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This reached a high-point in 1999 when, after a significant period of re-branding, the company diversified its operations to include laser cutting and, on a separate level, to continue providing fabrication services for the dairy industry. By the close of 2004, with expectations running high for even greater levels of production, the business was relocated into new, strikingly designed premises in Kaimanawa Street, the new industrial heart of the city.
Today, ETECH is established as part of the vanguard of steel engineering companies in New Zealand and, to maximize efficiency, has split itself into two core business units. The first of these units, Fabrication, denotes the manufacture of customised aluminium, mild steel and stainless steel products, marine sector railings, specialised metal sculptures and architectural handrails. A large part of the fabrication division involves work for the dairy, food and chemical industry. This includes ice cream and milk storage tanks, different-sized barrels for road tankers, in addition to other specialty items like cottage cheese vats, fermentation vessels, plus whey decanter and conveying systems.
The other core unit within ETECH is technology-based. Specifically, this entails the company’s 1999 entrance into the laser cutting and sheet metal manufacturing market with the acquisition of a Trumpf 3 kilowatt flatbed laser cutter. Another 5 kilowatt version of the same machine was added in 2004. This newer version cuts thicker material at a faster rate—processing 3mm stainless steel at five metres per minute. Typical examples of laser output would be custom signage, electronic housings, stainless steel agricultural components, lifting lugs for the transport industry, aviation parts and specialty artistic pieces.
By furthering its manufacturing ideals of quality and service, while maintaining a cutting-edge presence in the industry, the company is assured of bright days ahead. For ETECH, the future is steel.
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