Spanbild appoints new chairman

Christchurch-based building company Spanbild Holdings Limited has appointed local business leader Dr Don Elder as Chairman.

Spanbild is a New Zealand market leader in the design, manufacture and construction of residential, rural and commercial buildings. The company, which was established in 1969 by the Gee family, operates a network of nationally recognised brands, including Versatile Homes and Buildings, Totalspan, Portabuild and Ideal. The company has manufacturing facilities in Christchurch and Brisbane, supplying a comprehensive range of steel, timber and panelised buildings to the New Zealand and Australian market.

Spanbild owner Bill Gee says the company was very pleased to be able to attract a professional of Dr Elder’s calibre, who is based in the Canterbury region.

“Don has extensive management and leadership experience, both in New Zealand and around the world,” says Bill Gee.

“His engineering background, as well as a comprehensive understanding of large scale businesses, gives him a unique insight into the requirements of Spanbild as we embark on a new stage of growth and development. We are extremely pleased to welcome him to our Board.”

Trained at the University of Canterbury as an engineer, before taking up a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, Don Elder spent 15 years working in a variety of engineering and leadership roles around the world. Returning to Canterbury in 2000, Dr Elder was CEO of Solid Energy for over 12 years.

Don Elder says Spanbild Holdings is one of the most exciting building companies in the country, both in terms of the range of its products and the approach of the business.

“Spanbild, with its well known network of leading industry brands and its expertise in design, engineering and manufacturing, is a stand-out in the local market in terms of quality, efficiency and growth potential,” says Don Elder.

“A great example of the innovation and leadership found within the company is the new joint venture project, Concision, which has the potential to change the nature of building in New Zealand.”

Concision, a joint venture with Mike Greer Homes, uses panelised technology to precisely automate the manufacture of individually designed homes and buildings.

Dr Elder says the company is poised at the moment to build on its unique strengths, the range of opportunities in the local market and the extremely strong partnerships it has established in New Zealand and Australia.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with Spanbild Holdings’ owners, its board and the talented executive and company team to get everything aligned and focused on maximising the many opportunities that lie ahead for the company.”

Dr Elder takes up his position as Chairman in January 2016, replacing Steve Smith who is retiring after almost a decade in the role.

“We’d also like to thank Steve for his many year’s of service on the Spanbild Holdings Board,” says Bill Gee. “Under Steve’s governance, the company has gone from strength-to-strength, and we are extremely grateful for the guidance, professionalism and expertise he has provided throughout his tenure.”