22/05/2026
Today I spent the day in beautiful Whakatāne with a strong group of project and site managers from Waiotahi Contractors Ltd delivering our QAC, Quality Assurance in Construction training programme.
What really stood out to me is that while Waiotahi has held ISO 9001 certification since 1997 “yes 1997” they still recognise that quality assurance in construction is constantly evolving. Good organisations never stand still. They continue to invest in their people, systems, and improvement mindset.
That commitment says a lot about the culture of the business and its leadership.
The construction industry often talks about quality, but the organisations that genuinely lead are the ones willing to challenge themselves, upskill their teams, and keep improving long after they’ve already achieved success. Waiotahi clearly understands that.
The engagement from the team throughout the session was outstanding. Plenty of honest discussion, practical thinking, and real-world conversations around traceability, QA systems, ITPs, handover, and delivering work right the first time.
A huge well done to all 9 attendees for completing the course today. The future of construction quality in NZ gets stronger every time teams like this lean in and commit to doing things better.
Thank you to the Waiotahi team for the hospitality and for the opportunity to be part of your quality journey.
Waiotahi Contractors Ltd, New Zealand Organisation for Quality, CONQA, Matt Hopson
