Project Engineering
Simple concept through to full turn-key multidisciplinary design, procure, implement and commissioning solutions.
- Concept design
- Full multidisciplinary design
- Procurement management
- Implementation supervision
- Commissioning
TAURANGA · BAY OF PLENTY · ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY
Project & electrical engineering, delivered with trust in delivery.
Thomson Group is a Bay of Plenty engineering consultancy specialising in electrical and controls infrastructure — from small site audits through to full turn-key, multidisciplinary solutions for the region's hospitals, councils and industry.
2012
Founded in the Bay of Plenty
13+
Documented project case studies
6
Core engineering service lines
$2.8M
Hospital generator upgrade led
Engaged across the Bay of Plenty’s critical infrastructure
Bay of Plenty DHB•
Tauranga City Council•
Western Bay of Plenty DC•
Bay of Plenty Regional Council•
EastPack•
Ministry of Education•
Bay of Plenty DHB•
Tauranga City Council•
Western Bay of Plenty DC•
Bay of Plenty Regional Council•
EastPack•
Ministry of Education•
Our approach
An integral cog in helping our clients achieve their goals.
Thomson Group was formed in August 2012 to bring cost-competitive engineering and management services to clients throughout the Bay of Plenty and wider New Zealand. We focus on electrical and controls infrastructure — and our engineers thrive on being immersed in the detail of a project, not just signing off on it.
That hands-on approach is why so much of our work is repeat business. Clients come back because they trust us to deliver: to scope honestly, design well, and stay involved through procurement, implementation and commissioning. We aim to be a consultant of choice based on one thing — trust in delivery.
Founder Paul Thomson brings a wealth of international consulting experience across steel, pulp & paper, water/wastewater and telecommunications — and has grown a motivated, solutions-driven team around him.
Director — NZCE(Elec), BE(Elec), MBA(Executive)
Credentials & compliance
The accreditations and standards that underpin every engagement.
-
Engineering New Zealand (IPENZ)
Professional membership — work delivered to recognised national engineering standards.
-
WorkSafe compliant
Health & safety practices aligned to WorkSafe NZ requirements on every site.
-
NZS 3910 contract management
Engineer to the Contract services delivered under the New Zealand standard.
-
Associate network
Partnered with Darryl Hubbard Consulting to extend specialist capability.
What we do
Six service lines, one engineering team.
Our services range from a quick site electrical audit through to total turn-key multidisciplinary solutions — designed, procured, implemented and commissioned by the same people who scoped them.
Project Management
NZS 3910 contract management and Engineer to the Contract services, tied directly to engineering delivery.
- NZS 3910 contract management
- Engineer to the Contract services
- Stakeholder engagement
- Programme management
Audits & Technical Due Diligence
High-level condition assessments of site electrical assets for capital planning, through to detailed technical audits for pre-purchase due diligence.
- Electrical infrastructure condition assessments
- Capital investment planning reports
- Pre-purchase technical due diligence
- 10-year planning reports (MOE school audits)
Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls
Process & instrumentation diagrams, functional descriptions, and full plant automation and control design and implementation.
- P&ID development
- Functional descriptions
- PLC / SCADA programming
- Plant automation design
- Control system implementation
Commercial & Industrial Fit-Outs
Full electrical design, specification, tender management and construction supervision for commercial or industrial distribution and appliance fit-outs.
- Electrical design and specification
- Tender / quotation management
- Construction supervision
- Power distribution design
- Lighting design
Management Services
Stand-in management services to support organisations through resource constraints, including interim electrical facilities management.
- Interim electrical facilities management
- Subcontractor oversight
- Maintenance agreement administration
- Security and lift systems management
- UPS and power generation management
Selected projects
Thirteen case studies across the region’s critical infrastructure.
Healthcare, water & wastewater, industrial automation, education and civic projects — delivered for the Bay of Plenty’s DHB, councils and major employers.
FEATURED · HEALTHCARE
Tauranga HospitalBay of Plenty DHB2016–2017
Tauranga Hospital Generator Upgrade
Thomson Group and BECA acted as the DHB’s representative Engineer on this $2.8 million project to improve life-safety emergency backup power. We reconfigured the existing non-synchronised generators and integrated a new 1.25MVA third unit — co-ordinating extensive after-hours works to maintain emergency backup capability throughout the changeover.
The outcome: a fully synchronised 3.2MVA of backup generation across three generators, with two now sufficient to support the campus.
Healthcare
2014 & 2016
DHB Facilities Management
Provided stand-in electrical facilities management to the Tauranga Hospital Campus over two eight-month periods — Paul Thomson resident full-time as Electrical Facilities Manager, covering day-to-day issues, subcontractors, security, lifts, UPS and capital works.
Client: BOPDHB
Industrial automation
2016
EastPack Pallet Strapping Conveyor
Designed and programmed an upgraded pallet strapping conveyor and control system for EastPack’s Te Puke site, working alongside Compac.
Client: EastPack / Compac
Civic infrastructure
2017
IT Data Centre
Delivered a submains feed and generator backup feed for a new IT data centre serving Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
Client: TCC / WBOPDC
Water & wastewater
2016 – Ongoing
WBOPDC — SCADA / Telemetry Upgrade
Upgrading the existing three-waters (fresh, waste and storm water) SCADA system to add functionality and improve telemetry network reliability across the district.
Client: WBOPDC
Healthcare
2017
Tauranga Hospital — CT Scanner Upgrades
Electrical works supporting installation of a new CT (computed tomography) machine within the hospital’s Radiology Department.
Client: BOPDHB
Healthcare
2016 / 17
BOPDHB Hospital — Fuel Transfer System
Designed and programmed a control system to manage fuel transfer between a 10,000L and a 25,000L tank for the hospital’s backup generation supply.
Client: BOPDHB
Education
2013 – Ongoing
MOE School Audits
Visual audits of school electrical infrastructure feeding 10-Year Property Plan high-level reports — single-line diagrams and DB layouts for forward planning. Schools audited include Otumoetai Intermediate, Whakatane High School, Tauranga Intermediate and more.
Client: Ministry of Education
Healthcare
2017
BOPDHB Hospital — DS Board Replacement
Replacement of the existing ~40-year-old DS board located in the basement of Tauranga Hospital — a critical distribution upgrade in a live healthcare environment.
Client: BOPDHB
Water & wastewater
2013
Maxwells Rd Pump Station
Installation and commissioning of the Maxwells Rd pump station to manage stormwater events for the lower Bureta area.
Client: Tauranga City Council
Industrial automation
2016
Mobile Loading Hopper
Programming of a mobile loading hopper designed for ships to unload into — a bespoke control solution for materials handling.
Client: ElectriServ
Civic infrastructure
2019 – 2021
BOPRC Facilities Redevelopment
Engineering resources for the full refurbishment of two major Bay of Plenty Regional Council facilities in Tauranga and Whakatane — design development, smart energy-efficient lighting and power, and IT systems, delivered over two years.
Client: BOPRC
Residential infrastructure
2021 – 2022
Residential Development Infrastructure
Technical resource to the main electrical contractor on large residential developments across NZ — HV/LV power reticulation, lighting, data and security design, each development around 200 properties.
Client: Pope Electrical Limited
Have a project in healthcare, water, automation or civic infrastructure? We’d like to hear about it.
Discuss your project
The team
Engineers who get immersed in the project.
A small, motivated team with deep cross-sector experience — from steel and pulp & paper to healthcare, water and food & beverage.
Paul Thomson
Director
NZCE(Elec), BE(Elec), MBA(Executive)
Extensive background in people, project and programme management across steel, pulp & paper, water/wastewater and telecommunications. Over 15 years in industrial design, costing, installation and commissioning. Founded Thomson Group in August 2012.
Email Paul
John Sutcliffe
Electrical & Industrial Engineer
B.Sc (Electrical)
Senior Electrical Engineer originally from the UK, with 15 years in the Bay of Plenty. Experience spans industrial automation, pharmaceutical, oil & gas, healthcare, food & beverage, water/wastewater and pulp & paper.
Email John
Damien Favre
Electrical Project Engineer
CFC (Electrical Design)
Originally from Switzerland, with 7 years’ experience in residential, commercial and industrial electrical design and project oversight.
Email Damien
Start an enquiry
Let’s talk about your project.
Whether it’s a quick site audit or a full turn-key build, send us the details and we’ll come back to you with a clear, considered next step.
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