“The Contech team are very good at what they do, but just as importantly we have a good working relationship. The team are easy to deal with, they do what they say they’ll do, they meet all our requirements at a fair price and, when issues arise, they take a collaborative and constructive approach to resolving them. We work with Contech’s Peter Higgins and his crew for all our South Island projects, and since opening an Auckland office have involved Paul Wymer’s Auckland team in projects there. It helps that some of their key people have been with them for many years; we all understand each other and the ways we prefer to work.”

“As a company that specialises in designing and installing PT into floors, they offer very sound engineering solutions that meet our customers’ needs and site requirements. They work in close partnership with concrete floor specialist Conslab and our numerous building teams to consistently deliver a quality product that meets our budget.”

In the past 20 years (up to 2015), Contech has been involved with repairs to six of the port’s wharves - the Fergusson container terminal, the Bledisloe multi-purpose terminal (which includes a third container-ship berth) and the Captain Cook, Freyberg, Jellicoe and Queens Wharves, which handle everything from general – or breakbulk – cargo to steel, timber, vehicles and dry and liquid bulk products. The 2014 project involved five separate wharves and a range of remedial activities including Queens Wharf breastworks repairs, a section of deck replacement on Freyberg Wharf, and undertaking substructure concrete repairs and installing Fabriform under Jellicoe Wharf and the Fergusson and Bledisloe container terminals. This (2014 contract) was a particularly challenging project as it was based in some of the busiest parts of the port – and therefore a relatively dangerous workplace. The Contech guys had to contend with huge machines constantly on the move around the wharves, as well as the hazards of the marine environment when working on the substructures – not only the water and the tides, but also the tugs and other shipping vessels that constantly come and go. They also had to meet our rigorous health and safety standards and comply with our environmental management policy. It could have been a big headache, but somehow they made it easy. They recognise that we work in a dynamic environment in which plans can change at short notice. They’re quick to adapt without complaint, they do a great job in keeping our wharves up to scratch and they leave the sites clean and tidy. Everyone at the port is very happy with Contech – great work, great attitude.” We’re keen to look beyond conventional repair techniques – which may no longer meet our needs – to alternative approaches such as a greater use of cathodic protection systems. Contech’s practical experience will make a valuable contribution to our plans.

"What impressed me most was the consistency with which Contech performed. The team delivered exactly as they said they would, but ahead of time and with a larger scope than we originally set out to achieve, all the while working around and with two other contractors on site. Delivering possibly the highest-volume repair project in New Zealand and in such a short timeframe made for a very impressive performance."