The frustrations associated with installing European Joinery led a Waikato business to design and manufacture a flashing system for recessing and installing joinery throughout New Zealand.
The Eurotect story begins with a few years of hands-on work in high performance building, particularly with European made windows. Frustrations and challenges around the installation and weather proofing led to the founding of a business that removes complexity, risk, and inefficiency from how we recess and install windows in New Zealand homes.
Identifying a Problem
Building in New Zealand with European made joinery has been problematic for various reasons:
● European window joinery isn’t optimised for the subtleties of the NZ building code. Whilst it looks fantastic and offers exceptional performance, there were questions around moisture control and weather tightness when recessing the joinery into the frame line.
● Existing flashings and accessories to recess European window joinery were often designed overseas, or custom-fabricated. They worked in certain conditions, but required compromises or significant labour to adapt.
● When you combine European window joinery with NZ’s wall systems (various claddings, wall cavities, building wraps), trouble shooting is needed to recess the joinery. You must also consider leaks, thermal inefficiencies and difficulties in meeting E2/VM1 or building code compliance.
With a background in high-performance builds, we were seeing exceptionally crafted window joinery, but then sub-par flashings that undermined the aesthetic and performance. It bothered us. If the home owners we work with are willing to spend on expensive joinery to ensure their homes are as energy efficient as possible, we must recess and install them properly.
Why We Founded Eurotect
We decided that we could solve our own problem.
Eurotect's flashing system is one simple, universal system. It works with both European and NZ-made windows. Eurotect Flashings fit with many types of wall assemblies, claddings, and building wraps. They have been designed and developed to be adaptive when recessing joinery.
It is tested, proven, certified. We haven’t just created something that “should work”, but have had it independently tested to NZ standards (E2/VM1) to ensure it does work. Eurotect Flashings were also designed so that Passive House or high-thermal performance criteria can be met.
It is locally made and locally supported. NZ weather and building code regulations are unique. We have had complete control over the design and manufacturing here in NZ which means better responsiveness and accountability.
The ease of installation means the site teams and builders receive something that fits cleanly. If it’s fiddly or hard, it won’t get installed correctly. Flashings are one of those details where you cannot take shortcuts. We believe we have made the installation and recessing of joinery as straight forward as possible.
What Makes Eurotect Different
Design for both NZ & European windows
It allows broader compatibility. So whether the client or specifier chooses European joinery or a local brand, our flashing system generally works.
E2/VM1 Weather Tightness Tested
This gives confidence under NZ’s often wet, windy conditions. Compliance isn’t optional. It protects both builders and homeowners.
Passive House Approval/Thermal Modelling
For those designing or building high-performance homes, this is vital. By recessing windows into the frame line and reducing thermal bridging —our system contributes to better energy efficiency.
Wide colour matching
Windows are an important visual feature. Flashings that clash, or aren’t finished well, often reveal themselves. Being able to powder-coat to match joinery (e.g. with Dulux powder coats) helps architects and homeowners get clean, cohesive finishes.
Made in NZ
We manufacture approximately 95% of the process within a 10-minute drive from our office. That gives us tighter quality control, lower lead times, less transport, and better customer support.
Challenges Along the Way
The challenges with doing something different in NZ are apparent:
Balancing cost vs performance: high-performance materials, good manufacturing, testing — all of that costs. Convincing the market to understand the value, not just the price, is work. But there is growing awareness in NZ of building for durability and energy efficiency.
Educating the industry: architects, builders, and trades people want things to be simple, but they are used to existing methods. Showing how Eurotect’s recessed flashing system meets compliance and offers lasting value requires demonstration, case studies and time.
Design complexity: NZ’s building situations and performance requirements vary from region to region. Making a system that is universal and stands up in every scenario requires testing, iteration and feedback from install teams.
Regulation changes: High performance, energy efficient housing interest is growing and building codes evolve. To stay ahead, we need to design not just for what is, but what will be. Ensuring our product documentation, certification, and support keep up with the requirements of the market.
A Future Built on Performance
Looking ahead, we see a building industry in NZ that increasingly values long term performance, thermal efficiency, moisture control, durability and clean design details. Flashings are a critical element in achieving that, even though recessed flashings are largely invisible to homeowners.
For us, success is about producing flashings that solve real problems. This means continuing research and development. Building stronger partnerships with architects, builders, joinery manufacturers, andcertifiers so that the entire chain understands the benefits of getting it right from the start. Keeping local manufacturing strong, responsive, and high quality and helping deliver buildings that are weathertight, energy efficient, look good, and are built to last.
Finally, if you’re an architect sketching a new build, a builder looking to specify better windows, or a homeowner increasingly conscious of comfort, durability and energy costs, know that Eurotect is a solution for you. Eurotect wasn’t created just to make another flashing. It was created to take the risk and uncertainty out of one of the most overlooked yet critical details in the building process.
