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Armstrong Downes Ltd’s outstanding construction of the Paraparaumu Fire Station was the worthy winner of the Industrial and Infrastructure Project in the Registered Master Builders 2009 Commercial Project Awards, in association with PlaceMakers.

The 1130 sq m fire station is the first to be built on the Kapiti Coast in 50 years, and is able to house four fire trucks which will be used to make more than 600 call-outs a year.
Directors Simon Taylor and Tony Doile, who purchased Armstrong Downes Ltd in 2004, knew they had a great project when they entered the fire station into the awards.
“The Wellington co-ordinator actually encouraged us to enter,” Mr Taylor says. “We’d never entered the competition before, and thought we may as well give it a shot. Lucky for us it paid off.”

Mr Doile believes Armstrong Downes Ltd has established a benchmark for future fire stations.
“The Kapiti station features sophisticated technological and environmental systems to improve call-out efficiency and ‘grey water’ recovery. We even implemented a fume extraction system to help eliminate diesel emissions from the fire appliances,” he says.

“It was a community-orientated project with a strong focus on energy efficiency, which allowed us to demonstrate our ability to create an excellent community space with advanced technology and an environmental focus.”

The competition judges were also impressed with the visually appealing fire station.
“The builder has done an excellent job, developing a purpose-built structure to suit the requirements of the fire station for the local community now and in the years to come,” the judges said.
“The building incorporates training rooms, accommodation facilities and excellent changing rooms — essentially everything a fire service requires, and more.”

Both directors believe a key factor that has contributed to the building company’s success is the high level of director involvement at an operational level.
“During the fire station project we had daily contact with the New Zealand Fire Service and the architect, meaning any issues were identified before they became problems,” Mr Doile says.
“We think it’s really important to have strong relationships with our clients — no fuss, just straight to the point,” Mr Taylor says.

One aspect Mr Taylor values about previous projects the company has worked on is the fact that the developments feature in his daily life.
“It’s great being in the commercial building industry. We’ve worked on everything from the Harvey Norman and Pak’nSave stores to my old high school. The fact that we personally use these facilities is a real bonus,” he says.

Both directors are focusing on expanding Armstrong Downes in 2010 and continuing to maintain the high standards for which they are renowned.
“We’ve got some interesting projects coming up, so for us it’s business as usual. Essentially it’s about continuing to deliver maximum value and doing a good job for our customers,” Mr Taylor says.

For more information about Armstrong Downes, visit www.armstrongdownes.co.nz, or call Mr Taylor or Mr Doile on 04 566 8566.

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