“There are many critical things we’ll consider before we recommend a door and dock loading system for your project,” says Ernie Cottle, General Manager of Ulti Group. “We don’t just pick a product off the shelf; it has to be the right total solution. That means understanding how a facility operates in practice, not just how it was designed. To find that, we’ll first look at what trucks and equipment you use and operational details like your logistics, temperature and export requirements.”
Ulti Group partners with New Zealand businesses to protect their people, products and profits by providing smarter, safer warehouse solutions. Their role often starts before a building is finalised, working alongside architects and developers to ensure door systems, loading areas and building design are aligned from the outset. When Teulo last caught up with their team in 2025, they were broadening their range of fire doors and making plans to expand into the Australian market. “Fire and smoke is definitely an evolving segment for us,” Ernie says. “It’s very interesting learning more about what the pain points and challenges are in that space and seeing an increasing importance put on the fire and smoke aspects of safety. A lot of architects and designers come to us looking for quite specialised solutions that meet multiple needs: projects that have fire safety requirements but also need soundproofing or temperature control, for instance. It’s in those multi-factor applications that Ulti Group can offer a unique level of support, and we’re really enjoying working with architects to create solutions that fit their complex needs.”
The Australian market also remains front-of-mind in 2026, with plans to target niche solutions there ahead of a larger roll-out. “That’s a key focus area for us, and we are starting with product solutions that we know can do very well there,” Ernie says. “We will then leverage those with similar product lines to what we’re delivering in New Zealand and, in time, build a real presence in the Australian industry.”
Domestically, Ulti Group is working hard on their development of insulated sectional doors. These are now being produced in New Zealand, which Ernie says is providing great results for both manufacturing turnaround times and increased industry support. “In particular, we have an 80mm insulated sectional door, which hasn’t really been used much in New Zealand before. In an insulated building, historically, you would have seen insulated panel walls that are 150-200mm thick, but then doorways with just a 40mm panel. Ours is double that thickness with a true thermal break that significantly reduces thermal transfer and improves overall building performance. This has huge benefits for anyone working in cold storage applications, where businesses might have a row of 15 or 20 dock doors. That’s a lot of surface area where we can help increase efficiency; it’s worth going for the extra thickness.”
Another key focus area in 2026 is industry-leading container loading systems, solutions and technologies, including the Ulti Extenda Flex Rollout Container Shelter range. “New Zealand and Australia are somewhat unique in that we often load and unload containers on the ground, which can present particular safety challenges,” Ernie says. The Extenda Shelter positions a shelter around the container with a loading bridge that is effectively sealed and meets cold storage efficiency requirements. In practical terms, this replaces the building canopies that are often installed to protect containers and which can add millions of dollars to the cost of your build. It also allows you to have a flat building door and extend the shelter across that wall as needed, which creates some significant advantages in building design.”
The team is proudly putting their products and expertise to work in a range of noteworthy and award-winning New Zealand projects, Ernie says. “In particular, we have contributed to projects like the new 6-Star GreenStar L’Oréal distribution centre in Auckland that opened in November 2025. We’re just one piece of the building design, but we play a critical role in enabling performance outcomes across energy efficiency, safety, and operational flow. As sustainability standards continue to evolve, the performance of doors and loading systems is becoming increasingly important in achieving overall building certification. We are excited to be part of those types of projects and help the industry operate in a more sustainable way.”
As the team builds and refines their product and project portfolio, Ulti Group is expanding its reach with regards to service and maintenance. Their Ulti Care programme is now available nationwide, with the capability to service any door in the country. “Ulti Care is what was traditionally known as preventative maintenance,” Ernie says. “We’re taking that to the next level by increasing what products we can maintain and supporting our customers to get more meaningful about reporting and forecasting. This enables us to tailor Ulti Care to what they want and need, and predict replacement cycles and capital expenditure years in advance.”
“Ulti Care provides great asset visibility for clients who have multiple sites and doors,” adds Mateo Saldarriaga, Marketing Content and Communications Manager. “If one fails, the whole operation could fail. When you partner with us, we’re not just going to provide a door that works, we’ll ensure that the assets are operating as expected through their lifespan.” “Customers don’t remember what their building was like when they first moved in,” Ernie adds. “They’re looking at how it’s performing right now. Ulti Care ensures that your asset is fit-for-purpose and doing its job really well; it’s about owning the outcome for the lifetime of the solution.”
The ultimate goal, they say, is to reshape the way that New Zealand - and, soon, Australia - approaches logistics. “By optimising container loading and unloading, you can increase safety while also saving up to 50% of the time,” Ernie says. “We’re looking at all the ways this can be improved, including how an Environmental Load Area works and all the ways you can stage a freezer to load and unload it more efficiently. This work is being supported with technical tools and master controllers for dock systems. Some of the functions we provide are reverse light notifications for trucks that guide you on where to stop, rechargeable smart wheel chocks that detect your loading position, and smart door integrations that tell you when they’re safe to open.”
“Our approach to dock design is not a very common topic and can bring up many questions for industry professionals,” Mateo adds. “We spend a lot of time working with architects and designers to help them better understand what these systems are for. You might start with a product, but then you get a system, and then a whole solution. We’re always looking at that big picture. If you come to us early, we can partner with you to ask the right questions and get the best result for you and your client. We have subject matter experts who have been working in the industry for 30 years or more; there’s nothing they haven’t seen.”
To learn more and connect with Ulti Group, visit www.ultigroup.co.nz. They also make it easy for architects to explore the right solutions for your needs - wherever you are. Whether you want to visit, meet online, or have Ulti Group come to you, there are flexible options to suit. See, experience and feel the Ulti difference, your way at https://ultigroup.co.nz/experience-the-ulti-difference-your-way/.
