Our Team
Waikouaiti Auto & Engineering (WAE) was established in 1995 by Kevin Byrne (aka Paddy). Located on the Main Road at the north end of Waikouaiti, in the beginning, WAE employed three staff. This venture started out as an automotive and light engineering business, servicing the public, local farmers, and small companies in the East Otago area. After a couple of years, the company grew, and it expanded into general site maintenance work and pipe repairs. In 2000 WAE became a Limited entity.
As the company continued to grow in the engineering field, WAE purchased its first mobile crane in 2007 and by 2011 employed over 20 staff. It was apparent with the increased workload at the Waikouaiti workshop the work would outweigh the premises and in 2014 our Dunedin Engineering workshop in Sturdee Street was opened. With also employing our own scaffolders it meant we could scaffold our own work sites without having to wait for contractors - this has been a great compliment to our business.
Investment in more mobile cranes and equipment has meant rapid growth for our Crane Hire team over the last few years. We have a team of six Crane Hire staff that are fully qualified; from rigging and dogman, through to truck driving and crane operating. An opportunity in December 2017 to expand our engineering operation into existing premises including nine staff meant that we hit the ground running with a very smooth transition into WAE Palmerston. In 2018, WAE now employs over 60 staff.
Kevin & Jodie Byrne
George Byrne
John Dryden
Ricky Manson
Nathan Butler
