Growing the construction supply chain

BUILDING SUPPLY: Te Pae Hakari staff (from left) Beau Toa, Lincoln Savage, Dale Hapi, Mario Counsell, Denzel Banks and Saxon Sowerby. Picture by Paul Rickard

Just 12 months from conception, a locally-owned and operated construction company is filling out major government contracts while helping to boost the region's sub-contracting supply chain.

Set up by Alex Hawea, Rob Pokoati and Ringahuia Turei-Wall, Te Pae Hakari now has 11 full-time staff and about four apprentices in training.

“They've all come through local networks,” Mr Hawea says.

“Our goal is to really help them get through their apprenticeships as quickly as possible.”

That helped get qualified people into the pipeline faster, he said.

The company also carried that sort of support over to its subcontractors, providing help with health and safety and compliance issues.

“The stronger they are, the stronger we are.”

A co-owner of the company, Mr Hawea said that while it was set up about a year ago, work really started to pick up in August with contracts for Kainga Ora.

“We're pretty passionate about being kaupapa driven and having cultural values at the centre.

“With the type of workflow we get from Kainga Ora, it's quite varied. So, it gives our apprentices a really broad range of experiences.

“Our guys are going to their once-a-month course and are miles ahead of the others.

“Most of our work is in the remedial space with Kainga Ora. We do a bit of new-build work/fire-damaged properties.

“The big thing for us is we set up originally to create more opportunities — both for employment and to help our subcontractors to grow.

“There's definitely a skill shortage in the sector, but also just of supply. A lot of our subcontractors have gone into business because of the workflow we've been able to give them. For us, it's about growing the supply chain in Te Tairawhiti as well.”

A former Auckland Council employee, Mr Hawea had experience with the council's diversity initiative to help minority groups into the supply chain.

That focus on people rather than the bottom line had already borne fruit with important relationships, and also giving Gisborne subbies exposure to more work.

“A lot of guys when they come to town just Google for subcontractors, but a lot of our guys don't have an online presence.

“You have to be able to create that ability to tap into the local supply chain.”

This focus was particularly relevant in getting the Kainga Ora contract.

“For us, the more we grow, the more opportunities we can create for people that don't normally get a look-in.”