For local Hawke’s Bay civil infrastructure company Tūpore, 2024 was a tale of two distinct chapters. The first half saw the company firing on all cylinders, tackling cyclone recovery projects alongside their regular work for local and national government clients. However, as chief executive Gavin O’Connor explains, the second half brought new challenges as funding decisions and government changes slowed the pace of projects.
Despite these hurdles, 2024 delivered major wins for the company. “Being appointed to Hastings District Council’s contractor panel for the cyclone rebuild was a significant milestone,” Gavin shares. “And winning Supreme Winner at the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards really validated our strategy and the solid foundations we’ve built.” Looking ahead to 2025, Gavin sees a landscape rich with opportunity.
Tūpore is investing heavily in the future, with a new Asphalt Plant at their Omahu Road site set to triple their production capacity. The plant represents a significant step toward sustainability, switching from diesel power to a combination of gas and electricity, while enabling warm asphalt solutions and recycled materials. The regional infrastructure outlook appears promising.
“The combination of ongoing cyclone rebuild work and the planned four-laning of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway should bring an uplift in infrastructure works rarely witnessed within the region,” he notes. However, he remains pragmatic about the challenges ahead, acknowledging that the private market remains slow and competition for works is fierce.
A key focus for Tūpore is ensuring Hawke’s Bay has sustainable access to aggregate materials – crucial for the region’s infrastructure needs. With major projects on the horizon, they’re strengthening their aggregates business to meet demand without relying on materials from outside the region.
“There’s been a renewed push for ‘supporting local’ since the cyclone,” he observes. “When you support local businesses, that spend flows directly back into the local economy.”
He emphasizes the importance of building regional capability, suggesting that outside expertise should be the exception rather than the rule. Gavin also highlights the need for
more stable work cycles.
“Last year’s rollercoaster of high workloads followed by significant drops in demand is almost impossible to sustain,” he explains.
His vision for a more resilient industry involves better alignment of funding and delivery cycles, with less disruption from political changes. With upcoming opportunities like the NZTA maintenance contract re-tender, Tūpore is positioning itself as a key player in partnerships that could build lasting local capability. As the region continues its recovery and growth, Gavin and his team are focused on turning challenges into opportunities, while keeping their eyes firmly on the long-term prize: a more resilient and sustainable infrastructure sector for Hawke’s Bay.
