Patton Engineering
Our Mission
Founded in the early 1950’s by George Patton, the Patton Group of Companies is a long-established structural steel fabricator and mechanical engineering entity based in Whakatu, Hawkes Bay. We provide a comprehensive service that includes mechanical and structural detailing, fabrication, industrial coatings, site erection, mechanical project works, stainless, sheet metal engineering and machining.
Our aim is to achieve total customer satisfaction and compliance under all governing bodies – at a competitive cost. To ensure policies are successfully implemented, our staff are trained to identify customer needs and ensure that the correct procedures are followed to meet those requirements. Under this policy is our commitment to operating Patton Engineering Limited and Hawkes Bay Sandblasting under the disciplines and control of a Quality Assurance System that conforms to the requirements of the Construction Industry Quality Standard. As part of our commitment to our clientele, and our continued improvement, the Patton Group is the only company New Zealand-wide to be accredited not only with AS/NZS 3834 Category 3 but also with ISO 14001 and PCCP (Painting Contractors Certification Programme). All three distinctions are annually reviewed by third party accrediting bodies to maintain our programme of continued improvement and development.
Notwithstanding all our stated goals above, our first and primary objective at all times is in ensuring the Health and Safety of all of our staff, clients, and contractors at all levels and in all aspects of our business – not only within our fabrication and surface treatment facilities but also on site.
Health and Safety remain our number one priority in everything we do.
Mike and Gavin Patton: Managing Directors
Our People
Mike Patton
Director and Structural Estimator.
Mike’s primary role is as a structural steel estimator, and he brings a wealth of experience having been associated with the industry for the past forty years. Mike has earned a significant amount of respect over the years and continues to bring in new and repeat business for Patton Engineering as a result of his professionalism and the service that Patton Engineering provides. Mike too enjoys a well-deserved round or two on the local greens on a Thursday.
Johno Williams
Managing Director.
Johno brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from a range of engineering industries. Coupled with enthusiasm and energy, and his positive ‘can-do’ approach, Johno is your primary source of information and ideas for any mechanical, structural and/or surface protection projects. With a foundation in Fitting and Turning and Heavy Machining – initially within the forestry industry – Johno also undertook training and achieved accreditation in a range of welding disciplines. Coupled with these, Johno moved into site steel erection and running of maintenance and installation projects.
Johno has been with Patton’s for the past 18 years, and has a proven track record of successful projects, from conception through commissioning. Johno suffers from delusions of being able to catch fish and has even gone so far as to acquire his own vessel which has yet to taste salt water.
Andrew Burn
Director and Workshop Manager.
Andrew has been in the Engineering industry for the last 23 years, having served his time in the UK. Upon returning home Andrew spent a few years in the rail yards in Lower Hutt before returning to Hawke’s Bay, working at a couple of smaller engineering companies before settling down at Patton Engineering. Andrew has been at Patton Engineering for the last fifteen years where he is the Workshop Manager, an AS 2214 qualified Welding Supervisor and an active member of our Welding Co-Ordination Team. Andrew ranks as one of our best welders and is a font of welding knowledge. Andrew is methodical and provides direction and organisation to an ever-changing and busy working environment. Andrew’s can-do approach regularly ensures tight delivery lead-times are met.
Mark Wharekawa
Engineering Programme Manager.
Mark comes from a heavy engineering background completing the NZ Certificate in Engineering Fabrication – Welding . Mark joined Patton Engineering in 2015 spending five years in the role of Project/Design Engineer using AutoCAD software to produce 3D models and fabrication drawings while also implementing new design technologies.
Mark has gone on to further his learning completing the New Zealand Certificate in Project Management, and going on to complete a Bachelor in Applied Management with a Project Management major. With an eye to the future Mark is driven and determined to provide the best for our company and clients.
Dolorosa De la Rama
Quantity Surveyor.
After spending 4 years in the Philippines in a Construction Company as a Cost Engineer and another 3 years as a Quantity Surveyor in Singapore, Dolorosa came to NZ in search of a lifestyle change and more challenging career. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering year.
“I’m honoured and proud to be part and surrounded with executives and professional people to grow my personal and professional career in the company.”
Chris Ward
Draftsman Extraordinaire and Design Guru.
There is no structural design issue for which Chris struggles to find a workable solution. Having commenced his career in structural fabrication and erecting, and now approaching thirty years of service with Patton’s, Chris brings an in-depth understanding of structural fabrication, erection, and structural welding. Chris is now providing mentoring to other members of our drafting team and other fabrication, erection, and project staff. Chris is extremely diligent at studying and interpreting clients structural specifications and converting such information to final shop and erection drawings and plans; with an unparalleled eye for detail.
Chris can seldom be found at weekends as he actively endeavours to lose himself in New Zealand’s bush, or is out at sea chasing fish with his spear gun.
Jamie Pakoti
Design Engineer.
Jamie signed up to Patton Engineering in 2015 straight out of high school. With limited structural engineering experience Jamie soon found his niche and was quickly producing fabricated steelwork beyond his experienced years and ahead of his peers. As part of Jamie’s apprenticeship he was exposed to a large variety of projects varying from cool stores, multi-storey buildings, shut-down maintenance repairs, seismic strengthening and mechanical to name but a few.
Jamie completed his National Certificate in Fabrication Steel Construction in 2018 and was honoured runner up in 2019 for the Apprentice of the Year. The aforementioned accolade along with Jamie’s enthusiasm and passion for higher honours saw him move to the design office before his apprenticeship was even completed. Jamie has now moved onto being a Structural Designer using multiple AutoCAD disciplines, GPR Surveying, 3D Pointclouds, all to create highly accurate 3D models and Fabrication drawings for the construction sector. Jamie leads the Company’s interests in 3D scanning, in particular for seismic strengthening, when he’s not at the gym pushing weights he can be seen regularly racing up and down the country in his Audi from Project to Project.
Jaun Le Roux
Design Engineer.
Born and raised in South Africa, Jaun joined Patton Engineering in January 2020 with the heart set goal of making Hawke’s Bay/New Zealand his family’s new home.
Jaun has a Mechanical Draughting Diploma which he completed in 2008 with +13 years’ experience in mechanical and structural design and drafting, which he has gained working primarily in the industrial, mining and metal sectors.
Competent in various AutoCAD packages combined with his experience and passion for engineering makes Jaun a valued member of the team.
Outside of work, Jaun is a family man and considers himself to be an enthusiast of multiple activities, his point of view being, he wants to enjoy everything life has to offer.
Deanna Pender-Meyer
Administration and Accounts Manager.
Deanna’s primary role is to maintain some sense of normality within the office – an extremely arduous undertaking in itself. Deanna has been with the company since 2012, starting in reception answering the telephone and doing our payroll and quickly assimilating all tasks relevant to the financial management of our companies. In addition, Deanna also administers all of our Health and Safety documentation and training courses.
Deanna has a very firm grasp of all matters of a financial nature and keeps a firm reign on the companies administration. Deanna is the backbone of our office and is highly organised with a strong work ethic and shoulders broad enough to handle the guys in the office. Deanna is an invaluable member of the Patton Group of Companies.
Nigel Homburg
Project Engineer and Responsible Welding Co-Ordinator.
Nigel served his apprenticeship in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a Machine Tool Setter and Operator and quickly moved into civilian employment in mechanical maintenance, engineering, purchasing, logistics, production, and manufacturing management roles within a variety of industries. Nigel has travelled extensively and brought new technologies to New Zealand while undertaking a hugely diverse range of award-winning mechanical projects from conception through to commissioning.
Nigel has been actively involved in achieving our accreditation under AS/NZS ISO 3834 and remains active in maintaining these systems.
Dave Blakey
Assistant Engineering Programme Manager.
With a foundation in Mechanical Engineering, Fitting and Turning, and drafting – initially in the fertiliser and meat industries and later in the structural engineering field – Dave is a time served tradesman. Dave has managed to squeeze 190 plus years engineering experience in structural steel fabrication, estimation, design, and project management into his fifty years in the industry. Dave leads the sixty plus staff at all levels as well as maintaining highly accurate, and up-to-the-minute scheduling all works though our facilities to satisfy client’s requirements.
Kathleen Anderson
Administration Assistant.
Kathleen was born & raised up in Highlands of Scotland. She came to NZ for a 6 month OE and met her partner and has now been here ever since. Kathleen started with Patton’s in December 2017 and her role includes reception, answering phones, invoicing, payroll, timesheets and is the smiling face to greet you on arrival at our offices.
She loves to keep fit and play netball in her spare time.
Shane Adams
Quantity Surveyor.
Shane joined Patton Engineering in November 2016 having relocated from Auckland to enjoy the Hawke’s Bay lifestyle. Shane’s background is as a fabricator / welder with 22 years experience in the marine, construction and mining industries. Shane’s wealth of knowledge and contacts will continue to help Patton Engineering grow to levels yet to be attained.
Shane is a family man with a passion for the outdoors, and for leaving deer feeling non-threatened by firearms.
Jaco Klopper
Hawke’s Bay Sandblasting Manager.
With sound experience as a qualified Precision Engineer, Fitter & Turner and Electrician, Jaco has hands on experience that he can adapt to many parts of our business. He’s moved from the tools on to Managing our Hawke’s Bay Sandblasting team of five, providing quality service protection for industrial and commercial projects.
Jaco’s ambition is not only to provide a quality service but to also grow the reputation of Hawkes Bay Sandblasting targeting new clients to showcase the capabilities of this company which prides itself superiority, communication and pricing.
Born and raised in South Africa, Hawke’s Bay has been home to Jaco for nearly 3 years and is looking forward to making his mark in the coatings industry. He’ll always greet you with his friendly SA manner and a can-do attitude.
Outside of work Jaco is a keen fisherman and hunter and looks forward to when his two young sons are old enough to join him on his expeditions in this beautiful country.
Chris (Narrow) Thompson
Structural Supervisor.
Chris started his time with Patton Engineering by skate-boarding to work on a daily basis and at that time was in charge of the profile cutting machine. Chris completed his apprenticeship in 2002 and quickly moved on to become our lead Structural Site Supervisor. Chris now has 20 plus years service with the company. During his time he has become the face of the structural site crew, is well known in the industry locally and has assimilated a vast amount of knowledge in his role.
Chris has a strong focus on Health and Safety on his sites, and prepares all Health and Safety documentation for all structural site projects.
Reece Miller
Stores Manager.
Reece started with Patton Engineering in January 2001 as a painter and was soon involved in site laboring, progressing to steel erecting and rigging. Reece undertook an apprenticeship with the company as a Heavy Fabricator which he completed in 2008. In ensuing years, Reece undertook training and became our drill line operator – a role he has filled until 2019 at which time he accepted the role as Store Manager.
Reece holds responsibility for all purchasing and receipt of goods through our store, Stock control; Asset management and vehicle maintenance.
In his spare time Reece is actively involved in the busy lives of his two young children and enjoys the outdoors and camping.