48 | Acquisition drives company’s expansion Sheet Metalcraft, established in 1978, has long been recognised as one of Southland’s leading light-to-medium engineering firms, Sheet Metalcraft T T Alexia Anderson ENGINEERING Sheet Metalcraft is expanding its services beyond Southland following the purchase of Alpine Machining and Engineering (AME) in Frankton, Queenstown. The purchase, which took effect on August 1, means AME is now trading as Sheet Metalcraft Central, expanding the company’s footprint in the Southern Lakes region, while reinforcing its commitment to delivering innovative engineering solutions to local businesses. Sheet Metalcraft, established in 1978, has long been recognised as one of Southland’s leading light-to-medium engineering firms, with bases in Invercargill, and now Frankton. The company first made its mark by contributing to the Stage 2 construction of the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter and has continued to grow its capacity and expertise ever since. Sheet Metalcraft employs about 80 full-time staff, offering a comprehensive range of services, including 3D scanning, CAD design, CNC machining, profile cutting, fabrication, installation, and architectural work. Among them is Paddy Corkery, a director of the Invercargill branch, who has made the move to Central Otago for the role of Sheet Metalcraft Central managing director. While working in Invercargill, Paddy managed and supported all Central Otago customers and projects, mainly among the architectural housing and high-end building sector. “Sheet Metalcraft has been working in the Central Otago region for a long time. We have gained a solid reputation in the architectural fabrication sector, offering finished products to builders, as well as parts and components to a number of other businesses in the area.” He says while there is some overlap between the two companies’ customer bases, the acquisition has broadened their reach. “AME were dealing with a lot of clients that Sheet Metalcraft were not. Having a base in Queenstown means we can better serve existing customers of Sheet Metalcraft, while having the backing of a large manufacturing company, meaning we can also better serve the customers of Sheet Metalcraft Central.” He says AME’s experience in structural engineering was also a bonus, as it was an area it had not specialised in until the acquisition. It also opens the door to a wide range of engineering expertise and has created an avenue for anyone to easily access the large resources available within Sheet Metalcraft. “We also pride ourselves in being the most well-equipped engineering workshop in Southland, capable of handling an extremely diverse range of projects.” As the merger takes shape, Paddy says customers can expect a seamless transition, complete with the same friendly and skilled team from AME. It also plans to further implement the use of CAD design and CNC processing more than it has in the past. Paddy says the geographical advantage of having a branch in Queenstown is also expected to make a big difference. “One of the struggles for Sheet Metalcraft has been the geographical distance between Central Otago and Invercargill. We have never been ‘just around the corner’ if we need to check [on things], measure something or meet with a client. The development of a branch in Queenstown will mean we can better service our current customer bases and share the load for site installation, measuring etc.” $50 Inc GST BUY 2 FOR Offer applies to non-polarised STKS. While stocks last. • STEEL • STAINLESS • ENGINEERING STEELS • ALUMINIUM VULCAN IS PROUD TO SUPPORT SHEET METALCRAFT LTD 220 Bond Street, Invercargill 03 211 0375 WWW.VULCAN.CO
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