Locally owned
and operated
Established in 2007, Westferry Property Services is a privately owned local mid-sized cleaning company – big enough to have the infrastructure and resources to be effective and efficient while remaining hands on and close to our people and clients.
“We have high expectations, not only for our business, also for each of our people – we nurture a culture where each of us together are responsible for driving quality and reliability and enabling innovation and a sense of pride in all that we do.”
Supporting our people to be the best they can be
We believe that it’s our people that differentiate us. When we entered the commercial cleaning market, we were determined to make a difference by supporting all our people to be the best they can be. We recruit carefully, train thoroughly, stay close and listen to our people.
With communication between our teams and clients critical to our success, we make literacy courses available for our people as well as professional budgeting advice to support their wellbeing. We’re recognised for looking after our people and are proud to have one of the lowest level of staff turnover in the industry.
We have chosen not to franchise out work or ‘on sell’ contracts to people who are mostly not in a position financially to sustain that level of expense.
Partnerships and accreditations
Although our industry is not subject to formal regulations, we voluntarily hold membership of the Building Services Contractors NZ and adhere strictly to the BSC Code of Practice and employment practices that go beyond employment law to ensure fair pay and working conditions for what is largely a vulnerable workforce. BSCNZ members are also all signatories to the Principles for a Sustainable Property Services Industry Agreement and the MECA (Multi Employer Collective Agreement), committed to providing a good service based on fair contracting principles and using staff who enjoy fair pay and conditions (including the protection of staff as contracts transition from one business to another).
We pride ourselves on our strategic relationships with market leading partners with complementary capabilities who share our values and philosophy. Strong working relationships enable us to bring value to our clients through matching our knowledge of client sites and needs together with our knowledge of our partners capabilities – this adds up to us (together) bringing our clients the best solution allowing us all to profitably do business.
Alongside many of our clients, Westferry is an Associate member of the Facilities Management Association of NZ (FMANZ).
Holding Enviro-mark Accreditation, we are continually working to balance our clients’ cleaning needs, care for the environment and value. We regularly consult with our strategic partners on their environmental policies in relation to their products and services. This helps us continuously improve environmental practices both internally and externally and our ability to advise and educate our customers.
Westferry environmental principles
- We actively seek strategic partners who have strong environmental performance and have a range of products and services that align with our own policies and practices
- We continually strive to use our environmentally friendly cleaning products in as many situations as possible
- We only recommend recycled paper consumable products to our customers that possess the Environmental Choice ‘Tick’
- We plan staff utilisation and transportation to be both cost and environmentally efficient
- We dispose of all waste according to best practise safe and responsible methods using recycling where possible
- Ensure that we do our part in assisting the client to achieve their waste minimisation strategies by adding value with our knowledge and experience each step of the way
- We pledge to respond immediately if situations arise due to any practises carried out by Westferry Property Services
- We will recommend to customers change in practices to further improve environmental performance while being mindful of cost implications and impact on organisations
The Allbrite story
In 1978 Rick and Maggie Sowman moved from Hawkes Bay to Auckland for Rick to take up a new position managing a branch of a multinational cleaning company.
Five years later, they started their own company with a vision to provide a service that surpassed mulitnationals and had the added advantage of clients being able to speak directly to the owner of the business. That company was Allbrite.
Allbrite quickly gained a growing client base and reputation as an enviable business producing high quality results and retaining high quality staff. Through the 1980’s the company continued to grow and was awarded multiple Golden Service Awards and national recognition across the industry. In 2017, Allbrite embarked on a joint venture with Westferry to provide a full range of services to a major national facilities services provider. That was the beginning of the relationship between Allbrite and Westferry.
Sadly in 2018, Rick passed away, leaving his daughter to run the business. In April 2019, Westferry Property Services merged with Allbrite with staff and clients transitioning across to Westferry. We continue to honor Rick and Maggie’s legacy.
Supporting our communities
Westferry are proud to support the communities in which we work and live.