| 71 ENGINEERING Longveld P.P.S. Industries Ltd METAL FINISHING SPECIALISTS P P S For ABRASIVES • POLISHING • PLATING • ENGINEERING SUPPLIES IN-PERSON, NATIONWIDE. 0800 657 894 www.ppsindustries.co.nz AUCKLAND - WHANGAREI - HAMILTON - TAURANGA - HASTINGS - ROTORUA TAUPO - PALMERSTON NORTH - NELSON - CHRISTCHURCH - DUNEDIN We’re proud to support Longveld Ltd Your trusted, customer focused supplier of carbon, stainless, engineering steels and aluminium. Customers are at the forefront of our priorities, and this is reflected in our promise of delivering in full, on time. Vulcan proudly support the team at Longveld Ltd W W W . V U L C A N . C O T T Russell Fredric In-house team at the cutting edge The Hamilton-based company specialises in engineered metal solutions, providing an integrated design, fabrication and installation. Longveld’s ability to take a project from concept through to installation is built on far more than engineering expertise — it begins with people and carries through every stage of the manufacturing process. The Hamilton-based company specialises in engineered metal solutions, providing an integrated design, fabrication and installation service for customers throughout New Zealand. Chief operating officer, James Rhynes, says the company works alongside clients from the earliest design discussions through to manufacture, installation and maintenance. Its in-house engineering team develops concepts alongside clients, and detailed manufacturing drawings before work moves into three dedicated workshops, where specialist equipment and experienced tradespeople transform designs into finished products. “Being involved early allows us to have honest conversations about designs before construction begins,” says James. “Small changes at that stage are much easier and much less expensive than fixing problems later, and because we understand the whole project we can help deliver the best overall outcome.” Longveld’s manufacturing capability ranges from simple one-off profile cutting through to complex, engineered-to-order projects. Its profile centre houses CNC laser and waterjet cutters, a CNC router and press brakes, while dedicated fabrication workshops assemble everything from stainless steel process equipment to large industrial structures before site installation teams complete the final stages. The business works across the dairy, food and beverage, water infrastructure, marine and public art sectors. It has nearly 35 years as stainless-steel specialists in the dairy, food and beverage industries, as well as more than a decade of experience in water and wastewater treatment. Recent projects include components for wastewater treatment plants, public sculptures and Oceanlift marine cranes and davits. In tandem with the scale and diversity of its work, James believes Longveld’s greatest strength is its people. Around 80 staff work for Longveld, with about two-thirds employed in trade roles. Many have spent decades with the company, creating a depth of experience. “We’re very confident in who we are, and that’s reflected in the people we hire,” says James. “Our values are to be courageous, wholehearted and appreciative. We want people who bring their whole selves to work, who are prepared to tackle challenges and learn new things, and who value the people around them. When you visit, you can feel that culture.” Longveld invests in developing future tradespeople. Alongside apprenticeships, school visits and work experience placements, the company participates in the Earn As You Learn programme, which was developed by Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa (AMA). Longveld, along with Wintec and other local companies, helped drive its development through the pilot season, giving young people paid, hands-on experience in engineering. James believes building New Zealand’s future manufacturing capability depends on attracting more young people into the trades and ensuring experienced staff members have opportunities to pass on their knowledge. “We need to invest in the next generation and show them what’s possible. There are incredibly skilled people in this industry, and it’s important that knowledge is handed on, while also getting young people excited about careers in the engineering trades.” Alongside investment in people, Longveld is embracing new technology. As part of digital transformation lead Jake Clarke’s role, the company has established governance and policies to introduce artificial intelligence responsibly, using it to support rather than replace people. “We always want to keep people at the heart of our work, therefore,” Jake says. “We see AI as another tool that can remove repetitive tasks and help people do what they do best, allowing them to focus on higher-value work, while exploring new technology safely and responsibly.”
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