Global Stainless Manufactures Stainless Steel Art Sculptures for Artists Around The World | Mirror Polished sphere | Worlds Best Mirror Polished Sphere Ball Manufacture

OUR STORY

HOW WE BECAME THE WORLD'S BEST SPHERE MANUFACTURER

Global Stainless officially began in 2004 by Lincoln Raikes after leaving Robert Stone Engineering (now FNE Engineering) in Hawera. Lincoln had started experimenting with spheres back in 1995, and patented his specialist double curve manufacturing process as of 2000. Lincoln had always had a dream of starting the business, and his son Bergen gave him the push he needed. Bergen, then 17, was due to leave school and was set on becoming a welder and fabricator like his dad.

For many years Lincoln had the aspiration of creating stainless steel balls with no weld shrinkage, leaving a seamless orb with a mirror-like finish. Over five years he worked on a specialised forming technique. These first years of the business were tough with little money being made as Lincoln and Bergen experimented with techniques and worked to promote the business. Eventually connecting with internet pioneer Mick Elmes of Engineeronline, boosted the marketing and from there the 'artistic creations' side of the business took off. Where industrial dome fabrication has been part of the business from day one, Lincoln always had the ambition to produce mirror polished spheres for the art world.

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Getting the Global Stainless name on the Engineeronline website enabled London-based artist Anish Kapoor to find them. In 2009 the innovative artist was looking for test spheres for work commissioned by the Royal Academy in London. He came across Global Stainless' name and product online, and requested a sample. The sample was fabricated and shipped directly to his door. Shortly after, the order for 74 spheres came through and within several months, Global Stainless had doubled its staff to 11 and began much larger scale manufacturing.

Global Stainless fabricated the mirror polished stainless steel balls, packaged them up, and sent them to Auckland where TP Engineering mounted them on three masts with hidden cross bracing giving a weightless appearance. Once assembled, the "Tall Tree and the Eye" sculpture stands 15 metres tall and resembles giant shiny bubbles emerging from the ground. The stainless steel spheres are made from marine grade stainless, and were manufactured to withstand wind and movement from potential earthquakes. The balls weighed 4 tonnes and the internal structure 7 tonnes.

Tall tree and the eye mirror polished stainless steel artwork

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While being exhibited in London, the work was bought by South Korean clients, however the Guggenheim Museum in Spain had booked it for an exhibition after the show in London, so the South Koreans waited a year for their own replica to be fabricated. Meanwhile Singapore clients contracted Global Stainless to produce a sculpture half the size, using only 28 spheres custom-built for their location. A fourth model was then commissioned through Anish Kapoor for a private art collector in southern France.

Global Stainless Industrial produces domes for tank ends such as those used in the dairy, transport, and food industries. They also fabricate long radius bends for pipework and ducting, used in the production of food and beverages. Their specialised manufacturing process allows Global Stainless to produce the formed bends in a much wider diameter than had previously been available. Both the tank ends and bends are sent throughout New Zealand and Australia. Global Stainless has invested in equipment such as an extra wide hydraulic press and a heavy knuckling machine.

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Global Stainless now have a high demand for hemispherical domes which offer a lot smoother contour than conventionally made hemispheres which use a segmented lobster weld. The smooth surface we offer is perfect for avoiding burn-on of products often produced in the health, cosmetic and dairy/food industry. This makes them more hygienic and easier to clean.

Global Stainless continue to experience a high demand for mirror polished spheres designed by artists and architects, shipping these pieces around the world.

Our Team.

At Global Stainless, we’re fabricators, problem-solvers, artists and experts in our field.

We’re a family-owned New Zealand business built on craftsmanship, integrity, and the belief that stainless steel can do more. It can do more structurally, more technically, and more creatively.

Across our industrial, aerospace, and artworks divisions, our team brings together estimators, project managers, fabricators, designers, and finishers who care deeply about quality. Some of us thrive on tight tolerances and compliance standards. Others are driven by the challenge of turning raw steel into world class reflective art sculptures.

What makes our team different is the blend of discipline and creativity. We understand engineering constraints but instead of seeing them as a road block, we see them as a new and exciting challenge. We also understand form, finish, and detail. Whether we’re delivering complex industrial systems, precision components, or mirror-polished public artworks, we approach every project with the same mindset: do it properly, and do it once.

We value straight-up communication, practical thinking, and long-term relationships. Many of our clients have worked with us for years because they know we stand behind our work.

So here's our team of people who get you the results you're after.