facilities for their communities during civil emergencies. “For some, they need to build on safer, higher ground so their people are safe, and buildings are fit for purpose,” he says. These changing requirements are also influencing how new facilities are designed and built. Location is critical, while foundations are often deeper, higher, and more robust to mitigate flood risk and create greater resilience. Although the technical requirements can be complex, Asher says each project remains strongly shaped by the community it serves. Taking the local people with you in the design and the building of these projects is a key feature of Xcel Builders approach to marae development work. Xcel takes a one-stop-shop approach, bringing architectural designers, structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, and other specialists together to guide projects from concept through to completion. That model is proving valuable as the company expands beyond its Bay of Plenty base, with recent work extending further into the central North Island and towards the east coast. Growth has also brought a strong focus on developing the next generation of construction workers. Xcel now has a team of 16, including eight apprentices at different stages of their training. The company works with three polytechnics, including Toi Ohomai in Rotorua, BCITO, and EIT in the Gisborne region, and provides the wraparound pastoral support needed to keep apprentices progressing towards their formal qualifications. Investing in people is as important as delivering quality buildings and the effort, Asher says, is worthwhile because workers develop an understanding of Xcel’s culture and the way the business operates. In-house training also creates stronger retention rates while building skills within the communities where its projects are delivered. Xcel Builders also recognises government support is essential to enable this type of marae development work. That community focus remains central to Xcel’s future, with the company continuing to pursue marae refurbishment, rebuilds, and papakāinga housing while creating employment and apprenticeship opportunities. Xcel’s philosophy, ‘Build Once, Build Right’, means creating spaces that serve their communities today and remain strong for the generations that follow. Proud key partner & supplier to XCEL Builders, who specialise in helping community, iwi, hapu and whanau with marae and social papakainga housing development building projects. sales.rotorua@metalcraftroofing.co.nz 07 350 1138 15 Monokia St, Rotorua 3040 MEMBER OF ROOFING ASSOCIATION N.Z. GET A FREE QUOTE TODAY ✓ New & Re-Roofs ✓ Repairs & Maintenance ✓ Residential & Commercial ✓ Custom Flashing ✓ Wall Cladding ✓ Spouting Our Services: ✓ 5 Year Workmanship Warranty ✓ Up To 50 Year Product Warranty Why Metalcraft? Rotorua MetalCraft Roofing Rotorua
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