The New Zealand Federation of Piling Specialists was formed in response to the significant growth in New Zealand’s Piling and Foundation market over the past ten years. In order to sustain this growth and ensure that quality and safety were not compromised, it was identified that an industry association was needed to provide guidance and foster an environment where geotechnical contractors could share experiences and promote best practice.

The foundation market has been changing with the growth in workload and the introduction and evolution of both the Health and Safety in Employment Act of 1992 and the Resource Management Act of 1991. These regulations, combined with the consistent market growth and innovation, have resulted in investment in people and plant not on a one-off basis but brought in to remain permanently leading to an increase in maturity and skill sets of the market.

When looking for inspiration on how to structure the association, the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS) in the United Kingdom was a natural choice. It was the inspiration for The Piling and Foundation Specialist Federation of Australia and has a long history and established track record of furthering the standards of the industry in the United Kingdom. 

With the assistance of the FPS in the UK, the New Zealand Federation of Piling Specialists (NZFPS) became an incorporated society on the 28th of November 2019.

The key focal points of the New Zealand Federation of Piling Specialists include maintaining and improving standards in the following areas:

• Health and safety

• Training and career pathways

• Workmanship

• Sustainability