Delivering unparalleled geotechnical expertise with a deep local focus ensuring practical, trustworthy solutions.
solutions
About Torlesse
Like the rock, Torlesse was established to be the backbone of your engineering project. We seek to investigate, assess, and report on the geotechnical engineering challenges associated with your project in a clear and concise manner, all the while providing a nimble and flexible service to suit your needs.
Torlesse is a professional services firm specialising in geotechnical and civil engineering solutions. The three founding Directors Nathan, Nick and Jerry formed Torlesse in 2022, operating out of Wellington, with a vision to improve the reliability and responsiveness of ground engineering services in the wider Wellington Region.
We offer geotechnically lead design solutions for a wide variety of projects across multiple industries, including commercial new builds, seismic strengthening, hazard assessment and reduction and retaining walls to horizontal infrastructure, to complex geotechnical problems associated with residential developments.
We are a small and highly experienced professional services firm, with a breadth and depth of geotechnical knowledge that is unrivalled in the Wellington Region. We bring value to you through our local knowledge of ground conditions in the Wellington Region, along with our network of trusted relationships with ground investigation and specialist contractors. Our ability to timely manage ground risk and bring smart solutions to your project means we are actively sought out by our clients.
We differentiate ourselves by delivering value outcomes to our clients, by being responsive and adaptive from start to finish. We seek early engagement from our clients to allow informed decisions to be made throughout the project lifecycle.
Why Torlesse?
We are a small and highly experienced professional services firm, with a breadth and depth of geotechnical knowledge that is unrivalled in the Wellington Region. We bring value to you through our local knowledge of ground conditions in the Wellington Region, along with our network of trusted relationships with ground investigation and specialist contractors. Our ability to timely manage ground risk and bring smart solutions to your project means we are actively sought out by our clients.
We differentiate ourselves by delivering value outcomes to our clients, by being responsive and adaptive from start to finish. We seek early engagement from our clients to allow informed decisions to be made throughout the project lifecycle.
Meet the Directors
Nathan Schumacher
Geotechnical Engineer (CPEng, CMEngNZ)
Bachelor of Engineering, Civil (Hons)
Nathan Schumacher is a Chartered Professional (CPEng) geotechnical engineer with 15 years of experience, including over a decade focused on the Wellington region. He has worked on a diverse range of projects, from large-scale horizontal infrastructure and commercial new builds to seismic strengthening of multi-story buildings. Nathan also brings expertise to small residential projects, which are often overlooked as ‘easy’ but can be technically complex.
His work often includes providing practical and innovative solutions to complex engineering problems, collaborating closely with contractors and other engineering disciplines to achieve effective results.
Nathan is active in the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS), contributing to updates on geotechnical guidelines and participating in organizing key industry events. Nathan is also a member of Engineering New Zealand and the Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand, reflecting his commitment to upholding high professional standards.
In June 2022, Nathan co-founded Torlesse Ltd with Jerry Spinks and Nick Clendon. Under their leadership, Torlesse has quickly become a trusted partner for clients in the Lower North Island, known for delivering value-driven and practical geotechnical engineering solutions.
Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, traveling with his wife, and exploring new cultures, cuisines, and languages.
Jerry Spinks
Geotechnical Engineer (CPEng, CMEngNZ)
Bachelor of Engineering, Civil (Hons)
Jerry has over 20 years’ experience working throughout New Zealand and the United Kingdom on a wide variety of transportation, infrastructure and built environment projects. In 2010 Jerry returned to his home city of Wellington. Since then Jerry has developed a detailed knowledge of geotechnical constraints and hazards in the Wellington region. Jerry has also developed strong relationships with local specialist geotechnical contractors and suppliers, to deliver the full suite of geotechnical services from investigation to construction completion.
Following the Canterbury 2011 and Kaikoura 2016 earthquakes, Jerry has developed a particular interest in the seismic assessment and strengthening of buildings. He also has significant experience in foundation optioneering, design and construction for multi-storey large footprint buildings.
Over the last decade Jerry has worked on many of the Wellington Regions challenging and unique three waters and flood protection projects. Jerry was the lead geotechnical engineer for the Porirua WWTP upgrade, design manager for Wellington Waters Pinehaven flood protection scheme, geotechnical lead for the Chrystalls Stopbank upgrade, the Evans Bay Cycleway and the Shelly Bay seawall and coastal protection works.
Jerry is a natural collaborator, and thrives working alongside a diverse range of engineers, project stakeholders and clients. Unlike many (most) engineers, Jerry relishes meeting new people and developing trusted relationships. Jerry achieves this through his genuine passion for the profession, long term commitment, and capacity when the going gets tough. Recent examples include the P2P and W2Q projects where Jerry worked closely with KiwiRail Professional Heads. Also the Wellington Electricity (WE*) seismic strengthening scheme, where Jerry’s small dedicated team became WE*’s preferred geotechnical supplier for their Zone Substations, providing post disaster function to the Wellington Region. Jerry worked alongside WE* to develop a framework triaging their 92 substation sites, including the development of a decision tree to ensure capital budgets were allocated efficiently and to meet the tight programme for strengthening works.
Nick Clendon
Engineering Geologist (PengGeol, CMEngNZ)
Bachelor of Science, Engineering Geology (Hons)
Nick Clendon is an experienced Engineering Geologist with two decades of expertise in addressing complex geotechnical challenges across New Zealand and abroad. His work spans a diverse range of projects, from large subdivision redevelopments and fault studies to the design of foundations for critical infrastructure, including hospitals, port structures, and wastewater pumping stations.
Nick’s strong foundation in site investigation, ground model development, and geotechnical assessment, such as liquefaction, slope stability, and settlement, has positioned him as a key contributor to multidisciplinary design teams. He has provided detailed technical inputs for advanced models, ensuring the successful integration of geotechnical insights with structural and architectural designs.
While Nick’s career has taken him to various locations across New Zealand, including Auckland, Christchurch, and Taupo, his primary focus for the last 13 years has been on the Wellington region. Here, he has tackled local geotechnical challenges, such as slope stability, seismic strengthening, and micropile design, with significant contributions to projects like Johnsonville Library, Wellington Children’s Hospital and Northland School.
Local expertise.
Practical solutions.
Trusted results.
What Our Clients Say
Torlesse has always been practical and professional. They have a great team that assist us with all our developments and challenges that come with the natural and built environment. We are thoroughly impressed with their commitment to our projects and look forward to completing future projects together
After a few false starts actually finding a geotechnical engineer we were directed to Torlesse. Torlesse offered quality and value in the preparation of a design for our 6m anchored shotcrete retaining wall. They were prompt with their services and follow up, and ensured that we had a retaining wall constructed, with Torlesse supervision, to the agreed design - loved their work!
