About Us
We provide reliable cranage and specialist engineering services to support industries across New Zealand.
About Us
At Meister Solutions Ltd, our team is at the heart of everything we do. Our skilled professionals bring together heavy-industry experience and specialist engineering and lifting expertise. Together, we combine practical knowledge with a commitment to excellence to deliver dependable workmanship and support our clients through complex projects.
Based in Invercargill and part of the Meister Group, we’ve supported local industry for years. Our people draw on the combined strengths of our engineering and crane operations to meet each project’s demands. This shared expertise shapes how we work together, helping us provide practical solutions suited to our clients’ requirements.
As our business evolves, we’ve introduced a new management structure to support our people and guide our next stage of growth. This reflects our commitment to clear leadership, strong collaboration, and dependable service. Working together, our management and wider team share a focus on supporting our clients and delivering quality work.
Our capabilities extend beyond the workshop and the lift site. With established supply chains, vehicles, freight capability, and purpose-built tooling, we’re equipped to support projects in remote locations. These resources complement our team’s expertise and help us meet the practical demands of working in New Zealand’s challenging environments.
Our story
Owner Ross McFaul built the business by combining craneage operations with heavy-industry engineering services. In August 2020, he committed full-time to the company, beginning a new growth chapter. This expanded our specialist engineering capabilities alongside established crane operations, bringing together the expertise that supports our team today.
The business was rebranded as Meister Solutions Ltd in September 2020. “Meister”—German for “Master”—reflects our dedication to excellence in engineering and lifting solutions. That commitment continues to guide our people and our work, connecting the company’s origins with a team-focused approach and the next stage of our development.
“We like the tricky jobs.”
Ross McFaul - Company Owner
Media Snapshots
The only crane of its type in the Southern Hemisphere is now operating in New Zealand’s construction sector. The PK200002L SH knuckle boom crane, a $1 million Palfinger machine nicknamed “Jock,” was purchased by Ross McFaul, owner of Southland-based Meister Solutions Ltd. With a 50‑metre reach and impressive ability to work in confined spaces, it stands as Palfinger’s largest knuckle boom crane. Jock made its debut in Christchurch last month (May 2018) on a demolition project and is one of three cranes in the company’s fleet. After extensive research, the company ordered the PK200002 model from Gough Palfinger, fitted to a Scania R560 by Cable Price. “For a crane of this size and reach, it’s incredibly quick and efficient to set up,” says McFaul, explaining it can operate roadside or between buildings without disrupting traffic. Built in Austria and tested locally, Jock’s advanced remote system and reverse linkage boom allow it to work even through buildings—proof of the innovation now driving New Zealand’s lifting industry. Read more…
Biggest crane at work
The country’s largest knuckle boom crane has completed its first rescue mission. The $1 million Palfinger machine, nicknamed “Jock,” was called in to retrieve a road roller that had plunged about 20 meters down a bank near Queenstown earlier this month. Currently owned by Southland-based Meister Solutions Ltd, Jock was deployed to the scene on Kingston Rd near Jack’s Point (State Highway 6) a week after emergency services used rope lines to rescue the injured driver. The driver, reported to have suffered moderate injuries, was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital. According to Meister Solutions director Ross McFaul, Jock proved ideal for the challenging task. Working with a Kenworth recovery truck operated by Transport Repairs Ltd, the team successfully lifted the 7.5‑tonne road roller from its resting place on the steep bank. “They gave me a call and asked what we could do … we said ‘yep, no worries,’ knowing we’d have enough room without blocking the road,” McFaul said, adding that it was a joint decision by Transport Repairs and the insurance company to keep the main Queenstown–Milford Sound route open. Read more…
Jock to the rescue
The largest knuckle boom crane in the southern hemisphere, a $1 million Palfinger PK200002L SH nicknamed “Jock,” has arrived in Christchurch to serve New Zealand’s construction needs. Currently owned by Meister Solutions Ltd, the 50‑metre‑reach machine excels in confined spaces, can set up roadside without disrupting traffic, and features a reverse linkage system for working through buildings or low openings—all controllable remotely with full safety monitoring. Built and tested in Austria, it underwent local certification checks before being put to work on rebuilds, maintenance, university projects, and potential wind‑farm repairs. Meister Solutions Ltd director Ross McFaul, who has over a decade of experience in the hire industry, noted market shifts toward heavier loads that require extra truck axles. He compared the crane’s reach to a rugby field—parked on the goal line, it can lift 500 kg from halfway with the boom level. Trained alongside Gough Palfinger’s Duncan Phillips in Austria, McFaul also thanked NZ Transport Agency staff for their support with road approvals. Jock made its public debut at the 2018 TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show in Christchurch.
Read more…
Biggest knuckle boom crane in the southern hemisphere
Otira Gorge Rock Shelter Clearance
Our crane lifted a remote-controlled digger onto the Otira Gorge rockfall shelter (SH73) for New Zealand's first rooftop clearance. Our engineers' and crane operators' preparation—including precision and situation drawings—ensured smooth execution, finishing two weeks early despite harsh weather while keeping crews safe.
This project showcases our precise heavy-lift and engineering expertise for NZ's toughest infrastructure challenges. Read more…
