George Griffiths
Founder / Owner
Qualifications
HND Building Maintenance management
City Guilds Mastic Asphalt Spreader
NEBOSH/ Certificate in Safety
Call 021 487 488
Email george@asphaltech.co.nz
George set up Asphaltech in October 2006 after Downer Edi decided to sell Neuchatel waterproofing to Nuralite. In the preceding 14 years George would go on to supply and install mastic asphalt on many of New Zealand’s most prominent building He keeps his hand in all aspects of the business but enjoys the installation process, technical detailing and looking to new products and system developments.
George left school at 16 and entered employment as a mastic asphalt spreader in a YTS scheme dreamed up by our illustrious leader at the time Margaret Thatcher whose aim was to de-skill the construction market. On finishing his 2-year scheme he was retained for a further 2 Years by his company Pirie of Paisley to finish his apprenticeship.
Most of George’s work was in Scotland was on Historic buildings, roof renewals, shopping centres, Bridge deck waterproofing, roofs on missile bunkers in Naval bases to large flooring installations in whiskey bonds and food factories. This work took him all over Scotland from east and west coast to remote Islands in the outer and Inner Hebrides and the borders and surrounding districts. Working in the Nuclear power plant in Thurso, Airforce bases in Stornoway and Uist. To lighthouses in the north west of Scotland helped to develop his skills within the industry.
He also spent a few years at college later in life at the Glasgow college of building and printing, firstly doing the original HNC building Supervision course which was the original Clerk of Works course. Having finished that he decided to do the HND. He also attended night school doing an NEBOSH while working as a mastic asphalt spreader.
On moving to New Zealand 15 years ago his journey started at an old brand Neuchatel waterproofing. It was here he realised that low pay and hard work were a combination in New Zealand and these conditions pushed him to set up his own company a year after arriving in New Zealand. He has been involved in the mastic asphalt industry in New Zealand all this time installing the product personally in some of New Zealand’s iconic buildings. As well as Mastic asphalt New Zealand taught George how to install a range of other products and systems that he was familiar with from overseas like PVC membranes, Torch applied membranes and Tanking systems. Working on a wide range of buildings in Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown and even worked in Sydney airport doing some mastic asphalt.
George says this country has taught me so much and given me so many skills and personal development that I would not have had should have I not taken the step to come to this wonderful country.
George loves to travel. He swims once or twice a week and is a season ticket holder at the Warriors yes since coming to New Zealand little did, he know that he had adopted another losing team like his football teams back home St Mirren and Scotland. Also, and not surprisingly coming from Scotland he is partial to a wee shandy.
Call George if you need professional waterproofing advice.