McKay

What McKay does

McKay is one of New Zealand's largest privately owned electrical contracting companies, founded in 1936 in Dargaville and now headquartered in Whangārei. The group operates across five vertical sectors — Industrial, Infrastructure, Construction, Renewables, and Marine — delivering end-to-end services spanning design, engineering, pre-construction, construction, and 24/7 maintenance. It serves government agencies (Watercare, Wellington City Council, Auckland Transport, KiwiRail, NIWA) and enterprise customers (Elecnor, Ports of Auckland, Channel Infrastructure, CPB Contractors, Babcock, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Hawaiki Cable), with 500+ employees distributed across 11 New Zealand branches and a USA office established in 2008.

The company's technology stack centers on electrical engineering and power systems, automation and control, SCADA, marine electrification, and renewable energy systems (utility-scale solar, geothermal, wind, BESS). Notable proprietary capabilities include High-Power Charging for Commercial Vehicles exceeding 1000kW, 3D-to-5D BIM workflows, modular wiring systems, the DALI sensor-based aquaculture lighting platform, and in-house switchboard manufacturing through the MGE New Zealand division. The marine division services vessels of 30–145m, including naval defence sustainment, and holds a provisional supplier position on the Babcock Arrowhead 140 Royal New Zealand Navy Fleet renewal programme.

McKay is structured as a multi-brand group comprising McKay, Ward Chandler (integrated January 1, 2025), MGE New Zealand, Cervina Marine, Maintenir (maintenance joint venture), and McKay Marine. It is a privately held, Māori-owned company controlled by the Faithfull family under Managing Director Lindsay Faithfull, Amotai-registered for supplier diversity, and operates a project-based revenue model with recurring maintenance contracts (e.g., 35,000+ streetlights under management, 50+ year partnership with Channel Infrastructure).

Name

McKay

Legal name

McKay Ltd

Website

https://mckay.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

McKay is one of New Zealand's largest privately owned electrical contracting companies, delivering design, engineering, construction, and maintenance services across industrial, infrastructure, construction, renewables, and marine sectors to government and enterprise clients nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Contracting Services

NAICS

Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (3353), Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313), Motor and Generator Manufacturing (335312)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Motors & Generators (3621)

akta.pro primary industry

Electrical Contracting & Wiring (IMAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Low-Voltage Switchboards & Panelboards (LV distribution panels, MCCs, switchboards) (IMAGAEAA), Integrated Marine Electrical Systems & Switchboards (IMAJAJAA), Marine Hybrid & Electric Propulsion Systems (IMAJAHAC), Switchgear & Switchboards (HV/MV/LV, GIS/AIS) (IMAGAAAB), Industrial Control Cabinets & Power Distribution (Panels, Switchgear for Automation) (IMAHAHAK), Electrical Engineering & Power Distribution (Generation, Switchboards, Cabling, Lighting) (IMAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Electrical contracting services
• Switchboard manufacturing
• Marine electrification
• Renewable energy systems
• Industrial electrical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Whangarei

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Electrical Design Services: Comprehensive electrical design services including load calculations, schematics, switchboard layouts, power systems distribution, and coordination studies for industrial, infrastructure, and construction projects.
2. Electrical Construction Services: LV and HV construction works including transformers, RMUs, generator packages, UPS systems, switchgear, lighting, distribution boards, and automation systems installation for projects of all sizes.
3. Maintenance Services: 24/7 electrical maintenance solutions including reactive maintenance, scheduled maintenance, asset management, thermographic imaging, IQP testing, switchboard service, UPS, and emergency power systems. Generates recurring service revenue.
4. Switchboard Manufacturing (MGE): MGE switchboard division designs and manufactures switchboards including MSBs, MCCs, PLC cabinets, and distribution boards, providing hardware sales revenue.
5. Marine Services: End-to-end electrical and automation services for marine vessels 30-145m including electrification, alarm and monitoring systems, and naval defence sustainment.
6. Renewable Energy Solutions: Design, installation, and maintenance of utility scale solar, geothermal, wind power, and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

McKay is a New Zealand electrical contracting company delivering end-to-end electrical design, engineering, pre-construction, construction, and maintenance services across industrial, infrastructure, construction, renewables, and marine sectors. The company operates 11 branches nationwide and manufactures switchboards in-house through its MGE division, while also providing specialized marine electrification and high-power EV charging infrastructure.

Product overview

McKay is an electrical contracting company offering a comprehensive suite of services organized around five core offerings: Design, Engineering, Pre-construction, Construction, and Maintenance. The company operates across five key sectors: Industrial, Infrastructure, Construction, Renewables, and Marine. McKay functions as a multi-brand group comprising McKay (core electrical services), Ward Chandler (Auckland operations, integrated 2025), MGE New Zealand (switchboard manufacturing division), Cervina Marine (marine services), Maintenir (maintenance joint venture), and McKay Marine (dedicated marine division). The portfolio includes specialized products such as SCADA systems for infrastructure monitoring, EV charging infrastructure capable of 1000kW+ for commercial vehicles and maritime vessels, streetlighting with integrated control monitoring systems, and shoreside charging infrastructure for electric vessels. The group serves diverse markets from petrochemicals and manufacturing to renewable energy projects and naval defence, with operations spanning New Zealand, the South Pacific, and the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ward Chandler: Electrical contracting brand serving Auckland region, acquired in 2015 and integrated in 2025
• MGE New Zealand
• Cervina Marine
• Maintenir

Products and services

• Design Services Electrical engineering design services including design brief specification, functional description, safety-in-design documentation, and test documentation preparation, collaborating with mechanical and civil engineering consultants for comprehensive project designs.
• Engineering Services In-house electrical engineering services covering power systems distribution SLDs, load/fault current/earthing/breaker coordination calculations, schematics, cable schedules, automation engineering, software development, and switchboard design.
• Pre-construction Services Early contractor involvement, detailed electrical design with load calculations and schematics, value engineering, risk assessments, technical feasibility studies, and regulatory compliance coordination.
• Construction Services Comprehensive electrical construction including LV and HV works, transformers, RMUs, generator packages, UPS systems, switchgear, lighting and distribution installation, utilizing 3D through 5D BIM technologies and modular wiring systems.
• Maintenance Services 24/7 electrical maintenance solutions including reactive and proactive maintenance, asset management, temporary power generation, thermographic imaging, IQP testing, switchboard service, UPS and emergency power systems.
• MGE New Zealand Switchboard Manufacturing Switchboard manufacturing division acquired in 2010, producing MSBs, MCCs, PLC cabinets, distribution boards, and MGE NZ Powerak switchboards for industrial applications.
• McKay Marine Services Nationwide marine division providing complete end-to-end electrical, automation, and engineering services for vessels 30-145m, including superyachts, commercial vessels, and naval defence vessels, supported by design, engineering, and software development teams.
• McKay Renewables Specialized division focused on renewable energy development including utility scale solar, geothermal, wind energy, and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
• EV Charging Infrastructure Electric vehicle charging infrastructure including High-Power Charging for Commercial Vehicles (HPCCV) capable of delivering charge rates exceeding 1000kW, designed for road vehicles and maritime vessels.
• Streetlighting and Control Monitoring Systems LED streetlighting upgrades with control and monitoring systems (CMS), managing over 35,000 streetlights and almost 20,000 LED upgrades, integrated with RAMM data for asset management.
• Shoreside Charging Infrastructure Marine vessel charging infrastructure including substations and charging arms with CCS2 HP plugs, supporting electric vessel charging systems such as the Sparky electric tug charging deployment.

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 emissions reduced by approximately 465 tonnes per year with Sparky electric tug
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• M&I Electrics LimitedcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2025Acquired in 2025 to strengthen marine capabilities, continuing McKay's strategy of building marine sector expertise through targeted acquisitions.
• Circa Marine LimitedstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration on Samoa's first low-carbon maritime project (CAP-IT project), constructing solar electric vessels in Whangarei for Samoan communities.
• EMA (Employers and Manufacturers Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with EMA to deliver bespoke Introductory and Advanced Supervisor Training programme for teams across Aotearoa.
• Golden Gate Ferries of San FranciscostrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on Liwa Class Ferry Program announced in 2024, set to commence in early 2025. McKay providing expertise in vessel electrification and charging infrastructure.
• DockmateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Certified Dockmate dealer since 2024, expanding marine division capabilities for vessel positioning and docking systems.
• McKay, Saft, and Meridian PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership on Ruakaka BESS project with Saft (battery technology) and Meridian Energy, contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand's sustainable energy future.
• The Royal New Zealand Navy and The Royal Australian NavystrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on vessel sustainment programmes and marine automation solutions with both navies.
• BabcockstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Provisional supplier agreement signed in 2023 for Arrowhead 140 proposal for Royal New Zealand Navy Fleet renewal programme, a crucial role in maritime defence sector.
• SEANZ (Sustainable Energy Association NZ)minorOthers · 1 January 2023Member of SEANZ which develops resilient energy systems in New Zealand.
• Lightyears SolarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for solar projects including Morley Road Solar Farm, sharing learnings and experience to ensure project success.
• NB SmartCitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture formed in 2017 focused on smart city solutions and technologies.
• Ward ChandlercoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2015Acquired in 2015, Ward Chandler doubled Auckland operations. Brand was fully integrated into McKay operations effective January 1, 2025.
• Cervina MarinecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2015Acquired to strengthen the marine division capabilities, enhancing McKay's position in the marine market.
• MaintenircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Joint venture formed in 2013 to deliver total engineering maintenance and project solutions, extending McKay's service capabilities in maintenance and engineering services.
• MGE (Macdonald Geary Electrical)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2010Acquired in 2010, MGE became the official switchboard division of McKay, designing and manufacturing switchboards including MSBs, MCCs, PLC cabinets, and distribution boards under the MGE NZ Powerak brand.
• Empower EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help provide energy equity for low-income households, supporting energy accessibility.
• Te Matarau TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelationship established to support Maori business development and economic growth in the region.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• Saft (TotalEnergies): Battery technology provider partnered with McKay and Meridian Energy on the Ruakaka BESS project; not a direct competitor but an ecosystem partner enabling McKay's entry into utility-scale battery energy storage.

Broad incumbents

• Schneider Electric: Global specialist in energy management and automation; competes with MGE for switchgear and competes with McKay's broader electrical scope through equipment, software, and services offerings, but at much larger global scale across many verticals.
• ABB: Global electrical equipment and automation manufacturer; competes with MGE in switchgear and switchboards and competes broadly with McKay's industrial electrical scope at the equipment vendor level, but operates as an incumbent supplier rather than a contractor.

Regional players

• MYR Group: US publicly traded electrical construction services company delivering T&D, commercial, and industrial work; comparable business model of multi-sector electrical contracting but operating at larger scale and entirely US-focused with no direct NZ overlap.
• Babcock International: UK-headquartered defence and naval engineering firm; partner of McKay on the NZDF Arrowhead 140 proposal and overlap in marine electrical and automation services for naval vessels.

Direct peers

• Downer Group: Australia and NZ's largest infrastructure services contractor with significant electrical services exposure across transport, utilities, and renewables; directly competes with McKay on NZ infrastructure tenders and operates a similar multi-vertical services model.
• Fulton Hogan: NZ and Australia-headquartered infrastructure contractor with road, water, civil, and electrical services; comparable scale and geographic footprint with overlapping customer base in NZ local government and infrastructure projects.
• Stowe Group: Australian electrical, communications, and renewable infrastructure services contractor with similar multi-sector exposure (industrial, commercial, renewables); comparable in scale, delivery model, and capability breadth.
• Ventia: ANZ-based infrastructure services provider delivering electrical maintenance, construction, and operations across transport, utilities, defence, and renewables; closely comparable diversified vertical model and recently listed peer with similar customer concentration in government and utilities.
• Electrix (Equans): NZ electrical infrastructure services company (now part of Equans/Engie), delivering design, construction, and maintenance for electricity networks, streetlighting, and renewable connections; the most direct NZ-based competitor in McKay's core electrical contracting segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mckayltdnz
• Facebookfacebook.com/McKayLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mckay
• Instagraminstagram.com/mckayltd

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McKay