Firm marks 35years
by Sally Rae · Otago Daily Times Online News‘‘Welcome to the best place to work in Dunedin.’’
That hand-written sign greets visitors to Action Engineering, a firm which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.
What started with a team of three and a Ford Escort van has grown to about 30 — and a much more modern fleet of vehicles.
Allan Golden, who recently stepped into the role of general manager, has been with the company for 25 years, having started on the tools.
He and contracts manager Marty Reddy attributed the firm’s longevity to diversity — which was particularly important during challenging times — and the people in the business.
Core business was pipe fabrication for the likes of water races and water treatment plants. Associated with that was a lot of structural components, including access platforms, stairs and handrails, and there was also maintenance and general engineering work.
A Dunedin City Council work maintenance contract, which the firm had for five years and has just been renewed, had been important, while loyal clients, including Port Otago, Holcim, Talleys and KiwiRail, were also key.
For a while, the firm had tenders doing out-of-town work but it had been a struggle to project manage them, so it was now focused on work south of Christchurch through to Southland.
A fitter and turner by trade, Mr Golden grew up on a farm on the outskirts of Alexandra and, after leaving secondary school, came to Dunedin for a basic engineering course.
While there had been an idea to work on the farm, his father encouraged him to get a trade and he served his apprenticeship at Farra.
His responsibilities might have increased in latter years at Action but his preference was still to be on the factory floor, rather than in the office. He liked seeing things done right and seeing the end of a project.
Training was an important part of the business which took on apprentices. Some arrived not knowing what a drill was and had gone on to be very proficient employees, Mr Golden said.
It had also taken on interested school students through the Gateway workplace programme, giving them an introduction to the workplace.
Mr Reddy moved from Ireland to New Zealand nearly a decade ago, coincidentally from a place in Ireland called Gorey to Southland’s Gore.
With a background in mechanical engineering, he now lived in Lawrence and commuted to Dunedin. He enjoyed the diversity of the work and also the people.
It was a great place to work, and while he quipped that no-one took anything too seriously, the work got done.
While it was nice to go back to Ireland, the country had changed a lot and Otago afforded a much better lifestyle for the outdoors enthusiast.