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PUBLISHED BY HILLS HOLDINGS
STAFF MAGAZINE | APRIL 2012
MEET RACHEL REES
[Christmas Island] RELISH FOOD
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
ANDREW THOMAS
NCE A L A B , E IF L , H T L A HE
CREAMY ROAST TOMATO SOUP WITH GRILLED CHEESE TOAST
BETTER LIVES. BETTER BUSINESS.
HILLS PRODUCTS WIN! A TRAVEL CLUB HOLIDAY < SCAN TO ENTER
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CONTENTS
Contents
HILLS HERALD STAFF MAGAZINE | APRIL 2012
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
3 4 5 6 8 10 14 20 24 30 34
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RACHEL REES
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CYGNUS SATELLITE
Contents – Welcome to the New Look Hills Herald Women in Business – Gloris Tsotsis Chairperson’s message – Jenny Hill Ling Managing Director – Graham Twartz Employee of the Year – Andrew Thomas Meet the new Group Company Secretary – Rachel Rees STEP Electronics supports Christmas Island Communications Safety first – Near Misses Health, Life & Balance – Book & Movie Reviews Hot products – Innovative Technology Celebrate & Congratulate
OWL – WIRELESS ENERGY DEVICE
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MOVING PEOPLE
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Welcome to the new look Herald I really hope you all enjoy the first issue of the new look Hills Herald. My aim is to introduce you to our people and products and hopefully you will find something interesting you will look forward to each issue. In this issue you will notice one thing, girls! girls! girls! I am not going to apologise for highlighting some of our extremely talented women of Hills. I am sure once you read on, you will agree (don’t worry our talented men will all get their moment too). I hope to inspire you to want to cook, read, watch or listen to something new after reading this issue. We are going to run competitions, profile major projects and want to hear what you think and what you would like to see in future issues of the Herald. Until next issue, enjoy…
Leonie Cox
DOWNLOAD AND WIN SEE PAGE 26 TO ENTER
Editor Hills Herald
WIN A TRIP FOR 2 PEOPLE 3 NIGHTS AT BYRON OF BYRON
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
STRUGGLING TO FIT
EVERYTHING IN? By Gloria Tsotsis, Group Human Resources Manager, Hills Holdings Limited
Feeling guilty that you haven’t got the balance between work and family right? Balancing work, family, career and ‘me’ time is often a challenge and can be a bit of a juggling act. Here are some tips to help you be a better juggler! AT WORK • Make a daily ‘to-do’ list and prioritise the tasks. • Periodically review your work load and ask yourself, “is this the best use of my time?” “Can I do things differently and achieve the same outcome”? • When feeling stretched, ask yourself, “would anything terrible happen if I didn’t do this today? • Ask for support… • Don’t try to pack too much into one day. Have realistic expectations and delegate if possible! • Because circumstances change don’t be afraid to re-negotiate expectations and flexible arrangements • Remember that if the homefront is organised, you will be more effective at work.
AT HOME • Plan, shop and prepare meals in advance when possible and consider shopping online to save time. • Keep a family calendar to schedule holidays, events, appointments and other important dates. • Establish a family routine and share the household chores • Get help when you need to for the chores you can’t find time for or take away occascially can also assist • Make time to relax and reward yourself • Don’t do too much and run yourself ragged • Be prepared eg. pack lunches & prepare clothes for the next day • Plan nice things to do with your family on days off work, something to look forward to for both you and your children. • Find time to exercise. Even a 20 minute walk twice a week can work wonders.
SHARING PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES In over 65 per cent of Australian households, both parents work.
Pictured: Gemma, Mum Megan Kloeden, HR Advisor L & S and Breanna.
If you are a single parent juggling work and family, you are amazing! If you don’t have a full-time partner or family to help you, search for networks or associations for single parents in your community or your children’s school. There may be opportunities to assist each other with before and after school care, for example. Sharing the responsibility of raising children and running a household is critical to achieving a satisfying work and family balance. Both parents are responsible… To regain the balance start by writing down all the chores and domestic duties that need to be performed throughout the week and share the duties between all household members – a weekly calendar may help remind everyone of their responsibilities for the week. Loving and respecting one another’s life challenges and sharing parenting and household responsibilities creates a happier and more harmonious home environment and loving partnership, leaving time for you and your partner to enjoy some time together!
GOT A GREAT HILLS STORY? To submit a story and high resolution images for the next issue of the Hills Herald, please contact your Divisional Coordinator. Hills Holdings – Gloria Tsotsis gloria.tsotsis@hills.com.au Hills Corporate – Di Vickers: di.vickers@hills.com.au Hills NZ – Kevin Cross: kcross@hills.co.nz Hills Herald Editor – Leonie Cox: lcox@hills.com.au Building and Industrial Fielders – Cameron Hockey: chockey@fielders.com.au Orrcon – Paul Buckley: p.buckley@orrcon.com.au Korvest – Adam Connell: adam.connell@korvest.com.au Electronics and Communication PACOM – Nadine Donnell: ndonnell@pacom.com.au SVL – Aeriana Lay: aeriana.lay@hillssvl.com.au DAS – Tony Le: tle@das.com.au Antenna – Marlena Colubriale: marlena.colubriale@hills.com.au ATS – Alanna McLaren: amclaren@accesstv.com.au Step Electronics – Nikki Ngo: nngo@pacom.com.au Lifestyle and Sustainability Lifestyle and Sustainability – Diane Causby: diane.causby@hills.com.au Home and Hardware HBP – Steve Ellerman: stevee@hills.com.au Home and Hardware HHP (Bailey) – Patrick Canny: patrick.canny@hills.com.au Hills Healthcare – Jenny Goldsworthy: jgoldsworthy@kcare.com.au Hills Solar – David Johnson: davidj@teampoly.com.au Team Poly – Kylie Squire: kylie@teampoly.com.au The Hills Herald is printed by Hills Printing. Hills Printing can help you with all of your printing requirements. We print both digital and offset and will choose the method best suited to your requirements. No job is too big or too small. For more information and quotes call (08) 8301 3321.
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Chairman’s
MESSAGE “Essentially we need to be smarter, to differentiate ourselves from our competitors and focus on delivering an acceptable return for all our stakeholders.“
Australia’s two speed economy and the difficulties that the manufacturing and retail sectors are experiencing is well known to us all. With the exception of those businesses within the Hills Group that are exposed to the mining sector the remainder continue to face challenges arising from a high Australian dollar, increased competition from imports, reduced local demand and an uncertain economic outlook which has become the “new norm” for now. I am confident that we can meet and rise above these challenges (we have before) but we have to be open to change and challenge our traditional modes of doing business. We need to be ever vigilant in ensuring that we are at the leading edge of innovation with our products and services, constantly exploring and exploiting profitable new markets and increasing our levels of productivity whilst containing costs. Essentially we need to be smarter, to differentiate ourselves from our competitors and focus on delivering an acceptable return for all our stakeholders. I encourage all members of the Hills Group to play your part in achieving these goals and to share your ideas with your colleagues to improve the way we do business – whether it be in product or service development, improving efficiencies and productivity, improving our customer service, or marketing strategies and it is up to all of us to ensure that we fulfil our potential in a safe and friendly environment. To those of you who have recently gone the extra mile and have made a real difference to the performance of the Hills Group, congratulations and a “big” thank you. With your help I look forward with you to better Group results in the months ahead. Kind Regards,
Jennifer Hill-Ling Chairman
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MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
Message
It is always a really exciting time of the year as we crown the Employee of the Year, celebrate the unique nature of Hills Associates, start to form a view on where we will finish for the year and focus on next year’s budget and the strategies beyond. Five years ago we set ourselves the challenge to achieve zero harm through a combination of better work practices but mainly improving our attitude towards safety. While we are not at our end objective as yet, once again we have continued to make steady progress and I congratulate every member of the Hills team for that. We should not be complacent however, as there have been a number of injuries and near misses which can never be tolerated. Please join me in redoubling your effort to improve our safety record and rest assured we will not rest until we achieve our goal of zero harm. When I look across the Hills Group I see that we are really under represented in women in senior roles. While we have Jenny Hill-Ling and Fiona Bennett on our Board and Rachel Rees as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, I have come to the view that if Hills is to win in the long run we need to access 100% of the talent pool. Once we do that we will see a greater diversity, not only in gender but also age, race and religion. We are starting by measuring the improvements that we make in our gender mix. I am sure that we will find that with a more diverse set of attitudes we
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will see great benefits. There are many things that are unique to Hills. I want to mention just 3 of them. The first is Hills Associates which I believe to be the most distinctive, valuable and important. Each year it is my absolute pleasure to be the Master of Ceremonies at the Annual General Meeting, which is held in Adelaide but telecast around Australia and over the internet. All up about 550 people around Australia gather to celebrate another year. Membership is by invitation only and is a recognition of service and performance within the Company. The invitations are earned by those who show a true commitment to their business and to the Hills Group. Each year on the Friday before Easter we hold a dinner in every mainland capital city and we have a few prizes, we reflect on things that happened around the Hills Group over the previous 12 months, have a bit of fun and finally announce the winner of the Hills Holdings Employee of the Year award. This year’s winner was Andrew Thomas, a mechanical design engineer from our O’Sullivan Beach R&D group in the Hills Antenna division. In his 22 years at Hills Andrew has achieved a great deal, starting as an apprentice straight out of school and now crowned this year for his part in the team that developed the new TruSpec antenna. Elsewhere in this magazine you will learn a little bit more about our well deserved Employee of the Year, Andrew Thomas. But it shows again that
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MESSAGE
MD
anything is possible at Hills. The Hills Charity Support Scheme is another innovation unique to Hills. You will see again in this magazine some articles about the scheme. We are at the stage now where we are making the final decisions on how the money, which is contributed by you and matched dollar for dollar by the Company, is to be distributed. If you have any suggestions do not hesitate to contact me or your local Charity Support Scheme Trustee. Our objective is to make a difference in the communities in which we operate and I remind you that we have a preference for charities that support children and furthermore we have preference to purchase items which deliver some enduring benefit rather than donating sums of money to worthy charities. The third unique thing about Hills is this magazine itself. The Hills Herald has been a long standing institution within Hills. You will see from this edition that we have looked to revamp it and made it a bit more informative. Feel free to make suggestions to me, our new editor, Leonie Cox, or your local HR representative, of things you would like to see and improvements that we can make. Please take the time to read about all of the exciting things that are going on at Hills and to share it with your family and friends. My thanks to Leonie for going “the extra mile” on top of her normal duties to deliver this “new” Hills Herald. I read the other day that the top 20 companies
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had used the word challenging more than 100 times in explaining their results in the reporting season just ended. Whilst Hills is not one of the top 20, I am sure that many of us know that in most of our businesses while results are good trading conditions are “challenging”. We continue to battle with low business and consumer confidence and a high dollar, but bear in mind we are profitable, we do have a good plan for the future, our relationships with bankers are good and our debt levels are both well under control and so we should all have a great deal of optimism for the future. I thank you for your efforts again as we look to accelerate the delivery of our strategic plan. Now that Easter is behind us, and the usual excess of hot cross buns and Easter eggs are fading into memory, I hope that the extended break has helped you to recharge your batteries. As always, thanks for your support and I welcome any ideas for how we can make this unique company even greater.
Graham Twartz Managing Director
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HILLS HOLDINGS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
ANDREW THOMAS There’s certainly no doubt about Andrew’s commitment to the company or his talent. The Hills Holdings Employee of the Year for 2012 is Andrew Thomas, a Mechanical Production Designer from the research and development Antenna team in O’Sullivan Beach in South Australia. Hills Group Managing Director, Graham Twartz, announced the Award at the annual Hills Associates dinner in early April. “It’s a great pleasure to see the award go to
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someone who has not only made a huge contribution to the company over a long period of time, but also for his exceptional efforts just this year,” Graham said in presenting the 2012 Award. There’s certainly no doubt about Andrew’s commitment to the company or his talent. Having joined Hills straight from school as an apprentice 22 years ago he continues to shine
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HILLS HOLDINGS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
with his ability to find creative solutions even in the most difficult situations. That was definitely on display this year in the lead up to Antenna & TV System’s launch of the TruSpec range of antenna’s. TruSpec is both a revolutionary product design and a step forward in terms of efficient manufacturing, an outcome that A&TV’s General Manager, Allen Oliver, said benefited significantly from Andrew’s innovative thinking. “Any product breakthrough depends on the work of the whole team of course, but Andrew was a crucial part of guiding the process through to successful production, Allen said. Allen Oliver went on to say “Apart from devising some innovative processes for cutting and joining the aluminium components, he oversaw the detailed design of the new antennas, as well as the construction of the tooling and automation equipment.” “He is also a great bloke to have around and always ready to dive in to sort through problems or even whip up a meal
for the team”. I asked Andrew, What has been the most rewarding thing about your career Andrew, at Hills? “Working in R & D day to day has its challenges. However, developing and being involved with a new process and patent from the beginning has been extremely rewarding. This patent will hopefully help keep our manufacturing in Australia and assist in keeping Hills Antenna in a strong position as a market leader, for years to come.” Leonie Cox.
GRAHAM TWARTZ PRESENTING AWARD TO ANDREW
NEW ANTENNA FULLY AUTOMATED BOOMLOCK MACHINE
KAILEY (4), ANDREW AND TAYLA-JANE (2)
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RACHEL REES : AN INTERVIEW
“EDUCATION IS FREEDOM”. “EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN WELL AND OUR COUNTRY WILL PROSPER. RACHEL REES, HILLS COMPANY SECRETARY
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RACHEL REES : AN INTERVIEW
5 MINUTES WITH
RACHEL REES Interviewed by Leonie Cox
Catching up with the new Group Company Secretary – Work, Life and Dreams. Read on and get to know the real Rachel Rees a little more.
How long have you worked at Hills?
What was your last job title?
I started in February, so it is now 8 weeks. So only a couple of months.
I worked for an International Toronto listed company and my formal title was: Vice President – Corporate Affairs. Which no-one here in Australia understood so I “Australianised” it and called myself – Chief Financial Officer as this was the type of work I was doing.
Where did you grow up? On a remote farm of approximately 3000 acres with our nearest neighbour being about 3 miles down the road. Our farm was 32 kms west of Grass Patch. Grass Patch is a little “blink and you miss it” country town which consists of 1 wheat bin, 1 pub, 1 post-office, 1 hall, 1 primary school, 1 tennis club, 2 churches and 4 houses. Grass Patch is north of Esperance, which is on the South Coast of West Australia, about 700km SE of Perth.
One thing you are passionate about? The provision of quality education for ALL Australian children. “Education is Freedom”. “Educate our children well and our country will prosper. Our children are the future leaders of our country and they must have access to quality education to provide them the tools to take on jobs that haven’t even been invented yet and lead our country to prosperity for many years to come so that we can all enjoy the quality of life to which we have become accustomed. I took a 6 months sabbatical from work last year and spent a lot of my time lobbying the Government about how the effect their proposed cuts to education was going to dramatically reduce the quality of the education that schools would be able to provide to Australian children.
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Best thing about your old role? I got to experience an amazing transition over a 7 year period of a Uranium exploration company becoming a mining company. In the time that I was there we took the company from feasibility study through to production which included building a plant and mine. The journey was full of many challenges which brought laughter, tears and provided great experiences. Amidst the challenge of building a mine, the company went from being an Australian controlled company listed in Toronto with market capitalisation of approximately $100M, to being South African controlled then Russian controlled and one of the largest Uranium producing companies in the world with interests all over the world and a market capitalisation of $1.5billion.
Did you ever have to wear a hard hat? Yes, whenever I went to site it was necessary for safety reasons to wear a hard hat, steel capped boots, long sleeved shirts and long pants. And even though whether I am in a suit and high heels or in hard hat and
{ESSENTIAL STATISTICS} Name: Rachel Rees Age: 43 Occupation/job title: Group Company Secretary. Favourite food: Chocolate, the darker the better… yummm, Blue cheese – the smellier the better And herbs – coriander, basil, oregano, parsley. I love adding them to my salads and omelettes. Type of Car: A 4WD Toyota Prado, very sensible as we like to go camping. My next car will be a flamboyant zippy little thing… sigh… sometimes I wish I was not so practical as it may never happen. Though my daughter (8yo) tells me she is saving up for a zippy little car, maybe we will buy one each when she is old enough. Favourite music: Dire Straits, Billy Joel, Jazz and Classical. Marital Status: Very happily married Children: 2 beautiful children. Jessica (8); Damon (6). Favourite Movie: Pretty Woman. It’s light and happy, a nice release from life. I have watched it many times Favourite Holiday destination: A sunny remote beach with beautiful white sand and crystal blue waters. Favourite item in your trolley: Fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit and blue castello cheese. Hobbies: (very limited time when working fulltime with a family), however when I find the time: Bush walking, bike riding, Hardanger embroidery and patchwork, meditation and yoga.
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RACHEL REES : AN INTERVIEW
work safety boots, I am the same person, but not everyone sees it that way. One day I came back from the mine site to go into the office. Someone was blocking the parking for our building. There were a few other cars in the same predicament, so I got out (still in my mine work clothes and safety boots (no hard hat) to start resolving the issue and get the cars moving when one woman tottered up to me in her suit and heels “and what are you doing here?” in order to dismiss me, thinking I was one of the construction workers that was causing the blockage. I politely said see the name on that car bay and see the name on my shirt, it’s the same for a reason, that is my car bay and I intend to park in it. She looked very puzzled and I enjoyed the confusion she was experiencing. As they say, you should never judge a book by its cover.
What do you enjoy most about being Group Company Secretary? Learning about all the businesses within the Hills’ group. Whilst Hills is an iconic company in Adelaide and highly regarded I didn’t know much about what the company did until I started. I am amazed at the diversity of the businesses of the Group. I wont get bored for a while as there is much to learn and so many people to get to know. The other thing I am really enjoying is to be back working in a company with an Australian culture again. It is refreshing. That culture was very evident from the moment I stepped into the Hills’ offices.
the office for a day of work. I have been with the company 8 weeks and we have had in total in that time 3 Board meetings and 3 Audit Committee meetings. In my role of Company Secretary that has kept me exceedingly busy. On top of that I am learning about the company and the businesses and the details of the projects I am responsible for. I must be disciplined in keeping a current to do list to ensure things don’t get forgotten.
What do your family think of your new role? They are very happy that I am happy and that I am working with a great bunch of people.
If you could change one thing, what would it be? Work wise: That I could learn the company history and the on the job history in a matter of seconds. Having come out of a company where I had all the corporate history in my head and as the longest standing employee I was not only the “go to” person, but having all the corporate history in my head made my work easy and I was very efficient. I am impatient to get to that stage again.
World arena: For there to be more peace and love on earth. I get demoralised and saddened seeing so many people fighting and the wars and evil that seems to exist. I also get frustrated that media seems to report so much negativity and little of the positive that does occur.
What are your dreams and aspirations for the future? Aspirations: To be the best role model for my children that I can possibly be and be a loving mother, good wife and great friend that I can be for my children and husband, family and friends respectively. To achieve in my career to the very best of my abilities. When I retire I want to be like my father and be able to say, “in my working career I achieved every thing that I ever dreamed of and I had fun doing it.” That would give me great satisfaction. I don’t want to be left saying, if only… Dreams: To be happy and content. To be happy with myself, my work and my family. And to have the freedom to do whatever I choose. Whether it is to travel to South America to spend time learning about the Incas, or spending my time just being.
Do you need to travel a lot with your new role? I do have some travel. A lot of the Board meetings are held in other capital cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Additionally as the Senior Leadership Team is spread over Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide there is some travel involved for us to meet together.
Describe a typical day with Hills? Early start dealing with emails and other urgent work before the start of the work day and before my family gets up. Once the children are off to school it is into
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HERALD NEWS
MAKING THEIR DREAM A REALITY Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is the largest not-for-profit provider of autism services in the country. The organisation works with people from first diagnosis, to early intervention for children under six, runs autism specific schools, adult programs and information and family support services. The organisation started with a six children in a rented hall back in 1966 and today work with more than 10,000 people. One of those schools is the Aspect Hunter School which has operated for many years from a site in Shortland which was shared with a local public school. However, the growth of that school meant that we have had to vacate that site. As the primary provider of education and services for children and families affected by autism in the Hunter we knew we could not close our doors. Luckily a local business man Hilton Grugeon came to our aid and agreed to help us build a new school. We had some land donated in Thornton by another local family, the Owens. This meant we could finally realise our dream to build a permanent home for our school and resource centre. However, to make this dream a reality we needed significant support from the community. The site will initially have six classrooms, a sensory room, school hall, parent resource centre and an early intervention room (for children under six). Hills Holdings agreed to help us equip one of those classrooms.
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Laura Kingsbury, Community Fundraising Manager for Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) says â&#x20AC;&#x153;we are amazed and grateful for the wonderful support we have had from the community to make our new school a reality. Without organisations like Hills Holdings we simply would not have been able to build and equip our new school which will give children with autism in the area the very best start in life. The school and centre will be life changing for so many families in the years to comeâ&#x20AC;?. Aspect are still fundraising to build playgrounds, equip our early intervention centre, buy furniture and IT resources. If you would like to get involved you can find out how by visiting www.autismspectrum.org.au/hunterappeal.
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HERALD NEWS
CHRISTMAS ISLAND DETENTION CENTRE
STEP Electronics Supports Christmas Island Communications BY LEONIE COX Recently I had a chat with Mike Elliott of STEP Electronics and was amazed at some of the interesting STEP projects. Mike did suggest there were many other projects that STEP are involved which he cannot mention otherwise he would have to kill me (SSS - secret squirrel stuff).
MIKE, GIVE ME A SNAP SHOT OF A MAJOR PROJECT OF STEP ELECTRONICS? The tiny Indian Ocean Island Territory of
Cygnus Satellite Cygnus Satellite Pty Ltd is Joint venture between Hills Holdings and Ursys Pty Ltd. Cygnus is a wholesale Satellite IP Service provider providing a white label, fully Managed IP Service over Satellite with associated supply chain, maintenance and support services. These services are supplied to telecommunications providers, VSAT Services Intermediaries and Corporate level network integration companies. Cygnus is the proud supplier of satellite services to our major reseller Telstra. Being a native IP network allows companies to not only transfer data but provides remote sites with VoIP
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Australia, Christmas Island is just one STEP project. Situated some 400km off the coast of Indonesia STEP has installed facilities and manages the majority of the Islands communications, yes a Hills Company. STEP installed and currently maintains one of the islands most significant Satellite Earth Station facilities located out on North West Point at the Department of Immigrations Detention Centre. “The facilities were the result of 9 months planning and 1 months
communications and video capabilities. Iterra IP is one of the major suppliers of satellite services to Mining and Construction companies across Australia. Recent successes include BHP Through Telstra, Cygnus is installing services at several remote mine sites across Australia ensure that BHP are able to access strategic business information regardless of the remoteness of the mine. Trailers provided by Cygnus fitted with auto point antennas allow temporary Satellite IP services in even the most remote location with full IP communications back to head office. Businesses that would need the access that Cygnus can provide include: Mining Construction, Emergency services, Oil
construction and commissioning works” says Mike Elliott of STEP. Two large Vertex 4.8m High Wind Antennas are the core infrastructure of the facility and they work in conjunction with High Power Amplifiers, Low Noise Receivers and Satellite Modems all supplied and installed by STEP.
IS THIS A ONCE OFF PROJECT ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND? “We are also enjoying an ongoing maintenance contract providing remote 24/7 support and the occasional visit to the island for repairs and maintenance. Negotiations are also underway to provide expanded facilities and extending the support contract” Said Mike Elliott.
Rigs, Outback communities and in fact any remote business; Cygnus is also proud to be a provider of a communications platform that provides isolated indigenous communities with access to Education and health services.
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HERALD NEWS
Fielders ARAMAX FreeSpan has landed!
WIN STADIUM, WOLLONGONG
Innovation is all about new ideas – ideas that work. The ARAMAX FreeSpan structural cladding system meets this criterion perfectly because it is unlike any other. ARAMAX FreeSpan is bigger, bolder and deeper than conventional steel cladding profiles.
Endurance Campaign Looking for attractive and durable roofing system which spans 20 metres without compromising on your design? The ARAMAX mobile rollformer has landed at Fielders! The ARAMAX FreeSpan roof sheeting allows for enormous roofing spans of up to 20 metres with no purlins or girts. This enables the designer to eliminate the cost and complexity of the buildings’ secondary structure. ARAMAX FreeSpan serves as both a
visually stunning and structural component of the structure reducing cost without losing performance. Not even a month old and the good news is that the mobile rollformer is already preparing for six projects including the Aranui Library (New Zealand), WIN Stadium in Wollongong, Magill School (SA), Westrac (WA), White Bay Passenger Terminal (NSW) and Longreach Airport Terminal (QLD). We are already kicking goals and hoping to secure several major contracts in the coming months and we are receiving a lot of enquiries. Fielders. Flexibility is our strength. For more information on ARAMAX FreeSpan, visit www.aramax.com.au
SmartBars - vehicle frontal protection system What a busy start to 2012! In addition to the ease of vehicle availability into Australia SmartBar has now broken into the export market sending it’s first container into South Africa. SmartBar has been well received with much excitement from both parties to see this thrive in the future. Amongst the delivery was the new Toyota Hilux 2011. For those of you who don’t know much about SmartBars they are a vehicle frontal protection system that is a lighter, stronger, safer, greener and smarter alternative to bull and nudge bars. They are specifically designed to suit a variety of models and blend seamlessly to the contours of the vehicle whilst maintaining the intended aesthetics of the specific vehicle, providing unparalleled safety. In addition to our new website www.smartbar.com.au we are now on Facebook, become a fan of SmartBar to receive regular updates on what’s happening in SmartBar. You can also view our crash testing videos on the SmartBar YouTube channel so please check it out. SmartBar Features: • Air Bag compatible • SmartBar meets full Australian Standards
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• SmartBar exceeds the HIC (Head Injury Criteria) producing a figure well below the Australian Standard requirement of 1500, so pedestrians have a much higher probability of surviving an impact. • Weight savings provide improved fuel economy and reduced tyre, suspension and brake wear when compared to Steel & Alloy alternatives • Proudly Australian Owned, Designed and Manufactured • Aerial and spot light mount capability • Winch compatible in some cases
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SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU
FIRING UP
SOCIAL MEDIA BY LOU MACFARLANE We are celebrating a pivotal moment in Group communication as network restrictions and access to Social Media web sites were removed late last year. Since then, Hills companies are springing into life with Facebook pages and YouTube channels that had been waiting in the wings, strategically planned by our forward thinking marketing teams who have leapt into action with promotions, activities and information. We are pleased to say that many of our early Social Media initiatives are beginning to bear many positive results. Our flag ship brand the Hills Hoist’s Marketing team successfully lifted our profile at https://www.facebook.com/HillsHomeLifestyle by combining engaging conversation with a Summer Back Yard pack giveaway! Did your Friends enter? I know mine did. Orrcon Racing https://www.facebook.com/OrrconSteelRacing remains an integral part of the brand recognition program of Orrcon in 2012, and an array of Social Media sites are being utilised by our marketers to effectively reach an ever increasing audience of potential and loyal customers. The Qumi, brought to you by Hills SVL https://www.facebook.com/MyQumi is reaching a diverse audience via Facebook and is opening up an array conversations about the potential uses of the pocket sized projector.
Great things are being done by our staff around the company and its well worth checking them out. Type Hills Hoist into the search bar in Facebook and you will find job ads, product releases, how-to-videos, customer celebrations and a bit of history. You’ll also find a few fan pages that we don’t control, see a footy club in England that was founded by the first sales team who sold our products in the UK! What we hope you won’t find (or put there) is inappropriate language or images, and that you will protect your privacy to an appropriate level that we all should respect. We encourage you to direct any negative feedback to me https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001891734497 – yes that’s me! The great thing about celebrating the opportunity to use Social Media at Hills is that our opportunity to communicate, share and encourage success grows with every, Like Follow and Connect. For your chance to WIN an iPad which will be chosen as part of the Hills Christmas Celebrations join the conversation and the best contributions will be in the running.
WIN AN IPAD3 JOIN THE CONVERSATION
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SUPERANNUATION
Hills Super Plan Working Harder for You Insurance is one of those things we all know we need but often spend little or no time investigating or thinking about. This can lead to being underinsured or not having the right type of insurance when you need it most. Hills Superannuation Policy Committee, together with Plum, has invested time to investigate insurance solutions in the super plan for its members and I am pleased to announce that Salary Continuance Insurance (SCI) cover has been added to the Plan from 1 March 2012 This means if you were unable to work for a while because of injury or illness, the SCI benefit helps you to cope with the everyday costs of life by paying you 75% of your base salary for 24 months after a 90 day waiting period. The SCI cover was provided automatically to members, without the need to complete any forms or to provide evidence of good health and this will be the same for all new members who choose to join the plan. Members not interested in the SCI cover also had the option to opt-out. “With two small children I knew I needed to do something about salary continuance insurance because you just never know what is around the corner, but with little time to do the homework I kept putting it off”, says Megan Kloeden, Senior HR Advisor Lifestyle and Sustainability. “So I was very pleased to
GLORIA TSOTSIS
receive the offer from Plum because it means I now have cover and didn’t have to do anything to receive it”. The SCI benefit is a great initiative that provides employees with peace of mind in the event of temporary disablement. It allows you to focus on the important things, like getting better and not having to worry about financial commitments. For more information about the Hills Superannuation Plan please contact your HR Representative for a Plum Product Disclosure Statement or call Plum on 1300 55 7586. Gloria Tsotsis Hills Superannuation Policy Committee Member
Obituary Ralph Henderson It is with great sadness to advise that Ralph Henderson, the HHP Manager NZ,
RIP
tragically passed away on 29th March, after losing his battle with cancer.
Ralph started with the company in November 2000 as a Field Supervisor/Account
Manager HHP - in charge of the sales team. In 2005 became the Operations Manager and in 2009 became the Manager HHP NZ.
Ralph will be missed by all the Hills family in NZ who knew him.
Our deepest respects and condolences to his wife Christine and sons Kevin & Colin. Rest in Peace Ralph.
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HERALD NEWS
Moving People Hills Healthcare recently obtained the exclusive agency for Guldmann Ceiling hoist systems in Western Australia and has already been successful in securing a large two stage tender to install this system in over 50 care areas at Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital. Ceiling-mounted hoist systems are often an ideal solution for lifting and moving people from one place to another in all kinds of care environments. Lifting equipment is mounted out of the way on the ceiling keeping the floor space uncluttered. These systems can normally be mounted in virtually any indoor space and reach anywhere in any room saving care givers time whist enabling increased mobility to people living with disability or mobility challenges. The Guldmann Ceiling Hoist systems are world renowned for Reliability, value (low operating costs, maintenance expenditure and energy consumption) Responsiveness, Safety and Ease of use.
Bailey Ladders Kicks Off the 2012 AFL Season
Bailey Ladders is pleased to announce they have renewed their AFL sponsorship in the 2012 season for an additional three years and have entered into a new grassroots partnership with the VFL. The sponsorship will see Australia’s leading ladder manufacturer, Bailey, continue as official sponsor of all AFL club runners’ uniforms throughout the 2012 season as well as continue naming rights for the AFL
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ladder predictor. While the VFL sponsorship will see Bailey become official sponsor of all TAC Cup and Peter Jackson VFL club runners as well as the Official Ladder of the VFL. Bailey are keen supporters of both leagues and look forward to some great opportunities to leverage these sponsorships during the 2012 season. Bailey Ladders Brand & Product Manager, Craig Ouston believes “the season has already kicked off to a great start with Bailey unveiling some fantastic activities to increase brand awareness with our target markets of tradies and DIY-ers. Our new partnership with the VFL will also allow us more touch points with our end users and the ability to generate more grassroots style activity within our plans.” Throughout the 2012 AFL partnership Bailey will roll out a number of events and competitions such as the Million Dollar Ladder, which will see the online Bailey Ladder and Finals Predictor step it up a level and offer punters the chance to win $1,000,000 if they accurately predict the final ladder for the season. There is plenty more action online with an exclusive footy tipping competition offering Hills footy buffs the chance to win cash prizes and Bailey’s Facebook and Twitter pages building up to engage fans all season! Follow us @BaileyLadders and like us on Facebook to share in the fun. “Bailey had a successful 2011 sponsorship and with a number of outstanding events kicking off we are looking forward to a very exciting 2012 season ahead,” says Craig.
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HERALD NEWS
EZY STRUT CABLE & PIPE SUPPORTS
BRISBANE AIRPORT LINK TUNNEL
Korvest’s EzyStrut division has recently secured a supply agreement for the expansion of the Ravensworth Coal Mine in New South Wales. Operated by one of the world’s largest mining companies, the Xstrata Group, the development of the mine will cost more than $1bn and add around 500 employment opportunities to the local economy. The mine is estimated to be capable of producing up to 20 million tonnes of coal for the next 29 years. EzyStrut’s ability to deliver their innovative and heavy-duty cable and pipe support systems within the time period allowed, and at competitive pricing, was the main reason behind the mine developer’s decision to partner with them. EzyStrut will continue to supply cable ladder and associated accessories for the duration of the project.
Korvest’s EzyStrut division designed a revolutionary new concept for fire-rated cable support systems whilst handling the cable management for the $6.5bn tunnel linking Brisbane’s CBD to the nearby airport. The Nema 2 fire rated cable ladder was the first to meet AS3013:2005 and EzyStrut successfully delivered more than 15km of this cable ladder on time for installation in 2010-11. The key features of EzyStrut’s fire rated cable ladder (built-in splice plates and hanging systems) gave our product the edge over our competitors and was selected by the project managers for highspeed and low-cost installation. Given that this product stands alone in the market for AS3013:2005 compliance and is supplied by a company that is as flexible as their products are customisable, the potential of the fire rated cable ladder is unlimited.
MACARTHUR COAL PROJECT EzyStrut and our Northern Territory distributors have been proud suppliers of the MacArthur River mine development. This open-cut mine is situated in a remote area some 70km from Borroloola, just south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. MacArthur River is now one of the largest producers of zinc, lead and silver in the world. Given the difficulties in transporting equipment to and from the mine and the sheer scale of the project, EzyStrut and their distributors were required to work closely with the mine operators to ensure their range of heavy-duty cable ladders were delivered on time and within budget. Hundreds of lengths of EzyStrut’s Nema 3 cable ladder and a complex array of bends, risers and fixings have been supplied to the mine project since its commencement.
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HILLS A HIT IN SOUTH AFRICA The durable, high-quality range of contemporary Hills clotheslines have been a big hit in South Africa, following their introduction by distribution company Stingray. Stingray is Hills Home and Hardware Products master distributor for the sub-Sahara region and Managing Director, Matthew Gruzd is continually exploring innovative products that suit the needs of the area and consumer demands. “We have been working closely with Hills to develop our business together and are very pleased to see sales climbing steadily,” said Matthew. “Having been designed with the hot Australian climate in mind, there certainly are natural synergies between the high UV levels and rugged conditions of South Africa. Ultimately this means Hills products are tough enough to survive this environment and perform at a premium level.” The Hills range has been very well received in the region with Wal-Mart owned retail chain, Makro, who are currently planning an exciting laundry cross-promotion with Stingray. “Makro is a big fan of the Hills clotheslines range, this type of activity will definitely help put the brand in front of our consumers and is expected to result in terrific sales and continued growth here in South Africa,” exclaimed Matthew.
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HERALD NEWS
Near Misses What Can We Learn? Ever asked yourself “What is a near miss?” Wikipedia says it’s “an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage, but had the potential to do so.”
But what does this mean for you? Well a study by H.W. Heinrich indicated that for every 300 injury-free incidents there’ll be around 30 that result in minor injuries and one that produces a major one. The problem is predicting the more serious incidents. How many times have you shrugged off a near miss? The difference between a near miss and an injury is often a fraction of a centimeter or a second, and if it happens again the outcome may be very serious. A ‘near-miss’ is an opportunity to improve the safety, health, environmental impact and security of an operation.
What Are the Causes Of Near Misses? 1 Unsafe acts Improper lifting; walking under an overhead load; cutting, grinding, or chipping without safety glasses; not using
proper Personal Protective Equipment; etc. 2. Unsafe conditions Poorly maintained equipment; oil or grease on floors; leads and cables laid in walkways; trash and boxes left in hallways; etc. Remember, near misses are warnings and they exist all over the workplace. If we heed these warnings, look for causes and focus on changing behaviour, we may be able to prevent both damage and injury. In the end ALL employees-not just supervisors-must help identify them, but when a near miss occurs, report it immediately.
CHANGING TIMES FOR ANTENNA A new automated antenna manufacturing machine has recently been implemented in the Hills Antenna O'Sullivan Beach factory in Adelaide. The new machine was implemented for its efficiency and cost savings, and importantly, its ability to manufacture robust and technically advanced products, well ahead of the market. The new machine is fully programmable, allowing it to be easily changed to produce different antenna models and it's fast, with an antenna coming off the line every 35 seconds. It's the new Boomlock manufacturing technology which really makes this machine exceptional. This new patented technique allows for stronger built products, designed to stand the test of time. The machine has produced the new Tru-Spec antenna range, and will soon manufacture additional new antenna ranges. Hills Holdings managing director Graham Twartz said, “Some mass produced products are simply no longer cost-effective to produce locally, we will continue to produce products such as the antennas and satellite dishes at O'Sullivan Beach”.
HILLS HERALD – EXHIBITION CELEBRATES AUSTRALIA’S ICONIC HILLS HOIST Hills recently took part in celebrations for Commonwealth Bank’s Centenary milestone as part of a spectacular exhibition held across three days in Sydney’s Hordens Pavilion. With thousands of visitors and high profile guests in attendance at the invitation only event, the pavilion was transformed into a museum showcasing the Bank’s journey alongside Australian icons that have shaped our history over the last 100 years. A recognised and loved Australian symbol of inventiveness, the vintage Hills Hoist was an integral inclusion in the exhibition alongside other iconic products such as a Victa lawn mower. “We were so pleased with how the installation perfectly captured the moment in time when the first Hills hoists appeared in Australian backyards, by incorporating our rich history through an array of historic images,” Marketing Manager Hills Branded Products, Steve Ellerman added.
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HERALD NEWS
FROSTY’S POSTCARD In a continued effort to engage further with Orrcon Steel’s strong customer and employee base, Mark Winterbottom has been one busy driver for Orrcon Steel Racing this year. He’s completed customer visits, branch openings, staff visits, prospect client functions, corporate suite visits and media calls to engage Team Steel members and fans during the lead-up to key racing events. In February Frosty travelled to Adelaide, Bundaberg and Brisbane on behalf of Orrcon Steel. In Adelaide Frosty visited the O’Sullivan Beach manufacturing plant for their staff recognition day, followed the next day by a visit to Orrcon Steel’s Gilman distribution centre for a barbeque and chat with staff. Just a week later Frosty was off to Bundaberg for a Thursday evening function with Orrcon Steel customers followed by Friday’s ‘Thank Ford it’s Friday’ Bundaberg expansion event.
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Back in Brisbane Frosty attended a dinner where Orrcon Steel sales staff took the opportunity to interact with potential new customers and introduce these prospective customers to the V8 Supercar driver. The inaugural Orrcon Steel family day at the Brisbane head office was a success with hundreds of staff and their families enjoying a number of site activities, including riding the Orrcon Steel motion simulator, face-painting, mill tours and a sausage sizzle. Days before the opening round at the Clipsal 500 Frosty and Will made a special trip to Hills head office in Adelaide to have lunch with the Hills team before heading off for a PR stunt with the South Australian Redbacks cricket side. Again another busy year ahead for the Orrcon Steel Racing team and drivers!
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HERALD NEWS
Fielders Fit For Growth The Fielders team have a long history of working together to achieve success. But like all great teams, Fielders have recognised the need for change to succeed in new conditions and adapt to new challenges ahead. Right now in Fielders a number of projects are underway that look at “shaping up” the business to keep winning in the future. These projects are focused on a range of areas including manufacturing operating systems, supply chain and stock management and are geared at getting Fielders Fit For Growth …aka ‘FF4G.’
management and are geared at getting Fielders Fit For Growth …aka ‘FF4G.’ The first of many wins coming from this initiative is Fielders’ SA Factory Optimisation project. In this project, duplicate departments at Regency Park and Mile End manufacturing sites are being brought together under one roof to maximise productivity, reduce costs and enhance customer service. Over the Christmas shutdown period members of the SA FF4G project team worked hard to move 5 machines, set up factory and office spaces and conduct general maintenance. Over the past two months the project team has also successfully moved and installed an additional 4 machines with minimal impact to Fielders renowned excellent customer service. Darren Lines, Operations Manager - SA, would like to personally thank his team (pictured below), who achieved a significant amount of work over a short period of time and, most importantly, completed it in a very safe manner. Stay tuned for further FF4G success stories at Fielders!
Project Primus Update
The first of many wins coming from this initiative is Fielders’ SA Factory Optimisation project. In this project, duplicate departments at Regency Park and Mile End manufacturing sites are being brought together under one roof to maximise productivity, reduce costs and enhance customer service. Over the Christmas shutdown period members of the SA FF4G project team worked hard to move 5 machines, set up factory and office spaces and conduct general maintenance. Over the past two months the project team has also successfully moved and installed an additional 4 machines with minimal impact to Fielders renowned excellent customer service. Darren Lines, Operations Manager - SA, would like to personally thank his team (pictured), who achieved a significant amount of work over a short period of time and, most importantly, completed it in a very safe manner. Stay tuned for further FF4G success stories at Fielders! The Fielders team have a long history of working together to achieve success. But like all great teams, Fielders have recognised the need for change to succeed in new conditions and adapt to new challenges ahead. Right now in Fielders a number of projects are underway that look at “shaping up” the business to keep winning in the future. These projects are focused on a range of areas including manufacturing operating systems, supply chain and stock
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The Latin phrase AD MELIORA was used recently by an employee following his comment about change management in the workplace. The phrase means towards better things which is almost synonymous with Project Primus. The Hills Commercial operating system has served us well, but it’s about Hills Holdings in its entirety moving towards better things in the form of the JD Edwards/Oracle operating system. Project Primus is about planning for the future and moving to a platform which is stable and dynamic and progressive, and one which allows the company to continue successfully for another 50 years and beyond in the marketplace. It’s about streamlining business processes and being more efficient and structured about how we do business. Therefore the first steps in moving towards better things lies in mapping those core business processes and creating a universal template which encompasses all of the businesses and key requirements they have. The configuration phase will enable those initial core plans and business processes to be configured within the new system. The end of this phase is when end users will have an opportunity to participate in conference room pilots and testing activities. It will enable users to see and test the system and gain a feel for what the end result will look like. The rollout for the new system will occur in stages over two years, with a go-live date for the first candidates (Corporate, HHP, Hills Solar, and Hills Clearance Centres) to occur in early 2013. AD MELIORA – Towards better things…
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HEALTH–LIFE–BAL ANCE
HEALTH DID YOU KNOW? Stroke – Citrus Fruits lower Stroke Risk Eating citrus fruits, particularly oranges, grapefruit, lemons may reduce your risk of suffering a stroke, according to new research.
Heart – Fish oil gives you a healthier blood Evidence suggests that fish oil is one of the best heart health supplements which lover the risk significantly and can also assist with increase levels of “good cholesterol”.
Exercise – You can do it For a healthier mind, body & soul – walk… Ideally we should be exercising 3-4 times a week for 40-60mins doing a combination of cardio, weight and resistance. However, research also says walking 10,000 steps a day nearly ever day is very beneficial.
SLEEP EASY FAST FACTS
LIFE BE POSITIVE One thing that I try and maintain is Health, Life & Balance. I love what I do, work hard, play hard and try and be a positive player on the team. I believe we can be happier, healthier and much nicer people to live with at work and at home if we truly believe it. A few tips I personally find helpful & practical 1. Be positive: I keep a diary at work and write down 3 positive things to be thankful for each day; 2. Find a friend: It’s great to have a friend at work to bounce ideas off (encourage one another); 3. Find a mentor: Researches say, people who have a mentor, seem happier and are promoted more often (probably because they are encouraged more); 4. Be prepared for obstacles: We will have challenges even in areas that we achieve in, when things get tough, seek support (the person you report to or are married to is probably a good start); 5. Have a passion: Statistics indicate, people that have a hobby or volunteer for something are happier & feel more fulfilled, LASTLY… SMILE, you will at least look more attractive.
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Some of us need a good eight to ten hours while others are more than happy with three or four. We all do it, and the vast majority of us love it… sleep. Few would argue there is anything much better in life than a good nights’ sleep, and there is more and more evidence emerging to show that sleep is every bit as important as eating well and exercising regularly for good health and well being. The average person will spend almost a third of his life asleep so given such a significant amount of time is used for sleep, it is worth knowing a little bit about it. Whilst it’s viewed as somewhat of a commodity in modern society, sleep is a vital physiological function, ensuring optimal energy, alertness, physical health and mood. The urge to sleep is one of the most powerfully driven motives of all human behaviour; if a person is tired enough, sleep will over-ride most alternatives. Individuals’ reports of what happens during sleep differ widely. Some individuals report lucid dreams and recollections of conscious and subconscious thoughts, while others awaken with no recollection of the eight hours they have just put behind them. Research has shown that there are several different sleep stages. The first stage is a drowsy state in which a person can be easily awakened. On average this stage lasts fifteen to thirty minutes. This is referred to as “active sleep”. This is then followed by a drift over the next hour into three more stages of much deeper sleep, in which a person gradually becomes virtually immobile and would take a few minutes to become coherent should they be woken up. These three stages are referred to as “quiet sleep”. The average person will cycle through these four stages up to five times each night.
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LISTEN, WATCH & READ BY LEONIE COX
✑
balance
HEALTH–LIFE–BAL ANCE
SOUNDS OF OUR CITY EMMA RUSSACK ★★★★
ADELE 21 ADELE ★★★★ Brit born Adele Adkins now with more major industry music awards (you will know why if you listen to her) then fingers has this amazing voice. Somewhere on her latest album called 21 is an honest, direct, sonically mature girl with a sense of balance and a voice as big as Sydney Harbour Bridge and personality to match. You never would have guessed that a quirky bossa nova cover of the Cure's "Lovesong" would work, but it does. Album closer "Someone Like You" (watch the clip on YouTube), delivers melody and meaning with a fantastic performance either with an orchestra or solo.
THE DESCENDANTS (MOVIE) ★★★★ RATED M
CD REVIEW LIVE AT RED ROCKS JOHN BUTLER TRIO ★★★★ JOHN BUTLER has become a name synonymous with blues festivals globally, starting off on our smaller stages, his career and fame growing in tandem with that of many blues & roots festivals. In 1998 JOHN BUTLER was busking solo on the streets of Fremantle, WA. Fast forward 14 years and he has become Australia’s most successful independent artist. Live at Red Rocks is extremely enjoyable upbeat & easy to listen too.
Melbourne singer/song writer Emma got a start posting cover songs such as Joni Mitchess and The Beatles on YouTube. The rising talent now has 10 original songs on her debut album. She weaves a powerful and intimate spell. Great to download one track or step out and buy the album.
George Clooney & THE DESCENDANTS is a perfect mix of humour and drama embracing some serious questions of life. One of the richest men in Oahu Hawaii (George Clooney) coping with his two rebellious daughters to track down his wife's lover. THE DESCENDANTS is Alexander Payne's long-awaited follow-up to the film Sideways and not too dissimilar. Far from light but extremely enjoyable watch.
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE ★★★ RATED PG Set in 2003 Oskar (young 9 year old Thomas Horn) is convinced that his father Tom (Tom Hanks), who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Oskar is a special boy with an extremely active mind and is feeling disconnected from his grieving Mum (Sandra Bullock). Oskar finds a key mysteriously left by his father so his search begins back and forth New York city where he meets and befriends’ people from all walks of life. A little slow to begin but very moving and thought provoking, well worth it.
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HEALTH–LIFE–BAL ANCE
A FORTUNATE LIFE BY AC FACEY
BOOK REVIEWS THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR BY AUTHOR ERIC CARLE Suitable for 6 months old+, perfect for 3 year olds & a giggle for Grandpa. The story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a simple one that emphasises numbers and days of the week (great for counting). The caterpillar is not only very hungry, but he also has unusual tastes in food. Beginning with one apple on Monday and two pears on Tuesday and ending with five oranges on Friday and 10 different foods on Saturday (chocolate cake, ice cream, a pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, a lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, a cupcake, and watermelon). Saturdays are my favourite day in the book and my kids who are now all grown up still talk about and we still have a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Suitable for Teens to Adults A book I read when I was only 16 or so and still my all time favourite read. Simple to read even if you are not a reader or to get you started. About a man Albert Facey who appreciates the simple things in life, an Australian World War 1 Veteran, whose main work as a writter is his autobiography. Born 1894-1982, in very tough times, raised mainly by his Grandmother, what a guy. I have re-read this book and enjoyed it just as much second time round. This book also highlighted how tough it was for women - getting water, dealing with accidents and illness, feeding families in the Depression. Yet they made a life for themselves ... and felt very fortunate that they were able to do so! A Great Australian read…
THE POWER BY RHONDA BYRNE You are meant to have an amazing life! Every discovery, invention and human creation comes from positive thinking and self belief. Great, incredible relationships, a
career you love, a life filled with joy, happiness and enough money, all apparently from what Rhonda calls “The Power”. Create change and self belief is all you need, all it takes to become the best person you possibly can be and to reach contentment... The life of your dreams has always been closer to you than you realised – THE POWER. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” -Albert Einstein
DOWNLOAD AND WIN SIMPLY SCAN, DOWNLOAD & ENTER – GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK – IT’S THAT SIMPLE!
WIN A TRIP FOR 2 PEOPLE 3 NIGHTS AT BYRON OF BYRON
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WIN! A TRAVEL CLUB HOLIDAY < SCAN TO ENTER *Terms & conditions apply. The prize cannot be exchanged, transferred or sold for cash or traveller’s cheques. To qualify for an entry into the draw, you must register with Travel Club Getaways by 01 December 2012. Prize valid for travel until 31 December 2013. • 2 return economy airfares, flying with Virgin Australia or Jetstar to the Gold Coast (airfare class restrictions apply) • 4 days full size car hire • 3 nights staying at the award winning “Byron at Byron Resort” • Complimentary Yoga Daily • Surfing Lessons for 2 • Airfare and accommodation seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel. Booking travel with the voucher is subject to Flight Centre Limited’s Booking Terms and Conditions.
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RELISH : GOOD FOOD
~ SERVES 4 ~
CREAMY ROAST TOMATO SOUP WITH GRILLED CHEESE TOAST ROAST TOMATO SOUP • • • • • • • • • •
10 ripe plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise 1 bulb garlic, cut in half horizontally 1 brown onion, peeled, quartered Handful fresh thyme sprigs 1/2 cup olive oil Sea salt & cracked black pepper 1 tbsp butter 250ml chicken stock 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce 100ml heavy cream
GRILLED CHEESE TOAST • Loaf ciabatta, sliced • 250g Gruyère cheese, sliced
TO SERVE • 1/2 cup crème fraiche • Sea salt & cracked black pepper
STEP ONE Preheat oven to 220oC. Place tomatoes, garlic,
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onion and thyme in a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until tomatoes have collapsed. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Carefully remove skins from tomatoes and squeeze garlic from their skins. Discard skin and thyme sprigs.
STEP TWO In a pot, heat butter over medium heat. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
STEP THREE Remove from heat and puree in a food processor. Strain soup back into pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in heavy cream and season with salt & pepper.
STEP FOUR Grill ciabatta slices until golden. Top one side with Gruyère and grill until cheese is melted and golden, about 2 minutes.
TO SERVE Ladle into bowls, top with a dollop of crème fraiche and season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve with grilled cheese toast.
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PRODUCT INNOVATION
Great Stuff Did you know Hills distribute all these great products? Browse our extensive range online. IS THAT A PROJECTOR IN YOUR POCKET?
HILLS HEALTHCARE SEAT WALKER KA365 My Mobility products are chosen by Hills Healthcare for Australian users. They are designed and manufactured to a high standard and offer excellent value for those seeking mobility assistance. • Provides assistance to those who need confidence walking and require rest en route. • Folds away for easy storage and transportation. • Height adjustable handles to suit user. • Handbrakes are lockable for stability. • Padded backrest for seating comfort. • Lightweight aluminium construction. • Supplied with removable basket and padded seat.
www.hillshealthcare.com.au
Hills SVL are pleased to announce the arrival of Vivitek’s Qumi. Weighing in at only 635 grams, this projector produces an impressive 300 Lumens (LED) brightness and 720p resolution. Designed to work hand in hand with your iPad, iPhone, iPod or android device, Qumi is perfect for sharing files, images, documents or videos. Take Qumi with you on holidays as it can project up to a 90” image. It’s like having a home theatre in your pocket and comes in black & white. Features: Native HD 720p resolution, Up to 300 lumens of brightness, Estimated 30,000 hours of operation, USB and MicroSD slots for content and memory expansion, 3D-Ready via DLP Link, Connectivity options: Mini-HDMI, Universal I/O, AV mini-jack, mini-jack audio-out. Price $499 inc. gst simply contact your local SVL branch for your special offer on Qumi.
www.myqumi.com.au
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PRODUCT INNOVATION
PANASONIC WV-SW155 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA Equipped with a MOS sensor developed by Panasonic, features include low light sensitivity, low noise, low power consumption and Megapixel resolution making them better than the traditional CCD and CMOS type cameras. With the Panasonic WV-SW155 1.3 Megapixel MOS sensor, face detection function and wide angle of view there are less blind spots in lift a and transportation applications and H.264 high profile compression. Additional features to the WVSW155 are Super Dynamic, Vandal resistant, transportation application compliant and SDHC/SD card slot for manual recording and backup when all else fails with your network. The WV-SW155 is compatible with the WJ-NV200 Panasonic NVR. For more information, call or visit your local DAS branch for a demonstration today.
www.das.com.au
HILLS CRYSTAL FORCE VAC Experience cleaner living and innovation at your fingertips with the new Hills Crystal Force centrally ducted vacuum. Following on from the hugely successful HCV range, the Crystal Force Vac features a powerful 1600W twin turbine motor, coupled with a larger 25 litre dust collection bucket. Showcasing a new LCD maintenance display, users can easily keep track of the power range, hepa filter, dust collection levels, running time and more. The Crystal Force Vac also conveniently adapts to a broad range of cleaning surfaces, such as; carpeted or tiled floors, furniture and motor vehicles. In addition to the healthier living benefits of a centrally ducted system, the Crystal Force offers the following outstanding performance features: • Low noise - 67dB • Powerful 240VAC 1600W twin turbine, fan cooled motor • HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air filter) Filter • 25 litre dust collection bucket with integrated carry handles • 608 air watts • 3460 mm H2O Suction / Waterlift • Sturdy ABS construction • LCD maintenance display • Thermal motor overload protection • Outside exhaust to eliminate dust recirculation
TEAMPOLY™ SLIMLINE WATER TANKS The Teampoly slimline range of rainwater tanks offers flexibility in water storage. Designed to fit alongside walls, fences or sheds the slimline comes in a variety of sizes and colours to match your surrounding. • Traditional corrugated and modern flat sided designs • Ideal for side paths or areas with narrow access • Reinforced wall supports • Detention tank outlet point.
www.teampoly.com.au
Available from DAS branches nationwide.
www.das.com.au
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PRODUCT INNOVATION
a little
finesse NEW AIRER RANGE MAKES DRYING INDOORS A BREEZE With colder months on the horizon, Hills Home and Hardware Products has released a brand new range of stylish, feature-packed clothes airers that are sure to appeal to a wide range of consumers. Consisting of eight unique models, the clothes airers provide high quality clothes care with design features that make them easy to position and move around without compromising space or scratching floors. “It’s important that we continually look at developing and improving our existing range to offer unique and alternative drying options to meet varying needs,” said Product Manager, Nick Colebatch. People with limited room will appreciate the generous amount of drying space offered by the small-footprint Finesse models designed to take up minimal space while having the ability to sit flat against a wall – keeping hanging clothes more discreetly out of site and mind! Families will enjoy the sturdy and flexible Simplicity models which include a choice of expansion of either two or four folding wings in order to cater for larger wash load requirements. Other compact models in the range include: the versatile Trilogy, Vogue, Ambiance and Nimble Over-the-Bath clothes airers.
www.hills.com.au
>
OWL – WIRELESS ENERGY DEVICE OWL - The next generation wireless electricity monitor which keeps all the existing energy saving features of the original OWL monitor with a brand new ‘track and store’ feature. Monitor your electricity usage, produce live and historical charts via your PC at a time to suit you via the supplied USB cable and software supplied. With a superior memory capability, ultra fast download speed, OWL +USB makes it even easier for you to track and save money. It’s the ideal monitor for anyone who wants to be able to see a visible reduction in their consumption and cost of electricity. Appealing to anyone who wants to reduce their household impact on the environment, the use of an OWL+USB is a vital tool in the fight against climate change. OWL +USB Wireless Electricity Monitor, provides up to the second information on the amount of electricity you are using in terms of power, cost and your carbon footprint. This means you can see in real time the benefits of turning off electrical devices at home.
www.hills.com.au
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PRODUCT INNOVATION
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Inventive ironing board design puts Hills on top Like most household chores, ironing isn’t something we relish, and it was this sentiment which inspired Hills to create a distinctive new range of ironing boards to help make this task that little bit easier. “Staff from the Home and Hardware Products division worked collectively to brainstorm what frustrates people most when ironing, so that features to tackle these difficulties could be built into the new range,” said Product Manager, Nick Colebatch. The premium Hills Orbit ironing board is a revolutionary design, unveiled with the world’s first fully Rotating Caddy. Key benefits include bringing the iron closer when in use as well as offering more space to iron large items such as bed linen. Frustrations associated with tangling and kinking of the iron cord have also been eliminated thanks to the Orbit’s Cord Master, designed to help keep the cord in place whilst smoothly moving through the ironing caddy when in use. “We are very pleased with the final product and feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive since the Orbit was introduced to the market earlier this year.” “There has also been growing interest from new retail channels which is something we are keenly pursuing,” explained Nick. “The impeccable and high-innovation design demonstrates the persistent efforts by the Home and Hardware Products team to continually enhance and develop products that meet the changing expectations of consumers today – something we are proud to carry on as part of the Hills brand legacy,” Marketing Manager - Hills Branded Products, Steve Ellerman added.
HDMI MATRIX SWITCHERS
www.orbitironing.com.au
>
The new HD Intelligence™ range from Hills Antenna & TV Systems includes 4x4, 4x8 and 8x8 HDMI Matrix Switchers (BC80506/BC80507/BC80508). The switchers include end point receivers and all IR components, making them a flexible and cost effective solution for distributing multiple HD signals. These devices switch and distribute HDMI deep colour and full 3D video and audio from 4 or 8 sources, over two Cat 6 cables, which also power the end receivers up to 40m at 1080p or 50m at 1080i. They allow total flexibility to route any of their connected HDMI sources to any zone and in any combination. The builtin wide band IR function is cable TV friendly and allows users to control the HDMI sources from the display zones directly. The switchers are easy to install and operate via the receiver push buttons, remote control or RS232. The devices also boast a fast response time of 2.5 seconds for source switching. Distributed, serviced and supported in Australia & NZ by Hills Antenna & TV Systems.
REVOLUTIONARY HILLS ORBIT IRONING BOARD
www.hillsantenna.com.au
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HILLS CONGRATUL ATES
LET’S CELEBRATE & CONGRATULATE… 35
yrs
30
yrs
yrs
30
25
yrs
yrs
20
Tim Pascoe – Antenna OSB SA
20
Suzanne Keen – HHP SA
20
20
Clinton Oliver – Antenna OSB
Michael Simpkins – Korvest SA
Kenneth Clendenning – Pacom
Paul Knight – DAS WA
yrs
Fred Knoll – Antenna OSB
yrs
10 YEARS Jo chappell – Fielders Mile End SA Jason Schulz – Fielders Reg Park SA David Jackson – Fielders Reg Park SA Peter Van Dijk – Fielders WA Cvetko Naumoski – Fielders WA
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Gerard Hegerty – Korvest QLD Darren Leaney – TeamPoly SA Brian Bracken – ATS Tas Peter Dias – Fielders WA Megan Kloeden – Cor HR SA Christopher Hicks – DAS QLD Brett Brereton – Antenna OSB SA
yrs
Andrew Prosser – HHP SA
Andrew Williams – Antenna Sales SA Troy Payne – DAS NSW Rafael Salinas – Korvest SA Minh Pham – Korvest SA Stephen Herbert – Orrcon QLD John McGloin – Orrcon OSB SA Mel Ofa-Smith - NZ
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HILLS CONGRATUL ATES
The Hills team prides itself on a steady flow of long-service achievements and appreciates the commitment and hard work of the following individuals, who have made such significant contributions to our success. Thank you to all the people listed here – we couldn’t have done it without you!
20
yrs
John Whitehead – Korvest SA
Phil (John) Sharp – Orrcon QLD
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HILLS HERALD
25
yrs
20
yrs
Vicki Thorpe – Antenna Sales NSW
Graham Rowe - NZ
25
yrs
15
yrs
Irene Hohaia - NZ
LONG SERVICE
25
yrs
20
yrs
Mary Perkovic – HHP Vic
Michelle Hinter – Corp SA
Buddy Sheun – Antenna OSB SA Cameron Howell – Corp SA
Trung Tran – Healthcare NSW Heather Nilson – HHP QLD
Kathy Fowler – TeamPoly SA Van Vo – Fielders WA
Wayne Trethowan – HTSG Vic
Michael MacKowiak – Pacom Vic
Bertie Veenvliet – Orrcon OSB SA
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