The Mana Way
The Mana Way
Kia Ora. We’re Mana Scaffolding, and this is our story.
In te reo Māori, mana means far more than a word can hold. It speaks to prestige, to authority, to the spiritual power that comes from doing right by your whānau and your community. When Terry Pohatu named this company in 2019, he chose that name with purpose. Every scaffold we erect carries that weight — a commitment to structural integrity, to the people who work on and around our equipment, and to the whenua we build upon.
We provide a complete scaffolding service across Canterbury, and we have built our reputation on the projects others walk away from. Complex builds. Tight access. Structures that demand creative engineering and zero compromise on safety. That is where Mana Scaffolding thrives.
Our Story
Mana Scaffolding Limited was incorporated on October 24, 2019, born from a straightforward belief: Christchurch deserved a scaffolding company that combined world-class technical expertise with genuine local care.
The timing was deliberate. Christchurch was deep into its rebuild, and the demand for reliable, skilled scaffolding was enormous. But Terry saw a gap between the volume of work available and the standard of service being delivered. Too many crews were treating scaffolding as a commodity — something to rush through, tick off, and move on. Terry knew better. He’d spent years working on complex scaffolding projects internationally, and he understood that done properly, scaffolding is the foundation upon which every successful build rests.
What began as a focused operation serving residential and light commercial projects across Christchurch quickly gained a reputation for tackling the hard jobs. The ones that require patience, planning, and a deep understanding of structural loads, environmental conditions, and site-specific challenges. Word spread. General contractors, project managers, and builders started calling Mana Scaffolding when the straightforward scaffold companies said it couldn’t be done.
In 2023, Terry brought Keith Timmins on board as a director and business partner, recognising that the company’s growth demanded additional leadership strength. Keith brought his own international scaffolding experience, gained across projects in Canada and the United Kingdom, and a complementary perspective on operations, client relationships, and business strategy. Together, they formed a partnership built on shared values and complementary strengths — Terry’s deep technical expertise and Keith’s operational and commercial acumen.
Today, Mana Scaffolding serves Christchurch, the wider Canterbury region, and the South Island. We remain a company that measures success not by the number of scaffolds we erect, but by the trust we earn on every single project.
Our Values
These are not slogans on a wall. They are the principles we bring to every site, every client conversation, and every structure we build.
Mana — Integrity and Respect
We do what we say we will do. We show up when we commit. We build scaffolds that are safe because the people relying on them — workers, pedestrians, families — deserve nothing less. Mana is earned through action, and we work to earn it every day.
Safety — Non-Negotiable
There is no job so urgent, no deadline so tight, no budget so lean that justifies cutting corners on safety. Our safety record reflects our culture, not our compliance checklist. We train, we inspect, we double-check. Always.
Excellence — Craftsmanship in Everything
Scaffolding is engineering. It is load calculations, material science, environmental assessment, and spatial problem-solving. We approach every project with the discipline and attention to detail that this craft demands.
Whanaungatanga — Connection and Community
The concept of whanaungatanga speaks to relationship, to kinship, to the ties that bind a community together. We see our clients, our suppliers, our subcontractors, and the communities we work within as part of our extended whānau. We treat them accordingly.
Kaitiakitanga — Guardianship
We are guardians of the sites we work on and the environment we share. We minimise disruption, we protect surrounding structures and landscapes, and we leave every site in better condition than we found it.
Leadership
Terry Pohatu — Founder & Director
Terry Pohatu founded Mana Scaffolding in 2019 after years of working on complex scaffolding projects across international markets. His technical expertise spans every category of scaffolding — from residential edge protection to large-scale commercial and industrial installations.
Terry’s approach to scaffolding is shaped by a simple philosophy: understand the problem before you build the solution. He brings methodical planning, creative problem-solving, and an uncompromising commitment to safety to every project Mana Scaffolding undertakes.
As the majority shareholder and hands-on leader of the company, Terry remains directly involved in project assessment, crew supervision, and client relationships. His mobile number is the one clients call when they need answers.
Keith Timmins — Director
Keith Timmins joined Mana Scaffolding as a director in 2023, bringing extensive scaffolding industry experience from Canada and the United Kingdom. His international background provides Mana Scaffolding with a breadth of perspective on scaffolding methodologies, project management approaches, and industry best practices.
Keith focuses on business development, operational efficiency, and strategic growth — ensuring that as Mana Scaffolding expands its capacity and reach, the quality and reliability that define the company’s reputation remain firmly intact.
Our Approach: Global Expertise, Local Commitment
What sets Mana Scaffolding apart is the intersection of international experience and local knowledge. Both Terry and Keith have worked on diverse projects across different countries, regulatory environments, and construction cultures. That experience gives them a broader toolkit — more techniques, more solutions, more ways to approach a complex build.
But expertise without local understanding is incomplete. We know Christchurch. We know the soil conditions, the seismic considerations, the weather patterns, and the consenting requirements specific to Canterbury. We know the builders, the project managers, and the subcontractors who make up this construction community. That local knowledge ensures our international expertise is applied in ways that are practical, efficient, and appropriate for every specific project.
Our Timeline
October 2019 — Mana Scaffolding Limited incorporated in Christchurch. Terry Pohatu begins operations serving residential and light commercial projects across the city.
2020 — The company builds its reputation on complex residential projects, particularly those involving difficult access and heritage building requirements in post-earthquake Christchurch.
2021 — Mana Scaffolding expands into larger commercial projects, establishing relationships with major general contractors operating in the Canterbury region.
2022 — Continued growth in both residential and commercial sectors. The company begins taking on industrial scaffolding projects, further demonstrating its versatility and technical range.
2023 — Keith Timmins joins as director. Mana Scaffolding expands its service area across the broader Canterbury region and into the South Island. The company invests in additional equipment and crew capacity to meet growing demand.
2024–2025 — Mana Scaffolding consolidates its position as a go-to provider for complex scaffolding projects across Canterbury. The company continues to grow, building long-term relationships with repeat clients who value reliability, safety, and technical capability.
Today — Mana Scaffolding continues to serve Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region with the same founding commitment: do the hard jobs, do them safely, and do them right.
Kia kaha. Stand strong. That is what our scaffolds do, and that is what we strive for as a company. If you are looking for a scaffolding partner in Canterbury, we would welcome the conversation. Get in touch with our team.