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Great Scott! Construction success in Nelson
Managing risk, fostering innovation, and bringing impressive buildings to life: Scott Construction’s track record speaks for itself. Success has come from partnering with trusted suppliers, especially during challenging times.
As Scott Construction Managing Director Justin Candish reveals, passion for the industry goes hand in hand with successful partnerships.
“Positive partnerships are essential in Nelson because interactions with contractors, clients, banks, and other suppliers are never one-offs. Build quality and relationships remain after the other elements of a job are complete,” says Justin.
“We also view innovation as key to staying current in a changing market. We strive to be problem solvers to ensure the best project outcome.”
“Our company vision is to deliver buildings that make a difference to the community, and we are continuously striving to balance project outcomes against local benefit.”
Justin Candish - Managing Director, Scott Construction
The right skills and experience
The diverse experience the wider Scott Construction team possess is crucial to every project. “Many of our staff have been with the business for more than 10 years and a number well over 20 and even 30 years. We have an established career pathways, formalised mentoring, and a range of training and development opportunities,” Justin explains.
While the scale of some of the new build projects the company undertakes is large, it is often alteration work to existing buildings that poses some of the biggest challenges.
One such project was the refurbishment of Nelson Building Society’s (NBS) flagship facility, where the company has been based since 1910. Bringing together the rich history of NBS, while providing modern amenities to both clients and staff, the fit-out proved a highly complex project for a relatively small job.
“I’m very proud of the way our team worked closely to overcome the challenges while maintaining a very high standard of safety,” says Justin. Despite the difficulties and short six-month time frame, Scott Construction delivered the project on time and to budget.
Architectural homes, new builds and renovation projects all present their own challenges.
Proactive risk management is key
With the building industry currently battling the headwinds of global supply chain delays, how have Justin and his team kept the company’s many projects on track?
“Our subcontract network and supply chain is increasingly unpredictable, more so than it has been historically,” says Justin. “However, we have a strong network of productive relationships, which is a key element in the success of our projects at a time when others may be struggling to resource their jobs.
“We also have a culture of proactive risk management. We are constantly planning ahead and may recommend early ordering and off-site storage where procurement risks are identified, to ensure the products are available when we need them.”
Supporting local
‘Supporting local’ is a big part of the Scott Construction philosophy, with the company taking its role as a major employer in the Nelson Tasman region seriously. “We are committed to sourcing materials and subcontract trades locally wherever possible,” says Justin.
“Our company vision is to deliver buildings that make a difference to the community, and we are continuously striving to balance project outcomes against local benefit.”
“We also pride ourselves on being able to facilitate collaboration between contractors, to deliver large packages of work that might otherwise be handled by a Wellington, Christchurch, or Auckland subbie. This sort of cooperation keeps the benefits within the region as much as possible.”
Evolving construction insurance needs
With a growing team and vehicle fleet, and larger scale developments, Scott Construction’s insurance needs have evolved in tandem with the business.
“Crombie Lockwood has been servicing the Scott Group of Companies’ insurance requirements for over five years now, including our Nelson, Blenheim and Queenstown branches, and Nayland Scaffold,” explains Justin. “The comprehensive cover provided by their SMARTpak and Purpl liability insurance packages, which are exclusive to Crombie Lockwood, is far superior to any others and provide us with peace of mind that our risks are well managed.”
“Having Senior Commercial Broker, Grant McBeath, as our local broker with his wealth of knowledge and experience is an advantage to Scotts,” says Justin.
“We trust that Crombie Lockwood have our best interests at heart and are always available to answer queries, provide advice, and the best service and value. Having the Crombie Lockwood Nelson branch locally means we can rely on them to support us in times of need."
Published April 2022