The Forge – Te Toki
About the Project
A modern, flexible industrial facility purpose-built to support advanced defence manufacturing, secure operations, and future growth, delivered with a focus on resilience, efficiency, and high-performing infrastructure.
Project Anvil, known as The Forge – Te Toki, is a specialist industrial facility designed to support the next generation of defence manufacturing and engineering in Aotearoa. The project brings together precision fabrication, secure storage, and specialist testing environments in a single, highly functional building. Delivered on an active industrial site, the facility was designed for long-term adaptability, enabling future technologies and new operational requirements to be incorporated with minimal disruption. Leighs Construction worked closely with the client, technical advisors, and specialist trades to create a robust, high-performing facility that supports both current operational needs and the strategic growth of the secto
NZDF
Client
November 2025
Completed
Burnham | Canterbury
Location
The Forge – Te Toki was developed to provide a consolidated, future-ready base for advanced repair, assembly, and secure operations. The facility includes large-span workshop areas, high-capacity gantry crane infrastructure, specialised fabrication zones, secure equipment handling rooms, and integrated office and collaboration spaces.
Designed to support rapid prototyping and precision engineering, the building’s layout ensures efficient material flow and operational separation where required.
The facility’s structural grid, services framework, and internal planning were all designed to accommodate evolving technologies, ensuring the space can scale and shift as operational demands change. This combination of functionality, resilience, and flexibility makes The Forge a critical asset for ongoing capability development.
Working within a restricted, high-security industrial environment required a tailored approach to site management, logistics, and workforce coordination. Leighs implemented robust security protocols, controlled access zones, and strict delivery sequencing to meet operational requirements without disrupting ongoing activities on the wider campus.
Collaboration with the client and security teams ensured full alignment on risk, compliance, and safety throughout the build. Given the sensitivity of the work carried out within the completed facility, particular attention was given to maintaining confidentiality and ensuring the building’s design, construction, and services installations adhered to strict security and reliability standards.
The project required the delivery of a high-performance industrial shell with integrated specialist systems. Significant engineering coordination was needed to install high-load slab areas, vibration-resistant foundations, and overhead crane infrastructure capable of supporting precision fabrication work. Heavy mechanical and electrical systems were designed to provide redundancy and support continuous operations, while the building envelope was engineered for durability and environmental control.
Fire protection, structural resilience, and future-proofed service routes were all key design considerations, requiring detailed coordination with specialist consultants and trade partners. Together, these elements create a facility capable of handling complex, large-scale industrial processes with accuracy and reliability.
The Forge – Te Toki provides a strong platform for expanding defence manufacturing capability in New Zealand. With its adaptable layout, engineered robustness, and secure operating framework, the facility supports innovation, operational efficiency, and long-term asset performance. It enables faster delivery of complex work programmes and ensures the organisation can respond quickly to new requirements or emerging technologies.
The project reflects Leighs Construction’s expertise in delivering high-specification industrial facilities where precision, security, and operational continuity are essential.
The Forge now stands as a key component of the client’s strategic infrastructure, strengthening capability for years to come.