Meet the Trenchmate team: Steve Hood

Steve’s our South Island and Wellington Territory Manager and he loves working in this region. With more than a decade running his own plumbing and drainage business, he brings practical know-how, calm problem-solving, and a “do right by people” attitude to everything he does – one time he personally drove a trench to a client over three days (including a public holiday) to get it to site for when they needed it. How’s that for over and beyond?!

Q. How long have you worked at Trenchmate, and what got you into it?
A. About two and a half years. I’d used the products before, so I already knew how solid they were and wanted to be part of the team.

Q. What did you do before Trenchmate?
A. I’m a certified drainlayer by trade and owned my own plumbing and drainage company for 12 years.

Q. What’s your area of expertise or special interest?
A. I know the gear from experience – having used it myself – so I can give practical advice on what will work best for each job.

Q. Your philosophy on good customer service?
A. Under promise and over deliver.

Q. One project you’re proud of?
A. Building the South Island client base from scratch.

Quickfire round:
🚗 First job: Car groomer.
🧩 Secret weapon: Years of running my own business – you learn to stay calm and problem-solve quickly.
💡 Best advice: Never show fear in front of a customer and always have a can-do attitude.
🎣 Outside work: Fishing and lawn bowls.
👨‍👩‍👦 Family life: Married for 26 years with two grown sons.
💬 Mantra: Do right by other people.