As Lakeland Steel Ltd approaches its 50th year in business, the Rotorua-based mechanical engineering and design firm—also known as Lakeland Engineered Projects—is celebrating a legacy of innovation, craftsmanship, and regional pride.
Among its standout achievements is the recent refurbishment of the Lakeland Queen, Rotorua’s iconic stern-wheel paddleboat which was laid up in 2021 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that temporarily gutted its market.
Commissioned by new owners Ana and Damon Hagaman, Lakeland Steel undertook a full-scale overhaul of the vessel.
Damon Hagamon is the son of Scenic Hotel founder, Earl Hagaman, and he and Ana, who live not far away at Lake Tarawera, bought the boat with the aim of getting it back in service.
The project involved sandblasting the hull, replacing stern sections, overhauling the bow thrusters and preparing the vessel for its Maritime New Zealand certification.
With the engine and hydraulic systems restored, the Lakeland Queen is now back in the water at Sulphur Point, awaiting completion of the top-side works and final consents before resuming service.
Overhauling the iconic Rotorua tourist feature cost around $750,000, and Lakeland Steel will carry out a further $1m of refurbishment on the boat’s top-side before it’s put back into service, hopefully by the end of the year.
“It’s been a complex and rewarding project,” says Lakeland Steel Director, James MacPhee.
“We’re proud to have played a part in restoring a Rotorua icon which local people and tourists alike will be happy to see back on the water.”
Lakeland Steel is a full-spectrum engineering partner, and the ability to deliver multifaceted projects stems from its broad service offering: from mechanical design and fabrication to installation, commissioning, and maintenance, the company provides end-to-end solutions for clients across New Zealand and Australia.
Recent growth includes the acquisition of Morbark NZ, expanding Lakeland’s capabilities into debarking and chipping systems for the forestry sector.
The company also recently partnered with Canadian sawmill equipment supplier Comact to deliver high-speed solutions to Oceania’s timber industry.
Lakeland Steel’s facilities and expertise are based around its operations at two sites with a team of 65.
It boasts over 3200sqm of workshop space equipped with CNC plasma, beamline, press brakes of 400t and 135t, guillotines, and overhead gantries.
The facility also includes a dedicated 500m² paint and abrasive blasting facility supported by a multi-disciplinary drafting office with more than 80 years of combined experience in mechanical, structural, civil, and architectural design.
A fleet of pick-and-carry and conventional cranes is maintained for on-site installation, and the company has also developed a proprietary safety fencing system, ProGuard, that’s designed for modular machine guarding and industrial safety applications.
“Lakeland Steel’s philosophy is simple: to be a partner, not just a supplier,” James says.
“Whether it’s restoring a historic vessel or delivering turnkey industrial solutions, the company continues to set the standard for engineering excellence in the Bay of Plenty and beyond.”
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