Having the right team matters
Led by industry leaders in hydraulic and pneumatic engineering, our impressive team come from a variety of trades and industries, bringing with them a range of experience that will help give you a competitive edge.
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Management Team
GARY ALLEN
Director / Sales Engineer
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As one of the founding members of FPS, Gary Allen has played a key role in the on-going development of FPS. While Gary is a director of FPS he is also the person responsible for technical sales and service.
Gary started his career as a fitter and turner for Nalder and Biddle at Port Nelson where he was also actively involved with diesel engine overhauls and new installations before moving into full-time hydraulics.
Gary’s knowledge and expertise, from system maintenance to system design, is supported by over four decades of experience specialising in the hydraulic industry. Gary actively keeps abreast of the latest hydraulic and electronic innovations and trends both here in New Zealand and overseas.
Gary has an on-going commitment to innovation and excellence ensuring FPS remains a leader in the industry.
CHRIS GRAY
Sales Manager
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Chris Gray is responsible for the compressed air/pneumatics side of the business as well as the mobile hose and hydraulic technicians in Nelson, Tasman and Blenheim. Chris is a fitter/turner by trade and trained in Nelson as a compressed air/pneumatics specialist prior to going to Scotland for two years. During his time in Scotland he worked as a mobile compressed air/pneumatic specialist, servicing a wide range of compressors and air equipment all over the country.
That experience, combined with his ‘do it once, do it right’ attitude give FPS an effective and results driven pneumatic/compressed air division and mobile hose and hydraulic technician team.
OWEN LITTLE
Sales Engineer
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Owen started his career as a fitter and turner before moving into hydraulics. Since then Owen has spent 25 years specialising in hydraulics, with ten of those years working for Vickers/Eaton Hydraulics as a sales engineer for large projects in power generation, white wear press lines, the marine industry and mobile machines. Owen has since worked for Scarlett Technologies in Christchurch and Hydac NZ before starting with FPS in 2011. Owen’s previous employment with Vickers/Eaton has also given him a good grounding in the electronics side of hydraulics.
BRENT BROWN
Workshop Manager
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Brent “Brownie” Brown started his career as a heavy automotive engineer working in the field on a wide variety of mobile machinery both in New Zealand and in the Australian mines for 15 years. Brownie moved into hydraulics, attending various training programmes along the way, and has been actively involved in the hydraulics industry since 1999. Since 2010, Brownie has taken on a lead role at FPS as Workshop Manager.
Hydraulic Engineering Team
DOUG HITCHCOCK
Marine Foreman
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Doug Hitchcock started his career as a fitter and turner serving his time at Nalder and Biddle on the port before becoming a water sider. There he underwent training to be able to operate various heavy equipment, including ships’ cranes. This experience proved to be invaluable for Doug when he eventually returned to engineering. He spent time in the forestry and marine sectors before taking up his position as onsite foreman for FPS. He is responsible for the company’s day to day marine work at Port Nelson.
ANDREW HUNTER
Workshop Foreman
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Nelson-born Andrew found his way to FPS via a career path spanning many years in engineering industries. His skills as a fitter and turner were fine-tuned at local engineering firm Kernohan, while previously he was a marine engineer at sea for eight years and has several years’ experience in the hydraulics industry in Australia as a machinist, where he repaired cylinders. He enjoys his role at FPS as workshop foreman, quoting new work and making sure all jobs run smoothly and on time.
DANNY GUARD
Senior Hydraulic Technician
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Danny has been working at FPS since early 2021, but his association with Gary Allen and the hydraulics industry in Nelson goes back 35 years. In the late 1980s Danny worked for four years in Hose and Fittings, and then Hydratec with Gary. He was at Diverse Hydraulics for 15 years as a Workshop Foreman and Workshop Manager. His current role sees him focussing on sales and service and customer relationships – some of which go back many years – with clients in forestry, milling, roading, contracting, marine and transport.
NICK CARSTON
Hydraulics / Fabrication Specialist
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Fabrication Specialist, Nick Carston, joined FPS in 2010. He previously worked as a fabricator for a Nelson engineering firm and was employed as a leading hand in the marine engineering industry for five years.
SAM HARDWICK
Hydraulic Technician
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Sam has been on our team of qualified hydraulic technicians since 2009, servicing hydraulic equipment for clients in Nelson and Blenheim. Prior to joining us, Sam was employed for several years at a Christchurch hydraulics company where he gained a sound knowledge of products and their application as their sales technician.
ADAM HENLE
Hydraulics / Cylinder Technician
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Adam first joined FPS in 2010 as a hydraulic technician. In 2012 he embarked on a four-year adventure working with hydraulics in Western Australia. We were pleased to welcome Adam back in late 2016 as a cylinder technician, where he lends his expertise in the custom design, build and rebuild of cylinders. He has extensive experience within the industry having also worked in Auckland before his time in Australia.
BRIAN valdez
Hydraulic Technician
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Brian immigrated from the Phillippines in 2012 to join the FPS team as a hydraulic technician. He specialises in assembling felling heads for the forestry industry and marine tube repairs. Brian has a background in mechanical engineering, and was a service manager of injection moulding machines.
JAKE SINGLETON
Hydraulic Technician
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Jake started at FPS in January 2021, following pre-trade training at NMIT. Before that, he was a chef for four years but says that hydraulic engineering is a much better fit for him. Jake is enjoying learning about hydraulics systems and componentry and is very motivated to apply his new knowledge to his job.
BRADEN GRAY
Hydraulic Technician
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Having worked part-time at FPS for three years during the school holidays, Braden moved naturally into the position of FPS’s resident apprentice in 2017 after leaving high school. He now works full-time across all areas of the business.
Braden is relishing the hands-on experience and expertise he’s getting from his senior colleagues in the FPS workshop, which offers a broad range of engineering services. Braden has been set on being an engineer ever since he can remember, following in his father Chris Gray’s footsteps, who works at FPS as a sales manager. Let’s not forget his Mum, our workshop administrator.
STEVEN BILL
Hydraulics / Fabrication Specialist
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Steven came to FPS early in 2021 following 15 years as a machinist at Trinder Engineering. He brings a range of skills to repair and fabrication work both in the workshop and out in the field and appreciates the variety of work and clients in the hydraulic industry.
Neville Boland
Machine Shop / Fitter and Turner
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Neville became a qualified fitter in Stoke in 1982, and has had a self-described passion for mechanics ever since. He joined FPS in late 2022 as a machinist and, in addition to simply enjoying the work, is happy to add a complementary set of skills to his fitting background.
REGAN GRAY
Hydraulic Technician
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Coming soon.
Thomas Whitmore-Maddock
Hydraulics / SystemCare Technician
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Thomas has been working at FPS since late 2021. Before that he worked in power tool/hardware retail but was attracted to apply to FPS as he likes working in a hands-on environment. He is learning on the job, working with more experienced staff and is loving his role.
Connor balmer
Hydraulics / Pipe and Tube Technician
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Connor started work at FPS at the beginning of 2022. Previously he worked for a sprinkler fitting company, mostly on construction sites. He jumped at the opportunity to work for FPS and learn about hydraulic systems. Connor works both out in the field and in the workshop, and says the variety of work and opportunity to learn and grow on the job is very satisfying.
ETHAN WILLIAMS
Trainee Hydraulic Technician
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Raised in Nelson, Ethan joined FPS in 2024. Intrigued by the future an engineering career in hydraulics offers, Ethan appreciates the variety in the work and that you aren’t doing the same thing each day. He looks forward to completing his qualification and furthering his career at FPS. In his spare time, Ethan enjoys getting out on his dirt bike, swimming and being outside.
SAMUEL HOWELL
Trainee Hydraulic Technician
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Samuel began working at FPS part-time at the end of 2024 and joined the team full time in 2025. Still early in his engineering career, Samuel enjoys working on a variety of different projects and machinery types – particularly the hydraulic systems on large fishing vessels in Port Nelson – and exploring all the opportunities FPS has to offer. He is currently working towards his diploma in engineering through Open Polytechnic. Outside of the workshop, Samuel enjoys mountain biking and a bit of basketball.
MIKE SAVAGE
Hydraulic Technician
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Coming soon.
HosE TEchnicians
KARL DONALDSON
Hose and Hydraulic Technician - Marlborough
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As a qualified fitter and turner, Karl brings a wealth of experience to FPS. Utilising his marine engineering ticket Karl, for the past five years, has been working on fishing boats, deep sea trawlers and mussel boats in New Zealand and Australia. Previously he spent 20 years in the mining industry working as a plant mechanic and hydraulic technician throughout Africa, Hong Kong, Russia and Australia. Originally from Havelock, Karl is pleased to be home contracting to FPS and running his mussel farms.
CRAIG GRIFFITH
Hose and Hydraulic Technician - Motueka
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Craig joined FPS in 2003 as a hydraulic and hose technician serving the Motueka area - where he was born and raised. Craig enjoys helping customers and applying his practical hydraulic experience to solving their problems.
Mobile: 0274 395 799
Email: craiggriffith66@gmail.com
TAMA Lindsay
Hose and Hydraulic Technician - Marlborough
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Prior to joining FPS in late 2022, Tama worked as a skipper for Sanford. Now from his base in Havelock, working closer to home, he enjoys the variety of his day-to-day work and says it’s “quite satisfying” to learn more about the hydraulics side of things after having so much experience on boats.
Front Counter AND SYSTEMCARE
JAMES FLACK
Stock Coordinator
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Before joining FPS, James held a logistics support role where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the store. With 20 years’ experience in retail, James is a natural at offering a friendly, professional service to customers. He knows a lot about the products FPS stock – and can make sure customers get the right equipment to get the job done.
DDI: (+64) 3 548 4850 Extn 124
Email: stores@fluidpower.co.nz
ALEC YEOMANS
Front Counter Sales
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Alec is a qualified mechanical engineer trained at Stockport College of further education in Manchester, UK. He spent 15 years working for a company in the UK doing plant maintenance and new project work. He then moved to Nelson and worked as a workshop manager for a large local construction company before he joined FPS in 2009.
CRAIG WRAY
SystemCare Manager
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Craig stepped up from being FPS' workshop manager to run the Systemcare division of FPS in 2017. He joined FPS in 2014 after spending six years at Carter Holt Harvey’s Nelson sawmill, overseeing their maintenance work. He was trained as a fitter turner, completed a four-year apprenticeship with Alliance Group, and spent his 25-year career in various engineering roles, including going to sea as an engineer on fishing vessels. Craig’s knowledge in the marine and sawmill industries adds strength to FPS’s capability.
Compressed Air / Pneumatics
RANDYL ILLSLEY
Compressed Air/Pneumatics and Vacuum Technician
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An industrial spray painter for 15 years before starting with FPS in the front counter sales team, Randyl’s engineering ability meant he quickly transitioned to a role in FPS’s compressed air/pneumatics division. Servicing air compressors and vacuum equipment, Randyl enjoys the variety of the work across different industries. A born and bred Nelsonian, Randyl likes hitting the region’s mountain bike trails on weekends, and, working on his race car when time permits.
Neil McLaren
Compressed Air/Pneumatics and Vacuum Technician
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Neil started at FPS at the end of 2021, following a 40-year career as a fitter and turner (1st Class). He is experienced with machinery of all sorts and enjoys the change of focus to hydraulics at FPS. Neil is very mechanically-minded, is good at fixing things and likes getting out and about and working on boats.
Office and Administrative
JAN SMITH
Finance Manager
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Since 2009, Jan has been responsible for the financial and management accounting, banking, finance, payroll, insurance, and all tax related requirements. She’s a CA and a member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand with a BCA Bachelor’s Degree from Victoria University. After working for accountancy firms in Nelson and London, she settled in Wellington. She returned to Nelson when she started her family and now works part-time at FPS, maintaining a career and family life in Nelson.
Email: jan@fluidpower.co.nz
SARAH GRAY
Workshop Administrator
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On top of general administration duties, Sarah is responsible for job costings, processing and timesheets. Sarah has a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in management and accounting from NMIT and has previously worked for a chartered accountant firm in Nelson.
DDI: (+64) 3 548 4850
Email: sarah@fluidpower.co.nz
MANDY STRATFORD
Office Administrator
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Mandy joined the FPS team in 2023 and is responsible for office administration, where she assists with accounting, administration for Health and Safety, and data entry. Before joining FPS, Mandy worked at energy measurement tech manufacturer Daniel Industries Ltd. in Calgary, Canada, for 20 years. After returning to New Zealand, she spent a decade working in sales and logistics for local companies Heartland Fruit and Genia. She enjoys working with the team and is looking forward to learning more ways to assist Jan and Sarah.
DDI: (+64) 3 548 4850
Email: mandy@fluidpower.co.nz
JESSICA ANDREWS
Workshop Admin Assistant
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Originally from the Mighty Waikato, Jessica brings her background in administration and data entry to the office at FPS, helping Sarah with job costings and invoicing. Outside of work, Jessica has a wide range of hobbies including Japanese domestic market (JDM) cars, baseball and baking, and loves exploring the Nelson region and its beaches.
DDI: (+64) 3 548 4850
Email: jessica@fluidpower.co.nz