Taranaki company Wells Group will continue its vision to be the independent service provider of choice in electrical, instrumentation, automation, and energy field services as it revamps its leadership structure. “My aim right now is to continue to contribute towards the Wells organisation being well regarded and respected into the future as I hand the leadership reins over,” says Graham Wells, who started the company with his brother Brian in 1984; not the year of Big Brother but the time of Think Big. In Taranaki that meant the growth of the oil and gas industry, including the construction of the synthetic-petrol plant at Motunui and other developments. “We both wanted to be involved in service provision in the instrumentation and electrical space, where we focused on growing a good reputation,” the Executive Director says. “We started in a garage at the back of a property in Brooklands – as our longserving accountant, Steve Waite, likes to remind me.” Wells began with a few staff – and grew. Brian left the company in the early 1990s, to work in the international oil and gas realm. “We have diversified over the years. A huge amount of our work is now outside of Taranaki – probably 80 to 90 per cent. But we are a Taranaki-based company, our head office is here, and a large number of our support services are based here,” says Graham, from the company’s premises on Borrell Ave, Westown. During subsequent years, the business has expanded, working on projects all over New Zealand, specialising in instrumentation, electrical, automation, field services and revenue metering. It hit its peak in size about 2010 when the Wells’ workforce swelled to 700. Along with the Motunui synthetic fuel plant, other big jobs have included the Kupe Development in South Taranaki, dairy company site developments across the country, including in the South Island, projects within various other industrial sectors and redevelopment work after the earthquakes in Christchurch. SUMMER 2023
“We are currently in the final stages of our involvement with the Tauhara geothermal power station development in Taupō, where we peaked with about 120 Wells people on the project.”
solutions. Such activities are a big part of our future.”
For Graham, the most important aspect of running the company is straightforward: “Keeping our people safe and looking after their physical and mental wellbeing.” There is also an emphasis on whānau. “We are a family business . . . we provide the income for our people to feed their families, not just the employee.” Graham says his family have all been involved with the company. Son Hayden, is on the executive leadership team based in Auckland, daughter Rochelle worked for the company during her university years and wife Cathrine has worked for the business in various jobs. “She continues to contribute towards the success of the business in a support role.” Many of our staff have their family members join them in working within the business. Over the past 39 years, Wells has adapted its practices to embrace the digital revolution. “It’s important to keep up with technology. We have invested heavily in workflow systems that add value to deliver great customer and employee experiences,” he says. “More recently we have developed load management software and protocols for electric vehicle-charging systems that are proving extremely popular with our customers.” CEO Justin Peterson, who joined the Wells Group in April 2022, says the company is in good health. “We have just under 450 skilled staff and a large number of subcontractors across New Zealand – we’ve grown by 20% in the past 12 months,” he says. “We are proud of the fact we are supporting New Zealand’s energy transition through building renewable infrastructure and the much-needed electric vehicle charging networks and
Wells CEO Justin Peterson with installation technician Dhup Singh charging Justin’s EV with the Wells installed Powerco charger at New Plymouth Airport.
In October last year, the Wells executive team worked on a new detailed strategy based on Graham’s long-held vision of Wells being the service independent service provider of choice. Justin says the strategy embraces the company’s four key pillars of safety and wellness, customer service, sustainability, plus people and culture. The father of four from Invercargill says action plans have been put in place around each pillar to support the strategy. That has included building on partnerships with new, existing and potential clients. “Graham has built the business around partnerships as a whole – it’s working with the client directly to build that trust and give them certainty that Wells is going to provide a great service at the right cost with great health, safety and quality outcomes.” Justin has been involved in the power industry for over 20 years, initially as an electrical trades person, and has held executive management roles for the past 10 years. “The thing that gets me up every day is knowing I can influence people to improve themselves or further their career, and I know that Graham has a similar view. We both get a real kick out of seeing people succeed – that’s a real driver of success,” says Justin. “My philosophy is that if people are succeeding in an organisation, the organisation will thrive.” TARANAKI BUSINESS REVIEW
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