1 January 2026
McKay celebrates 90 years of powering New Zealand
For 90 years, McKay has been part of New Zealand’s story, growing, adapting, and helping to power the country through decades of change. From its beginnings in a small Northland town to its role today in some of the nation’s most advanced energy and infrastructure projects, McKay’s journey is one of resilience, ambition, and people. As we mark this milestone and look confidently to the future, we’re excited to bring our journey to life. Throughout 2026, we’ll be sharing the stories, images, and defining moments that have shaped McKay across nine remarkable decades. We hope you join us along the way.
It’s an absolute delight to celebrate 90 years of McKay. When a company has been around this long, its journey often mirrors that of its region and its country, through good times and bad. McKay’s story began in 1936, just as New Zealand was emerging from the Great Depression, a time of renewed optimism. It was then that Tom McKay, originally from Southland and recently working in Hawke’s Bay, saw an opportunity. The West Coast of Northland was being electrified, and Tom seized the moment to set up an electrical business in Dargaville. That pioneering spirit has remained constant throughout McKay’s history.
My father, Joe, joined the business in the 1940s when he turned 15 as an apprentice electrician. Joe brought even more entrepreneurial energy to McKay, and by 19 was in a supervisory role. When Joe was in his 20s, Tom sold him a substantial share of the business. Joe boldly grew the company well beyond what anyone might have expected from a small-town electrical contracting business. McKay began doing things it shouldn’t have been able to do and that others simply weren’t trying.
At its heart, McKay is a services business. Unlike manufacturers with large plants and assembly lines, our greatest assets genuinely are our people. It’s through their skills, creativity, and commitment that we deliver outstanding results for our customers. We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, especially our adoption of technology and entry into fast evolving sectors like renewables. The world is changing, and so are we. Right now, we’re seeing a massive surge in renewable energy investment, here in New Zealand and globally. It’s a great time to be in the electrical industry.
At the same time, our traditional areas of the business remain strong and we are expanding into adjacent types of work. We continue to deliver essential services across the country, and our people do their absolute best to bring consistency, care, and professionalism to the job day in and day out. This is one of the things that truly sets McKay apart.
Someone asked me: ‘What will McKay look like in the next 90 years?’ That’s a tough one. We’re witnessing an explosion of artificial intelligence, automation, and global change. Even looking ten years ahead is challenging. But what I do know is this: our people will remain at the centre of everything we do. As we celebrate our past, we’re also stepping confidently into the future with pride in our legacy, belief in our mission, and excitement about the road ahead.
Lindsay Faithfull
McKay Managing Director
