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Staff Spotlight: Sheldon – Christchurch’s Safe Pair of Hands (and Sharpest Eye on Site)
When Sheldon first took charge of the South Island branch, things were… not ideal.
There will be no handover. Key staff will be off with ACC. Only two formal team members will be on site. There is no room for excuses.
“You just had to get stuck in and figure it out. There wasn’t time to wait for someone to show you how.”
So that’s what he did.
He rewrote delivery systems, tightened stock control, and brought structure to a team running on fumes. What started as a crisis became a catalyst, and today, Christchurch is one of the most trusted branches in the country.
From Foundations to Frontline
Sheldon didn’t start in a warehouse or an office — he was laying timber floors and pouring concrete at 16. It was there, working for a builder, that he saw how shortcuts and poor planning led to real risk: people getting exposed to asbestos just because no one flagged it.
That’s the edge he brings. He doesn’t just ship products – he understands the environment they’re going into, the people using them, and the consequences if they go wrong.
“I’m not here to talk theory. I’ve been the one on the floor when it goes sideways.”
He’s now the person clients trust when they need straight answers, not sales pitches. Whether it’s a welfare unit for a remote power station or the proper poly sheeting for a demolition site, Sheldon doesn’t just know what to send — he knows why it matters.
Setting the Standard (and Raising It)
Even with WorkSafe NZ breathing down the neck of every primary job, Sheldon keeps ahead by sticking to what he knows works: tight delivery planning, no ad hoc panic orders, and site setups that protect workers.
- PPE that meets proper mould, micropro, and VOX specs
- Lead paint, asbestos zones, and bug clearing are all addressed before work begins
- Poly on the ground. Clean zones. Drills with extraction. No corners cut.
“It’s the basics. Do them properly, and people notice.”
Delivering on Big Jobs (and Bigger Expectations)
Under Sheldon’s watch, the Christchurch team has quietly become the go-to for high-pressure, high-visibility work:
- 🔭 Christchurch Cathedral – Decades of guano cleared from a landmark, all in full public view.
- 🏛️ Christchurch Museum – Delicate logistics under deadline, every hour of downtime mattered
- 🍫 Cadbury’s Factory, Dunedin – Site prep ahead of the city’s new hospital
- 🧊 Scott Base, Antarctica – A tiny but complex role in an asbestos removal project at the end of the earth
- 🪖 Burnham Military Base – High-security protocols, where Sheldon’s removal knowledge gave the client confidence
No fuss, no drama — just results.
A Personal Code That Filters Through the Team
Sheldon’s not just the guy with the answers. He’s the one who shows up — even when it’s hard. After tearing ligaments, he was back on site the next day. Following a bereavement, he came in not because he had to, but because he didn’t want to let anyone down.
“When no one else gets up, you keep doing it.”
That attitude sets the tone for the whole branch. Feedback is normal. Phone calls beat emails. Everyone knows the standard, and everyone lifts to meet it.
He supports younger team members like Phil and Luke in pushing their skills, taking ownership, and staying sharp. He doesn’t micromanage; he mentors.
No Nonsense. Just Results. Proudly Christchurch.
Whether it’s heritage work, high-risk removals, or just making sure the right pallet gets to the right place on time, Sheldon’s the guy you want running the job.
He’s proud of how far the industry has come. And thanks to leaders like him, it keeps moving forward.
