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.
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.
Our People
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.
Mike Patton
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.
Sean Perry
Engineering Manager.
Born a ‘Hoosier’ from Indianapolis, Sean earned his engineering degree from Purdue University. He brings 10 years of experience in fabrication and construction; 5 years locally in Aotearoa.
In his leisure, he enjoys a good ‘smoko shout’, multi bay roof lifts, and skipping rocks at the river.
Sean enjoys seeing the pride and quality of work Patton Engineering tradesmen produce from our workshop in the Hawke’s Bay; to clients locally, across the country, and exporting to nations around the world.
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
Senior Draughtsman.
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
Senior Draughtsman.
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 and over 15 years’ design and drafting experience in mechanical/structural engineering.
Jaun is a competent and high performing draughtsman, always open to new ideas and ever advancing his knowledge in Autodesk Advance Steel which is our primary software used for projects in BIM.
His experience and passion for engineering makes Jaun a valued member of the team.
Outside of work, Jaun likes spending quality time with the family and grilling meat on red hot coals.
David Moore
Health, Safety & Systems Manager.
David’s career has been as varied as it has long, and he believes he can truly state he was educated in the university of life. His Dad always said, “do it right once; the first time” and that mantra has held him true through the past 33 years in the NZ gambling industry.
His role with Patton’s is a new one, and along with his wife Julie, they are charged with finding and implementing systems that will improve all facets of the business. His role touches health and safety, human resource, estimating, purchasing, document management, contracts management, customers and sales, QS analysis, inventory, production control, scheduling, time sheeting, invoicing, training, and reporting, all in effort to drive and improve efficiencies, productivity, and visibility across the entire company.
David enjoys most sport (from the couch nowadays), fishing (well, feeding fish!), his kids (most of the time), two grandchildren (the future), sharing food and wine, time with his wife (not working) and waking up every morning with the enthusiasm to face a new day of challenges and the satisfaction of achieving those at the end of that day.
Sarah Murphy
Project Manager.
Sarah studied at Victoria University in Wellington completing a Bachelor of both Building Science and Business Management before heading off overseas for 3 years.
Upon her return to NZ in 2012 she started in the building team at Hastings District Council, then moved to a building inspector position at Napier City Council in 2016.
She has a young daughter Kaylee with her husband Kieran and is embarking on house renovation number two. She enjoys playing netball and heading up to Mahia when she gets a chance.
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.
Paul Ducker
Project Manager.
Paul joined Patton Engineering in late 2021, after returning home to reside permanently in his hometown of Napier, following a lengthy period living and working in Australia.
Paul brings to the table a wealth of construction experience, with an extensive ten year plus history site managing the erection of steel structures all over New Zealand and Australia, in addition to his most recent role as Project Manager for the largest structural steel supplier in North Queensland, located in the tropical and searing heat of Cairns. In this time Paul left his mark on Cairns completing multiple projects successfully, inclusive of the Cairns International Tennis Centre, the high tech and cyclone proof Cairns South Health Facility, and a very large infrastructure development for the Australian Department of Defence, encompassing multiple military structures being constructed in Port Vila Vanuatu, a development responsible for the injection of 55million AUD into the Vanuatuan economy.
Outside of work Paul can often be found in the gym, is a keen mountain biker, and enjoys most exercise related activities, although he admits to view his profile side on currently you probably wouldn’t know it.
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.
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.
Simon Appleby
Hawke’s Bay Sandblasting Manager.
Simon is a painter by trade and ran a successful painting company on Waiheke Island for over 25 years. The business specialised in high end residential work providing him invaluable experience in business management, project management and hands-on painting.
Simon moved to Hawkes Bay in 2016 with his wife and 2 kids.
In his spare time he enjoy fishing and watching his kids at their sports over the weekend. He was a volunteer fireman for 13 years which he loved and worked his way up to a Senior Fireman.
Kathleen Cook
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.
Joben Chahail
Cadet Project Manager.
Born and raised in the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Joben migrated to NZ from the bustling capital city of Manila in the Philippines with his family in 2015.
Wasting no time upon completion of his schooling, Joben enrolled at the University of Canterbury achieving a Bachelor of Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, before returning home from Christchurch to set up permanently in Hawkes Bay.
Having come on board with Patton Engineering in Jan 2023 as a Cadet Project Manager, Joben is quickly learning the ropes with the full support of the team around him and is already demonstrating great potential for continued long-term professional development within the role.
In his spare time, Joben enjoys socialising with friends, puts in the odd hard yard at the gym, and overall is thoroughly enjoying adapting and integrating into the Kiwi way of life.
Julie Moore
Health, Safety & Systems Assistant.
Julie comes from an administration background which has included roles in a diverse range of companies, from Fuji Xerox in the UK and NZ to Carter Holt Harvey and Antares Restaurant Group.
In 2008 Julie realised a lifetime dream, when at the age of 40 she qualified with honours as a Beauty Therapist. This qualification gave Julie the opportunity to establish her own beauty business, Jewels of Beauty, which after several years was sold and is still operational today.
Julie’s introduction to Patton Engineering was in a part-time position. This evolved into covering maternity leave and eventually, Julie progressed into a new role as Health, Safety and Systems Administrator.
Sam Brownlie
Draughtsman.
Sam’s journey with Pattons began back in January 2004, starting as a fabricator welder in the Stoneycroft yard. Now occupying the role of Site Manager, he oversees each site, allocating labour to them.
While the road with Pattons has seen a few detours—venturing overseas and exploring other engineering avenues across New Zealand—Sam always finds himself drawn back to the Patton family.
Sam hails from a sheep and beef farm in Wairoa, where his love for fishing and occasional hunting took root. Married to Tessa with three kids, he once played rugby but now prefers spectating.
Mike Zachan
Factotum.
Mike joined Pattons as a Steel Erector in 2015 then transitioned into a development role, spearheading equipment installation and workshop restructuring. His expertise spans detailing, management, planning, installation, and final sign-offs, making him the go-to person for seamless operations. With over 25 years in the structural industry, Mike brings a wealth of experience to the table.
Off-duty, he indulges in trout fishing and feeds his adrenaline with the thrill of building and racing Speedway sidecars.