Celebrating our people, projects and the Canterbury community.
This November marks 50 years of the Aotea Group, and here at Aotea Electric Canterbury, we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate something that matters to us – the people, projects, partnerships and experiences that have shaped our journey.
Aotea Electric Canterbury has been part of the Christchurch landscape since 1992. Over that time, we’ve grown into a business delivering everything from everyday electrical servicing to some of the region’s most complex commercial, industrial and specialist projects.
But when we think about what makes us proud, it’s about much more than the work itself.
It’s the relationships we’ve built, the people we’ve helped develop, the charities and community organisations we’ve supported, and the part we’ve played in Christchurch’s growth and recovery.
So, to celebrate the Aotea Group’s 50th birthday, here are 50 things we’re proud of.
Proud of Our Community
Being a local business means being part of something bigger. We believe we have a responsibility to actively support the communities where our people live, work and raise their families.
Over the years, that commitment has taken many different forms.
- Cholmondeley Children’s Centre – Supporting an organisation that provides vital care and respite for Canterbury children and families.
- Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust – Providing practical electrical support, including testing and repairs, to help maintain safe facilities for the hospital’s important work.
- Isaac Theatre Royal – Supporting one of Christchurch’s most treasured cultural landmarks and the performing arts community.
- Our Canterbury rugby relationships – Our long-standing involvement with Canterbury Rugby and the Crusaders, supporting local sport and creating opportunities for our people.
- The Long Run – Getting staff, families and supporters involved in fundraising for the Child Cancer Foundation and establishing the national Virtual Run.
- Life Education Trust Canterbury – Helping maintain, rewire and make safe the mobile classrooms that deliver health and wellbeing education to local children.
- John Britten Museum – Supporting a place that celebrates Christchurch’s remarkable engineering and innovation heritage, as well as bringing clients together in a unique local setting.
- Lighthouse Trust – Playing a small part in the creation of the Te Whare Rama Pod at St Thomas of Canterbury College, a space supporting student wellbeing.
- The Gut Foundation – Supporting fundraising, education and awareness, including using our Crusaders relationships to create unique fundraising experiences.
- Trees for Canterbury – Getting our hands dirty alongside our families and community volunteers to support local planting and environmental initiatives and brining The Crusaders along to meet the team.
- Dress for Success Christchurch – Providing electrical support to help light up the organisation’s premises and support its work empowering women..
- SCAPE Public Art and Press Lane Lighting – Contributing electrical expertise and support to projects that bring creativity and public art into our city.
- Community sport and local sponsorships – Backing organisations and events including Russley Golf Club, Addington Raceway and Burnside High School Rowing.
- Grassroots car park fundraising – Turning our Lichfield Street car park into an opportunity to support local Scouts, athletes, dancers, schools, clubs and charitable organisations.
- Everyday fundraising and volunteering – From blood and plasma donations to Wig Wednesday, Movember, Gumboot Friday, charity golf days and the Cholmondeley yacht race, we’re proud of the causes our people get behind.
Small Opportunities, Meaningful Impact
One of our favourite examples is the Lichfield Street car park. What started as a simple idea, offering convenient parking on major event days and directing the proceeds to local causes, has grown into a way to support people who might otherwise struggle to raise the funds they need.
Young footballers heading overseas. Dance teams competing at national level. Scouts preparing for adventures. Local charities doing important work.
Sometimes making a difference doesn’t require a grand gesture. It simply requires looking at what you already have and finding a way to help.
Proud of Our People
Electrical expertise matters, but it’s our people who make the difference.
We’re proud of the individuals who have built their careers with Aotea, the teams who deliver every day and the culture that encourages people to develop and succeed.
- Our local Canterbury team – The electricians, Data and ICT technicians, communications and security specialists, project managers, apprentices and support staff who bring a wide range of expertise together and make our business what it is.
- Our employee shareholders – Giving people a genuine stake in the business and its future.
- Long-serving team members – The experience, loyalty and knowledge built through years of working together.
- Our apprentices – Supporting the next generation of skilled electricians through real-world experience and training.
- Apprentices achieving success – Celebrating our team’s achievements in industry competitions and professional development.
- School Gateway programmes – Giving students opportunities to experience electrical work firsthand and consider a future in the trade.
- Mentoring and sharing knowledge – Experienced team members passing on practical skills, industry knowledge and the standards expected on site.
- Developing future leaders – Creating opportunities for people to progress through different roles, responsibilities and specialist divisions.
- Our team’s community involvement – Recognising the people who coach local sport, volunteer, fundraise and support causes outside their working hours.
- Our focus on health, safety and looking after one another – Building a workplace culture where people take responsibility for their own safety and the wellbeing of those around them.
Building Careers, Not Just Completing Jobs
We’re particularly proud of the opportunities we’ve created for young people.
From introducing school students to the electrical industry to supporting apprentices who go on to compete at a high level, we see training as an investment in both our business and Canterbury’s future. We’re also proud of our experienced team members who make the time to teach, mentor and encourage others. Our people are our greatest asset, and investing in their development is one of the most important things we do.
Proud of Our Projects
Look around Canterbury and you’ll find places where Aotea Electric Canterbury has played a part.
Some are landmarks recognised across the city. Others are the essential buildings, services and infrastructure that people rely on every day.
- The new Court Theatre – Delivering an extensive electrical, communications, security and specialist theatre infrastructure package for a landmark performing arts venue, including approximately 250 kilometres of cabling across the project’s electrical and specialist systems.
- Project Ark – Sheraton Christchurch – Contributing to the redevelopment of a major central-city hotel alongside Dominion Constructors and Mainland Capital.
- Riccarton Park – The Pavilion – Delivering electrical, communications and security systems for a new premium events and hospitality venue.
- KiwiRail Waltham Scenic Journeys Service Centre – Delivering the electrical installation for a state-of-the-art train servicing facility, earning a Gold Award at the 2022 Master Electricians Excellence Awards.
- The temporary Christchurch stadium – Helping restore a home for major rugby and community events following the Canterbury earthquakes, with around 11,000 hours of electrical work delivered over four and a half weeks.
- Pak’nSave Rolleston – Delivering major electrical infrastructure for one of the South Island’s largest supermarket developments.
- AgResearch Lincoln – Completing technically demanding electrical work in specialist research facilities, recognised with a Master Electricians Gold Excellence Award.
- Christchurch Town Hall – Contributing electrical expertise to the restoration of an iconic Christchurch venue.
- Isaac Theatre Royal projects – Supporting the electrical and lighting requirements of a much-loved heritage performance space.
- Flockhill – Specialist KNX automation work on an exceptional Canterbury hospitality project recognised internationally through a KNX Award nomination.
- School and Education projects – From large-scale KNX automation at Shirley Boys’ and Avonside Girls’ High Schools to supporting the technology and infrastructure needs of educational facilities.
- Lyttelton Dry Dock – Electrical upgrade work supporting an important part of Canterbury’s maritime infrastructure.
- Tauranga Library- Another significant project involving Aotea’s communications team, demonstrating the contribution of our Data and ICT specialists to major public facilities beyond Canterbury.
- Industrial, residential and commercial services – From industrial maintenance and complex electrical installations to new homes, renovations, rewiring, switchboards, solar, EV charging and everyday servicing.
- The strength of our specialist disciplines – Electrical, communications, Data and ICT, security, automation and electrical services for mechanical systems. Together, these capabilities help Aotea deliver integrated solutions across projects of all sizes.
The Work Behind the Work
The new Court Theatre is a great example of the scale and complexity our team can deliver. The project involved approximately 250 kilometres of cable across electrical, communications, security and electrical services for mechanical systems, including 400 individual stage lighting dimmer circuits and 92 AV circuits. It demanded years of planning, close collaboration with other contractors and consultants, innovative problem-solving and a deadline that simply couldn’t move. Importantly, it also demonstrated the value of having multiple specialist teams contributing to one project. Electrical, communications, security and technical infrastructure all needed to work together to support a highly complex performing arts facility.
It’s projects like this that demonstrate what can be achieved when skilled people work together with a shared commitment to quality.
Proud of the Future We’re Building
Fifty years is a milestone worth celebrating, but we’re equally interested in what comes next.
The electrical industry continues to evolve, and so do the expectations of our clients, our people and our community.
- Solar at our head office – Applying the same sustainable thinking to our own operations that we encourage in our clients’ projects.
- Electric pool vehicles and PHEVs – Making practical changes to our fleet as vehicle technology develops.
- Our SCRP cable recycling initiative – Taking a more considered and innovative approach to managing cable waste and recovering valuable materials.
- Responsible waste management – Improving the way materials are sorted, handled and recycled across the business.
- Investing in safer vehicles and equipment – Upgrading our service fleet and tools to support the people who use them every day.
- Advancing electrical technology – Developing our expertise in automation, intelligent lighting, energy systems and specialist electrical solutions.
- Supporting Canterbury’s transition to cleaner energy – Helping homes and businesses adopt solar, EV charging and more efficient electrical technologies.
- Maintaining high standards – Investing in safe work practices, compliance, technical capability and the quality of our installations.
- Building the next generation of skilled people – Continuing to provide apprenticeships, training, mentoring and opportunities for long-term careers.
- Being part of the next chapter of Aotea – Building on the relationships, experience and reputation developed over the years while continuing to serve Canterbury.
50 Years. A Lot to Be Proud Of.
When we look at these 50 things, what stands out is the variety. There are major projects and small jobs. Significant community partnerships and quiet acts of generosity. Long-serving team members and young people taking their first steps into the industry.
They all contribute to the story. We’re proud to be part of a national group celebrating 50 years, and proud of the contribution our Canterbury team continues to make.
To our people, customers, suppliers, industry partners and community organisations – thank you for being part of our journey.
Here’s to the next chapter.