As mechanical engineering consultants, Dobbie delivers the full engineering lifecycle for industrial plants. Our team combines mechanical and structural engineering, process design, project and construction management, and commissioning under one roof, so your project gets integrated thinking, not siloed disciplines.
Good engineering starts with good thinking.
We help clients evaluate options, test feasibility, and define scope before committing to detailed design. Our conceptual and front-end engineering design (FEED) work covers process flow, equipment sizing, layout, and cost estimation, giving you a clear basis for investment decisions. Over 30 years, this early-stage advice has saved clients significant capital by identifying the right approach before steel gets cut.
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Where standard engineering is not enough.
Many of our projects require detailed analysis and specialist engineering across multiple disciplines. Pressure piping and pressure vessel design is central to what we do. We have an Engineering New Zealand registered Pressure Equipment Design Verifier in-house, so design verification is planned into the job from the start rather than bolted on at the end. Where the hazard level requires an accredited inspection body, we manage that process for you. This removes a bottleneck and a cost from your project. We also provide specialist structural and seismic analysis for industrial equipment and plant infrastructure.
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The package a contractor can build from.
Once a project moves into delivery, we produce the detailed engineering that contractors need to price, fabricate, and install. That includes mechanical and structural drawings, 3D models (Inventor, AutoCAD PLANT), pipe stress analysis (AutoPIPE), and FEA (Ansys), where loading conditions demand it. Our long-term clients rely on us to produce work that is economical, buildable, and clearly documented.
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When something is not performing, or an independent view is needed.
We carry out feasibility studies, remaining life assessments, failure investigations, and expert reviews across mechanical, structural, and process disciplines. Thirty-six years of working inside New Zealand's industrial plants means we understand how the theory plays out on real plant.
We also act as independent assessors for insurers and loss adjusters. When plant is damaged, we report on what failed, why it failed, and what reinstatement will realistically cost.
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Engineers running the project, not administrators.
We manage industrial engineering projects from scoping through to handover. That includes planning, procurement support, contractor coordination, budget and schedule control, and reporting. Our project managers understand what's being built, and can make informed decisions on site without referring back to a separate design team.
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Catch problems early, before they get expensive.
Construction doesn't always go to plan. We provide independent site inspections, progress verification, and regulatory compliance checks throughout the construction phase. Our team includes several Chartered Professional Engineers qualified to oversee construction monitoring activities. We service projects nationwide from our Auckland and Rotorua offices.
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Over 100 piping systems a year.
The systems convey steam, chemicals, gases, and process fluids across New Zealand's industrial plants. Our team handles pipe stress analysis (AutoPIPE), 3D layout (AutoCAD PLANT), fabrication drawings, and on-site construction support. With an Engineering New Zealand registered Pressure Equipment Design Verifier in-house, design verification is planned into the job from the start rather than bolted on at the end.
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New vessels designed. Existing vessels assessed.
The equipment ranges from heat exchangers and process columns to storage receivers and gas separators. Our team uses PV Elite and Ansys for design and analysis. Our in-house Engineering New Zealand registered Design Verifier keeps verification inside the design programme, and where the hazard level calls for an accredited inspection body, we manage that process for you. We also carry out fitness-for-service assessments on ageing equipment, helping clients make informed decisions about repair, re-rate, or replacement. Imported vessels often arrive designed to overseas codes, and we assess them for New Zealand seismic compliance before they are installed.
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Silos, tanks and bins, designed and peer reviewed.
The Kaikoura and Seddon earthquakes reminded New Zealand of the consequences when storage vessels fail. Dobbie specialises in the design and peer review of large silos, tanks, and bins, including their supports, foundations, and seismic restraint. We work across dairy, food processing, forestry, and industrial manufacturing sectors where safe, code-compliant storage is critical. Our structural and mechanical engineers collaborate on integrated designs that account for both static and seismic loading.
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Industrial plant in a seismic country.
Seismic forces on industrial equipment are significant in New Zealand, and the standards governing them are complex. Our mechanical and structural engineers provide seismic analysis and detailed design of restraint systems for piping, vessels, tanks, machinery, and building services equipment. We work to NZS 1170.5 and understand the specific interpretation challenges that arise when applying building seismic standards to industrial plant and pressure equipment. That work includes imported plant, where equipment built to overseas codes is checked against NZS 1170.5 before it is restrained and commissioned.
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Plant running the way it was designed.
Our commissioning engineers bring mechanical, process, and mechatronics expertise to the systematic and safe startup of industrial plants. We develop commissioning plans, execute pre-commissioning checks, manage the transition from construction to operation, and tune control systems for optimal performance. For existing plants, we provide process optimisation and control system tuning to improve efficiency and output, often delivering measurable gains without capital expenditure.
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Master plan through commissioning.
Dobbie offers comprehensive refrigeration consulting, from needs assessment, master planning and front-end engineering through to commissioning. We provide conceptual and process design, prepare specifications for refrigeration plant procurement, and guide tendering. Our services extend to design review and management, project management, and commissioning supervision, with deep expertise in both natural and synthetic refrigerant systems.
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Coal is out. Biomass and electrode boilers are in.
We help industrial sites identify energy efficiency opportunities and develop the business case for decarbonisation. Typical work includes fuel switching, heat recovery, high-temperature heat pumps, and process optimisation to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.
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From the home of geothermal in New Zealand.
Our Rotorua office provides conceptual design advice that helps resource owners get the maximum, sustainable benefit from their assets, and our team has won two national awards for innovative geothermal plant design. We have continuous work in the sector, from pool and hotel heating systems through to pellet drying and process systems at geothermal power stations.
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