Washtech
Washtech Limited, headquartered in Auckland, is New Zealand's largest manufacturer of commercial dishwashing equipment, producing Starline undercounter, passthrough, warewasher, and conveyor systems for hospitality, healthcare, education, and production-kitchen operators, and has been an Ali Group subsidiary since 1999.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Washtech does
Washtech Limited, headquartered at 10 Saunders Place, Avondale, Auckland, is a New Zealand-based manufacturer of commercial dishwashing equipment and the largest producer of professional warewashing systems in the country. Founded in 1981 by Des and Gary Brent as Wash Systems Limited and operating under the Starline brand, the company manufactures undercounter dishwashers, passthrough dishwashers, heavy-duty warewashers, rack conveyors, and flight conveyors — all produced locally in New Zealand. It also markets a Fisher sub-brand carrying a 12-month parts-only warranty, alongside two named proprietary technology platforms: Planet Technology, which targets water and energy consumption reductions, and Polish-Free Technology, which eliminates post-wash glass polishing.
The business sells and rents equipment via direct enterprise field sales to hospitality, healthcare, education, and production-kitchen buyers, supplemented by an authorised Starline Dealer and Service Provider network and an e-commerce parts and accessories storefront. Co-founder Gary Brent remains Managing Director, and the company has been a subsidiary of Ali Group — the world's largest manufacturer of hospitality equipment — since 1999, which provides global procurement, distribution, and service infrastructure while Washtech retains NZ manufacturing and a 15-year parts availability guarantee. Pricing for capital equipment is quote-based and excludes GST, while a rental scheme requires three months' advance payment followed by monthly debit and offers a buy-out option at recommended retail price less rental paid.
Revenue mechanics therefore span one-time equipment sales, recurring rental, recurring service and maintenance contracts for both owned and rented fleets, and transactional parts/accessories. Geographic reach is currently restricted to New Zealand despite the Ali Group affiliation, with no foreign operations disclosed. Certifications include ISO 9001 and New Zealand Made, and the brand holds an official supplier partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand for the 2021 America's Cup campaign. Headcount sits in the 51–100 range; no revenue figures, funding events, or M&A activity are disclosed in the source data.
Washtech firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Washtech
- Legal name
- Washtech Limited
- Website
- https://washtech.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Washtech Limited, headquartered in Auckland, is New Zealand's largest manufacturer of commercial dishwashing equipment, producing Starline undercounter, passthrough, warewasher, and conveyor systems for hospitality, healthcare, education, and production-kitchen operators, and has been an Ali Group subsidiary since 1999.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Washtech industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Dishwashing Equipment
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial Cooking Equipment & Parts Wholesale (AFAIALAJ), Foodservice & Kitchen Cleaning (Warewashing) Distribution (CRAOAGAH)
Keywords
Where Washtech is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Washtech business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales: One-time purchase of commercial dishwashing equipment including undercounters, passthroughs, warewashers, and conveyor systems. Sold through direct sales and authorised dealers with pricing available via quotation.
- Equipment Rental: Monthly rental agreements for dishwashing equipment with initial three-month advance payment, automatic bank transfer payments, and option to purchase after three months.
- Parts & Accessories: Sale of spare parts, components, consumables, and accessories through e-commerce store. Includes 15-year parts availability guarantee and 3-month warranty on spare parts.
- Service & Maintenance: Service maintenance and repair services provided to rental clients and equipment owners. Washtech services equipment at its own expense for rental customers within business hours, with overtime charges for after-hours service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Equipment purchase - quote-based pricing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Equipment rental - monthly payment structure |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Parts and accessories - unit pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Washtech product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Washtech manufactures and sells the Starline range of commercial dishwashing equipment, including undercounter dishwashers, passthrough dishwashers, heavy duty warewashers, and rack and flight conveyor systems, alongside a Fisher sub-brand and a parts and accessories catalogue. The company supports its equipment through direct sales, an authorised dealer network, monthly rental agreements with option to purchase, and after-sales service and maintenance. All products are manufactured in New Zealand with a 15-year parts availability guarantee.
Product overview
Washtech is New Zealand's largest manufacturer of professional dishwashing equipment, producing the Starline brand of commercial warewashing solutions. The product portfolio includes undercounter dishwashers, passthrough dishwashers, warewashers, rack conveyors, and flight conveyors, alongside Fisher branded products and a comprehensive parts and accessories range. All products are manufactured in New Zealand with a 15-year parts availability guarantee, and the company offers both direct purchase and rental agreement options. The CD & CDe Series represents the latest conveyor innovation featuring refined design, greater capacity, and improved efficiency.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Starline: Commercial dishwashers including undercounters, passthroughs, warewashers, conveyors, and flight conveyors.
- Fisher
Products and services
- Starline Undercounters High performance undercounter commercial dishwashers designed to fit beneath standard countertops for compact commercial kitchens, bars, and small restaurants.
- Starline Passthroughs High performance passthrough commercial dishwashers that allow washware to pass from a dirty side to a clean side, suited to commercial kitchens with separate soiled and clean zones.
- Starline Warewashers Heavy duty warewashers engineered for high-demand hospitality environments requiring robust cleaning of commercial kitchenware.
- Starline Conveyors (including CD & CDe Series) High capacity conveyor dishwashing systems for busy commercial environments requiring continuous, high-volume warewashing, with the CD & CDe Series delivering refined design, increased capacity, and improved efficiency.
- Starline Flight Conveyors Flight conveyor dishwashing systems designed for industrial-scale, continuous warewashing operations with very high throughput requirements.
- Starline Parts and Accessories Spare parts, components, consumables, and accessories for Starline commercial dishwashing equipment, sold direct online with a 15 year parts availability guarantee.
- Fisher Dishwashing Equipment Fisher branded commercial dishwashing equipment positioned as a sub-brand offering with a limited 12-month parts-only warranty.
- Washtech Equipment Rental Agreements Monthly rental agreements for Washtech commercial dishwashing equipment with an initial three-month advance payment, automatic bank transfer monthly billing, and an option to purchase the equipment after three months.
- Washtech Service and Maintenance Service, maintenance, and repair services for Washtech commercial dishwashing equipment, including in-business-hours servicing for rental customers at the company's expense and after-hours support at additional charge.
Companies that use Washtech
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Washtech technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Washtech partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Ali GroupcoreWashtech joined Ali Group in 1999. Ali Group's portfolio of brands makes it the world's largest manufacturer of hospitality equipment. This ownership relationship provides Washtech with global expertise and resources while the company continues to manufacture products in New Zealand. Co-founder Gary Brent remains as Managing Director.
- Emirates Team New ZealandflagshipWashtech is an official supplier for Emirates Team New Zealand's America's Cup 2021 campaign. This partnership demonstrates the company's connection to New Zealand's sporting achievements and validates the quality and reliability of Washtech products.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Washtech competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Esstech Industries: Esstech is an Australia-based supplier and manufacturer-affiliated distributor of commercial dishwashing equipment for the Australian and Pacific foodservice market. Comparable as a regional player addressing the same product category and overlapping geography adjacent to Washtech's NZ base.
Broad incumbents
- Middleby Corporation: Middleby is one of the world's largest commercial foodservice equipment manufacturers, encompassing multiple warewashing brands including Jackson. Relevant as a broad incumbent holding competing warewashing brands that overlap with Washtech's product lines and customer base.
- Electrolux Professional: Electrolux Professional is a broad-line global manufacturer of commercial kitchen equipment including dishwashing, cooking, and refrigeration solutions. Comparable as a broader incumbent serving overlapping hospitality and foodservice customers with a wider product portfolio than Washtech.
Others
- Ali Group (peer brands): Ali Group, Washtech's parent, owns multiple warewashing and commercial kitchen equipment brands globally (e.g., Hobart, Ali Spa, Bonnet). Relevant as ecosystem siblings that share group-level resources and may serve as expansion vehicles for Washtech's Starline brand.
Direct peers
- CMA Dishmachines: CMA Dishmachines is a US-based manufacturer of commercial undercounter and door-type dishwashers for foodservice operations. Directly comparable as a focused commercial warewashing manufacturer targeting similar small-to-mid-size hospitality and institutional customers.
- Hobart (ITW Food Equipment): Hobart is one of the world's leading manufacturers of commercial dishwashing and warewashing equipment, offering undercounter, door-type, and conveyor systems. Directly comparable as a competitor in the same commercial warewashing category Washtech serves, with similar product types and customer base.
- MEIKO: MEIKO is a German manufacturer of commercial warewashing technology, producing undercounter, front-door, and flight-type dishwashing systems for foodservice and healthcare. Directly competes with Washtech across similar product categories and end markets, including a strong focus on hygiene-critical sectors.
- Winterhalter Gastronom: Winterhalter is a specialist manufacturer of commercial dishwashing systems, offering undercounter, rack conveyor, and flight-type machines with proprietary cleaning chemistry. Closely comparable as a focused warewashing specialist serving restaurants, hotels, and catering operations.
- Jackson (Middleby): Jackson WWS is a US commercial warewashing manufacturer within Middleby Corporation, producing conveyor and undercounter dishwashers. Comparable as a peer in the Starline product category with similar end customers in foodservice and institutional settings.
Emerging players
- Smeg Professional: Smeg Professional produces commercial dishwashers and foodservice equipment under the Smeg brand, with growing international distribution. Comparable as an emerging player expanding into the commercial warewashing segment Washtech serves.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Washtech social profiles
Digital presenceWashtech compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Washtech financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Washtech leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Washtech funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Washtech M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Washtech
What does Washtech do?
Washtech manufactures and sells the Starline range of commercial dishwashing equipment, including undercounter dishwashers, passthrough dishwashers, heavy duty warewashers, and rack and flight conveyor systems, alongside a Fisher sub-brand and a parts and accessories catalogue. The company supports its equipment through direct sales, an authorised dealer network, monthly rental agreements with option to purchase, and after-sales service and maintenance. All products are manufactured in New Zealand with a 15-year parts availability guarantee.
Is Washtech a public or private company?
Washtech is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Washtech founded?
Washtech was founded in 1981. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Washtech based?
Washtech is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Washtech make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rental, parts & Accessories and service & Maintenance.
Who are Washtech's main competitors?
Esstech Industries is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Middleby Corporation and Electrolux Professional. Ali Group (peer brands) is listed as an others. Direct peers are CMA Dishmachines, Hobart (ITW Food Equipment), MEIKO, Winterhalter Gastronom and Jackson (Middleby). Smeg Professional is listed as an emerging player.
Does Washtech have an API?
No public API is recorded for Washtech.
What industry is Washtech in?
Washtech's product category is Commercial Dishwashing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIALAB, Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAIALAJ, Commercial Cooking Equipment & Parts Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 33331 and its SIC code is 5080.