Villa Maria Barrel Rack
Project Spotlight: Villa Maria – Nationwide Barrel Rack Fabrication and Delivery
In late 2016, Kernohan Engineering was engaged by Villa Maria to fabricate and supply over 500 custom wine barrel racks across its Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay wineries. The project showcased Kernohan’s ability to deliver precision-fabricated components to strict timelines, supporting one of New Zealand’s most prominent wine producers.
The Challenge: Large-Scale Fabrication with Seismic and Scheduling Demands
Villa Maria required a large volume of hot-dip galvanized, seismic-rated barrel racks to support ongoing wine production and storage. These racks needed to be fabricated to exacting standards with specific design features, including removable barrel retainer pins, and delivered in carefully staged consignments to match harvest and operational timing at two major winery sites.
Managing the scale, fabrication timeline, and delivery logistics across multiple regions made coordination critical. The solution had to balance production capacity with site readiness and regional deployment schedules.
The Kernohan Solution: Custom Fabrication and Staged Rollout
Kernohan delivered a tailored pricing and production plan for over 500 barrel racks, covering:
Fabrication of fully welded, heavy-duty barrel racks (225L and 300L capacity)
Hot-dip galvanizing for long-term durability
Removable retainer pins for operational flexibility
Tiered pricing and scheduling to match production phases
Coordinated deliveries to Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay from the Nelson workshop
Each delivery was aligned with Villa Maria’s internal planning, ensuring seamless integration with their vintage cycle and facility readiness.
The Result: On Time, High-Quality, Fit-for-Purpose Delivery
The project was successfully completed within the scheduled window (September to December 2016), with all racks fabricated to specification and delivered on time. The outcome supported Villa Maria’s operations during a critical production period and demonstrated Kernohan’s ability to manage high-volume fabrication projects with a focus on quality, logistics, and customer alignment.
This project highlights Kernohan Engineering’s role as a trusted supplier to New Zealand’s wine industry, delivering engineered solutions that meet both structural standards and production needs.
