Energyworks Limited, one of New Zealand’s leading specialist engineering companies, added a new major shareholder to the business in January of 2014. As a new shareholder, Direct Capital is providing Energyworks with a new direction, new governance and a renewed opportunity for future growth.
For the future, the strategic focus of the company is going to cover three key areas: 1) establishing longer-term maintenance contracts with existing clients, 2) increasing the range of engineering services that Energyworks provides, and 3) expanding into new geographies, namely throughout New Zealand and Australia.
Growing the Company
To accomplish these three major goals for their new strategic plan, Energyworks is focusing on the continual improvement of the company’s management system certification. “We've been investing heavily for the last 2-3 years in integrating multiple management systems to optimize our efficiency,” said Ian McGrath, CSO Chief Specialist Officer (QHSE/HR).
They have several certifications from the international certification recognition organisation, Bureau Veritas, including ISO 9001 (Quality) and 4801 (Health & Safety). Energyworks is also in the process of adding ISO 14001, which relates to the environment. In the last 12 to 18 months, the company has also increased their ACC Workplace Safety Management Practices (ACC WSMP) certification to tertiary level.
“Our continual improvement commitment does not just include meeting requirements for the certification, but exceeding those requirements and not just for the clients who we work for, but to push us beyond the local and industry competition,” shared McGrath. “We hope it will enable us to provide not just an internal quality benchmark for the company, but also external recognition in terms of increasing our competitiveness and ability to influence the winning of tenders.”
Moving to Australia
As part of the strategic plan, Energyworks is looking towards re-entering the market in Australia and establishing a base in the country. Geographically, the east side of Australia will provide the most opportunities for the company because of the strong Gas Transmission infrastructure and the Coal Seam Gas market.
“The infrastructure there has been well established over a period of years and the anticipated need, which we are looking to provide, is the ongoing project contracts and on-going maintenance of those facilities,” commented McGrath.
“As part of that process we are looking to appoint a general manager in Australia to formally set up and establish the business in Queensland That may include establishing our own infrastructure or an acquisition of an established small business operating in that environment. At the moment, all options are being considered.”
Current and Future Projects
Energyworks has just completed the workshop fabrication and site installation of five modules for Todd Energy on the Mangahewa C Development. Those new facilities are for gas supply to the existing Todd Energy production station. The project was started in November of 2013 and was completed in May 2014.
A pipeline construction project in Auckland is Energyworks’ current project. It involves constructing 7.6 kilometres of 6-inch gas distribution for their client, Vector. The pipelines are being installed to support a dairy factory development project, which will create 120 local jobs.
Due to the high quality of work the company completed on the Mangahewa C Development project; Energyworks has also been awarded the Mangahewa D, E, and F well-site development work.
Energyworks also has a project in Australia with their client Jemena, for the construction of two scraper stations inland from Gladstone in Queensland. Energyworks is building the structural supports and pipework at their New Zealand facility, exporting it to Australia and installing it onsite for the client.
Defining Qualities
When asked what he thought defined Energyworks and set it apart from others in the industry, McGrath had several answers.
“Our ability to manage and execute a wide-range of project and maintenance work for our clients is really distinguished by the quality, skills and experience of our people. We like to solve our clients’ problems and provide them with solutions. Our success has been built on key relationships with a range of significant clients within the Energy Sector”
Other important characteristics that Energyworks provides are world class facilities at their New Plymouth site, a quickly scalable work force and a niche expertise in pipeline construction.
“Most important though, and something that we actively promote inside the business is that our company demonstrates an attitude, ambition and desire for excellence that drives continual improvement within the company,” said McGrath. “I think that is recognized by the clients we work with and that provides them with a huge amount of assurance in terms of our intent.”
