TROW Group

The Deconstruction of the Mary Thomas Centre project is tracking really well — we’ve now completed around 40% of the work, with the team is making steady progress each day. ✨

In the heart of Takapuna, the Mary Thomas Centre has long served as an important community facility on Auckland’s North Shore. Constructed during the 1980s, the building was named in honour of Mary Thomas, the wife of long-serving Takapuna Mayor Fred Thomas, recognising the Thomas family’s strong contribution to the growth and development of the local community.

Throughout its life, the Mary Thomas Centre provided accommodation for numerous community organisations and social service groups, reinforcing its role as a central hub for local connection and support on the North Shore.

Today, the site forms part of the continuing evolution of Takapuna’s civic and community landscape, reflecting both the area’s history and its ongoing growth as one of Auckland’s key metropolitan centres.

We’re excited to keep the momentum going forward. Be sure to keep an eye out for more updates, stories, and wins - big or small 💚

As our deconstruction project tracks nicely in Papatoetoe, we wanted to highlight one of the more exciting new features of the site.

From Concept to Ex*****on 💡

This bin chute design was developed by our project team as a smarter and more efficient way to maximise productivity on site and make better use of our team’s time. Unlike traditional demolition, deconstruction is far more labour-intensive, as our focus is on carefully recovering and salvaging a minimum 80% of materials from all projects where possible.

The bin chute system is a great example of a solution that prevents our apprentices from having to continuously walk up and down flights of stairs to dispose of any general waste. The chute allows waste to be safely dropped directly from the upper floors into the bin below.

It’s a simple idea, but one that helps improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary manual handling, and keep the site safer and more productive overall. 🌿

Image 1: The original concept sketch from the team.
Image 2: the finished chute - installed and ready for action!

Love seeing the innovative, solution-focused thinking from the crew… although we might leave “professional sketch artist” off the CVs for now 😂

Update from the TROW Tonga Team

We just want to keep everyone in the loop on what’s been happening behind the scenes.

The rise in global fuel costs over the past few months has really impacted shipping and freight between New Zealand and Tonga. Because of this, we haven’t been able to send out containers as regularly as we normally would.

This has slowed things down on our end, and unfortunately it means stock has been limited in Tonga and some of our usual items haven’t been available. We know this has affected sales and made things a bit frustrating for our customers and community.

Please know this isn’t the level of service we aim for. We’re actively working through it and looking at more affordable and sustainable ways to get supply moving again.

We really appreciate everyone’s patience and continued support while we work through these challenges. We’re doing everything we can to get things back on track.

Thank you always for standing with us.

— TROW Group Tonga Team

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Fakamatala fakamuimui mei he TROW - TIMI TONGA."

'Oku mau fiema'u pe kemou 'ilo 'ae ngaahi me'a 'oku hoko 'ihe ngaue'anga.

Tupu meihe hiki 'ae lolo 'ihe ngaahi mahina kuo mahili atu, kuo uesia ai 'ae fefolau'aki 'ae ngaahi vaka uta koloa 'ihe vaha'a 'o Nu'usila mo Tonga. Pea koe 'uhii koe palopalemani, 'oku 'ikai lava ke mau toe fakafolau mai ha ngaahi koniteina pe koha mau uta 'o hangee koe mea angamaheni.

Oku tupu ai ae tuai e ngaue 'o makatu'unga ai ae fakangatangata 'ae koloa homau falekoloa. Oku mau ilo pe ae uesia ai emau fakafetau'aki pea tupu ai e lotomamahi emau kau kasitoma moe komiuniti.

Kataki fakatokanga'iange oku 'ikai koe taumu'a eni 'o 'emau sevesi ka oku mau lolotonga ngaue mo toe vakai ki ha ngaahi founga lelei mo fakapotopoto ke mau nga'unu ai kimu'a.

'Oku hounga 'aupito kia kimautolu hoomou kataki mo kei poupou mai lolotonga emau feinga ke solova e palopalemani. Ko homau lelei taha temau fai ke hoho lelei atu etau fengaueaki.

Malo 'aupito

Representing TROW Group at Pasifika Talanoa 2026! 🌺

Our CEO, Saia Latu, recently had the privilege of joining the Pasifika Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talanoa at the University of Auckland! This inspiring event was a collaboration between Commerce ‘o Pasifika (COP) and Velocity, aimed at empowering the next generation of Pacific innovators.

During the speaker panel, Saia shared insights into how TROW Group bridges the gap between business and community. The discussion touched on critical themes that drive our mission every day:

- The Reality of Waste: Sharing what we've seen on the ground in Tonga and how it impacts the wider Moana.

- Protecting Whenua: What it truly means to hold a responsibility toward both the land and our people.

- Sustainable Foundations: How more businesses can be built on the pillars of equity and environmental sustainability.

The evening featured dynamic round-table talanoa sessions, where Saia met with students and staff to discuss the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey with emphasis on TROW Group waste recovery operations in Tonga. He was able to showcase how cultural heritage and values can be the ultimate "secret sauce" for meaningful innovation.

A huge thank you to the teams at Commerce ‘o Pasifika and Velocity for hosting such an important space for our rangatahi to find their place in the world of business.

Together, we continue to build a future, while Restoring the past.

Recently, we had the privilege of celebrating the best of the best across Tāmaki Makaurau at the 2degree Auckland Business Awards 🏆✨

After taking out the Excellence in Sustainability Award for the North/West Region last year, TROW Group stepped into the next stage of the journey, the Best of the Best Awards. A night where high-vis was swapped for black-tie, and hard hats for heels, as our team came together to celebrate the impact, innovation, and kaupapa driving businesses across the region.

Being recognised at this level in the Excellence in Sustainability category is something we do not take lightly. It placed us alongside leading organisations who are pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and rethinking what a sustainable future looks like here in Aotearoa. 🌱

The room was filled with purpose, with organisations demonstrating manaakitanga, innovation, and a genuine commitment to creating long-term impact for our communities and papatuanuku. It was an impactful reminder that sustainability is a practise powered by a shared responsibility.

A huge congratulations to all finalists and winners. Your mahi continues to inspire and raise the standard for what is possible. For us, that closes our final awards chapter in our annual awards season from 2025. We look ahead now, ready to continue the work and return even stronger in 2026. 🤞🏽

Ngā mihi nui kia koutou Auckland Business Chamber 2degrees

Te whakatū i te anamata, te whakaora i te inamata
“Building the future, restoring the past”

Proud of the outcome. Humbled by the journey. 💛

Huge congratulations to TROW Group on sweeping the 2025 Pacific Business Trust Awards! They took home the Business Excellence in Construction, Infrastructure & Trades award and the inaugural Frances Hartnell Supreme Business Excellence Award. Their Māori and Pasifika-owned company is setting the standard for sustainable construction and innovation.

With the launch of TROW ReStore, their online marketplace for salvaged materials, TROW is giving waste a second life while supporting communities across Aotearoa and the Pacific. Over 120,000 tonnes of waste diverted highlights their commitment to circular economy practices, social impact, and honoring ancestral values.

Safe T Fence Hire

Full Story👇

Pacific Mission Series: Guard of Honour and Flag Raising / Ava Ceremony – Samoa 🇼🇸

Day 1 in Samoa: On day one, the Pacific Mission in Samoa, our CEO Saia Latu took part in a Guard of Honour and Ava ceremony – a true honour, especially being Saia’s first of many visits to Samoa ever!

At the gates of the Samoa Government Building, the day began in a way our proud Samoa communities know best – movement and rhythm. A Guard of Honour Ceremony followed by the raising of a cloth that breathes the stories, lineage, and history of Samoa – the Samoan flag.

Then came the ʻAva Ceremony, one of Samoa’s oldest rituals - one that has stood for generations, echoing the values of Faʻa Samoa - love, respect, service, and humility. 🤎

What followed was Saia’s first-ever experience witnessing a Matai title bestowal, one of the most powerful traditions in Samoa, where leadership meets the commitment to the community.

For Saia, the experience was described in one simple term - blessing. This was an honour, a learning, and a reminder that the Pacific is bound together by values that go beyond words – but by va. 🌿

Stay tuned for more on Saia's experiences while being a delegate for the Pacific Mission to Samoa and Tonga.

Sending love and support to our fāmili and friends across the pacific ✊🏽🫂

| A tsunami was not expected after a deep 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck near the Tonga islands on Tuesday, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.

More to come via link below 🔗

Pacific Mission Series: Returning Home 🏠🌴

There’s something special about returning home… not just in body, but in purpose.

At the start of this month, our very own CEO Saia Latu had the honour of joining the delegation for the Pacific Mission to Samoa and Tonga.

This business delegation mission focused on strengthening the vā between our nations. A chance to honour the deep connections between Aotearoa, Tonga, and Samoa, and to reaffirm our shared commitment to the prosperity and resilience of our Pacific people.

Across the delegation were leaders, changemakers, and community voices, all carrying different stories, but connected through culture, identity, and the enduring ties that bind us across oceans.

For Saia, this journey hits different.

From growing up playing in the villages of Tonga to now sitting in spaces where conversations shape the future of our region, it's a full-circle moment grounded in humility, pride, and responsibility to our people.

And this is only the beginning.

Welcome to our Pacific Mission Series, where we’ll be sharing stories, reflections, and moments from the journey.

There’s plenty more to come! Stay tuned!