Mike’s Engines
- Location:
- Whangarei
- Length:
- 33.8m
- Width:
- 18.3m
- Knee Height:
- 5.4m
- Floor Area:
- 618.5m2
- Building Use:
- Workshop or Factory
- Cladding:
- 0.42mm Corrugate, Sandstone Grey
- Portal System:
- Bracketless Portal System
- Features:
- Includes workshop, showroom/reception and mezzanine lunch room areas.
A high-profile, attractive shop front and loads of extra space have sparked an exciting growth phase for the team at Mikes Engines. After more than 30 years in a building down an alleyway on Commerce Street in Whangarei, owner Steve Walker was on the lookout for something new. The team spent about 18 months looking around for new premises and hadn’t found anything that suited their specific needs. The solution came when the opportunity was presented for a custom-designed building on Whangarei’s busy Rewa Rewa Road.
The project brief was simple. Steve required more space in their workshop to expand and simplify their workflow, as well as an attractive showroom and reception area to provide a professional customer experience. Given the shop’s prominent location, the building needed to look sharp to reflect their service.
With these considerations in mind, our team put together a smart design that maximised their internal space using our innovative portal system. Being that this system doesn’t require obtrusive centre poles or knee and apex bracing, it’s certainly appealing to a mechanics shop. In terms of design aesthetics, the tilt-slab panel gave the workshop a clean, modern finish.
The new building is around twice the size of the previous location and they’ve already filled up the space. “After 10 months in the new space our capacity has definitely increased and we’ve already hired two new team members.”
It was Coresteel’s can-do attitude that struck a chord for Steve. “Coresteel worked with us to provide the exact design and functionality we needed to grow.” Steve says they regularly have positive feedback from the public about the building. “It’s a hearty building and that fits with the Mikes Engine brand.”
