Business South March 2021

| 53 ENGINEERING SOREC - Waikouaiti Auto & Engineering A one-stop-shop for engineering excellence Russell Fredric One of the many projects currently underway is the installation of structural steel for a new level on a multi-story building in the Octagon, Dunedin. Proud to support Waikouai � Auto & Engineering For a personal approach to all your business advisory and accoun � ng requirements, contact CEG today p 03 479 0400 f 03 479 0401 e admin@cegnz.co.nz w www.cegnz.co.nz E stablished in 1995, East Otago business, Waikouaiti Auto & Engineering (WAE) offers a tremendously diverse range of engineering, crane and access hire, construc- tion and automotive services to an equally diverse client base. The company has experienced incredible growth, starting from just three employees to more than 80 staff employed today based in four locations, Waikouaiti, Dunedin, Palmer- ston and Oamaru. WAE’s business has progressively diversified to service everything from large to small com- panies. farmers and individuals in the Otago/ Southland region. Owner Kevin Byrne says a key to the growth has been to consistently deliver quality results, backed by having the skills and resources needed to tackle many projects. “Customers today don’t want to be dealing with multiple suppliers, they want a one-stop- shop and that’s what we provide.” WAE’s engineering services include general engineering, light-medium-heavy fabrication, structural fabrication, piping, project design, site installation and commissioning, along with site maintenance, inspections, and repairs. Their scaffolding team support its engineers through erecting, altering and dismantling scaffolds to ensure work is completed in a safe manner. WAE’s mechanical workshop in Waikouaiti is MTA approved for warrants of fitness, servic- ing and repairs. The company operates a modern fleet of cranes ranging from spider cranes through to a 130-tonne mobile slewing crane. This comprehensive fleet, including elevated work platforms and transport vehicles enables WAE to carry out a wide range of lifts. Last year, WAE were approved funding from the Provincial Growth Fund which assisted with the purchase of new equipment com- prising a 400 tonne hydraulic brake press and plate rolls which will assist with the manufac- turing and repairs on excavator buckets, truck decks, and general safety guarding. This has additionally provided the local economy with new staff employment opportu- nities and will result in less lead time for local businesses as this type of work previously had to be outsourced outside of Otago. One of the many projects currently under- way is the installation of structural steel for a new level on a multi-story building in the Octa- gon, Dunedin and also includes installation of façade brackets for modernising the building. The project has tight time-frames, including some out-of-work hours for craneage and en- gineering because of the noise and disruption to both the tenants of the building and the public in a busy area. WAE’s diverse operations means training is a large part of the business and it has invested in its own NZQA qualified internal trainer to ensure all employees are fully qualified for the work it undertakes. “In order to provide for the future, we believe in adopting the apprenticeship pro- gramme to develop staff from the ground up.” “Customers today don’t want to be dealing with multiple suppliers, they want a one-stop-shop and that’s what we provide.”