This year marks 70 years since John Charles Mackersey founded his Hastings-based building company. Over the ensuing seven decades the business has grown in size, capabilities and reputation.
The company was rebranded in 2016 to MCL, and managing director John Bower, one of MCL’s four shareholders, says the company’s future looks very exciting.
“MCL has evolved in three distinct disciplines. From the original construction-focused business, MCL Joinery and MCL interiors have been added, each division working independently. “Having said that though we still work with the same core family values that John created all those years ago.”
John Bower’s focus is to continue to reflect the founders legacy and evolve the company to ensure MCL will be still proudly doing what it does so well in 70 years’ time.
It’s not surprising either that MCL has several long-serving employees including some who have been with the company over 40 years.
“Because it began very much as a family business with John Mackersey’s son David, fully involved to this day we have a reputation of treating our staff well, as part of the family.”
has been awarded a significant project, construction of phase one of the brand new multi sports hub complex, to be known as Hawke’s Bay Community Health and Sports Centre.
Located alongside the Napier/Hastings expressway, the fi rst stage involves construction of a 3000sqm building, to be called the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Sports Hall, which will house a multitude of facilities once completed in April 2019.
This will be followed by a second phase, a purpose-built accommodation precinct also due to be completed around the same time.
Ultimately the site will also contain a 50m Olympic standard swimming pool and a learn-to-swim facility but that is some way down the line, subject to fi nding the funds.
“If anyone can see this through it is Hawkes Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust Chair Sir Graeme Avery.
“His vision and passion for the project which will directly benefit the health and wellbeing of ordinary Hawke’s Bay residents, as well as elite athletes is tremendous. We’re very excited to have been chosen to build the first stage,” John says.
MCL has started work on phase one of the Hawke’s Bay Community Health and Sports Centre.
When Business North Central spoke with John in June, construction on site was still in he ground with foundations and pre-cast concrete work well underway.
“The ground presented with challenges due to geotechnical issues, however our project manager Marc Anderson and the team of upward of 40 on site are making good progress.”
Housed within the building will be a sport climbing wall, community health and fi tness gym, health tutorial rooms, a strength conditioning gym along with tenanted offices, café, and a sports science and medicine facility to name just a few.
“We’re really pleased to be involved in this project which potentially has so many benefits for the community we have been part of for so many years now,” says John. MCL is busy on other builds as Hawke’s Bay continues to enjoy a period of growth and development.
It has taken on the principal contractor for Hastings new police station, valued at $17 million and has also acquired a number of commercial property builds in the Hawke’s Bay food industry sector.
As managing director, with an accrued nearly 30 years involved in the company in a number of roles John says that his main focus is in maintaining contact with clients and his staff on the ground.
“We peaked some time back at 140 staff but have settled now with about 100 over our three divisions. ‘We’re not aiming to be the biggest construction company, just the best, delivering projects on time and budget, concentrating mainly on work in Hawke’s Bay.”
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The fi rst stage of the Hawke’s Bay Community Health and Sports Centre project involves construction of a 3000sqm building which will house a multitude of facilities.
