STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Reports from Branch Presidents November 2022

AUCKLAND / NORTHLAND

Well, the year is drawing to an end, and what a rollercoaster of year it has been. Plenty of work to be done, but only to be restricted by material and labour shortages along with the impact of sickness as Covid spread through the communities.

In August we held our second face to face meeting for 18 months, and again we had a good turnout with it being hosted by Allegion. With the discussion points of the changes to H1 regulations and ‘Discovering our purpose of being a Master Joiner’, we are seeing great feedback and interaction from the members, bringing us all together.

In September the national Master Joiners Conference was held in Blenheim which was a great success with plenty of positive feedback. It was fantastic to see some new faces from our region attending. The awards night held in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, which saw many awards come to our region including the Supreme Winner, Congratulation to Cutting Innovations.

Our region is still reporting a good positive amount of work and forward work, with plenty of tower cranes in the skyline. However, in the back of our minds there are still concerns where 2023 may head, with inflation and continuing increases of interest rates. Managing customer expectations running into Christmas is a major issue for all of us but especially the Kitchen Industry currently, with scheduling still being a major problem, as the homes haven’t been ready in time for the install of the kitchens.

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Rob Pickup

Canterbury

What a year 2022 has been characterised by inflation and staffing sickness. Everyone has full workloads leading up to Christmas and into the new year. There have been concerns over workloads slowing down from mid 2023. It’s been a tough year with a few stalwart members saying this has been their hardest year in business. Global issues as well as local staffing factors are hard to anticipate and factor into the business.

Products seem to be still difficult to get and having to work with inconsistencies in delivery times. Freight issues and rising costs make quoting difficult and this can have a big impact in business viability. Staffing and retention of staff is an issue in many sectors and our local joinery sector is no different here in Canterbury.

We are still getting good numbers of members and associate members at our monthly meetings with regulars travelling from as far north as Kaikoura and south to Hinds’ to attend our meetings. Blum has a fabulous facility which we hold our meeting at. It is positive to be able to collaborate with other trades this way. Members report on a good vibe and support of each other. This support was a principal discussed at Conference and it is good to know it is being felt at the grass roots level. Those CJMA members who came to our annual national conference held in Blenheim gave good feedback, and the motivational speakers definitely made you think about challenges we face in life.

November the 15th is our last CJMA meeting for the year and also our local apprentice awards awarded from Ara / Te Pūkenga. It’s a good night and to see the young talent being acknowledged.

We have our upcoming CJMA golf day in February, always a good time had with members and suppliers. Everyone is looking forward to a well earned break. Happy Holidays

- Paul Baker

Central

Wow how are we in November already!! Conference this year was amazing! The feedback that I have heard from members and supply partners is positive. We had a good mix of members from the Central Region attend. It was good for some new faces to go along and see what Conference is about. If you didn’t go – then you should lock it in for Wellington next year.

Workloads – where do I start. Most, if not all our members still have a good workload booked through into the New Year. The gib shortage is all but over – however it has caused jobs to be needed all at the same time, rather than being staggered. This is putting a lot of strain on the members to please all their clients. Some members are also still battling with unrealistic expectations on turnaround times for quotes and installations. It is the later part of 2023 which some of the larger members are worried about. They are predicting around a 30% drop in sales and production from the same time in 2022. The smaller members are confident about the workload staying steady for them, which is fantastic.

Some of the timber joinery members are reporting that the renovation market is picking up again for them. The demand for replacement timber windows is growing and they haven’t hit the “French door season’ just yet. I am sure once the calmer warmer days arrive, people will be wanting to look at knocking out walls and installing doors for better indoor/outdoor flow.

Members are getting tired and are looking forward to their annual close-down for a well-earned rest. The daylight hours are getting longer, and the smell of BBQ’s is starting to be more noticeable. Take care over the holiday season. Be safe on the roads and in the water. I look forward to meeting more members next year. - Kristine

Holmes

Nelson Marlborough

Summary - The business environment in the Nelson Marlborough region continues to be buoyant albeit a little complicated. Workloads are still forward however possibly not quite as far out as they were. The Christmas rush began early and is certainly pushing staffing levels to the limit with a little bit of sickness still around the community. All in all still positive times in the region after the transition year getting back to ‘normal’

Highlights - Highlight for the quarter was the conference hosted by the Nelson/Marlborough region in Blenheim. Numerous Nelson / Marlborough members attended the conference with good feedback on sessions and speakers. It was great to catchup with old friends and colleagues from all over New Zealand again and take a couple of days to sit and reflect, well worth the time and $ investment.

The awards ceremony dinner was very special with an award for Myles (posthumously) to the Sellers Family and a business excellence award for Leigh Jones from Nazareth Joinery, very well earned for both. The location of the dinner at the Omaka Warbirds Museum added to the special evening.

Shifts in the market - With the tightening of money both nationally and globally with lending / borrowing conditions there are some signals of flow through to project work, changes to scope and in some cases projects not going ahead, something to keep a close eye on in the coming quarters.

Staffing and training - The region is working with all providers to ensure there are training options for all levels of our industry skills development with the implementation of Te Pukenga. The region takes this opportunity to thank all its clients, customers, staff, suppliers and colleagues, wishing everyone a nice break away at the Christmas and all the very best of health and luck for 2023. On behalf of the region. - Phil Agnew

OTAGO / SOUTHLAND

And it’s Christmas time again! It seems like it was just yesterday that we were in the Christmas rush of 2021, in fact, sometimes it feels like it didn’t let up all year long. It has been a good year for Otago-Southland Master Joiners. Challenging, relentless, but good none-the-less. Lockdowns appear to now live in the rear vision mirror, and that the supply side of the industry is returning to normal. Staff, wages, and inflation appear to be the lingering issues for the region, the industry, and all industries across the country. Where did everyone go?

I can tell you where they are going to be … Queenstown on the 18th of November. We will be celebrating our end of year Christmas dinner on that evening. I’m looking forward to catching up with you all then.

Christmas holidays firmly in the sights for now, I hope you all manage to have a decent amount of down-time, relaxing, maybe on holiday, or at least away from the office/workshop. We will do it all again next year.

Events for next year … a rescheduled tour of the Mataura MDF plant is on the cards, a couple of factory visits, Annual Conference, and I’m sure our suppliers will step forward with some initiatives to keep the knowledge sharing and local camaraderie going. Until then, stay safe, see you in QT, or next year, and enjoy your welldeserved break.

Mātewā - Reuben Bogue

TARANAKI

Its that time of year again where the weather is warming up and Christmas is just around the corner. With the ups and downs over the year and the constant struggle with supply, we are all looking forward to a well earned break to recharge the batteries and soke up the sunny days.

Most Taranaki joinery factories report being busy, with some reporting higher workloads leading into Christmas, while others have reported that inquiries have slowed down, but generally things are still trucking along.

There are a number of large projects under way in Taranaki and the announcement of the Off Shore wind farm will keep Taranaki busy. Its projects like this that have off shoots that keep several industries going.

Materials seem to more readily available, but again we must keep eye on product updates to ensure we can get the materials for our jobs we require before Christmas. Generally, freight seems to be moving in a more timely manner now and couriers are able to deliver faster. There also seems to be movement of late with staff moving between joinery factories. Finding staff is an ongoing problem, but we are trying things to help with this.

I mentioned in my last report that the TMJ committee had been looking into working alongside the High schools to identify interested students. This is a work in progress and we look forward to getting some traction in the New Year.

Let’s hope for a fine Christmas day, spending well deserved time with our families and friends. Happy New Year as we welcome in 2023. Be kind and stay safe. - Bryan Frank

WAIKATO / BOP

Waikato/BOP Members are now well into the silly season, reporting busy workloads through to the end of the year. One Member reports a flood of work as a result of the recent disturbing trend of ram raids on retailers, a sad reflection of our times.

But change is expected as we go into 2023. New dwelling consents for September 2022 are down 31% in Waikato and 21% in Bay of Plenty compared with the same period last year. This could signal a change of pace by mid 2023.

On November 11th, Members are taking a well deserved day out for the Ken Monk Fishing Trip. The annual fishing charter is an opportunity to enjoy some camaraderie and acknowledge Ken and his contribution to the joinery industry.

Ken gave generously of his time for 20 years before his untimely passing in 2017. Ken held countless roles including (but not limited to) President of Waikato/BOP region, President of NZJMF, Chairman of JITO, Chairman of the Construction Industry-Employment Partnership Group, Chairman of the Employer Partnership Group and he demonstrated vision and passion in the many hours he gave to NZS:4211 Compliant Timber Joinery.

In recognition of his contribution to the industry he was bestowed an Honorary Life Membership of Master Joiners in 2015, an honour usually given only on retirement. Ken’s legacy is an inspiration for us all.

Keep safe everyone over the summer holidays and enjoy some good times with friends and whanau. - Cherie

van der Poel