Dixon Stainless: Still on the up!

In Warkworth, just north of Auckland, Dixon Stainless is forging ahead, even amid economic headwinds.

Founded on legacy products like stainless boarding ladders, handrails and gas‑hob toasters originally designed by Neil Dixon, the company was acquired in 2006 by local entrepreneurs Jane Warren and Andrew Wilkes.

Since then, they have evolved Dixon into a precision fabrication hub. It serves not only its traditional marine based customer base with products like custom stanchions, rod holders and ladders, it has expanded into playground installations, components for rockets, trains, food‑service fittings, art installations and balustrades for schools and housing —all fabricated locally to exacting standards and in a range of materials including stainless steels, aluminium, titanium, engineering plastics, FRP and carbon fibre.

Andrew Wilkes shows the team from Empire Capital around the 3000 sqm work site during a site visit in July 2025

Customers include many New Zealand marinas, Kiwirail, Sealegs, Dickey Boats, Eke Panuku Development Auckland, Rocket Lab, Fisher & Paykel and clients in Australia, the UK, Europe and the USA. 

The company is committed to standards and holds ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certifications, a Sustainable Steel Council Gold rating, and official licensing under the Fernmark/Buy NZ Made programme. 

Meeting Andrew and Jane onsite in July 2025, they are as upbeat as ever, with a stream of new work in the pipeline to keep the team busy.

“Dixon has stayed agile by investing in in‑house fabrication capabilities,” Andrew says. “Installing multiple water‑jet cutting machines and expanding CNC, presswork, tube bending and welding lines has let us control lead times, reduce reliance on outsourced supply, and take on custom and production‑run orders across industries.”

"We have a lean team of 17including skilled tradesfolk, NZ qualified mechanical design engineers and apprentices which means we can be flexible in handling bespoke projects without losing scale."

Paul Harris demonstrates a new laser welder that will take care of thin wall 5mm to 0.5mm, high precision jobs

Looking forward, Dixon Stainless remains strongly positioned: delivering Kiwi‑made products with global reach, trusted by long‑standing clients, and innovating in both marine and broader industrial sectors. Its story demonstrates how dedication to quality, rooted in New Zealand manufacturing, can power success.

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