Waikato region
The Waikato region holds a special place in McKay’s history. The establishment of the Hamilton branch in the early 2000s marked McKay’s first geographical expansion outside Northland – bold step at the time, and one that laid the foundation for what has now become more than two decades of operation in the fourth largest region in New Zealand.
For Stuart Archer, who first entered the business as Hamilton Branch Manager before becoming Waikato and Western Region Regional Manager in late 2025, the region’s evolution has been dramatic. His arrival in April 2022 came at a time when the branch needed strong direction. Rather than viewing its challenges as setbacks, Stuart saw them as a reset point – a rare opportunity to rebuild a team, culture, and operating model from the ground up.
“When I came in, the focus was simple: fix the culture, get the team aligned, and build something people genuinely wanted to be part of,” he explains. Though the region had been struggling, Stuart’s emphasis was always on potential rather than problems.
What followed was a complete transformation. With only two original team members remaining, the branch was rebuilt person by person, ensuring each role was clearly defined, and every team member was supported with the training, financial understanding, KPIs, and accountability needed to succeed. This clarity brought stability, and with stability came momentum.
Culture became a cornerstone of the region’s resurgence. Monthly BBQ breakfasts, Christmas hams and hampers, mid-winter events, social activities, and a genuine commitment to celebrating people helped create an environment staff were proud to belong to. “The pride people have in the branch now is enormous,” Stuart says. “We talk about ‘we’ because everything we’ve achieved has been done together.”
The market also began to shift in McKay’s favour. While the LED rollout slowed down traditional streetlighting maintenance, new opportunities emerged in water infrastructure, electrical for mechanical, and solar. The Waikato’s solar success has been particularly significant, with the region taking a leading role in panel building, solar farm construction, and contributing to one of the largest solar farm projects in New Zealand, which employed around 80 people at its peak.
This diversification required strengthened management and deeper expertise, something Stuart has been intentional about. His philosophy is simple: create small, focused departments around each opportunity, build capability, and retain the people who make success possible. Many staff members have thrived under this approach, including individuals like Matt Hill, who arrived from the UK and rapidly worked his way into a supervisor role, and Wayne, who transitioned from a career as a chef into the streetlighting team through sheer adaptability and willingness to learn.
By 2025, the Waikato had grown so significantly that it operationally separated from the Bay of Plenty region – an acknowledgement of both its size and its strategic importance. Stuart sees this split as a defining milestone. “It shows confidence in how the region operates,” he says. “It’s the result of three years of hard work from the entire team.”
Underpinning this transformation has been a consistent, open way of connecting with clients. Stuart’s approach – friendly, communicative, and focused on solving problems – has strengthened relationships across the region and positioned McKay as a trusted partner in key infrastructure work. Apprenticeships, support for diversity, and involvement in community-level development reflect the team’s growing local presence.
Today, the Waikato region is one of McKay’s major contributors, playing a critical role in national performance and helping drive the company’s long-term goals.
Looking ahead, Stuart sees significant opportunity on the horizon. With major upgrades expected across the region’s water infrastructure, continued expansion in solar and electrical maintenance, and a strong pipeline of infrastructure work, the Waikato is well positioned to lead McKay into new markets. By the time the company reaches its 100-year anniversary, Stuart hopes the region will be firmly established as the first port of call across several sectors, with a reputation for excellence that’s recognised throughout Waikato and beyond.
What excites him most is the ability to continue developing people and capability now that the region operates independently. The sense of possibility, he says, is greater than ever. “We can ask ourselves: what can we do for our clients that we haven’t done before?” For Stuart, the future lies in empowering the next generation, particularly those whose careers began in hands-on roles. “Someone who has worked on the tools would make a fantastic manager,” he says. “They understand the trade, the people, and what customers really want.”
After 20 years in the Waikato, the region’s story is one of transformation – and its next chapter promises even greater opportunity.
Stuart Archer
- Role:
- Regional Manager – Waikato & Western Region
Stuart is a highly skilled Manager and Electrical Engineer with 20 years of experience within the commercial electrical industry. Stuart has held key roles within an expanding group of businesses, including transition, operations and project management. Stuart is very analytical, structured, process and goal-driven, thriving on bringing the best out of people and teams. He has a proven track record of team building, health and safety, and client relationships.