What Brightwater Engineering does

Brightwater Engineering Ltd is a privately held, New Zealand-based multi-disciplined industrial engineering company founded in 1969 and headquartered in Nelson, with additional branches in Auckland and Greymouth. The firm operates across the full engineering lifecycle — design and draughting, CNC machining, structural and stainless steel fabrication (ASME-certified welding), blast and paint, on-site installation, electrical and automation (PLC/SCADA), shutdown maintenance, site works, and marine engineering — delivered either as discrete services or bundled into turnkey EPC projects. Core production infrastructure includes a 1,600m² Nelson workshop (with 14m x 6m entry doors, capacity up to 600 tonnes of heavy fabrication per month, and a 100kW solar array commissioned in 2024) and an 860m² Greymouth workshop operated by subsidiary Gray Brothers Engineering. Proprietary and agency-distributed products include the Brightwater Yarder Grapple 2700HD, BE 70 Tower Yarder, Brightwater Log Forks, Gray Brothers Goldscreens (100+ units sold globally), Saxlund sliding frame silos and push floors (NZ/AU agency), and Rimex industrial wheel and rim assemblies (NZ agency).

The company serves enterprise clients across Australasia in mining (Solid Energy, Bathurst Resources, BT Mining, Oceana Gold), quarry and aggregate (Barro Group Australia, Higgins), wood processing (Pan Pac, Nelson Pine Industries, Daiken), dairy (Fonterra, Oceania Dairy, Yashili), manufacturing (Holcim Australia, ABC Tissue), aviation (Air New Zealand), marine (Talley's/Sealord, Port Nelson), and construction/infrastructure (Downer, Fulton Hogan, Nelson City Council). Revenue mechanics are predominantly project-based, quote-driven professional services (turnkey EPC contracts plus individual engineering services) supplemented by recurring shutdown maintenance contracts and proprietary/agency hardware sales. Notable marquee projects include the NZ$124 million Stockton Coal Handling & Processing Plant (Solid Energy), the Barro Wyndhamvale greenfield quarry plant (600 tph, 55,000 man-hours, 1.6 km of conveyors), and the automated Holcim Rooty Hill RDC (RFID-driven, 2,500 tph, 36 wagons in 90 minutes).

The business is family-owned (Grey family, since 1979), holds SFC Certification to CC3 level and an above-industry-average independent Health & Safety track record, and operates without external institutional investment. The leadership team comprises CEO David Bowman, CFO Barry Davies, and Sales & Marketing Manager Jason Hearn. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales through the three NZ branches with project delivery extending across New Zealand and Australia.

Name

Brightwater Engineering

Legal name

Brightwater Engineering Ltd

Website

https://brightwater.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Brightwater Engineering is a New Zealand-headquartered, multi-disciplined industrial engineering firm providing turnkey EPC, steel fabrication, automation, marine, and maintenance services — plus proprietary forestry and gold-recovery products — to enterprise clients across Australasia's mining, quarry, dairy, wood processing, and infrastructure sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Engineering Services

NAICS

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Steelwork & Fabrication Facilities (Plate/Section Processing, Welding Lines) (IMAJALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Steel Fabrication & Marine Engineering (Custom Fabrication, Modifications, Conversions) (TLAHAMAH), Electrical Engineering & Power Distribution (Generation, Switchboards, Cabling, Lighting) (IMAJAGAF), Surface Preparation & Coating Facilities (Blasting, Paint Shops, Environmental Containment) (IMAJALAI)

Keywords

• Industrial engineering services
• Steel fabrication services
• Turnkey project delivery
• Marine engineering services
• Bulk materials handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Nelson

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Multi-disciplined engineering services including steel fabrication, machine shop, blast and paint, on-site installation and construction, design and draughting, electrical installation and automation, shut down maintenance, site works, and marine engineering. Provided as individual services or bundled as part of turnkey projects.
2. Turnkey Project Delivery: Full project lifecycle from initial concept through design, procurement, fabrication, construction, installation, and commissioning. Includes complete engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) delivery for greenfield industrial facilities.
3. Proprietary Products: Sale of manufactured products including BE 70 Tower Yarders, Purpose Built Forestry Cabs, Log Forks, Swing Yarder Grapples (Brightwater Yarder Grapple 2700HD), Gray Brothers Goldscreens, Rimex industrial wheels and rims. Also agency sales of Saxlund Push Floors and Sliding Frame Silos.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brightwater Engineering is a multi-disciplined industrial engineering firm that delivers steel fabrication, custom machining, blast and paint, on-site installation, mechanical/electrical design and draughting, electrical installation and automation (PLC/SCADA), shutdown maintenance, site works, marine engineering, and full turnkey project delivery. It also manufactures and supplies proprietary forestry equipment (BE 70 Tower Yarder, Brightwater Log Forks, Swing Yarder Grapple 2700HD, purpose-built forestry cabs, forestry guarding packages) and holds agencies for Saxlund bulk solids handling silos/push floors and Rimex off-road wheel/rim assemblies, with a subsidiary (Gray Brothers Engineering) manufacturing Goldscreens for gold recovery.

Product overview

Brightwater Engineering is a multi-disciplined engineering company offering a portfolio of in-house services and proprietary/manufactured products. Its service arm covers the full project lifecycle through nine distinct engineering services: Steel Fabrication, Machine Shop, Blast and Paint, On-Site Installation and Construction, Design and Draughting, Electrical Installation and Automation, Shut Down Maintenance, Site Works, and Marine Engineering — plus Turnkey Solutions that integrate these services for large-scale projects in quarry/aggregate, mining, and wood processing sectors. The products portfolio consists of proprietary Brightwater-branded forestry equipment (BE 70 Tower Yarder, Forestry Guarding Packages, Purpose Built Forestry Cabs, Log Forks, and Swing Yarder Grapple 2700HD), subsidiary-manufactured Gray Brothers Goldscreens for gold recovery, agency-distributed Saxlund Push Floors and Sliding Frame Silos for bulk solids handling, and agency-distributed Rimex MES and TSR Series off-road wheels. Together, the services provide the engineering capability to design, build, and install the products, creating a vertically integrated offering from component-level manufacturing to complete turnkey project delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gray Brothers Engineering: Subsidiary company providing steel fabrication and site erection services, known for Goldscreens products for gold recovery.
• Brightwater Yarder Grapple

Products and services

• Steel Fabrication Structural and stainless steel fabrication, pipe welding, conveyor fabrication, and mobile industrial machinery assembly for clients across mining, quarry, wood processing, dairy, marine, construction and infrastructure sectors. Delivered from the Nelson (1,600m²) and Greymouth (860m²) workshops with capacity for up to 600 tonnes of heavy fabrication per month.
• Machine Shop CNC production turning and milling, line boring, large CNC lathe work (4m centres, 1.8m swing, 16t capacity), and custom parts machining delivered from Brightwater's Nelson and Greymouth workshops.
• Blast and Paint Two undercover blast and paint facilities for high-volume prefabricated and fabricated steelwork. Includes multiple media blasting options and coating techniques, overseen by an in-house coating specialist and QA inspector.
• On-Site Installation and Construction Customised on-site installation and construction services tailored to specific client and project requirements across industrial sectors.
• Design and Draughting Detailed mechanical and electrical drawings (including 3D modelling) that serve as blueprints for manufacturing and assembly of mechanical and electrical systems.
• Electrical Installation and Automation Full-range industrial electrical services covering new installations, ongoing maintenance contracts, PLC and SCADA automation systems, and upgrades of legacy automation infrastructure (such as replacing 1771 PLC K with Rockwell 1756-L62S safety PLCs).
• Shut Down Maintenance Specialised engineering labour services delivered during planned plant shutdowns to minimise downtime and maximise reliability of client facilities.
• Site Works On-site engineering solutions designed to reduce client production downtime and minimise operational impact, including maintenance and repair services delivered at customer sites.
• Marine Engineering Marine engineering services including hull plating, certified welding, full marine refits, winch overhauls, fish hold maintenance, stainless and aluminium fabrication, pipe welding, and oil rig repairs and maintenance delivered at Port Nelson.
• Turnkey Solutions Full project lifecycle delivery from initial concept through design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and commissioning for clients in quarry and aggregate, mining, and wood processing sectors.
• BE 70 Tower Yarder Purpose-built tower yarder for demanding forest environments, featuring six-speed powershift transmission with joystick gear selection and single-level joysticks for winch control. Designed and built by Brightwater Engineering for the New Zealand forestry sector.
• Forestry Guarding Packages Customised forestry guarding solutions for loggers, built at Brightwater's dedicated forestry workshop by staff with over 75 years of combined forestry experience.
• Purpose Built Forestry Cabs FOPS, OPS, and ROPS-certified cabs for forestry machines providing operator protection, visibility, and durability, designed with input from loggers.
• Brightwater Log Forks Single-section log forks with internal trusses for added strength, setting a 30-year standard for productivity and toughness in the field.
• Swing Yarder Grapple 2700HD Heavy-duty swing yarder grapple engineered for New Zealand logging conditions. Features 2,700mm jaw opening, 1,400kg weight, manganese eyes, Bisalloy hard-faced log jaws, induction-hardened pins, and hand-tool disassembly with no hot work required.
• Gray Brothers Goldscreens Floating and land-based gold recovery screening plants manufactured by Brightwater's subsidiary Gray Brothers Engineering. Over 100 units sold worldwide. Available as portable testing plants processing 3–4 cubic metres per hour.
• Saxlund Push Floor Saxlund International push floor discharge machines for square and rectangular bunkers handling non-free-flowing bulk solid materials, using hydraulic-driven parallel pusher frames across a flat floor. Distributed in New Zealand and Australia under Brightwater's Saxlund agency.
• Saxlund Sliding Frame Silos Saxlund sliding frame silos for non-free-flowing and difficult materials including de-watered sludge cakes and biomass. Available in diameters from 2.5m to 12m with capacities from 5m³ to 2,500m³. Distributed in New Zealand and Australia under Brightwater's Saxlund agency.
• Rimex MES Series Wheels Machined Extreme Service (MES) industrial off-road wheel and rim assemblies — the first wheels produced using fully machined sections, with stronger lock rings, heavier flanges, and precision-machined gutter discs. Distributed in New Zealand under Brightwater's Rimex agency.
• Rimex TSR Series Wheels Taper Secure Radial (TSR) industrial off-road wheel and rim assemblies with stronger lock rings, heavier flanges, and fully machined precision gutter discs for increased wheel life and dependability. Distributed in New Zealand under Brightwater's Rimex agency.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 600 tonnes of heavy fabrication per month
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ixom AustraliacoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the Yashili Water Treatment Plant project. Ixom Australia worked with Brightwater to deliver the complete EPC water treatment facility, providing water treatment technology expertise for treating raw water high in iron and manganese.
• Industrial Controls Christchurch LtdsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the Daiken PLC K Upgrade project. Worked alongside Brightwater to deliver the upgrade of the 1771 PLC K system to Rockwell 1756-L62S safety PLC, replacing the DH+ network with Ethernet/Fibre backbone.
• Real SteelsupportingOthersSupplier of laser-cut Corten steel panels for the Saltwater Creek Bridge project. Panels featured alternating wheku and kōwhaiwhai patterns designed by toi Māori artist Fayne Robinson, symbolising the eight iwi of Te Tauihu.
• Lift n ShiftsupportingOthersCrane hire company engaged for the Saltwater Creek Bridge installation. Carefully craned the single-span warren truss bridge design into place after fabrication and painting by Brightwater.
• Gray Brothers EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary company of Brightwater Engineering. Specialises in Goldscreens for gold recovery and provides additional fabrication capacity. Operates from Greymouth workshop. Has manufactured over 100 Goldscreen units sold worldwide.
• Saxlund InternationalcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSaxlund International is the original manufacturer for sliding frame silos and push floors. Brightwater holds the exclusive agency for Saxlund products in New Zealand and Australia, providing design, supply, and installation services.
• RimexcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerRimex is a manufacturer of industrial off-road wheel and rim assemblies. Brightwater holds the New Zealand agency for Rimex products including Taper Secure Radial (TSR) and Machined Extreme Service (MES) series wheels. Brightwater also provides full inspection, NDT testing, maintenance and repair of wheel and rim assemblies.
• Foster WheelersupportingTechnology or IntegrationBoiler technology provider for the Oceania Dairy 30MW boiler project. Foster Wheeler provided specific technology for efficient firing on Lignite fuel. Brightwater managed fabrication works in India and China with design verified by Lloyds in England.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HEB Construction: New Zealand-based civil construction and structural engineering contractor with fabrication capabilities. Comparable in providing structural steel, bridge fabrication, and infrastructure projects for NZ government and enterprise clients.
• Calibre Group: Australian multi-disciplinary engineering, project delivery, and asset management firm serving mining, infrastructure, and energy clients. Directly comparable in providing integrated engineering, fabrication, and maintenance services to mining and industrial clients across Australasia.
• Sedgman: Australian mineral processing and bulk materials handling engineering firm delivering design, construction, and operations support. Comparable to Brightwater's coal handling, mineral processing, and bulk materials handling turnkey projects.
• CPC Engineering: Australian engineering firm specialising in design, fabrication, and construction of mineral processing plants and bulk materials handling systems. Closely comparable to Brightwater's mining/quarry turnkey and bulk solids handling capabilities.
• Gekko Systems: Australian designer and manufacturer of mineral processing and gold recovery equipment, including screening and concentration systems. Direct comparable to Gray Brothers Goldscreens for gold recovery processing equipment sales globally.

Broad incumbents

• FLSmidth: Global supplier of equipment and services for mining and cement industries, including bulk materials handling and mineral processing. Comparable at scale to Brightwater's mining/quarry equipment and EPC delivery capabilities for similar customer profiles.
• Ventia: Large Australasian infrastructure services and maintenance provider across transport, utilities, and industrial sectors. Overlaps with Brightwater in industrial maintenance, shutdown services, and electrical/automation work for enterprise clients.
• Downer EDI: Large Australasian engineering, infrastructure, and mining services provider with capabilities spanning design, fabrication, construction, and asset maintenance. Comparable across Brightwater's mining, quarry, and infrastructure verticals at greater scale.
• Fulton Hogan: Major Australasian infrastructure, civil construction, and maintenance services company with significant New Zealand operations. Overlaps with Brightwater in quarry plant construction, infrastructure fabrication, and site works for industrial clients.

Others

• Holcim (formerly LafargeHolcim) Australia NZ: Global building materials and aggregates company operating across Australasia. Connected as a customer reference (Rooty Hill RDC project) and as an aggregate/quarry operator that consumes similar engineering services to those Brightwater provides.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/engineering.nelson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brightwater-engineering

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Brightwater Engineering