| 57 T T Rosa Watson Timaru firm evolves over 35 years The business employs 34 staff and places a strong emphasis on training and development. Bleeker & Weith REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Timaru-based engineering firm Bleeker & Weith is marking more than 35 years of operation, having evolved from its agricultural roots into a well-established provider of engineering, fabrication, and maintenance services across South Canterbury and beyond. Operating from its 1300sqm workshop in Washdyke, the company delivers a broad range of services including sheet metal work, structural steel, light and heavy fabrication, certified welding, machinery repairs, and heavy vehicle repair work, using high-grade materials and modern equipment. It supports a wide range of industries including transport, agriculture, fishing, manufacturing and food processing, with a strong client base connected to the primary production sector. For fabrication and welding, the team works with stainless steel, alloy and carbon steel materials, and also provides guillotining and folding services, along with general engineering and maintenance support. “We work across stainless, alloy and carbon materials,” managing director James Forrest says. “A large part of our work is maintenance and project-based work for corporate clients across the region. Primary production has always been a strong foundation for the business.” Corporate clients include DB Breweries, McCain, Heartland Potato Chips, Sanford and Hilton Haulage. More recently, a chance local connection led to an international opportunity, with the firm securing work installing dairy plant equipment across Australia for global dairy technology company DeLaval. The business employs 34 staff and places a strong emphasis on training and development. It currently employs eight apprentices, with pathways through Ara Polytechnic and Gateway programmes in partnership with local high schools. Two major projects completed in the past year included the conversion of the boiler at Fonterra’s Clandeboye plant from coal to woodchip, and a full factory fit-out for Ridley, an Australian-based animal feed manufacturer that acquired Oceania Meat Processors in 2024. Alongside large-scale industrial projects, the firm also undertakes smaller, one-off jobs. “From time to time we get walk-in jobs that are a bit different, sometimes a bit quirky,” James says. “That can range from repairing a chrome tap through to modifying a gondola cabin into an outdoor swing seat.” James, who took over the business in 2018 alongside his wife Sharleen and added two co-owners in 2024, says the company is currently undergoing a rebrand to reflect its evolution and future direction. “The business has changed hands a couple of times since it was founded by the Bleeker family approximately in the 1980s, and each owner has added their own stamp,” he says. “We’re now focused on clearly defining who we are under the current leadership and showcasing the breadth of capability we have today.” Health and safety, compliance, and quality systems have continued to evolve over the firm’s lifetime, alongside advances in materials and technology. “We place a strong emphasis on keeping up with best practice and investing in modern equipment and processes,” James says. “We aim to be early adopters where it makes sense for quality, safety, and efficiency.” Building long-term relationships with other businesses in the region is also a priority. “There are areas we could bring in-house, but we value the long-standing partnerships we’ve built with other local companies over many years.” At the heart of the business is a strong focus on its people, James says. “What we’re most proud of isn’t just the work we deliver, but the environment we’ve built for our team and their families.” PROUD TO SUPPORT BLEEKER & WEITH a: Cnr North & Latter Streets | 35 Seadown Road, Washdyke, Timaru p: 03 684 4888 | m: 027 684 4883 | e: clayton@indeng.co.nz, webstore@indeng.co.nz www.indeng.co.nz TradeZone Timaru is Locally owned. O ering Engineering Solutions with Top quality service. High-end components & quality consumables. Part of a nationwide TradeZone distribution network thoughout New Zealand. 03 684 7036 www.tradezone.co.nz steve@tzt.co.nz TradeZoneTimaru TIMARU Proud to be working in conjunction with Bleeker &Weith
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