| 57 T T Kim Newth Engineering frontrunner offers custom solutions The workshop team makes pedestrian and driveway gates in wrought iron, steel and other materials for residential and commercial settings MANUFACTURING Classic Gates When Graeme O’Brien started Classic Gates Ltd in 1986, he was a one-man band working out of a single bay workshop in Blenheim. Over the years, the firm’s reputation for quality workmanship and services has driven ongoing growth in sales, products and services. Today, the business includes two subsidiaries – Marlborough Powdercoating and Riverlands Sandblasting and Spray Painting – and employs a staff of 12, enabling a one-stop shop service from manufacturing to application of various finishes to a wide range of products. Catering to both South and North Island markets, Classic Gates Engineering has a loyal clientele across New Zealand. Graeme started out making gates and the custom design and manufacture of gates remains a core service. The workshop team makes pedestrian and driveway gates in wrought iron, steel and other materials for residential and commercial settings. An installation service, including gate automation, is offered for clients in the Blenheim and Marlborough area. “One of the largest gates we’ve made was a 12-metre long cantilevered gate – with the cantilever, it was 17-metres long – but we can also do little cat doors,” says Graeme. “We do all sorts!” Built to last, custom manufactured fences are another strength for the business, which makes everything from swimming pool fences to commercial property fencing, security fencing, and boundary fences styled for architectural homes through to baches. “We’ve made fencing for half a dozen schools in Nelson too. Some of those are big schools requiring half a kilometre of fencing.” Design and manufacture of balustrades in wrought iron, steel and glass, along with indoor and outdoor railings – straight or curved “We’ve made fencing for half a dozen schools in Nelson too. Some of those are big schools requiring half a kilometre of fencing.” - for residential and commercial markets is another specialty for Classic Gates Engineering. All styles are catered for and high quality materials are used. The workshop team also makes indoor and outdoor furniture to order from tables and chairs to bed frames, curtain rods, wine racks and more. These can be hand finished or powder coated. Classic Gates is based at 6 Nelson Street, Mayfield, Blenheim where Graeme started out in 1986, but the business now fully occupies the busy site. Marlborough Powdercoating is also based there, (with Riverlands Sandblasting and Spray Painting on a separate site). All sorts of requests come through, from stockcar owners seeking powdercoating services through to grape growers wanting harvesting units upgraded with food grade paint. All sandblasting, including mobile services, are appropriately contained and managed in line with health and safety requirements. Graeme is proud of his team’s custom design and manufacturing service. The sky is the limit in terms of what they’ve made for satisfied customers through the years, including vehicle trailers, bridge railing, fireguards, roading grates, skip bins and structural steel. “We make a lot of portals for buildings. We work with a number of housing companies like G.J. Gardiner Homes and Peter Ray Ltd, making structural steel. We’ve been doing that now for quite some time. We have four or five projects on the go at the moment involving houses for various companies.” One of the more memorable projects for Classic Gates involved making a six-metre tall pou whenua out of steel pipe with the design cut into it using gas torches, before being sandblasted at Riverlands to create the final finish. A landmark and symbol of strength for local iwi, the pou whenua stands outside Rangitane House in central Blenheim. The team also made a pou for a Nelson site. Meanwhile, a recent addition at Classic Gates is a glass crushing unit and screening plant, set up to support the sandblasting operation (which uses crushed glass), and designed to process up to 10 tonnes of glass a week, sourced from local bottle banks. PROUD SUPPLIERS OF GATE AUTOMATION TO CLASSIC GATES 03 3181 211 sales@aero.net.nz CONTACT US www.aero.net.nz 2 Ashford Ave, Business Estate, Ashburton 7772 | PO Box 565, Ashburton 7740 CONTACT US ON: 03 307 6633 | sales@precisioncutting.co.nz | precisioncutting.co.nz • High Definition • Plasma Cutting • Profile Cutting • Break Pressing • Drilling and Tapping • Plate Sales • Bevel Cutting • Laser Cutting Keeping it local with Classic Gates
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