Lattey Group Limited has introduced a new brand structure following its acquisition of EcoReef, consolidating its erosion-control and infrastructure technologies under the master brand Hex-Loc. EcoReef continues as a dedicated sub-brand focused on coastal protection, while Hex-Loc now represents the full land-based and marine system.
The shift reflects the defining feature of the system’s design: a modular hexagonal block that interlocks to form a honeycomb-style structure capable of stabilising terrain and resisting erosion. By naming the master brand after this core engineering advantage, Lattey Group is signalling a more unified approach across inland and coastal applications.
EcoReef remains an established coastal solution but now sits within the broader Hex-Loc range, says Hex-Loc business development manager Rachael Mackman.
“The genius of Hex-Loc lies in its modular six-sided interlocking block. These reinforced concrete units connect like a honeycomb, forming a durable and adaptable lattice,” she says. This structure stabilises slopes, prevents erosion, and as EcoReef, stops coastal erosion in its tracks.
The system’s strength comes from its ability to combine rigidity with flexibility, making it suitable for civil engineering, coastal reinforcement and landscape management.
“It’s no secret that any major weather event is followed by a seemingly endless series of slips, eroded banks, damaged and inaccessible roads,” says Mackman.
“The answers to the recurring problems have, to date, come at a high cost. For example, gabions are cumbersome, time-consuming, and require custom installation with a high degree of manual labour, and require rock, which may or may not be available near site,” Mackman says.
By contrast, the blocks form a strong, self-supporting structure that can use onsite fill, reducing transport requirements and allowing adaptation to different project conditions. “The hexagon is nature’s supershape for a reason. It is a strong, versatile natural building block. Bees use it for honeycombs, it emerges in structures from snowflakes to basalt columns,” Mackman points out.
Each cell measures 1400mm x 1590mm and weighs 620kg. They stack efficiently for transport and, once on site, can be installed by contractors without specialised equipment, significantly reducing construction time compared with traditional solutions.
The honeycomb lattice can extend horizontally and vertically, hugging slopes and adapting to variations in terrain. The resulting structure can be scaled to suit project needs, capturing soil, rock and sand while allowing water to pass through. “The outcome is a lasting solution stabilising the affected ground for the long term,” says Mackman.
The system has already been deployed in several high-risk locations. At Te Awanga in Hawke’s Bay, EcoReef is protecting private properties and council stormwater infrastructure from further coastal retreat following Cyclone Gabrielle. On State Highway 50 at Glencoe Gorge, it has stabilised a major slip site affecting an important transport corridor. And at Cape Palliser in South Wairarapa, EcoReef has provided continuous protection since early 2022 in one of the country’s most exposed marine environments.
Mackman says the approach is effective because it reduces one of the largest cost drivers in erosion control: labour. “Labour is expensive, and when erosion control requires specialised skills, fixing problems takes longer. We’ve created a high-tech solution resting on a low-tech
building block. Installation is fast, simple and easy, which means more slips and unstable slopes can be repaired, for less money.”
She describes the locally designed system as a “Kiwi solution for a Kiwi problem”.
“The ‘Shaky Isles’, with our constant slew of slips, isn’t about to change. What can and must is how we deal with them. And Hex-Loc is a sustainable, environmentally conscious answer.”