From its founding in 1996, concrete solutions business MARKHAM, founded by father-and-son duo Mark and Graham Smith, has enjoyed a lot of growth while providing a variety of sustainable concrete treatments.
MARKHAM now has a staff of seventy and owns offices in places like Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia. Despite their sizable overseas presence, CEO Mark Smith is committed to building quality concrete within New Zealand.
“Our main base is here down in Napier. We’re passionate about manufacturing from the regions, obviously being born and bred in the Hawke’s Bay.”
“One line: ‘adding life to concrete’. Durability, waterproofing, surface protection… we are all about making concrete last longer.”
Sales and success
Smith is driven to maximize the quality of his products while MARKHAM’s total sales continues to grow. MARKHAM now treat between 150-200 thousand square meters of concrete every month, and with a predominant focus on the commercial industry, well over 10,000 projects have been completed since being established.
With his solutions being offered in square or cubic meters, in addition to liters, Smith says that everything comes with strict quality control. His solutions don’t affect the look of the concrete (which is important to Smith), and reapplication isn’t required.
According to Smith, MARKHAM is set to grow to a 50 million dollar company. He has also set his sights on the export market for admixtures that make concrete more durable, something that products made out of New Zealand will be put towards—with an all-sustainable focus on top.
Why MARKHAM is Buy NZ Made
MARKHAM is Buy NZ Made because Smith sees value in the brand. He believes that having NZ supply chains is vital for businesses because of the good overseas reputation this country has.
“New Zealand made actually has some weight. We are still thought of as a very clean country… There is a value in the cost of having supply chains from New Zealand and not being reliant on imports.”
Ultimately, Smith loves his concrete and having things get done. He also takes joy in watching his team develop and grow under his leadership.
“I am very passionate about concrete. I love seeing new buildings going up and things going ahead. I like motivating people, and I think I motivate my team and I enjoy watching people grow.”
