NZ company establishes ties with Belgian business through ICN

Collaboration with Belgiums Hamon Thermal, brokered by the Industry Capability Network (ICN), led to Meco Engineering being contracted to build New Zealands first hybrid cooling tower for the new e3p Huntly Power Station.

New Plymouth-based Meco Engineering has gone on to strengthen the tie with Hamon Thermal by establishing a more formal relationship which has seen the two companies team up to jointly tender for other similar work.

ICN project manager David Corney says the network supported Hamons ultimately successful bid to deliver the cooling tower to Huntly because the Belgian-based company was prepared to consider how it could maximise the number of local contractors employed on the project.

"We were very optimistic that the relationship originally brokered by ICN would ultimately be fruitful on an ongoing basis - and it has been, Mr Corney says.

Staunch competition has lead the ICN to encourage Kiwi companies to tender for work they have the best shot of winning against tough competitors like China and Malaysia.

"It tends to make us focus more on the technically more difficult, but high value work, Mr Corney says.

Meco Engineering has made its reputation by being ready and able to tackle any engineering challenge that comes it way.

Meco Contracts Manager James Craig says ICNs help was pivotal in helping the New Zealand firm solidify the relationship with Hamon Thermal.

"Anything they could do to aid us they did it. Their help has been a huge element in our success.

An example of ICNs specific support was in making sure Meco submitted a robust and ultimately successful proposal.

"While they respected all parties’ need for confidentiality at all times, they helped us with information and made sure we were kept in the loop, Mr Craig says.

Meco is now tendering for work on three other cooling towers in New Zealand.

www.meco.co.nz

Background:

Genesis Energys Energy Efficiency Enhancement Project (e3p) at Huntly will employ cutting edge technology and be about 50 percent more efficient than the companys existing Huntly station. The gas-fired plant will employ state of the art technology to generate 385 megawatts of electricity, enough to provide 379,000 households.

The Huntly cooling tower was fully designed and supervised during construction by Hamon Thermal Europe, with assistance from its Australian branch Hamon Australia PTY Ltd.