Property and Construction | Silbery Roofing
Leading the way
in longrun roofing
As an independent we have
fought hard to survive in a ‘big
boys’
dominated industry
Angie Silbery-Dee owner-manager Silbery Roofing
LONGRUN LTD
Silbery Longrun supply only Roofzip screws from Buildex • Over a million roofzip screws installed in Silbery’s Longrun roofs. • Class 4 severe coastal corrosion rated.
0800 SILBERY
sales@silbery.co.nz
Angie Silbery-Dee knows first-hand what it’s like to work in the mostly male-dominated steel industry of New Zealand. She hopes a woman’s touch has added success to her longrun manufacturing business, which has previously won small business of the year accolades. Silbery-Dee has been managing Silbery Roofing in Upper Hutt for more than a decade. Started in 1966 by her parents Ruth and Lionel Silbery as a general engineering company, it has proved successful. Many of the first commercial buildings on Wellington’s Terrace were built with Silbery steel products. Today, Silbery-Dee owns the business outright and employs 10 staff including her son, Lionel Junior. With its head office in Upper Hutt, Silbery Roofing also operates a city office at 57 Hutt Road, Thorndon. All metal roofing is manufactured in Upper Hutt, with the Thorndon site exclusively used to manufacture metal flashings up to eight metres in length and produce flashings in aluminium, copper and stainless for the special marine requirements of Wellington. The company provides a fast turn-around for commercial and residential installers.
Specialists in longrun coloursteel, small commercial buildings, new and old houses.
Proud to be associated with Silbery Longrun Phone Kerry on Mobile: 027 457 6746 Phone: 04 566 9666 Email: fionam.kerryw@ihug.co.nz 44 | December 2010/January 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz
The Wellington branch is run by a father and son team, Alphie and Dion Rawiri, which Silbery-Dee believes is probably a first in the industry — and hopefully not the last. As an industry pioneer, she is delighted to see a father and son doing such a good job. Silbery Roofing’s own continuous spouting machine produces high-quality custom cut lengths of colorsteel or copper spouting supplied and installed at affordable prices. Recently, the Petone Rugby Club was the recipient of what is believed to be the longest continuous length ever run in Wellington, at just under 100 metres long. “When dad ran the company we were general engineers. Twenty years ago we diversified into longrun or metal roofing and eight years ago we diversified again and added new product lines. I believe the only way to survive in manufacturing today is to continuously innovate, retain and empower staff to think outside of the square,” Silbery-Dee says. “We roll-form standard profiles and are fortunate to have our own commercial roofing profile ‘Silbery 7’, which allows us to supply longrun roofing to commercial and residential installers. Silbery 7 produces extra wide and strong spanning sheets, meaning less product is used and it’s more efficient for installation. “We supplied five of the largest warehouse roofs built in Wellington in the last decade. Silbery 7 is manufactured and supplied around New Zealand. Ten years ago we manufactured 100 percent residential; today we are 60 percent residential and 40 percent commercial.” On the residential side, Silbery Roofing features in home-style magazines that like to feature different roofs and products with an emphasis on the home owner and architect. “We enjoy showcasing our work and it brings the
opportunity of participating more in one-off and specialist roofing projects, like Pataka Museum at Porirua, covered walkways at the interchange at Petone, the new Dowse Art Gallery in Lower Hutt, extensions to the Light House Cinema in Petone and the Cyclotron building at Moa Point.” Silbery Roofing is one of a few surviving family-owned roll-forming businesses left in New Zealand and is affiliated to the Independent Roll Formers Alliance (IRA), as well as being a member of the New Zealand Roofing Association (RANZ) and MRM (Metal Roll Formers Association of New Zealand). “As an independent we have fought hard to survive in a ‘big boys’ dominated industry and I think we have earned our stripes and will continue to be successful by giving customers what they most require; good service and quality metal roofing products at affordable prices,” Silbery-Dee says. Silbery Roofing has a keen community focus and is a major donor to the new Dowse Art Gallery. Silbery-Dee enjoys developing an ethical and community minded company and being involved with community projects. “Both my parents had visions for the company and how it could benefit the wider community. I enjoy seeing their legacy continued.” Silbery Roofing Ltd • 69 Montgomery Crescent Upper Hutt, Wellington 7024 T (04) 526 9343 E angie@silbery.co.nz • 57 Hutt Road Thordon, Wellington 5012 T (04) 472 7408 E sales@silbery.co.nz — Advertising Feature