Business View Oceania | April 2021

47 48 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA APRIL 2021 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA APRIL 2021 rise commercial retail buildings. They deal with upgrades, refurbishments and retro-fits of existing buildings, but also work on new commercial developments. Each project is different – in some cases they bring their own project management skills to control the work, others they fit in to the client’s project framework, working closely with architects, builders and other contractors to achieve the end result. With branches currently in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and a well established network of subcontractors across regional New Zealand plus more RCR branches on the way, RCR Infrastructure is a great choice to deliver exceptional service & project outcomes across New Zealand. Not only do they plan, design, manage and install commercial building services, the firm also manages repairs and regular preventative maintenance. With a vast number of vehicles on the road around the country, RCR can offer a 24-hour emergency response service that is second to none. For around 120 years, RCR has been developing and contributing to Australian infrastructure and industry, and now they are a leading provider of electrical and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) in NZ with over 130 employees. Garry Ko, Executive Director at RCR Infrastructure (NZ), explains, “New Zealand is a small country, so 130 people is a big number. However, it is a challenge to find skilled workers because of the size of the country, and also during the pandemic the borders have been closed so that makes it even more difficult to bring in more skilled labour.” Recently The Stonewood Group announced a strategic acquisition that incorporates hi-tech ‘future energy’ capabilities into RCR’s national infrastructure service offering. According to Ko, Dataguard has traditionally provided datacentres with a focus on uninterruptable power supply (UPS) based hardware power supply-based hardware. However under RCR, its market- leading technical knowledge will be applied to sourcing and importing hi-tech products that will be installed and maintained by RCR’s nationwide network of technical experts. The merger of complimentary expertise will see RCR extend its reach beyond existing commercial clients into the residential housing sector, where a growing range of green, future-tech energy solutions are increasingly becoming available that are suited to intelligent ‘smart’ homes requiring comprehensive automation control. “Dataguard was one of the first companies in New Zealand to use lithium batteries on a grand scale,” says Ko, “so incorporating their expertise opens RCR up to the rapidly advancing world battery market – from domestic solar applications through to large scale industrial “Dataguard is a piece we were missing at RCR. We are currently one of the major mechanical engineering companies in New Zealand and this acquisition gives us access to new products and new technology that we can use to transform RCR into the mechanical engineering company of the future.” Two years after purchasing RCR’s profitable New Zealand operation from Australian parent company RCR Tomlinson, brothers John and Michael Chow are expanding RCR’s services to include future-tech engineering solutions such as EV chargers, thermal imaging, smart building solutions and commercial solar installations, as well as smart grid and AI solutions. The transition of RCR into one of New Zealand’s biggest maintenance, electrical and mechanical engineering companies is being achieved through Stonewood Group’s purchase of Dataguard NZ’s engineering and technical know- how. High Performance Lighting @ Competitive Prices 0800 695 9 49 www.ecopoint.co.nz After Ecopoint/rcr upgrade: >50% Energy Savings, Reduced Maintenance, Great ROI, Improved H&S, Carbon reduction. Ecopoint & rcr, your complete LED lighting solution Finance Options Available Before: High OpEx Short Life With a compact design and low noise level, the Airstage™ J-IIIL can be installed in various locations with restricted or limited space such as mechanical rooms and rooftops. To discuss our commercial range of products, please call 0800 800 035. Slim Depth 480mm width1,080mm Compact Height 1428mm * *8/10/12HPModels Sound Power Level 66dB(A) * *8HPModel Quiet, compact and efficient. RCR INFRASTRUCTURE (NZ)