Commitment To Structural Steel Industry Earns Prominent Award

Wayne Carson, managing director of D&H Steel Construction, is the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Steel Construction NZ (SCNZ) Chairman’s Award. The annual award recognises individuals who have made a significant and lasting contribution to New Zealand’s structural steel industry.

SCNZ Chair and John Jones Steel Managing Director Frank Van Schaijik presented Wayne with the award at a gala dinner in Auckland on 3 June, delayed because of COVID restrictions.

“Wayne is driven to serve the greater good and has always been firmly focused on benefits to the whole industry. He has been a relentless cheerleader for our industry body and was instrumental in building the comradery that the structural steel industry enjoys today,” says Frank.

Importantly, Wayne has been a mentor to many and is always prepared to give guidance to help others to raise standards.

SCNZ General Manager Darren O’Riley supports Frank’s view, adding that over the years, Wayne has worked tirelessly to educate the wider construction industry about structural steel.

“Wayne has given his time generously to represent the industry on multiple occasions, delivering informative presentations to universities, industry bodies, engineers, builders and quantity surveyors.

“As a result, the wider industry is more aware of structural steel as an alternative and it has become the material of choice for building and infrastructure projects in New Zealand,” says Darren.

Wayne has been an influential representative for the industry with both local and central government. He was the catalyst for SCNZ’s local government strategy after he established a relationship with Auckland Council and went on to front road shows to local councils nationwide to the benefit of the whole industry. He has also attended multiple meetings with ministers alongside SCNZ to inform them of the challenges facing the industry and offer possible solutions to overcome them. One significant advance was successfully advocating with government to change the government procurement rules to include subcontractors.

Through Wayne, SCNZ has also had a voice with other industry organisations and their advocacy efforts, including the NZ Specialist Trade Contractors Federation and the Construction Industry Council. Through the latter, SCNZ provided valuable input to the retentions scheme in the Construction Contracts Act.

Wayne has a mechanical and structural engineering background, and broad experience across the steel and construction industries. It has made him a successful interface between engineering consultants and fabricators. “He can comfortably wear either hat,” says Frank. “This ability to think like both parties has been a great help to our industry.”

Today, Wayne remains passionate about the structural steel industry and its ability to collectively work together to deliver more high-quality projects. “Our industry is all the better for having Wayne involved in it,” says Frank.

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