Te Kete Project Update - July 2026
- Jul 7
- 7 min read
In this July MCLStead Project News Update we will cover off:
Construction activity update
MCLStead’s commitment to using local subcontractors as much as possible:
Spotlight on Hawke's Bay Install
Spotlight on kauri & co
Spotlight on design/construction focused site visits:
Napier High Schools
National Association of Women in Construction - Hawke's Bay Branch
EIT Architectural Technology Students
Drone footage
Intro to our work experience student from EIT
Office tower façade installation (then and now)
Broader Outcomes – 4th quarter update
Construction Activity Update
This July construction update includes:
Area | Photo |
New library:
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Office tower:
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Council Chambers:
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Civils:
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MCLStead's commitment to using local subcontractors as much as possible
MCLStead is a joint venture of two local construction companies with over 100 years construction experience MCL Construction and Stead Construction. MCLStead is committed to delivering the Napier Civic Precinct project by local, for local and with local as much as possible. We’re in the process of engaging local subcontractors across various trades. You can find an introduction spotlight on Hawke's Bay Install and kauri & co below:
Hawke's Bay Install Work on Te Kete
Hawke's Bay Install is installing insulation across the new library, council chambers and the refurbished office tower.
Who is Hawke's Bay Install?
Hawke’s Bay Install is a locally owned insulation installation business. Established in 2023 and owned by Jamie Kiwara (Ngāti Porou) and Ellen Vogtherr Pulford. Jamie has had over a decade working in the insulation industry learning all aspects of the job. He can install all types of insulation including Pink Batts, Bradford Gold, Mammoth, and Vapour Barrier. Ellie has experience in her family business (Holly Bacon) and has strengths in marketing, accounts, and customer relations.
Hawke's Bay Install are committed to providing quality insulation installed to a high standard in a quick timeframe, and warmer, healthier homes for current and future generations.
Hawke's Bay Install's priority is open honest communication and showing up on time so building plans continue to go ahead on schedule. Hawke's Bay Install can service the Hawke’s Bay region and are happy to travel and provide quotes. Hawke’s Bay Install also wants to take the pressure off the building industry by taking the installation of insulation off the builder’s hands, freeing them up to do what they do best…. Build.
Hawke's Bay Install Local Experience
Hawke's Bay Install has completed a number of jobs across Hawke’s Bay, some photos of their work at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Te Wananga Whare Tapere O Takitimu are below:
Hawke's Bay Install
Hawke's Bay Install’s team of three will be on site in a couple of months and their work is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2027.
kauri & co’s Work on Te Kete
kauri & co are delivering interior trades across the refurbished office tower. Their scope covers steel stud framing and partitions, aluminium joinery and glazed partition systems, suspended ceilings and bulkheads.
It’s a fitout with exposed services, seismic restraint and feature ceilings throughout — exactly the kind of complex, integrated interior work kauri & co is built for.
kauri & co’s team are due on site in the coming weeks, with their works programmed for completion in June 2027.
Who is kauri & co?
kauri & co is a Māori-owned, Amotai-verified interior construction specialist, established in 2021 by KJ Dooney.
kauri & co’s point of difference is a closed-circle finish — they self-deliver every interior trade in-house with one team. Framing hands off to ceilings, ceilings to linings, linings to stopping and paint, all sequenced and controlled by one crew with a single point of accountability from first stud to final coat. For a main contractor that means one team, one programme and one standard — no need to engage or coordinate multiple interior subcontractors.
Working across Hawke’s Bay and beyond, kauri & co have built a reputation on straight talk and getting the job done — no matter how large, small or complex.
The interior trades they self-deliver are:
Steel stud framing & partitions — walls, bulkheads and aluminium partition systems
Suspended ceilings — including feature, acoustic and access systems
Plasterboard & stopping — full lining and finishing
Insulation — thermal and acoustic
Painting & protective coatings — interior finishing, plus specialist intumescent, fire and protective coatings
One subcontractor. Every interior trade. Start to finish.
kauri & co's local experience
kauri & co have delivered interior fitouts, ceilings, partitions and finishing works across a range of commercial, education and industrial projects, including:
Mainfreight, Hastings
Turners & Growers, Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay Hospital
Willis House, Napier
Shed 530 Winery, Hawke’s Bay
Flaxmere College
New World, Havelock North
New World, Greenmeadows
Quest, Hastings
QRS, Wairoa
Spotlight on Design/Construction Focused Site Visits
Napier High Schools
Previous MCLStead project news updates have included design feature spotlights on:
Façade
Structural steel
Mass timber.
Over the last month MCLStead has hosted students from three local Napier high schools for a site visit focused on all things façade. The objective of these visits was to share with students some of the job opportunities associated with façade from architectural design right through to manufacture and installation.
The slide below outlines some of the skills and qualifications discussed with students:
The following six slides show samples of the work produced by architects, technical designers, manufacturers, BIM model developers, quality assurance reviewers and installers.
While on site students also got to view the installed façade up close!
Next term the students will return for two further visits focused on all things structural steel and all things mass timber.
National Association of Women in Construction - Hawke's Bay Branch
On 11 June MCLStead in partnership with The Building Intelligence Group (TBIG), hosted members from the Hawke's Bay Branch of the National Association of Women in Construction NZ (NAWIC) on the Napier City Council Te Kete site.
MCLStead appreciated the opportunity to share construction progress, alongside project key design features with HB NAWIC members from Hawkins, HEB, EIT, Fulton Hogan, RCP, Stead Construction, ArchInt and Building Futures. MCLStead is the main contractor on this unique project in Napier, subcontracting works to 30 local trades with further trades still to let.
Facade, mass timber and structural steel are major design features of the project:
Facade: 25,000 individual components, 500 individual pieces of glass and 280 individual panels will close in the refurbished office tower.
Mass Timber: the largest CLT panel is 16,080mm x 4,132mm x 296 mm thick and the longest screw to be used on the new library mass timber is 880mm long.
Structural Steel: the tallest column is 12.14 metres and the heaviest column is 3.12 tonnes.
EIT Architectural Technology Students
Last week MCLStead in partnership with Athfield Architects and The Building Intelligence Group MCLStead hosted a site visit for a group of Architectural Technology students.
The visit provided the students with the opportunity to get on site and learn about key design features of Napier’s new library, from structural steel specifications and installation to mass timber manufacture and layout/function of the public realm areas.
Students also had the opportunity to walk up to the top level of the office tower to learn about façade production and take a look at the layout of the new council chambers. Students are keen to revisit later in the year for a further look at construction progression against the design.
Drone Photos
While it was pretty windy this month, we're pleased to share a couple of photos below.
Introduction to our work experience student - Ronnie
Ronnie started work experience with MCLStead for two days a week at the beginning of April this year. Ronnie is completing a Level 3 Carpentry (pre-trade) course at EIT and due to graduate in November.
 | Why did you decide to study carpentry? I enjoy hands on work, working in a team and learning new things. What do you like most about carpentry? I can take all the skills and knowledge away and do things at home. I learn a lot on work experience that is useful when I go back to class at EIT. What’s one thing you have learnt on your work experience recently? How to set out and install a laser level. What would your perfect workday look like? Not a windy cold workday. |
Office tower façade installation (then and now)
MCLStead completed removal of the old concrete façade panels on the office tower at the end of September 2025.
The original concrete panel façade was heavy and affecting the structural integrity of the building. The concrete façade panel removal lightened the building by over 350 tonnes.
Installation of the new façade panels commenced in April 2026 on the south side of the office tower. Thermosash Commercial Limited have completed installation of the majority of panels on the south, west and east sides and will soon be moving to commence installation on the north side.
When the façade installation is completed: 25,000 individual components, 500 individual pieces of glass and 280 individual panels will close in the refurbished office tower.
Check out the 'Then and Now' photos below.
Broader Outcomes - 4th Quarter Update
 Cultural Wellbeing | Mana Ahuriri joined MCLStead on site recently to talk to our staff and subcontractors about the significance of Matariki. The poster below was provided to staff and installed in our smoko rooms. |
 Social Wellbeing | MCLStead’s work experience programme with EIT continues, with one student successfully completing two days on site each week. MCLStead’s apprenticeship carpenter is currently working on the new council chambers and successfully completing her tasks and BCITO requirements. Mates4Life met with staff and subcontractors on site to talk about mental wellbeing. Our staff and subcontractors on site have some tips on looking out for each other and starting a conversation. |
 Economic Wellbeing | MCLStead has engaged 38 local subcontractors to date. MCLStead’s local subcontractors equate to 69% of current subcontractors engaged. MCLStead continues to have active trade accounts with 40 local suppliers. MCLStead’s Broader Outcomes subcontractor survey (from those completed to date) shows:
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 Environmental Wellbeing | MCLStead continues to recycle and divert 70% of our builders' waste from landfill. In the 4th Quarter 604kgs of XPS (insulation) was recycled through MCLStead’s materials takeback scheme with Mitre10 and over 6 tonnes of steel was recycled. |