68 | Mosgiel’s KB Contractors has celebrated its 40th year in business. KB Contractors Milestone year marked with new development Hugh de Lacy CONTRACTING The timing looks to be about right for Mosgiel’s KB Contractors, with sections in its Blackhead Development subdivision advancing strongly at the same time as it celebrates its 40th year in business amid signs of an economic recovery. The Blackhead Development is about 10 minutes from, and an equal distance between, Mosgiel and Dunedin, and KB Contractors, a major player in the southern South Island civil construction sector, is undertaking the subdivision through its wholly owned subsidiary, Blackhead Developments. KB Contractors has been involved in a vast range of civil infrastructure and construction projects, with preparing land for subdivisions being just one of its standard services. It bought the seven-hectare Blackhead block from Ken Close and his Close Developments last year, at a time when the residential construction industry in Otago was in the doldrums. The block KB Contractors bought falls away steeply at the back, leaving about two hectares of north-facing, flatter land that’s suitable for development. There, Blackhead Developments will be offering 25 lots ranging in size from 460sqm to 1200sqm, while the steep land at the back will be planted out in hundreds of native trees and converted into a walking and cycling track, which will then be vested in the Dunedin City Council. The two projects are also contiguous with an existing Dunedin City Council playground and park, adding to the attractions of the development for families and retirees alike. KB Contractors has completed the earthworks and is well underway in installing the drainage. General manager Danny van der Voort says the sections will be marketed around Christmas, with titles likely to come through later in 2026. “We’re starting to see the residential construction market picking up in the south at last, and we’re hoping that there’ll be a lot more buoyancy in it when we release these sections,” Danny says. “That will put the icing on a special year for KB Contractors as we celebrate four decades in business, and we have both of our founders to celebrate it with.” The company was formed by two men unrelated to each other, but who shared the same- sounding surname, albeit differently spelt. Kelvin Read and Brent Reid – hence the KB – launched the company in 1985 from the back of a Falcon ute, and have always been proud of being Mosgiel based. They quickly established their company as a quality provider of services for gas and water reticulation, telecommunications networking, subdivisions, drainage and earthmoving work. KB Contractors is an accredited contractor with the Dunedin and Invercargill city councils, and the Clutha, Central Otago and Waitaki district councils, and has more than 50 staff operating a full compendium of plant. Kelvin retired in 2021, but Brent is still actively involved in the company as managing director, while Danny manages the day-to-day operations of a company that is the pride of Mosgiel. COOKSON LAND SURVEYING www.cooksonlandsurveying.co.nz Resource Consents Subdivision & Easement Surveys Building & Construction Set Out & Asbuilt Surveys Topographical Site Surveys 021 0890 9023 | scott@cooksonlandsurveying.co.nz | www.cooksonlandsurveying.co.nz 03 477 7312 GallawayCookAllan.co.nz Nathan Adams Proudly supporting KB Contractors Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. DO OUR READERS KNOW YOU EXIST? “We’re starting to see the residential construction market picking up in the south at last, and we’re hoping that there’ll be a lot more buoyancy in it when we release these sections.”
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