TROW Group

We are SUPERRRR excited and grateful to share that TROW Group is a finalist in not 1, not 2, but THREE categories at this years 2026 2degrees Auckland Business Awards! 🏆🎊

This year we are finalists in:

Excellence in Innovation
Excellence in Sustainability
Excellence in International Business

Anyone who has been through an awards application knows the mahi that sits behind it. The hours of writing, evidence, numbers, policies, processes, auditing, reflection and, sometimes, asking yourself some pretty hard questions about whether you’re actually living up to the things you say you stand for.

And that’s what makes this recognition so meaningful to us. We enter because the process makes us stop, look closely at ourselves and ask:

Are we doing what we say we’re doing?
Are we making the difference we believe we are making?
Are we continuing to grow, learn and challenge ourselves?
Are we building something that will still matter years from now?

The process holds us accountable. It pushes us to look at every part of our business, to celebrate the things we’re doing well, confront the things we can do better, and keep moving forward with purpose.

And when that work is recognised, it means something.

To our entire TROW whānau here in Aotearoa and across the Pacific, this achievement is yours. You are the reason these words on a page have meaning.

And to our management team, what an extraordinary vaka you continue to lead. Thank you for leading from the front, for backing your people, for holding onto the bigger picture and for creating a place where purpose, culture and people continue to sit at the heart of what we do. ✊

As we get closer to the night when the winners are revealed, of course we’ll be crossing our fingers and holding our breath, but whatever happens on the night, we’ll walk away proud.

Because the real reward is knowing that we are building something our people can be proud of today, while creating something our tamariki, mokopuna and generations after them can inherit tomorrow. 🤎

We’re doing this for our people.

For our communities.
For the places we call home.
And for the generations who will come after us.

Three finalist spots. One incredible TROW whānau.

LETS GO!!!!!

Last Thursday, our TROW team had the pleasure of attending the Zero Waste Awards at the beautiful Mahatma Gandhi Centre, where we were proud to sponsor the Innovation Award. 🤎

The Innovation Award recognises those who are thinking outside the box, challenging the way things have always been done, and coming up with new ideas and solutions to help create a more sustainable and circular future.

Huge congratulations to this year’s recipients, with the award presented by our outstanding Project Delivery team, Lewis Swann and Joseph Vagana:

🏆WINNER:
HEB Construction (Te Whau Pathway project)
The Te Whau Pathway is a powerful demonstration of infrastructure construction shifting from waste disposal to circular resource recovery at scale. Over 21 months, the project managed 5,495 tonnes of waste, diverting an outstanding 90 per cent of that from landfill.

🎖️HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Fongky and also Everybody Eats

We always love being in a room surrounded by people who are genuinely trying to make a difference. The Zero Waste Awards are a great reminder that change doesn’t happen in one way, it comes from big ideas, small actions, community initiatives, businesses, rangatahi and people simply choosing to do things differently.

For us at TROW, innovation is a big part of what we do. We’re constantly looking at how we can rethink the way materials are used, recovered and given another life, so being able to support and celebrate others who are doing the same in their own spaces was pretty special.

A big thank you to Ana Davison and the EcoMatters team for another awesome evening and for continuing to bring together the people who are helping shape Aotearoa’s zero waste and circular economy movement.

Congratulations to everyone who was recognised on the night. There is some seriously inspiring mahi happening across Aotearoa, and we’re proud to play our small part in supporting it.

Here’s to more big ideas, more collaboration and finding better ways to do things, together. 💚♻

Building a future, through restoring the past.

A behind-the-scenes look at one of our latest local deconstruction projects in Henderson. ♻️

A huge shoutout to our incredible team! We're now around 40–50% of the way through the project and are already making great progress towards our waste diversion targets.

If you're looking for quality reclaimed building materials from this project and many of our other active deconstruction sites, visit TROW ReStore today.

🌿 www.trowrestore.com

This week we're celebrating Cook Islands Language Week (Epetoma o te Reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani) and recognising the rich culture, history, and language of our Kūki 'Āirani whānau across Aotearoa and the Pacific. 💚

This year's theme, "Me kite koe i te tuatua i to'ou reo tupuna, e turanga rangatira tena nō'ou no te uki amuri atu," reminds us that our language is the foundation that carries us into the future. It encourages us to know our roots, honour our ancestors, and ensure our language continues to thrive for generations to come.

Whether you're fluent or just starting your journey, every word spoken helps keep the language alive. Take some time this week to learn a new phrase, share it with your whānau, and celebrate everything that makes Kūki 'Āirani culture so special.

Be sure to check out the events happening in your community throughout the week, and have a go at using some of the everyday phrases from our poster below. 🇨🇰

"Vaio tei t**a ki muri, e akatu no te tuatau ki mua."
"Learn from the past what you are to build for the future."

A big thank you to Massey University and the team at Massey Business School for having our Managing Director, Saia Latu, along yesterday as part of their Business Discovery Day. 💡

It was a privilege for Saia to spend time with so many enthusiastic Year 12 and 13 students, sharing the TROW Group story and talking about how sustainability, innovation, and business can and must co-exist.

From discussing the difference between demolition and deconstruction to exploring the challenges and opportunities within the construction and waste sectors, it was great to see students engaging with the conversation and asking thoughtful questions about their OWN futures in business. 📈

Saia also shared some of the lessons learned throughout TROW Group's journey — the successes, the challenges, and how a commitment to creating positive environmental and social impact has helped shape the direction of our business both here in Aotearoa and in the Pacific.

Most importantly, it was encouraging to see so many young people interested in how businesses can make a difference while still being successful.

Nga mihi nui again to Massey University for the invitation and for creating opportunities like this that connect students with real-world experiences and industry leaders. The future is certainly in good hands. 🤝

FRIDAY NIGHT THROWBACK!

Looking back and appreciating our roots - and the foundations our Waikato whānau built that continue to guide us today. 🌿

Update from our Lincoln Garden Project 🌿

We're only one week into starting this project, and the team has already made incredible progress.

Most of the soft-strip work is now complete, and we've already seen recovered materials find new homes through on-site sales. Knowing these materials will be reused to improve and upcycle homes in our community is exactly what this work is all about.

A huge shout-out to our site team for the dedication, care, and hard mahi you bring every day. The work isn't always easy, but the impact you're creating is significant, and it certainly doesn't go unnoticed.

Onwards and upwards!

Update from our Lincoln Garden Project 🌿

We're only one week into deconstruction, and the team has already made incredible progress.

Most of the soft-strip work is now complete, and we've already seen recovered materials find new homes through on-site sales. Knowing these materials will be reused to repair, improve, and upcycle homes in our community is exactly what this work is all about.

A huge shout-out to our site team for the dedication, care, and hard mahi you bring every day. The work isn't always easy, but the impact you're creating is significant, and it certainly doesn't go unnoticed. 🤩

If you're on the hunt for quality second-hand building materials, furniture, or unique finds for your next DIY project, check out TROW ReStore and grab yourself some gems!

🔗 Visit www.trowrestore.com to see what's available and secure your next project piece today.

Onwards and upwards.

Today, we pause to honour and remember an extraordinary woman, a trailblazer, advocate, leader, and champion for Pasifika education, Yvette Guttenbeil-Po’uhila. 🤍🕊️

Yvette was a force of nature within Aotearoa’s education sector and across the Pacific. Rising through the Ministry of Education to become the first National Chief Advisor, Pacific Education, she dedicated her life to one purpose above all else: creating better futures for our tamariki and Pasifika communities.

At TROW Group and through our Open Classroom Programme, we were privileged to witness firsthand the impact of Yvette’s leadership. What began as an idea to support at-risk youth into training, employment, and brighter futures became a reality because Yvette saw its potential. She possessed the rare ability to navigate complex systems while never losing sight of the people those systems were meant to serve.

Yvette connected us with Tamaki College and many other schools across Tāmaki Makaurau, opening doors that allowed Open Classroom to grow into beyond anything we thought it may be. She believed deeply that every young person deserved a pathway to succeed, and she worked tirelessly to make those pathways accessible.

Whau Pasifika Trust was just one chapter in Yvette’s remarkable story of service. Alongside her husband Pou, through their involvement with VIP Barbers, local businesses, churches, and community initiatives, Yvette gave generously of her time, knowledge, and heart. Her influence extended far beyond boardrooms and government offices; it was felt in homes, classrooms, churches, and communities throughout Aotearoa and the Pacific.

As we prepare to lay Yvette to rest this Saturday, we reflect on a woman whose impact cannot be measured by titles alone. She was a mentor, a connector, a visionary, and one of New Zealand’s most influential Pasifika leaders in education. We are incredibly proud to have known her, to have been guided by her wisdom, and to have witnessed her unwavering commitment to uplifting our people.

We also wish to acknowledge and send our deepest love and condolences to Yvette’s husband, Pou. Many within the TROW whānau will remember Pou not only as a respected colleague, but as one of our valued truck drivers and apprentices. We thank you for being the bridge that connected our worlds. During this incredibly difficult time, please know that the entire TROW whānau stands beside you and your family. Our thoughts, prayers, and hearts are with you as we celebrate the life of a truly remarkable woman.

Moe mai rā, Yvette. Your legacy lives on in every young person empowered through education. Rest easy knowing that your work has transformed lives and that your legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. 💫

"Let us not be defined by the smallness of our islands, but by the greatness of our oceans. We are Oceania."