Roading company Quality Roading and Services has returned over $1.2 million to the Wairoa community over the last year through distributions to the district council and local sponsorship.
The financial boosts, published in the council-owned business’ Annual Report 2024, include a $1.05m distribution payment to the council, and $205,000 in sponsorship of community events and youth initiatives.
“Our community has faced incredibly tough challenges over the past two years, particularly with the severe weather events,” QRS board chairman Guy Gaddum said.
“By returning a portion of our profits to the community we’re investing in our shared future and helping build resilience.”
QRS posted a record revenue of $47.9m, up from $33m last year.
It achieved a pre-tax profit of $4.4 million, which exceeded last year’s record of $3.4m.
Gaddum said QRS was proud to match its largest-ever distribution payment to the council.
“We understand the positive impact this contribution has on our community.”
QRS was in the right place at the right time and equipped with the right people to help after the severe weather challenges the district faced, he said.
“QRS was paramount to the district’s response and recovery after Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, and the flooding event along the north-western side of Wairoa in June this year.”
QRS had advanced from being a civil construction and roading company, into a cornerstone presence in the community, he said.
“QRS was in the process of growing its operational strength and service to meet the needs of the district even before the weather events.”
QRS has added concrete batching, temporary traffic management, bitumen spraying, and more recently, concrete aggregate extraction to its capabilities in the lpast three years.
“We’re proud to be fundamental to our district’s economy and to the repair work still going on,” Gaddum said.
Chief executive Jeremy Harker said staff had increased from 90 to 134 “meaning families in our region can thrive thanks to a secure, regular income”.
Harker said QRS had increased its training expenditure by 41% from $237,000 to $335,000, reflecting its commitment to staff development.
This month QRS was announced as a finalist in two Pan Pac Hawke’s Bay Business Award categories: Outstanding Social Impact, and Resilient Business.
The company is also vying for two Civil Contractor NZ Hawke’s Bay East Coast construction awards. Winners at both events will be announced next month.
