German Innovation at BuildNZ 2025

BuildNZ 2025 again showed why it remains the key meeting place for New Zealand’s construction sector. Since 2011, the German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (GNZCC) has managed the Made in Germany Pavilion, and this year it continued to be one of the busiest parts of the show. Positioned on the main boulevard, the German Pavilion is known as the go‑to spot for anyone looking for new ideas, expert knowledge, and the superior quality that “Made in Germany” represents.

The 'Made in Germany' Pavilion 

The Pavilion featured New Zealand-based distributors and German subsidiaries showcasing German-manufactured products. Exhibitors included:

• dormakaba – Automatic and touchless access systems
• Koster – High-performance waterproofing solutions
• Sto – Energy-efficient façade and insulation systems
• Würth – Professional-grade fasteners and tools
• STIEBEL ELTRON – Energy-saving hot water and heating systems
• 5Merchants – Premium European building products
• EFAFLEX – High-speed industrial doors
• GonRam – MAUS, a non-toxic, potassium-based fire extinguishing powder
• Probst – Paving and material handling equipment
• Wilo – Smart, efficient pump systems
• Knipex – Precision-engineered hand tools
   

Together, these solutions addressed critical challenges in performance, compliance, and sustainability across New Zealand’s construction and industrial sectors.

Day 1 highlights

The GNZCC Construction Forum drew strong interest, with a deep dive into vocational training with insights shared from the 2024 Building Bridges Delegation to Germany. A big theme was Germany’s highly successful dual training model, and what New Zealand could learn from it to build a more resilient and highly skilled trades workforce. Our expert speakers, Katherine Hall, Executive Director of ConCOVE and MIT, alongside Leah Gates, Chief Operations Officer for the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce delivered on the ground perspectives and actionable steps for a highly engaged roundtable participants. This monthly forum is coordinated by GNZCC Business Development Manager ANZ Erin Daly, and chaired by pro clima’s Education Manager, Jon Davies.

In the afternoon, the Pavilion hosted the GNZCC Industry Networking, sponsored by passive house pioneers 5Merchants New Zealand. It gave members, exhibitors, and visiting professionals space to talk openly, swap experiences, and make useful connections before the day wrapped up.

Day 2: building on the momentum

Day 2 kept up the energy, with a steady stream of visitors returning for deeper conversations. Smart home technologies, sustainable building design, labour‑saving tools, high‑efficiency systems – the Pavilion became a place where people could talk through what these solutions might mean in their own projects.

Looking ahead

With the majority of the German Pavilion exhibitors already signed up for BuildNZ 2026, it’s clear the event continues to be an important platform for engaging with the New Zealand construction sector.

Thank you

A big thank you to all our exhibitors and forum speakers – your expertise and innovation keep pushing the industry forward.

Thanks also to our awesome sponsor, 5Merchants, for supporting the networking hour on day one.

The GNZCC is proud to be part of this growing conversation between German and New Zealand building professionals, and we look forward to building on it in 2026.

In the meantime, stay in touch with the latest in German innovation at our monthly online construction forum, connecting industry leaders in the sector with valuable insights and actionable content.