Pedersen Read

What Pedersen Read does

Pedersen Read is a New Zealand specialist consulting engineering firm providing electrical, communications, and security design services for large-scale public and private infrastructure projects. Founded in 1972 by Mel Pedersen in Dunedin, the firm operates two regional offices in Christchurch and Dunedin and serves clients across New Zealand with primary focus on the South Island. The client base is concentrated in ports and airports (Lyttelton Port, Christchurch and Dunedin International Airports), education (University of Otago, Southern Region Schools), healthcare (Southern District Health Board, Avenue Health), emergency services (Fire and Emergency New Zealand), local government (Dunedin City Council), and retail/commercial (Foodstuffs South Island).

The firm's service offering is organised as 12 core engineering phases (project assessment, feasibility study, cost estimation, design, documentation, investigation, measurement and analysis, risk assessment, project management, administration and observation, and follow-up services) supplemented by 11 specialised technical solutions spanning power generation and distribution (including 11kV networks), process control and SCADA systems, energy management, lighting design, audio/visual systems, fire detection, and security. Core design tooling is Computer Assisted Design (CAD) and Building Information Modelling (BIM), with the firm having been an early CAD adopter since the 1980s. Delivery is governed by a "managed innovation and client advocacy" methodology intended to protect clients from unproven technologies.

Revenue is generated through professional-services fees on a project-based, quote-driven basis with no publicly disclosed pricing tiers. The go-to-market motion is consultative enterprise field sales targeting institutional clients through long-term direct relationships, supported by industry reputation and a LinkedIn presence rather than active marketing. The firm holds no external investment, is independent and locally owned, and has not pursued acquisitions or geographic expansion beyond its two South Island offices.

Name

Pedersen Read

Legal name

Pedersen Read

Website

https://pedersenread.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pedersen Read is a New Zealand specialist consulting engineering firm, founded in 1972, providing electrical, communications, and security design services for large-scale public and private infrastructure projects across the South Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Engineering Consulting

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Testing, Inspection, Certification & Commissioning (TICx) Technical Services (BPAHAIAL)

Keywords

• Electrical engineering consulting
• Power systems design
• Lighting design services
• Security systems design
• Building services engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunedin

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional consulting engineering fees for electrical, communications, and security solutions. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements including initial assessments, feasibility studies, design services, documentation, investigation, reporting, project management, and construction observation. Long-term client relationships provide recurring project opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Pedersen Read is a specialist consulting engineering firm providing electrical, communications, and security solutions for large-scale public and private projects. The firm delivers a structured 12-phase service methodology covering project assessment, feasibility studies, cost estimation, design, documentation, investigation, reporting, measurement and analysis, risk assessment, project management, administration, and follow-up, supplemented by 11 specialised technical solutions including power generation and distribution, SCADA systems, energy management, audio/visual systems, lighting design, fire detection, and legal/regulatory services.

Product overview

Pedersen Read is a specialist consulting engineering company providing a comprehensive suite of electrical, communications, and security solutions for large-scale public and private projects. The company offers a structured service delivery methodology comprising 12 core service phases (Project Assessment, Preliminary Feasibility Study, Cost Estimation, Design Services, Design Documentation, Investigation, Reports and Evidence, Measurement and Analysis, Risk Assessment, Project Management, Project Administration and Observation, and Follow-up), supplemented by 11 specialised technical solutions covering power systems, process control, SCADA, energy management, audio/visual systems, lighting design, fire detection, and legal/regulatory services. The company operates through a managed innovation and client advocacy framework, maintaining expertise in new technologies and design methodologies to recommend solutions that protect clients from unproven or incompatible technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Assessment Initial discussions between client and project team to establish the project brief, including requirements for functionality, statutory regulation, and budget.
• Preliminary Feasibility Study Study that provides the foundation for a successful project by developing and analysing fundamentals to determine project viability and structure.
• Cost Estimation Analysis of economic factors influencing a project including capital cost, operational cost, and whole-of-life cost.
• Design Services Engineering principles and techniques applied through concept, preliminary, developed, detailed, and construction design phases.
• Design Documentation Wide range of documentation media and methods used to present design process output.
• Investigation Services Services related to condition assessment and analysis of events such as fires, electrical accidents and faults, and service quality.
• Reports and Evidence Professional report preparation including design definition, infrastructure condition, strategic review, and expert legal evidence preparation for resource consent applications.
• Measurement and Analysis Condition measurement and analysis including power quality, lighting level (illuminance), and electromagnetic field strength.
• Risk Assessment Specialised investigation and reporting for lightning and security risk assessment.
• Project Management Principal and secondary project management including liaison, facilitation, forums, administration, and sub-consultant management.
• Project Administration and Observation Services ranging from tender evaluation to commissioning supervision including cost control, reporting, payment certification, and construction observation.
• Follow-up Services Operating manuals and as-built documentation services following commissioning.
• Power Generation, Supply and Distribution High voltage (11kV) and low voltage networks, power generation and integration, industrial and commercial power supply, reticulation, protection, and quality control.
• Process Control and SCADA Systems Industrial process control and supervisory control and data acquisition systems design and implementation.
• Energy Management and Control Energy management systems and control solutions for buildings and facilities.
• Functionality Systems Lift and escalator systems, pumping systems, heating, and cabled communications systems.
• Audio Systems Background music, public address systems, emergency warning systems, and nurse and emergency call systems.
• Visual Systems Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) and master antennae television (MATV) systems.
• Lighting Design Specialist in-house design for general, emergency, and exit lighting, including dark sky compliance and environmental lighting assessments.
• Legal and Regulatory Services Assessment of environmental effects (AEE), fire cause investigations, and expert witness services.
• Fire Detection Systems Fire detection system design and implementation.
• Fire and Accident Investigation Investigation services for fire and electrical accidents.
• Managed Innovation and Client Advocacy Commitment to client advocacy recognising that electrical services and systems need to be designed for long-term value and ease of use, including managed innovation and technical leadership that protects clients from unproven or incompatible technologies.

Quantifiable outcome

• $45 million Science precinct redevelopment for University of Otago
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand (ACENZ)coreOthersProfessional membership association for consulting engineers in New Zealand. Pedersen Read staff are active members and participate in industry forums for continuous professional development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Tonkin + Taylor: New Zealand-owned engineering and environmental consultancy with strong South Island presence. Comparable as a mid-sized NZ specialist consulting firm providing technical and engineering services to public and private sector clients including infrastructure, environmental, and government work.
• Beca Group: New Zealand's largest employee-owned engineering consultancy with deep electrical building services expertise across industrial, government, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors. Operates throughout New Zealand including the South Island, and is the closest like-for-like specialist engineering firm to Pedersen Read in terms of business model, client base, and service breadth.
• Powell Fenwick: Christchurch-based mechanical and electrical building services engineering consultancy serving the South Island. Most directly comparable peer given its South Island base, electrical specialisation, and similar client mix across commercial, healthcare, and government projects.
• Babbage Consultants: New Zealand engineering consultancy with multi-disciplinary expertise including electrical building services. Operates across NZ with comparable mid-market positioning and similar project-based professional services model serving commercial, industrial, and government clients.
• Harrison Grierson: New Zealand employee-owned engineering and consulting firm with multi-disciplinary capabilities including electrical building services. Comparable as a mid-sized NZ specialist consultancy serving infrastructure, commercial, and government clients with a similar project-based professional services model.

Broad incumbents

• WSP in New Zealand: WSP is a global engineering professional services consultancy with significant New Zealand operations (following the Opus International Consultants merger). Competes for the same electrical and infrastructure engineering work as Pedersen Read but at much larger scale and broader capability breadth.
• Aurecon: Global engineering and infrastructure advisory with substantial New Zealand operations including South Island offices. Overlaps with Pedersen Read on electrical engineering and infrastructure design but operates at much larger scale with broader multi-disciplinary capabilities.
• Arup New Zealand: Global engineering consultancy with NZ presence providing multi-disciplinary engineering including electrical building services. Comparable on technical expertise and project types (airports, healthcare, cultural facilities) but at significantly larger scale.
• AECOM New Zealand: Global infrastructure consulting firm with NZ operations covering engineering, architecture, and project management. Comparable in providing electrical engineering design for large-scale public and private projects but operates across a far broader service portfolio and geographic footprint.
• Mott MacDonald New Zealand: International engineering, management, and development consultancy with NZ operations serving infrastructure, energy, and built environment sectors. Comparable on electrical and infrastructure engineering delivery for major NZ public and private clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pedersen-read

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Pedersen Read