Portacom Welcomes Next Steps On New Zealand School Property Agency

Portacom New Zealand Limited (Portacom), a leading provider and approved manufacturer in the Ministry of Education’s Offsite Manufactured Buildings (OMB) programme, welcomes the next steps to establish the New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA) with the introduction of the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill.

“We view the establishment of the NZSPA as an important step to ensuring more efficient delivery, stronger investment and improved asset management approach practices across New Zealand’s school property portfolio,” says John Eastwood, Managing Director, Portacom.

Portacom is supportive of the Government’s efforts to improve procurement processes that can drive better competition and improved value. Schools can expect improved project delivery and communication, enhanced value for money, and greater transparency across the school property portfolio.

“The NZSPA represents a generational opportunity to fix systemic issues and leverage modern methods of construction, particularly offsite manufacturing, to deliver safe, warm, and dry learning spaces quickly.

“As part of this, Portacom has recommended the government, through the incoming Agency, to explore a new, two-stage procurement model, similar to leading international examples, starting with a separate 'design-only' contract,” he says.

The model aligns with the commercial discipline the Government is seeking. It:

• ensures upfront risk investigation and design certainty.
• maintains competitive tension while rewarding robust, de-risked solutions.
• prevents cost-blowouts, and ensures taxpayer funds are spent efficiently.

Portacom’s commitment to remaining responsive to education infrastructure is demonstrated by its significant investment in the new Wiri production facility, which opened in September 2025.

The facility has doubled Portacom's output capacity to 176 teaching spaces per annum, positioning the company to support the NZSPA’s need for cost-effective, efficient designs.

“Portacom has been a proud delivery partner for the government for over a decade, helping provide new learning spaces quickly and with minimal disruption to schools. We're looking forward to the establishment of the Agency and to help deliver the next generation of school infrastructure," says Mr. Eastwood.

About Portacom

With over 40 years of experience, Portacom New Zealand Limited (Portacom) has established itself as the most trusted brand in the industry. They have earned their reputation by consistently delivering modular buildings that are built to the highest standards and engineered to last. Their commitment to quality ensures that every building they construct is of the highest standard providing durability and longevity.

With the largest hire fleet in New Zealand, Portacom has the capability to meet the demands of projects of any size. Portacom operates from two primary manufacturing facilities in Auckland and Christchurch, these facilities are equipped with specialised machinery and staffed by skilled professionals who ensure the precision and quality of each building they produce.

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