58 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT DG Engineering T T Hugh de lacy Marine engineering with international reach Key clients include the in-shore fishing fleet around the South Island, and the tourist boats of the Southern Discoveries company that works out of Milford Sound. T T to page 60 The workshop in Sawyers Bay, 12km from Dunedin, where Duane Gearing started up his DG Engineering business has grown five-fold over the succeeding 35 years of servicing fishing and tourist boats there and throughout the South Island. The 25m by 10m building is still the same size, but DG Engineering has expanded out of its original 2m by 5m share of the space to occupy the whole of it today. DG Engineering offers a comprehensive range of marine servicing that extends from propulsion system maintenance to emergency repairs for industrial, commercial and private marine operations. It covers all aspects of marine engineering from maintenance to fabrication, offering a manufacturing capacity that includes full steel cutting and building services, as well as marine diesel engine reconditioning. Key clients include the in-shore fishing fleet around the South Island, and the tourist boats of the Southern Discoveries company that works out of Milford Sound. With four staff, Duane spends a fair chunk of his time in either Bluff, where DG Engineering services vessels pulled up on the slipways, or in Nelson where he services the largest of Southern Discoveries boats which, at 34m, are too big for the facilities in Bluff. “For the local work we don’t have our own slipways but use the Careys Bay slipways just round the corner, while our own workshop is fully set up for everything from maintenance and reconditioning to steel fabrication and welding,” Duane says. “It’s a solid business built around personal relationships and repeat clients, and on our precision, reliability and innovation.” “Our propulsion system repairs and maintenance service covers engines, gearboxes and propellor shafts for optimum lifespan and efficiency, while our auxiliary machinery maintenance covers generators, pumps and hydraulic systems.” “We’re also good for a huge variety of fabrication and repair work, using milling machines, lathes and CNC equipment, including hull structures and deck equipment.” “Preventive maintenance is one of our strong points, and we’re also tops at troubleshooting and diagnostics, identifying and resolving mechanical issues across the range of ship systems.” Duane began his now three decades of work in marine engineering by undertaking a fitter and turner apprenticeship in July 1979 with what was then known as Wrightson NMA (National Mortgage Agency), which then became Fletcher Fishing, known as Fletcher Challenge Group. By stacking up the overtime hours, he completed the four-and-a-half-year apprenticeship in three years and three months, and came out of his time in 1983. In the process Fletcher Fishing, as it became, sold the workshop to foreman, David Agnew (Agnew Marine Ltd), and he ran an Dunedin - Ph: 03 477 1999 Proudly Supporting DG Engineering Ltd Transport Ltd • General Cartage • Trombone Trailer • Container & Artic Work • Fly Jib • Crane Trucks with Winches & Man Bucket Specialists in All Auto Electrical Repairs & Servicing Proudly associated with DG Engineering Ltd 4 V I C T O R I A A V E N U E , I NV E R C A R G I L L Phone 03 218 3200 | admin@ajautoelectrical.net.nz Delkor battery specialist Caravan electrical and solar Air conditioning Auto electrical repairs and servicing Arc Spraying | Garnet Blasting Grit Blasting | Water Blasting | Mobile Blasting Industrrial and Marine Applicators 4 Eclipse Rd Burnside Dunedin Phone: 03 488 0056 Email: marty@bcsoffice.nz engineering business in it until unfortunately that went into receivership in 1989. That gave Duane his chance to rent part of the building, and to launch out on his own with DG Engineering. “I simply took the toolboxes and moved in,” he says.
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