Our Story

NOW

Group Managing Director / Chief Facade Engineer David Hayes, heads up Thermosash Commercial Ltd, along with three strategic Group Directors. We have offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Our head office and main manufacturing unit operates from Henderson, Auckland - one of the most modern operations in Australasia with state-of-the-art imported automated machinery. 

We operate as part of the Thermosash Group of Companies which includes Woods Glass, Insite Facades, Thermosash Service & Maintenance and WEC. Thermosash has been operating since 1973 and we continuously pursue innovation and expertise to be a single provider of value and durable world class building envelope solutions; to build stunning buildings across New Zealand and abroad.

We are proud to be 100% New Zealand owned and operated. For over 50 years we have turned concepts into buildings of excellence that stand the test of time and enrich our cities.

The building industry, particularly over the last decade, has passed more and more responsibility with performance specifications, tight lead times and fast track construction programmes onto the metal window industry. Due to the level of expertise required, and the technology available today, we have made major investments in plant and technical/professional staff to keep abreast with this demand. This has given us a competitive advantage within the industry.

Positively Sustainable

Thermosash works sustainably and responsibly by implementing a carbon reduction methodology that includes using aluminium extrusions with a carbon footprint so low that it outperforms readily available global alternatives, we reduce site wastage, and reuse and recycle whenever possible.

We are committed to undertake yearly Toitū audits to measure and meet our target reductions. Our largest manufacturing facility in Auckland has a 969m2 solar panel grid installation achieving 220kW for essential services battery backup / onsite diesel generator.

Thermosash is focused on engineering specific design high performance products that help reduce energy demands of the building over its lifetime, offers unitised facade systems that can be upcycled if necessary and delivers increased value through durability and longevity of product lifespan which minimises building maintenance in the long term. 

Our 50 Year Story, 1973 - 2023 

2023

Thermosash celebrated 5 decades in the building envelope industry, and the move to new Auckland premises. For 30 years Thermosash Auckland had been operating out of the North Shore in Poland Rd, Glenfield and the last 8 years had extended their operations to include a premises in View Rd, Glenfield. In 2021 an opportunity arose to purchase and repurpose a large existing commercial property in Henderson, Auckland to accommodate all manufacturing and staff in one place. A significant investment was also made in the latest technology machinery for the new factory. In April 2023 both Glenfield operations were moved and consolidated at the Henderson facility. 

2014

On the 24th of August 2014, The Prime Minster John Key officially opened our new Christchurch facility - a refurbished apple cool store for the factory and adjoining purpose built offices.

2012

Thermosash rebrands after 38 years. The dove is an emblem of Themosash’s aspirations and an evolution of the original Thermosash logo. The koru motif has been incorporated to show our proud New Zealand ideology.

1990s

In 1992, Thermosash linked with SPACETECH PTY. LTD of Australia and became the agent for their Oktalok space frames and permanent fabric architectural membrane systems. Spacetech subsequently joined forces with Skyspan in early 2000 for the development and use of these light-weight building materials. Also in 1992, an association with REYNOLDS METAL COMPANY of the United States was formed for their product Reynobond®, a light weight aluminium composite panel with a class A PVF2 (PPG Duranar) paint finish which is considered to be the most sophisticated, durable external architectural finish available.

In 1995 Thermosash entered into a Technology Agreement with DASOLAS INTERNATIONAL for their systems Unisun C and Unisun F, covering Australia and New Zealand. The Museum of New Zealand (in Wellington) was Thermosash’s first Dasolas solar shading contract using this European market leading technology. This technology will become an integral element in future facade design to ensure saving in mechanical services initial cost and downstream running costs.

1980s

By 1987 Thermosash was the largest commercial window and curtainwall designer, manufacturer and contracting company in New Zealand

Over the past few decades, with the recognition of our earthquake risk in New Zealand, there has been a distinct move towards the use of light-weight, fully integrated painted metal / glass cladding systems to lighten dead-loads on the structure. This has allowed for designers, façade consultants and main contractors to limit their responsibility to the construction of a structural frame, with larger allowable tolerances than the forming of traditional window and door openings. The delivery of the fast track prefabricated ‘total cladding package’ was born.

From our exposure to American cladding technology since the early 1980's and our numerous trips during this period to keep ourselves abreast with the latest technology available in this specialist area world-wide, Thermosash has consciously developed itself and directed its long-term strategy towards the commercial total cladding market.

Thermosash, early in 1988, made two significant advances within our industry, making this technology available to the New Zealand market:

1. It built a world-class façade testing facility to enable specialist testing of the custom designed products, particularly façades for individual projects.
2. It gained extensive surface finishing expertise, having installed one of the most sophisticated PVF 2 paint and powder coating operations in New Zealand at Aluminium Surface Finishers Limited's Auckland, New Zealand plant, now owned and operated by Rotorua Electrostatic Painters Limited.

1973

Thermosash Commercial Ltd commenced operations in Auckland, New Zealand in June 1973 under the direction of the five founding Engineers who had, through their senior positions with Crittall Metal Windows, accumulated over 120 years of expertise in the Commercial Window Industry.

Under its founder, Mr Laurie Hayes and their modern integrated suites, Thermosash quickly developed a reputation for innovation and expertise.

Thermosash logo 1973