Auckland Today Issue 90

Issue 90 | August/September 2011

Investment

Where to spend and how to get capital injection

Game on

Hosting RWC 2011 is much more than sport — it’s the biggest game in town

Selling

Five fatal afflictions of sales teams

Online

Does your website create the right impression?

Naked ambition

Hamish Nuttall’s stripped down Naked Bus is driving bargain basement prices

News | Initiatives | Interviews | Personalities | Information | Success | Profiles | Finance | Property | Sustainability | Export | Transport | Retail | Solutions | ISSN 1173-1508

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Issue 90 | August/September 2011

Investment

Where to spend and how to get capital injection

Game on

Hosting RWC 2011 is much more than sport — it’s the biggest game in town

Selling

Five fatal afflictions of sales teams

Online

Does your website create the right impression?

Naked ambition

Hamish Nuttall’s stripped down Naked Bus is driving bargain basement prices

News | Initiatives | Interviews | Personalities | Information | Success | Profiles | Finance | Property | Sustainability | Export | Transport | Retail | Solutions | ISSN 1173-1508

Auckland Today

Issue 90

20,162 ABC circulation as at 30/06/10

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz Head office Academy House 47B Birmingham Drive PO Box 1879 Christchurch

6 Sales

• Making sales meetings rock • Five afflictions of sales teams

7 Economics

managing director Gary Collins

• Gareth Morgan explains why falling property prices please him

General manager Rebecca Harris

• Keeping time on your side

8 Techno Know-How

administration Kylie Moore admin manager Kelly Clarke Rebecca McQueen Kimberley Wells Judy Slater Tayla Brown sales & advertising Mandy Woods Janet Campbell Grant Williams Rob Cochrane George Ziegler Colin Morais Jane Watson Mogens Petersen Mike Burke

News

sales executives

newsroom Jonathon Taylor Marie Sherry Bridget Gourlay

• Kiss your trackpad goodbye with a locally inspired gadget • Does your website create the right impression in the online arena?

9 Marketing

• As kick-off draws closer, it’s obvious that hosting RWC 2011 is about much more than a sporting event. We look at what’s on offer off the park, and Auckland’s looming transport trauma

10 Leadership

• Awaken the leader in you • Courses, seminars and events near you to build your leadership role

11 Lifestyles

• The ultimate night’s sleep, Fujifilm’s GPS tracking camera, an affordable private island, the ultimate desk toy and more

Business 18 Hospitality

• Wine and dine at Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant on Waiheke Island or discover anew Euro Bar, still going strong after a decade in business on the waterfront

26 Initiatives

• Hills Flooring notches up a half century of business, new moves at the Museum of Transport and Technology, and getting scared silly at Spookers

36 Pride in Print Awards

• Saluting the best in printed products this year, with top honours going to GEON Print Communication Solutions

and

editor

Phone: 03 961 5050 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: editor@academy.net.nz

production Carolynne Brown assistant Melanie Stanbury designers CJ McKay Ian Knott Kirsty Opie Jarred Shakespeare Sarah Betman Phone: 03 961 5050 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: production@academy.net.nz

Disclaimer: This publication is provided on the basis that A-Mark Publishing is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services.

A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication.

Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice.

Contents Copyright 2011 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

12 Cover Story

• When Hamish Nuttall created the Naked Bus, his vision was to deliver destinations without getting waylaid in the expensive business of getting to them

14 Investment special

• When it comes to financing growth, where do you start and what are your options?

Correction In the previous issue of Auckland Today (June/July 2011), the feature article on Steelbro New Zealand (pages 32-33), included an incorrect contact phone number. The correct number to contact Steelbro NZ’s Business Development manager is 0278 655 368.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

40 Business Development

• Rainbow Confectionery finds the right flavour and Dexion’s super storage systems stand the test of time

46 Property & Construction

• NZ Retail Property Group’s mission is to create quality urban space, Coastal Builders has a strong footing in the new homes luxury market and has diversified into specialist recladding projects

50 Transport & Motoring

• Keith Andrews Trucks handles the big rigs and speedy service earns recognition for the Auckland branch of Fastway Couriers

53 Manufacturing

• From sculptures to structural formations, TP Engineering has it covered. Easiroll Roofing is on a roll with projects while Whangapaparoa Engineering offers a wide variety of services

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4 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

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News | Sales

5

common afflictions

By John Treace

I’ve been a part of many sales teams in my career, and over and over I’ve noticed five common afflictions that affect them — each of which reduces morale and sales performance.

They can be found to some degree in most almost every organisation, but smart management teams are aware of these afflictions and work to avoid their potentially destructive impact. Any single occurrence of these problems will not necessary hurt the sales effort, but if allowed to progress to extremes, or if multiple conditions exist at once, they can be extremely harmful.

The five common afflications are:

1

Wasting sales representatives’ time: One of the prime afflictions is forcing sales teams to spend time on non-sales tasks, for example making accounts receivable collections, managing product recalls or filling out reports that do not directly relate to the sales process. If you divert five percent of a sales team’s time to managing customer collections, you effectively reduce the number of feet on the ground by the same amount — and the reverse is true as well.

2

Poor sales meetings: The objective of any sales meeting should be to increase sales — period. Every high-performing salesperson who attends a meeting will be thinking, “Is this meeting making me money, or is my time being wasted?” The simple way to ensure effective sales meetings is to develop a statement of strategic intent that defines, in specific terms, what needs to be accomplished and the metrics needed to determine whether the goals set in the meeting were accomplished.

The bottom line is that powerful sales meetings produce sales and keep morale high.

Designing

powerful productive sales meetings

3

Poor strategy: Ineffective marketing or sales strategies will always negatively impact the sales team, and this is especially true for teams selling commodity products or services. The sales team will recognise ineffective strategy and will lose faith in it so don’t let lackluster or nonexistent strategy cause this lack of faith. A successful sales effort hinges on good strategy, and companies that fail in this regard severely handicap their sales teams.

4

Capping or reducing income: Powerful companies have managers who do not get envious when large paychecks go to the sales force. Managers who are resentful of this often respond to rising sales income by reducing commissions, capping earnings, reducing territories, or removing products. These are all practices to be avoided, as they destroy morale, which hurts sales. When it is absolutely necessary to cap or reduce reps’ earnings, it must be done carefully. If their commissions are reduced, earnings capped, or territory removed, they will feel like that ability has been taken away, and the high performers will quickly look for employment elsewhere.

5

By John Treace

Designing a powerful sales meeting is not an easy task, but it is one of the most important aspects of building and maintaining a high-velocity sales organisation.

The objective of all sales meetings should be to increase sales — period.

That’s why we call them sales meetings.

Entertaining the participants and having them leave full of enthusiasm is a good thing, but it should never overshadow the need to produce sales.

It is the sales management’s responsibility to be a good shepherd of corporate resources, so spending money without expecting a measurable return is not good business.

Every high-performing salesperson who attends a meeting will be thinking, “Is this meeting making me money, or is my time being wasted?”

Favoritism: Playing favourites with individuals on a sales team is very destructive. Salespeople want to work for companies that keep the playing field level High performers will usually produce at least for all. If select salespeople are given extra 60 percent of the company’s revenues, so incentives, special attention, benefits, or when sales managers waste top salespeople’s favours not afforded others, management is time with poorly designed meetings, they sending a clear message that there is a send several negative messages: privileged class within the team.

6 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

■ that management is not considerate of employees’ time (high performers know that time is money), and ■ that management does not understand the business, does not know what needs to be done to increase sales, and is wasting corporate resources.

If the sales team begins to suspect that management doesn’t know how to increase sales, morale will be negatively affected and team members will question their choice of employers.

Unproductive meetings also signal to salespeople that management is not committed to excellence. They want to make money, they want to focus their attention on that goal and they want to work for managers who are committed to being the best.

product, with the goal of 80 percent of them exceeding quota within thirty days of the meeting and maintaining that performance through the end of the year.

The challenge in developing a statement of strategic intent is in knowing what needs to be accomplished in the meeting to reach the required performance goal. The specifics must be laid out, and an aggressive but realistic performance goal must be defined.

This statement of strategic intent is useful for ensuring powerful results meetings and as a management evaluation tool.

Powerful sales meetings driven by statements of strategic intent and clear objectives are at the core of powerful companies. Management teams that hold them regularly will always stay on top.

Bringing value With so much at stake in a sales meeting, how can we ensure that the meeting will bring value to the sales team and produce sales?

The answer is simple, but the implementation is not: Managers need to develop a statement of strategic intent for the meeting, along with defined, time-sensitive metrics that will be used to measure the meeting’s success.

For example, we might say that the strategic intent of our meeting is to train reps to sell X

John R. Treace has more than 30 years experience as a sales executive in the medical products industry, with 10 years specialising in restructuring sales departments. In 2010 he founded JR Treace & Associates, a sales management consulting business.

Visit www.treaceconsulting.com

News | Economics

the investment property cycle Gareth Morgan says why he thinks falling property prices are a good thing

property that’s yielding you something like 7-9 percent on the value of the property once you take your rent and take off all your expenses, then stay in that market.

That’s a good asset to have. But if your net rent, after all your costs, is only earning you 2-4 percent, then you’re a speculator, and I would like to see that carpet pulled out from under your feet. Absolutely I would.

Interviewer: Gareth, I hear you’re pretty delighted that house prices are falling and continuing to fall.

Morgan: I’m absolutely thrilled, actually, and let’s hope they fall quite a bit further, because we’ve had two decades of New Zealanders thinking the only way to get rich is to buy houses.

How dumb is that? I mean they’re nothing but speculators, sponsored by the Reserve Bank, telling the commercial banks to lend on housing before they lend on anything else and sponsored by some tax breaks. So the whole thing’s been driven by stupid policy and the result is that we’ve over invested in housing by a ridiculous amount, to the detriment of all the other industries that employ people and generate income. So it has to change.

Most economists will tell you that. It’s just a matter of when and we’ve been in that process now since 2007, the house prices are adjusting, absolutely, and I’ve got a fairly famous graph now that shows how much more to go. We’re about half way, a bit over perhaps, and I sort of feel it’s probably better to get it over with now we’re so far into the process, let’s not draw it out anymore, let’s just dump the things down another 15 percent probably, and then we can get on.

What we’re trying to do is get a clear message to mums and dads out there — “Don’t invest in property to make money. Invest in property to have a house — whatever level of house you want — it’s up to you, but don’t invest in it to make money”. And once you get that message stamped on their foreheads, then we’ll start allocating the capital in this country correctly so we’ll start generating incomes and jobs and we’ll start climbing back up that OCED ladder.

So bring it on, I say, just drop them.

Morgan: Well there’s that, because more and more people are getting locked out of the housing market, obviously the younger ones, and I don’t think that’s good, because the younger ones are the dynamos of the current day and the future. And what happens is they just leave the country. So you start hollowing out, and you’ve got a bunch of bloody old pensioners, playing one-upmanship against each other on household speculation. I mean what the hell is that? I think the benefits far outweigh the costs, and the costs will be people in that market up to their necks and beyond with debt who will get cleaned up, but too bad, it’s the countries’ income that matters far more than that.

Interviewer: So if house prices do continue to drop and maybe go down another 15 percent, is that just good because it will allow a whole new generation of people to own homes?

Morgan: Let’s just start on the rental properties first. I think if you can have a rental

So it’s not a downer on property, it’s a downer on the pricing of the asset. It’s been nothing but a speculative boom.

The rules of investment are if you want to make money you concentrate your investment.

Well we all know that, and we have been concentrating that in housing.

But it’s just gone beyond a joke, it’s ridiculous.

And the number of land agents has gone down by 30 percent, well I would like to see it down 60 percent, which would be the natural rate.

But you can concentrate in other assets too, like factories or farms, or whatever they are.

But it’s all about yield, we are in a new era now. Yield matters. Investing for capital gain is extremely high risk in this environment.

And the reason is because globally credit is not

Interviewer: So if I had a rental property, and a free lunch anymore. Banks aren’t ringing you I was going to sell it up, what would I invest up trying to get you to double your mortgage.

The banks are trying to stay alive. in instead?

The world has changed totally on that. So it’s great news what’s happened.

Keeping time on your side

By Megan Alexander, general manager at Robert Half New Zealand

Most professionals we deal with have experienced “time regret”— that feeling of frustration over yet another day passing by without having made a significant dent in the ‘to do’ list.

Work is easily derailed by time-eaters such as meetings, ad hoc requests and the distractions enabled by technology — including email and mobile phones.

Difficulty in meeting job productivity goals is a common problem at all levels in the workplace, even the highest. The situation can be improved however, by making some simple adjustments to the way you work.

The real secret to time management — and accomplishing objectives — is better selfmanagement. Here are six tips that can help you take control of your day.

1

Analyse your schedule Where does your time really go? For the next week, write down what you do and when during the work day. Examining how you spend a typical day at the office will help you to identify when you are most productive, how often you sort through emails, make

phone calls or engage in meetings and in what ways (or by whom), you are most often interrupted or distracted. In addition, you will learn which projects take the most time and can decide whether they deserve such a large portion of your attention.

2 Create ‘time windows’

After you’ve determined what can be changed, develop an action plan. Think about setting aside “time windows” for specific tasks, such as reviewing emails, making and returning phone calls, or catching up on articles in industry publications. Also, create a regular schedule that takes advantage of your body clock — if you are sharpest before lunchtime, schedule more difficult tasks for completion in the morning hours.

3 Let messages wait

Keeping a constant vigil on your email and voicemail can distract you from more demanding tasks. Unless your role requires it, try to avoid reading and responding every time a new message arrives. Instead, schedule times throughout the day when you focus exclusively on messages. You’ll cut down on ongoing anxiety while making your responses less hasty and more useful.

4 Rediscover single-tasking

You can’t solve a technical challenge while talking on the phone, filing paperwork

and planning for an upcoming meeting.

When working on a crucial assignment, give the issue at hand your undivided attention so you do it right the first time.

Fight the urge to multi-task, which often impedes real productivity by leading to oversights and errors.

5 G‘check ive yourself permission to out’ If unnecessary interruptions tend to prevent you from completing important tasks, don’t be afraid to close the door, or advise your colleagues that you are off limits for the next few hours, so you can focus on your work.

as a daily coffee or a lunchtime walk.Making more effective use of your time while at work requires commitment and good communication with managers and colleagues.

By creating a flexible yet realistic plan that also takes into account how you work best, you’ll be able to keep your “to do” list from snowballing. Before long you’ll find yourself spending less time scrambling to get things done and more time enjoying a sense of accomplishment.

6 Reward yourself

Keeping to a schedule, no matter how personalised or flexible, is challenging because it takes discipline. Give yourself credit for adhering to your agenda and accomplishing all “mustdo-today” items. Be realistic too — some days you will be more productive than others, so don’t worry if you get off track temporarily. Ensure you also create a balanced schedule that makes the most effective use of your time while allowing you to do things for yourself, such www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 7

News | Techno Know-how

Kiss your trackpad goodbye Designed in Christchurch, the Swiftpoint micro mouse boasts that it will “change the way you use your laptop”. Tech guru Ian Knott plugs the Swiftpoint into his 17” Macbook Pro and puts it to the test.

I’m often a little skeptical of products that claim to revolutionise the way we’ve been doing an everyday action quite successfully for years. But Christchurch-based Swiftpoint Limited claims its home-grown, awardwinning mouse will do exactly that, and to a point I agree.

The Swiftpoint is designed to be held much like a pen, but it feels much better than that. Let’s be honest, the prospect of holding a pen for extended periods of time has my fingers aching at the very thought of it. The mouse is lighter than many pens and the grip point is thicker, which encourages your hand to be in a very natural, almost handshake-like position.

From there, only a small movement of the fingers, not the whole hand or wrist, is required to perform most tasks onscreen.

Talking wirelessly to a tiny USB receiver, that also doubles as a magnetic docking point, the mouse lasts for 2-4 weeks on a full charge and about an hour off a 30 second ‘RapidCharge’. When transporting your laptop from one room to another, the mouse docks nicely to the receiver, but the connection isn’t strong enough to hold in a laptop bag, so the mouse needs to be stored separately.

There is no ‘off’ switch on the mouse itself.

The long battery life is attributed to the fact that because of a clever feature called ‘SmarTouch’, the mouse only works when your thumb and middle finger grip the sides.

The Swiftpoint has two buttons — the foremost being left-click and the smaller one behind it being the right-click. Just to the right of them is the scroll wheel which can be operated with your index finger or, for faster scrolling, the mouse can be tilted slightly to the right and the wheel can be rolled back and forth on the desk or whatever surface you’re using. The two buttons do have secondary functions for productivity: left-click + scroll is zoom in and out, and right-click + scroll is a faster page scroll.

It took me a good day to get used to moving the Swiftpoint around, but after doing a bit of web surfing, word processing and graphic design I was well and truly sold. Returning to a full sized mouse now feels like moving a house brick around the desk.

The Swiftpoint comes with an adhesive Parking accessory that covers your trackpad (provided you’re not using the mouse with your desktop computer — in which case any mousepad or desk surface should suffice) and right-hand side of your laptop’s palm rest (sorry southpaws, but the Swiftpoint doesn’t cater for you as yet).

This Parking adhesive provides a slightly textured surface for the mouse to work on and protects your palm-rest from wear and tear. The Parking accessory also places a rectangular pad bottom-centre of your trackpad that is magnetised enough to hold the Swiftpoint in place between your hands while you type.

While this all works perfectly well and as expected, I still like to use my Macbook Pro trackpad as it has intuitive multi-finger swipes that are second to none. However the trackpad is far less sensitive with the adhesive Parking accessory over it and I had to give it a decent tap to select items.

Eventually it annoyed me enough to remove the adhesive, cut around the magnetic Parking rectangle and just have that stuck on along with a trimmed 3M MP200PS Precise Adhesive Back Mouse Pad to the right.

By Suzanne Carter

We all know first impressions are created within seconds.

In today’s competitive business environment, creating the right first impression is absolutely vital.

Your potential client has other choices and you want them to choose you, not your competitor.

If the first impression a potential client has of your business is via your website (and this will largely be the case), then you need to make sure your website creates the correct impression of your company and its products/services.

Now I’m in laptop heaven with the best of both worlds, the precise control of a mouse and a fully usable trackpad for those times when a mouse just isn’t convenient.

It is surprising how many businesses actually don’t think about their website in terms of it being their online ‘shop front’. Your website needs to encourage visitors to it to stay and purchase a product, make an enquiry, submit a quote and so on. If it doesn’t then they will go elsewhere and that’s not something you want them to do!

For only $99, the Swiftpoint mouse is well worth picking up for regular laptop users and the fact that you’ll be supporting New Zealand ingenuity is the icing on the cake.

If you are not sure if your website does give out the right messages then just ask friends or family to take a look and give you their honest opinion.

For more information on the Swiftpoint visit www.futuremouse.com Ian Knott has been commentating on various forms of technology for the last 16 years. He’s had columns on gadgets, gaming, computing and digital entertainment in many newspapers, magazines and websites in New Zealand and overseas.

8 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

To create a strong initial impact your website design must be attractive, easy on the eye and include strong calls to action. Your logo is also very important so make sure you have a welldesigned one and not one that your cousin has put together one evening!

If you have products to showcase then a photo gallery with great imagery is definitely beneficial. On the subject of photos, you should never underestimate the power of photography when it comes to creating a first

impression with your website. Photos can make or break the aesthetics of a website.

Therefore make sure all photos on your website are of a professional quality and accurately reflect your company and its products/services in the best possible light.

Content must be of a high quality, relevant and easy to read. Break it down into small readable paragraphs with bullet points and subheadings.

Don’t mix font styles too much and make sure your spelling and grammar is 100 percent (don’t use American English on your site!).

A website full of spelling mistakes is not only a bad look but it also makes it hard for anyone to read.

If you sell products online then make sure that your shopping cart is working properly. Errors during the buying process are a turn off and only serve to discourage your customer to continue with their purchase.

Having a website full of advertisements is also not a good look so if you are going to have advertisements make sure they are unobtrusive and do not have prominence over everything else on your site.

Check your site for error messages. The worst possible error message to have is one that says your website is no longer available.

So, remember that you must have a professional looking site as this will instil trust and credibility. A poor website creates a poor first impression and that is not a risk any business can afford to take.

Suzanne Carter is the business development manager for Limelight Online Ltd, a website design and development company. She has more than 15 years website industry experience and with that comes a passion for working with clients to enhance their business through the internet.

News | Marketing

Game on

By Bridget Gourlay

You could have been forgiven, back in 2005 when we won the rights to the Rugby World Cup, for thinking we’d just organise a couple of games, throw a party and everyone would have a good time. As September draws closer, it has become obvious that hosting this tournament is so much more than a sporting event. This is about New Zealand and what we have to offer — our tourism, our hospitality, our innovation and niche market business.

Like it or not, rugby is part of the fabric of New Zealand and, for many, helps define what it means to be a New Zealander

As the six-week tournament unfolds, food and wine trails, touring theatre productions and music concerts are all part of it. We will have 85,000 visitors, most of whom will be from a high socio-economic background and work a corporate job. Across the globe, four billion people will be watching.

It’s not just about rugby; it’s about showing off New Zealand to the world. Queen’s Wharf will be the hub of the Auckland’s Rugby World Cup activities, being home to ‘Party Central’ — where tourists and locals will gather to watch the games on large screens while the beer and wine flows. More than just partying, Queen’s Wharf will also host a giant waka showcasing Maori culture and innovation, and the Giant Rugby Ball which promotes New Zealand as a tourist destination.

Heads in The Cloud Also on the waterfront will be The Cloud, a large artistically designed tent, which will be where tourists get dazzled by our innovation.

It will host Showcase Central, presenting New Zealand’s forward-thinking industry sectors like film and agribusiness.

EasiYo, a multi-million dollar Auckland company, will be exhibiting its yogurt at the Food & Beverage section of The Cloud.

CEO Paul O’Brien is “really excited” about being part of it. “Queen’s Wharf will be outstanding,” he says.

The Food & Beverage section of The Cloud works like this — visitors buy a booklet, called a ‘passport,’ which will have information about the different food and drink on offer in its pages. The passport will be scanned and the visitor will be let in, free to wander around, sampling food. If they like a particular item — such as a glass of sauvignon blanc — they can look it up in their passport.

That’s because unlike a typical trade show, the food will be served by uniform staff and there will be very little trade branding. It’s not about competing with other businesses but uniting to promote Kiwi cuisine.

O’Brien hopes, when visitors explore the Food & Beverage area, they will “get the wow factor”.

“Like with extreme sports,” he explains. “New Zealand has name for adventure. We have good credibility in food but we want people to say that our food and beverage is worldclass.

We’ve already got that with lamb but it should be with seafood, honey and much more.

However, he is concerned about getting people around the country throughout the Cup.

“The visitors should leave the tent with their passports and say wow — and then go and tell their friends about it.”

The Business Club

walk in winter, hopefully we can continue this habit on into summer. I think the council are waking up and seeing how hard it is to walk around Auckland in some places.”

There are buses, and while he understands Kiwirail will be putting on some services, he says most tourists will be forced to hire a car or a campervan.

“I think we might be embarrassed about our public transport.”

The Business Club is another initiative designed to leverage the Rugby World Cup by making international connections. Part of a national programme, the club connects business visitors coming to New Zealand with like-minded local business people in similar industries after registering online.

“The Business Club creates an opportunity for businesses to make real contacts during Rugby World Cup 2011,” Cameron Brewer, chair of Auckland Council’s Business Advisory Panel says. Among the Business Club’s many potential benefits are attracting new foreign investment and opening up new export markets, he says.

Getting to the game Auckland isn’t renowned for its cohesive public transport at the best of times, but with the Rugby World Cup soon upon us, we have to get not only ourselves from A to B, but thousands of extra visitors.

The Government and the council have been hard at work preparing for this event for the past few years and have come up with a comprehensive plan.

For pool matches at Eden Park, they’re aiming to have 60 percent of fans arrive by ways other than private cars (rail, bus, walking, taxi) and that target jumps to 75 percent for the quarter, semi and final games.

Millions of dollars have been spent on infrastructure such as train services and stations being upgraded. Walking will also be given a big push. A 4.5km themed walking route from the CBD to Eden Park will be in place for each of the venue’s nine matches.

Campaign for Better Transport’s Cameron Pitches says he’s confident the plans will work “fairly well” while the visitors are here. And he’s hoping the push for walking will have longer- term effects. “If you can get people to www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 9

News | Leadership

News | Events Diary

Courses, events, business happenings… august

10

Taxation Toolkit — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Managing tax, GST and payroll issues are a headache in business. Avoid the pitfalls with this interactive practical tax workshop to learn the principles of New Zealand taxation, understand tax regulations better and learn how to minimise tax liability within the law through activities and case studies. To register visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz Wednesday

August

16

Lunch Workshop — New Zealand Institute of Directors

This workshop is designed for members who aspire to directorships but are unsure on how to promote and equip themselves for the positions. To register, visit www.iod.org.nz Tuesday

august

17

Managing Risks from Within — The National Bank’s Business Resource Centre

It’s so easy to think ‘it’ll never happen to us’. However, we read in the newspaper every day about business that get caught out by circumstances, which they could have avoided most of the consequences with a bit of planning. The Business Resource Centre will take you through a series of scenarios to highlight a number of everyday issues that could potentially bring your business to its knees. To register, go to www.businessresourcecentre.co.nz Wednesday

Awaken the leader in you Ten easy steps to develop your leadership skills…

By Anna Zammit

Many motivational experts say that leaders are made, not born. I would argue the exact opposite. I believe we are all natural born leaders but have been deprogrammed along the way.

As children, we were natural leaders, always hungry for knowledge with an incredibly vivid imagination and were persistent and determined in getting what we wanted.

We had the ability to motivate, inspire and influence everyone around us. So why is this so difficult to do as adults? What happened?

Over time we got used to hearing, “no”, “don’t” and “can’t”. This pattern continued into high school with our teachers telling us what we could do and couldn’t do and what was and wasn’t possible. Then many of us got hit with the big one — institutionalised formal education known as university.

Instead of learning to become creative, independent and self-reliant, most people learn how to obey and intelligently follow rules. To find the leader in you, this needs to be unlearned – so here are 10 easy steps you can take to rekindle your passion for greatness:

1

Humility: Leadership starts with humility. Nobody wants to follow someone who is arrogant. When you are humble, you become genuinely interested in people because you want to learn from them. And because you want to learn and grow, you will be a far more effective listener, which is the number one leadership communication tool.

2

SWOT yourself: Start by listing all your strengths, including your accomplishments, then write down your weaknesses and what needs to be improved. Then list all the opportunities you see available to you for using your strengths.

Finally, write down all the threats or obstacles that are currently blocking you or that you think you will encounter along the way to achieving your dreams.

3

Follow your bliss: Regardless of how busy you are, always take time out to do what you love doing. Being an alive and vital person vitalises others.

When you are pursuing your passions, people around you cannot help but feel impassioned by your presence. This will make you a charismatic leader.

4

Dream big: If you want to be larger than life, you need a dream that’s larger than life. So write down your one biggest dream; the one that excites you and seems totally unrealistic! Now list every single reason why you can achieve it instead of worrying about why you can’t.

5

Vision: If you can’t see yourself winning that award, it’s unlikely you will lead anyone towards their goals.

6

Perseverance: Now that you have a dream, make sure you have a consistent action every day.

I recommend doing at least five things every day that will move you closer to your dream.

7

Honour your word: Every time you break your word, you lose power.

Successful leaders keep their word and their promises. Your word is gold. Honour it.

8

Get a mentor: Find yourself a mentor — preferably someone who has already achieved success in your field. Also study autobiographies of great leaders that you admire. Learn everything you can from their lives and model some of their successful behaviours.

9

Be yourself: Learn from others, but never copy or imitate them like a parrot. Everyone has vastly different leadership styles, so be yourself — your best self, always competing against yourself and bettering yourself, and you will become first rate instead of a second rate somebody else.

Give: Leaders are givers and by 10 giving you activate a universal law

of ‘life gives to the giver and takes from the taker.’ The more you give, the more you get.

Anna Zammit is the managing director of Xsell, providing business development strategy through training and coaching to a range of businesses.

Email xsell@xsell.net.au

10 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Recruiting Right the First Time — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Enhance your techniques and feel more confident throughout the recruitment process with information on writing a comprehensive job description, effective screening of applications and holding a good interview.

There will be time for Q&A at the session end.

To register, www.aucklandchamber.co.nz august

18

Managing Leave — EMA

This tool-kit looks at all aspects of leave, from annual and sickness, Thursday to discretionary and parental.

Make sure you’re paying the right amounts for the different types of leave, learn what leave is fair and what is discretionary. There have been recent updates to the Holidays Act, including leave cashing-up and Monday-ising. Now is the time to ensure you are on top of all legislative changes. To register, visit www.emaevents.co.nz august

24

Resolving Non-Performance — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Managing non-performing teams and individuals is critical to gain the best possible business results. This practical and insightful workshop will familiarise you with correct and effective procedures. To register visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz Wednesday

How to Create the Best Workplace — New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants

This webinar covers the four essentials of a great workplace with best practice real life examples. Participants will learn how to measure how good their workplace is. To register, visit www.nzica.com august

29

Marketing Mastery — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Take the guesswork out of marketing. In only three hours you will know why 90 percent of marketing efforts fail miserably and how to make sure your efforts succeed with strategies for campaigns. To register visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz Monday

august

30 Tuesday

New Marketing for a Connected World — The Icehouse

Learn marketing and brand strategy fundamentals, best

practice marketing functions to underpin growth and the relevance of online marketing, digital media and social networks to your brand growth. To register, www.theicehouse.co.nz

Efficient Spreadsheeting: Improving Performance — New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Learn how to produce cleaner, more efficient spreadsheets which will add value — and learn how to produce them faster. Suitable for all levels of user except basic beginners. To register, visit www.nzica.com

Engaging Reception Skills — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Harness the impact of first impressions, the importance of professionalism and equip yourself with tools for managing the multiple challenges of workplaces. Ensure the face of your business is the best it can be with this intensive full day workshop. Receptionists are the backbone of the office and fundamental skills can allow them to carry out their pivotal role successfully and with confidence. To register visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz sept

1

How to Manage Cashflow Better — The National Bank’s Business Resource Centre

Success can kill a business — it takes money to make money.

Eighty-two percent of failures are due to poor cashflow and 69 percent of businesses are profitable when they fail. Most businesses will experience cashflow difficulties at some stage so it’s important to know what to do.

This workshop offers ideas on how to avoid cashflow problems by providing tips on how to establish efficient systems and procedures. To register, www.businessresourcecentre.co.nz Thursday

sept

7

Flexible Workplaces, Rostering and Shiftwork — EEO Trust

Two one-day conferences from Brightstar, aimed at people who manage staff working shifts or employees with flexible work conditions. The conferences are designed to allow attendees to quickly gain practical knowledge and learn from the experiences of other New Zealand organisations facing the same challenges. To register, visit www.eeotrust.org.nz Wednesday

Winning with Time Management — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Time Management skills are a critical component in your business tool-kit. Used effectively, the techniques and templates in this workshop will equip you with practical strategies for improving your productivity and sense of accomplishment. To register visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz sept

8

Strategic Planning for Success — Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Step back from your business and take in the whole picture.

Learn the art of effective planning and shed new light onto your approach towards growing your business. To register visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz Thursday

o ct

5

Understanding Business Success — The Icehouse

The Icehouse opens up to ambitious entrepreneurs who are hungry to understand the steps to start-up business success.

Spend an afternoon with the experts at The Icehouse Business Growth Centre, recognised

by Forbes.com as one of the world’s Top 10 Technology Incubators. Access its knowledge, tools and contacts to discover how to turn your idea into a business success. To register, visit www.theicehouse.co.nz Wednesday

If you would like to feature an event in this diary, email newsroom@academy.net.nz at least two months before the date of the event.

News | Lifestyles

lifestyles

enjoying the journey…

king of cognacs

picture perfect

sweet dreams

Black Pearl Louis XIII

Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR

The Beautyrest Black bed

So dark it’s almost black, Black Pearl is a limited edition cognac from Rémy Martin’s stock of 100 year old Louis XIII. Just one type of oak barrel has been used, meaning only 786 bottles were ever available for purchase. Its value is amplified by the Baccarat crystal bottles, each individually numbered and hand-blown from black crystal. Because of its unavailability, this limited-edition bauble sells for wildly varying prices, but a single shot of this deliciously sinful treat runs for about $2,900 at New York’s finest hotels.

Packed with features and loaded with some of the latest technological innovations, Fujifilm’s FinePix F550 EXR is the traveller’s best friend.

Nothing beats a great night’s sleep, but why not catch some quality snooze time in style? If this sounds like you, then the Beautyrest Black bed is the cat’s pyjamas, offering ultimate comfort and opulence. It features triple woven springs, advanced memory foam, progressive latex with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and alpaca fibres, all offset by sparkling, hand rivetted crystals.

RRP: $40,624 for a 1.5 litre magnum Available: Not readily available try www.distinctwhiskeycompany.com

island life Bora Bora Marara Beach and Private Island

Yes, it’s ideal for point-and-shoot photographers or SLR users who want to travel light, without compromising picture-taking versatility. It has 15x optical zoom, anti-blur, HD movie capture and 360° panorama mode, but the masterstroke is its GPS capability. Regardless of where you are in the world, the FinePix F550 EXR will recognize your location and display it either as longitude and latitude or by place name.

A tag is also placed on the image which, when using place names, can easily be searched for, enabling you to quickly find shots of a specific location or point of interest. Or if you took a shot at a restaurant you want to return to, find the picture and the F550 will provide the distance and direction you need to travel from your existing location to get back there. Now that’s a pretty cool camera!

Available: From leading photo specialists

apple of my eye

Bora Bora is one of the South Pacific’s most spectacular retreats, often called the most beautiful island in the world, encircled by a protective necklace of coral and boasting 360 degree panoramic views. Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach & Private Island features its own private island or ‘motu’, just 150 metres long and 70 metres wide and available for three night private bookings from November 1 to May 31 until 2013.

This is one processor that refuses to act its size and in fact, the Mac Mini is pretty incredible, no matter how you look at it. This latest incarnation is sleeker and stronger, powered by a 2.4GHz or 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, with a superfast 1066MHz frontside bus and 3MB of L2 cache for a nice little performance boost.

ultimate desk toy Buckyballs Brace yourself, because a whole new level of time wasting entertainment is here — Buckyballs. Each Buckyball cube contains 216 magnetic balls that can be shaped, molded, torn apart and snapped together in any shape you choose.

You can mash them for stress-relief, mold them for fun, make sculptures and shapes, stick stuff to the fridge or learn Buckyballs tricks. But be warned, these things are seriously addictive.

RRP: $16,500 for a king Available: From selected retailers, visit www.beautyrestblack.co.nz

RRP: $699

Having your own private island is perhaps the ultimate indulgence. However for corporate incentive and conference groups, or those simply planning a group escape, it’s not beyond reach.

RRP: From $258 per person per night (accommodation only) Available: Book at www.sofitel-frenchpolynesia.com

The foam is pre-crushed three times and eliminates the body impressions that form in the bed over years of use.

It comes with a 15-year warranty, in four sizes and with three different bases. It all adds up to the ultimate sleep solution in a timeless fashion statement.

Mac Mini

Add the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market today, Nvidia’s GeForce 320M, plus speedy DDR3 memory and this thing just cooks, delivering up to twice the performance of its predecessor. What all this means is you get serious pixel-pushing power for games and graphics-intensive applications.

A raft of ports means you can also plug this baby into HDTV screens and entertainment systems and removable bottom allows for easy hardware upgrades.

RRP: From $1,199 Available: From selected retailers, www.apple.com.nz

RRP: $42.90 Available: At www.giftbob.co.nz.

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 11

News | Cover Story

Naked ambition

By Bridget Gourlay

Think about the best holiday of your life. The things most vividly etched into your memory probably defy time. Years later you can easily recall the frenetic pulse of a big city, the eerie starkness of a once great empire now lying in ruins, or the simple bliss of waves lapping at your feet as the stress of work, deadlines, traffic and early morning alarms ebb away. What you won’t tend to remember is how you got there, unless it was memorably bad.

It is where you were and what you did, not the getting there that matters. And this is a philosophy Hamish Nuttall has seized upon.

“People want to buy destinations. They want to get somewhere and stay with their family and friends. They don’t want expensive fares,” he says.

In October 2006, Nuttall’s brainchild, the Naked Bus, was born, opening for service in Auckland. Four months later, South Island services started.

The company is so-named because all unnecessary costs have been stripped out.

Based on the no frills internet model of budget aeroplane carriers EasyJet and RyanAir, costs such as call centres, tickets and ticket collectors are gone. Customers book online and a ticket is emailed to them. And the earlier the booking, the cheaper it is.

This cuts costs drastically, allowing Naked Bus to sell tickets for half of other companies’ prices — including a $1 seat on every bus.

Bargain basement prices, such as a few dollars to get from Auckland to Taupo, are commonplace.

The no frills model works so well it has been expanded already. In December last year, the Naked Sleep was launched. Working with a number of hostels across the country, the Naked Sleep’s brand sells their capacity at low prices — right down to $5 a night.

“We’ve built a scalable infrastructure in terms of our staff and our processes, so we can take the brand to new markets and the logical extension is to take it to different geographical markets.

“We haven’t made any firm plans but obviously there are countries that would be good candidates for the Naked Bus or Sleep model.”

No frills appeal When asked how difficult it was, back in 2006 as a small start-up, to take on a long established industry dominated by a few key players, Nuttall laughs.

“It was surprisingly easy,” he says with a touch of embarrassment. “Traditionally, public transport in this country has been sparse and expensive. I’ve always been aware of the traditional model and I’ve always thought there are a lot of costs in just getting the ticket and when I looked at the internet model, I realised it could be done for a few cents per ticket.”

And, as Hamish Nuttall suspected, the no frills model, when it came to buses, was exactly what the public wanted.

“People don’t want to spend money on fares.

So our propositions fitted exactly what people wanted to do. In the early days we were growing at five percent a week. People were finding out about us and telling their friends.

People were subscribing to our email.”

“You need to think about scalability early on. You need to continually reinvent yourself because the competition will catch up with you. You need to be thinking ahead the whole time.”

Hamish Nuttall founder of the Naked Bus

12 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

News | Cover Story

“A lot of people are satisfied with getting to a certain level and stopping. There’s the whole ‘the beach, the boat and the bach’ syndrome. … not a lot of people want to keep on growing once they get to a certain level.”

Hamish Nuttall founder of the Naked Bus

Word of mouth Naked Bus didn’t have the money for expensive mainstream marketing, so used Google ad words and let word of mouth do the rest.

Five years on from the company’s launch, Naked Bus is the way to get around New Zealand. Originally, other bus companies contracted spare seats to Naked Bus, who sold them through their brand. Today the company has its own fleet. Like low cost airlines, Naked Bus uses yield management; selling higher prices from Friday to Monday and its bargain basement fares from Tuesday to Thursday. The aim is simple — it tries to fill each bus everyday.

Customer connections Born and raised in England, Nuttall’s first job after finishing his degree at Oxford in the 80s was as a management trainee for the British National Bus Company. There, he was exposed to every aspect of the business — from scheduling buses to marketing and planning, to crawling under buses with a spanner and fixing them — and he developed an understanding of every part of the business.

“That’s probably the thing that’s stood me in best stead,” he reflects. At Naked Bus, there’s a similar ethos. When someone joins the company, regardless of whether they’re going to work in IT or marketing, they spend the first few months on the job answering emails and phone calls.

After all, to answer everything a customer may ask means you have to understand the whole business. Then when an employee is building software or designing a marketing plan, they have a really good hands-on understanding of what the customer wants.

Peak oil positioning Despite cheap as chips fares, running costs still have to be covered. Economists vary on when peak oil will hit — some say it has probably

already happened, while others say it could be as far as 15 years away. Whenever it hits, there’s no doubt that the price of oil will start to soar. So how sustainable does that make Naked Bus? “Very,” says Nuttall. He doesn’t see peak oil as a problem for his company. In fact, quite the opposite. “Our buses use diesel and diesel is only a small proportion of the cost of running a bus, but with running a car (using petrol) it’s nearly 100 percent. When petrol prices double, the cost of travelling by car nearly doubles. But when diesel doubles, the costs of running a bus only go up by about 15 percent.”

This makes Naked Bus a strong contender for favoured alternative status when petrol prices skyrocket out of reality.

In addition, Nuttall says he’d like to use bio-diesel to power his fleet, as long as it was a recycled resource like fish and chip oil.

Congested arteries Getting people from A to B effectively is what Nuttall has spent his life working on. And he thinks New Zealand needs to seriously rethink its approach to urban design.

“The biggest problem is the emphasis on building roads,” he says. “When you build a road, to begin with it tends to reduce travel time, but what happens in the long term is that people change their travel behaviours so the travel times get back to where they were.

“In Auckland people are travelling longer and longer to work because they’re living further and further away. Communities that are very dispersed are hard to serve in an environmentally friendly way. Public transport tends to work when you have densely populated areas.

“New Zealand doesn’t have this experience of building roads and then clogging them up,” Nuttall says. He left England as a 25-year-old to take a three-year contract in New Zealand, met a local, had a child and never left. But he doesn’t want his homeland’s experiences replicated here.

“If you look at the UK, the M25 was designed to alleviate congestion and it’s now the world’s biggest parking lot — because many times

a day the traffic just doesn’t move. It was designed to relieve all those problems but all it did was generate a whole bunch of new trips.”

Bus lanes are another bugbear. Cities have limited road space so it is important to use it well. “Although buses use road space very effectively, they tend not to get priority. There are some bus lanes. If we look at the North Shore bus way, that has been very attractive at getting people out of cars. It’s a frequent service but the main thing is it is reliable because it doesn’t get caught in congestion.”

It’s catch-22. Without bus lanes, buses get caught in traffic when pulled over to let people off. Then journey times become unreliable, leading to people prefer to take their cars.

Since the northern bus way opened in 2008, Naked Bus has been using it to get to Whangarei and has noticed arrival times have been much more reliable.

Nuttall says Singapore is an example of a country that does public transport well. The city-state has an efficient and cheap metro for the high density areas and a good bus network that connects other places on the island.

“One of the key things they’ve done is recognised they have limited road space in the CBD and they have road pricing so they charge you to enter that area in a car. You can’t keep continually building roads.”

Building better businesses Nuttall’s advice for those wanting to start a business is to do something they’re passionate about but also to make sure it can grow.

“If you want to have a business that grows you need to think about scalability early on. You need to continually reinvent yourself because the competition will catch up with you. You need to be thinking ahead the whole time.

“In today’s world, it’s a fast changing environment. And if you’re not changing you’re actually going backwards.”

While in New Zealand there isn’t a lot of red tape holding people back from business, there is a strange mentality, he says. “A lot of people are satisfied with getting to a certain level and

stopping. There’s the whole ‘the beach, the boat and the bach’ syndrome. A lot of people are happy with just that and not a lot of people want to keep on growing once they get to a certain level.

“There’s a mindset about being able to put your arms around a business, metaphorically, in terms of staying in control.”

Naked Bus has enjoyed phenomenal success in its five-year history. Hamish Nuttall says part of his philosophy is to not worry too much about trying to change the external environment. In short, he doesn’t sweat the small stuff.

“I guess I’ve taken the attitude that if a problem is unsolvable then it’s not a problem, it’s a fact of life.

“I try not to worry about the economic environment or what other people are doing or government policy. I look at all that and think, ‘what’s the angle in that for me?’ I just get on with making the best business I can in the environment I find myself in.”

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 13

News Special | Investment/Finance

Growing your stake

By Bridget Gourlay

You want to grow your small business, but where do you start? Do you invest in your staff? What about new equipment or software?

Marketing? R&D? Although there’s no set formula, there are some rules that apply to all businesses looking to grow.

Business Mentors NZ CEO Ray Scholfield says firstly he recommends using his own not for profit organisation. Completely free, businesses can get an experienced mentor to cast their fresh pair of eyes on your accounts, direction and ideas.

“People get married to a business, and with working long hours they can’t see the woods for the trees. The old corny saying ‘they’re working in it, not on it’ applies.

“Often someone independent can come in and be totally objective. Their only agenda is to help a business do better.”

In terms of growth, BMNZ has plenty of experience in that. Schofield himself was a voluntary mentor for years before becoming CEO and says a mentor often sees areas for growth the owner doesn’t.

“Sometimes people’s perceptions of what they need can be absolutely accurate, less than accurate, or nothing like what the real need is. People think ‘I could be doing better; I just need some sales and marketing assistance to lift the business up and perform better.’

“But often in those circumstances, whilst they could benefit from a more focused sales and marketing approach it may well be that their financial management and performance needs major work on it as well.

14 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

“There’s no point trying to develop strategies and planning if in fact the performance of the business is not appropriate. Then you look to address planning and sales and marketing.”

Do…

Stick to your strengths

● Have a business mentor for a fresh look and good advice

Scholfield advises business owners stick to their strengths when trying to grow.

“Someone could start off as an apprentice panel beater. And over time they could prove to have real skill in that area and decide they want to own their own business.

“They may be a very good panel beater, but suddenly they’re trying to be a general manager. As they start to grow their business and employ staff they are doing something they don’t have any skills in — and managing people can be quite challenging!

“Managing clients can be challenging.

Collecting money owed to you is not easy.

All those things take people outside of their key skillset.”

That’s where you invest. If, for example, doing accounts is challenging and boring for you, Scholfield says to hire someone else to do them.

“It’s better to concentrate in the areas you are strong in. When people try to do things they’re not very good at, they don’t do them very well the whole thing gets in a mess and the things they are good at also get neglected.”

Do your research “Typically, New Zealand businesses do not do adequate research,” Scholfield says.

“Where are their customers coming from, where are they spending, what are the opportunities? Where is your competition?

Some people wouldn’t have a clue. You really do need to think about it. There’s some good tools out there.” These tools don’t involve spending a lot of money on expensive surveys and research. Often it’s free.

● Your research — use Statistics NZ

● Stick to your strengths — hire people to do jobs you do not like or are bad at

Don’t… ● Work in your business. Instead, work on it ● Be afraid to ask for help or advice ● Try to do everything yourself “If you were a panel beater and you were thinking about buying a panel beating business in Matamata — you can use Statistics NZ and determine how many cars there are in the Matamata area, how many accidents there were in a given time, how many panel beating competitors you’ve got.

That can help you plan if you’re going to expand your business or buy one down the road and merge the two.”

BMNZ has access to the University of Waikato’s benchmarking information for free, which is also commercially available.

With that information, the panel beating business could see the analysis of panel beating in New Zealand. It gives the lower, median and upper quartiles and it gives every single cost centre associated with that type of business and that sector.

“You can benchmark your business against industry average,” Schofield enthuses.

“So if your rent is typically ten percent end of turnover and the median is seven, you’ve got a problem!”

News Special | Investment/Finance

Show me the money Once you’ve decided where you want to grow your business, the matter of where to get the money from arises.

Generally SMEs have four options available to them; personal equity, a bank loan, angel investors and venture capitalists. Westpac’s Martin Brennan says it comes down to personal choice.

Personal equity

Firstly, you can reach into your own pockets to finance your growth, such as taking out a loan against your house or from personal savings and investments.

Brennan says there are good and bad sides to this option. “Ultimately, personal equity gives you control. You’re accountable to no person. Personal equity also leads to less expectations of return. But the more personal equity you’ve got in a business means that

money isn’t available to do other things you want to do.”

Bank loan

Banks give businesses loans if they believe in it. While you must pay it back (with interest), you still keep 100 percent ownership of the business. “My view and I have a bias, is that with bank debt there is a guaranteed exit price. In other words, you borrow $100,000 and you know exactly how much it costs to, in effect, pay out that partner. Equally, a bank doesn’t want to have a stake in your business. Debt I’d say to people is the opportunity to keep control of your business.”

Angel investors

Angel investors are people prepared to invest in a promising business. They usually are already familiar with the industry.

“Angel investors are only for the bigger end of medium-sized businesses,” Brennan points out. “Unless they saw potential like a new invention, it would be problematic to get them onboard. I would only go to them if you felt you had substantial growth opportunity.”

www.nzvca.co.nz

According to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), angel investors’ expectations are usually at least a 30 percent return on their money and often want some equity (ownership) in your business to offset their risk. The advantages of having angel investors are that you get the cash right away and can start growing. On the other hand, you must be completely comfortable with only owning a part of your business.

www.nzte.govt.nz

Venture capitalists

Useful websites www.business.govt.nz www.angelassociation.co.nz

www.bmnz.co.nz www.frst.govt.nz www.thesmallbusinessgame.co.nz www.businessresourcecentre.co.nz

NZTE says venture capitalists are investment companies or fund managers that give cash in return for part-ownership of your business.

They provide more money than an angel and will also provide expertise, support, contacts and management help.

In return for risking their funds, they tend to favour only high-growth companies that are

likely to provide them with high returns.

They plan to realise their gains on exit from the investment.

NZTE says some investment firms are only going to want to give you money, provided you follow all the rules to the letter. This can be a little bit difficult, especially for a business that is just starting out and needs a little bit of leniency so that they can grow to their full potential. Although the money that you get from one of these firms can certainly help your business, if they are too restrictive, it can also tie you down considerably.

“Venture capitalists tend to look for an exit strategy in one form or another of that business, so if you were looking to work with a venture capitalist you would have to buy into that strategy of an exit over a 3-5 years timeline. It might not be suited if your aspirations were longer term,” Brennan says.

He usually asks his clients if they have seen the popular reality TV show Dragon’s Den. “That’s a good snapshot of what angel investors and venture capitalists will put you through. You need to decide how much of your ‘baby’ you want to give up.”

Brennan says businesses need to see an investment, whether it’s a bank loan or money from an angel investor or venture capitalist, as a partnership. “Do it for the right reasons, not just for need of money. Build good sustainable long-term relationships.

Generally I’m a great believer that it’s about partnership and you must get that balance right. For most low-end SMEs it’s (financing growth) really an equity and debt solution. In my experience, it’s how much do you want to partner with people for what that mix is.”

Other words of wisdom Brennan has learned from a long career of working with SMEs are that good things take time. “Don’t grow too quickly and without a sound foundation. The analogy I use is it’s like trying to put a third story on a house that’s designed for one floor.” www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 15

Southern Cross Cables If knowledge is power, then in today’s business environment the speed at which you can access it is key. And internet speeds will have the capacity to get much faster in the future, thanks to a successful trial on 100 gigabits per second prototype transmission equipment on the Southern Cross twin cable network.

“But the interesting thing is that the price of capacity is the same in both markets. And while Southern Cross is the only operator out of New Zealand, it sets its New Zealand to US prices at levels no higher than its Australia to US prices where there is a competitive market.

This significant technical breakthrough, two years earlier than expected, was demonstrated during extensive testing of the latest 40 Gbps equipment from a number of suppliers in readiness for the next Southern Cross capacity expansion in 2012.

The improvements in transmission systems are at the heart of what Southern Cross aims to achieve. Its ever-increasing capacity has created a network of continually improving quality.

Southern Cross sales and marketing director Ross Pfeffer says “Southern Cross continues to invest and build ahead of demand, to support new innovation and broadband growth”.

Back in 2000, the 28,500 kilometre Southern Cross undersea cable network was constructed. This major regional asset cost a whopping US$1.4 billion, and provides uninterrupted international capacity to the US for broadband internet connectivity from both Australia and New Zealand.

“It is a feature of our network that we can readily replace land based transmission systems with equipment that provides continuing improvements in performance,” Pfeffer says, “Southern Cross currently uses 10 Gbps transmission equipment and its 2012 upgrade, which will be the company’s fifth, is likely to be based on 40 Gbps equipment. This will take the total network potential to at least six Terabits per second - about 25 times higher than the original design capability of just 240 Gbps in 2000.”

“While it is unlikely that we will use the 100 Gbps equipment for next year’s upgrade, it is going to be an option much sooner than we previously thought and the potential size of our network will keep growing in huge leaps,” he says.

“And datacaps have actually gone up substantially as ISPs attract more subscribers, but are rarely used up. In Australia, on average only 15 percent of download entitlement is actually used.”

Future proofed

That’s why the performance of the six fibres and 500 repeaters that make up its twin cables is better today than when the network was constructed more than 10 years ago.

“That allowed us, in 2010, to confidently extend our customers capacity contracts from 2020 to 2025,” Pfeffer says. “I expect that opportunity will arise again in 2015 when there is a strong likelihood that 100 Gbps transmission equipment will already be deployed and the commercial life of the Southern Cross Network will be able to be extended beyond 2025.”

Southern Cross will • Use technological improvements to substantially expand capacity ahead of demand and to lower the cost of supply - Offer prices based on both competitive market forces and the reducing cost of capacity expansions.

• Apply competition based prices equitably to similar markets.

• Enhance the automated protection ability on its dual cable network to ensure that a single cable failure does not interrupt service.

Myth busting Pfeffer says there are a number of myths about the cables he wants to clear up. For example, many people feel there’s a need for another cable, not knowing there are two - one that goes east and another that goes west.

Some say there won’t be enough capacity for internet suppliers – but as this trial shows that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Some feel costs are too high and that Southern Cross is the reason why there are broadband data caps.

“In fact, these are imposed by ISPs. In Australia broadband data caps are much higher, unlimited plans are taking off and the cost of downloading data is lower which is because of the different retails markets in the different countries.

16 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 17

Hospitality | Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant

Wonderland on Waiheke There’s a lot to be said about a vineyard and restaurant that produces good wine and good food.

But then what’s a vineyard and restaurant without good people?

While good food and wine has ensured Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant a strong footing, it’s the good people which have made it a success.

Accountants by trade, Robyn and Nicholas Jones longed for something different. They had

often talked about doing something different and one day Nick suggested setting up a vineyard. Having grown up on a lifestyle block, the thought of developing a property appealed to Robyn and she decided to look at some properties, just for interest’s sake.

One day, she drove past a stunning property for sale in Church Bay Road, Waiheke Island.

That night the couple sat down and talked seriously about a complete change of lifestyle — what that would involve, and as is so often necessary for change, both needed to agree to run with it.

Winning combination But they did, and in hindsight, one accounting mind and one creative mind was a winning combination for the huge adventure that was about to unfold. In 1992 at just 27 and 28, they purchased the lifestyle block on Waiheke Island — land bare but for hope and promise.

A somewhat predictable plan, they aspired to set up a vineyard, live off the land, quaff the fruit of the vines and live happily ever after.

They began by visiting the property at weekends, and planting, planting, planting was the never-ending story — planting shelterbelts, planting trees, planting vines. Most died, or were eaten by the neighbours’ cattle, which would periodically escape from their confinements and feast on all the hard work until they were caught, usually the following

weekend. One of the first skills Robyn and Nicholas developed was how to recognise both a satisfied and guilty look crossing a cow’s face. Anger management also proved useful.

Robyn’s mother Ann already lived on Waiheke and helped to contribute to the large number of eccentrics the island was renowned for. She used to arrive on the property in her huge old Mercedes-Benz, spread out the picnic blanket and open her boot laden with pies, cakes and tarts she had been baking all week; she was a fantastic cook.

Unfortunately, Ann suffered a fatal stroke while planting, planting, planting — digging a particularly difficult piece of clay, during the week, when Robyn and Nicholas were at work.

Kiwis seem to thrive on the notion that if you can use one building three ways, all the better and sometime later, a barn/house/winery was completed, built out of mud bricks. Robyn loved the look and feel and Nicholas agreed solely on the principle that mud brick buildings do not vary their internal temperature by more than one degree in any 24-hour period perfect conditions for aging and storing wine.

Robyn sighed with relief — she just liked the look and feel. The first vintage was expected in 1996 — three years later.

Time passed — Robyn had a baby girl, followed by a baby boy and Nicholas continued to commute to his job in Auckland, while Robyn managed development.

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Hospitality | Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant

“We have grown our business with one major philosophy uppermost in our minds — we operate from a customer’s point of view — and we believe it works.”

Robyn Jones, Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant co-founder

enjoy the view in a casual setting amongst the potager gardens.

A collection of locally produced products and gifts are available for purchase from the cellar shop as well at retail wine and gift packs.

And The Mudbrick also caters for weddings, birthdays, group activities, conferences and other corporate functions.

Robyn and Nicholas are proud of what they have created and, its popularity shows the public is too.

“We hope when you visit, you will enjoy The Mudbrick as much as we do. We are proud of what we do and we know you will feel transported into a different world.

After a bath in their mud brick “barn house” one night, Nicholas suggested to Robyn as they sat, sipping wine on the terrace overlooking the Hauraki Gulf, that they set up a café to produce food to complement their wines in one of the best environments on earth.

Robyn stated that if she were to be involved with a café it would have to be a nice one. As an accountant, Nicholas could already see the ramifications of such a statement…

Long term view And so The Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant began. “We are not third generation vineyard descendants and we are not trained chefs with 20 years of experience,” Robyn says.

“We have grown our business with one major philosophy uppermost in our minds — we operate from a customer’s point of view — and we believe it works.

“We began the venture at a fairly young age and with a project that was so long term in its maturity, we believe this has been a substantial advantage. We weren’t burnt out and approaching retirement age when we began, which has meant we have been able to harness our resourcefulness and passion to see this through as a long-term project.”

“It has now been 11 years since we opened the restaurant,” Nicholas says. “Thirteen years since the first plantings. We have aged — and so has our environment.

“Our vines are mature, but we still plant new varieties. Our landscaping has matured, but we continue to extend our gardens and potagers every year. We work on our buildings, changing, adding touches here and there.

“We feel they stand the test of time. The vision of our project was one that would be a lifelong development spanning 30 years and, as we suspected, we have yet to tire of drinking fine wine and creating fine food. Even eating it has not yet become burdensome.”

Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant now encapsulates two vineyard sites on Waiheke, complete with fully operational winery, and with gold medal recognition for its wines, it’s been a successful strategy.

Accommodation is also available at The Mudbrick, with two distinctly different properties; the Owner’s Retreat and the Beach House, available.

“The Mudbrick has its own heartbeat — and has a lovely feel surrounding it when you visit.”

Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant Church Bay Road Oneroa Waiheke Wine tastings are available seven days, all T (09) 372 9050 year, no appointment necessary. The Cellar E brooke@mudbrick.co.nz Door menu provides a selection of lighter lunch www.mudbrick.co.nz options should you wish to linger longer and — Advertising Feature

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The delightful thing about The Mudbrick is its gardens. The stone outdoor fireplace, the casual couches, accompanied with natural light from the hurricane lamps really does transport you into a different world.

The views to Rangitoto and the sunsets from this spot really do need to be sampled over summer. It’s difficult to find a more tranquil, relaxing space to enjoy a glass of wine or cocktail at sunset.

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 19

Hospitality | Euro Bar Right: Euro Bar has been operating from Shed 22 for the past 10 years and is a destination in its own right.

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Shed 22’s trendsetter Euro Bar at Princes Wharf offers an inviting combination of sophisticated dining with a relaxed intimate atmosphere attracting diners from all around the region.

Euro Bar has been operating from Shed 22 for the past 10 years and during that time has perfected not just its food and wine cellar choices, but its focus on great service from friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Euro is owned by the Nourish Group, which was formed five years ago and today owns and operates a variety of bars and restaurants.

These include Jervois Steak House in Herne Bay, Shed 5 Bar and Restaurant and the Greenroom at Queens Wharf, Wellington, Bistro Lago at the Hilton Lake Taupo Hotel, Pravda on Customhouse Quay in Wellington, and Danny Doolans and O’Hagans Irish Pubs in Auckland.

Starck furniture. Superb outdoor-indoor flow makes the most of waterfront views and the restaurant’s traffic-free position.

Euro’s starter menu offers a variety of choices, including tuna, Central Otago rabbit terrine and a cured hams platter.

Sitting comfortably on the knife edge of innovation, Euro’s mission is to keep New Zealand in step with global food directions. The restaurant can claim many firsts in the local hospitality scene, including being the first to bring Alaskan king crab and Atlantic scallops to Auckland. Most notably, Euro became the first ever New Zealand restaurant to make the world’s top 50 restaurants in Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

Euro classic starters include the calamari prosciutto wrap, Peking duck, executive chef Simon Gault’s crab and prawn and Chilean red king crab leg.

Delicious fresh food Nourish Group operations manager Phil Clark says diners can enjoy water views out towards Waitemata in a relaxed bistro-style restaurant.

“The food is a take on New Zealand produce with a little bit of Italian influence — Pacific rim with international flavours. The majority of produce is local,” he says. Euro attracts For Euro, the Nourish Group conceived an upmarket, yet relaxed brasserie enhanced by a diners from all walks of life — anyone with a darkly elegant interior and a garnish of Philippe discerning taste for fresh inspired dishes.

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Classics to cutting edge Euro’s main menu includes the popular Euro classic rotisserie chicken, slow cooked with Gault’s famous rub, mash and peanut slaw.

Other sought-after dishes include beef cheek with porcino risotto and smoked tomato jelly, the lamb dizzi with Turkish cheese and chorizo mash, and the duet of havoc pork belly, which features Akaroa salmon, calvados forest mushroom jus, barley lentils and coriander yoghurt.

There is a selection of fish, while the meat section of the menu offers Hawke’s Bay scotch fillet, petite Savannah eye fillet, wagyu rump, and surf and turf with eye fillet on the bone teamed up with red king crab leg.

Hospitality | Euro Bar It takes hard work and dedication to create a successful bar and restaurant in the highly competitive Auckland entertainment market. “It all comes down to providing a quality product.

In our case it’s good food

and great service.”

Phil Clark Nourish Group operations manager

in Wellington will do reasonably well with the pool matches and quarter final. Then Auckland will feel the full brunt of it for that three weeks in October,” Clark says.

“We’re starting to gear up for that and are taking on extra staff.

“We hope to carry those staff through the summer and have other places to put them after the summer period. We’re working hard to get staff of a good calibre.”

Clark says high-quality staff are always hard to find in New Zealand, but Euro is preparing early for the Rugby World Cup and has already secured several.

The dessert menu was put together by pastry chef Rob Hope-Ede and includes warm chocolate pudding, baked Chevre cheesecake, Central Otago pear and frangipane tart and jar of aniseed brulee with sherbet crumble.

Euro Bar has benefited from the development of the Viaduct Basin. Euro’s

Feature continues dining capacity has doubled following the restaurant’s refurbishment, on next page >> allowing it to host corporate events and private functions.

Revamped restaurant Euro Bar at Princes Wharf has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment which has seen the restaurant double its dining capacity.

Nourish Group operations manager Phil Clark says the refurbishment was completed last October, increasing the bistro’s capacity from 140 to 280 diners.

The refurbishment included expanding the restaurant to incorporate adjacent properties owned by the Nourish Group. “We’ve had a complete revamp of the whole area and have carried the flow and feel of Euro to the new end,” Clark says.

“We’ve taken on extra staff to specifically take control of out-catering.”

Rugby World Cup Euro Bar is also in preparations for a surge in business during the Rugby World Cup. “We’re hoping to be flat out. Our restaurants

The refurbishment also involved expanding the menu and adding a chef’s table that seats up to eight people. Diners at the chef’s table receive one-on-one demonstrations from Euro’s chefs, including its executive chefs.

Clark says diners have greeted the refurbished restaurant enthusiastically and have welcomed the additional space.

Corporate and private functions The extension to Euro’s premises has also allowed the bistro to develop itself as a destination for corporate and private functions.

“We can host anywhere up to 20 people for a sit-down meal in a private dining room or functions of up to 1200 people standing,” says Clark. “We can book out the whole restaurant and we can cater for everyone.”

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Euro can host a small or casual wedding breakfast and has also started doing outcatering. “We’ve had a number of requests to do out-catering for weddings and we would like to grow that side of our business more. www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 21

Hospitality | Euro Bar

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Hospitality | Euro Bar Left: Euro Bar at Princes Wharf has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment.

people stay closer to home. Business picks up in spring as people venture out more in the warmer weather and longer evenings.

Great food, wine and service In addition to its premium food selection, Euro Bar also offers an extensive wine list, with its cellar consisting of close to 200 different wines.

“Our wine list covers all geographical locations.

There’s a strong New Zealand influence, as well as some Australian, French and Italian wines,” says Clark.

Euro’s wine list features a large selection of French champagne and a broad choice of highquality New Zealand chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir.

Euro also offers a range of delicious cocktails and a large selection of beer and spirits.

Clark says service has always been a large focus of Euro, which only employs knowledgeable staff with plenty of personality.

Competitive dining sector The development of the Viaduct Basin as Auckland’s entertainment hub has been great for Euro Bay, which is looking forward to a busy summer season.

Nourish Group operations manager Phil Clark says Euro is only 100 yards from the Viaduct, which is home to about 20 eateries and bars.

Euro Bar has benefited with the establishment

“The expectation is that staff will know what they’re talking about with wine and food. They also need to have the ability to entertain and provide that five percent over and above.” of the Viaduct, which attracts patrons with its variety of dining establishments and ambience and atmosphere.

“There’s a lot more choice now but we’ve noticed that certain customers are still looking at standards of service and quality of food.”

While the recent recession has seen many customers become more price conscious, Euro Bar has worked hard to accommodate the change in dining habits. “We’ve tried to make sure that the price on the menu is meeting the market,” Clark says.

New Zealand’s cafe and restaurant sector has continued to grow during the past 10 years, with more choices now available for diners.

Clark says dining out tends to be quite seasonal, with June and July always quiet as

Clark says it takes hard work and dedication to create a successful bar and restaurant in the highly competitive Auckland entertainment market. “It all comes down to providing a quality product. In our case it’s good food and great service — if you don’t have that you don’t really have much.”

Feature continues on next page >>

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Hospitality | Euro Bar The Nourish Group The Nourish Group knows how to put together a successful restaurant and bar and benefits from the international experience of its executive chef Simon Gault.

The Nourish Group was formed about five years ago with the purchase of Euro Bar, which was followed quickly by the establishment of several other bars and restaurants in Auckland, Taupo and Wellington.

The group is owned and managed by Richard Sigley and Simon Gault, who are committed to keeping the Nourish properties at the top of their game through never-ending research.

Gault haunts food shows in Europe and North America, always on the quest for new food directions and exceptional artisan food products, while Richard’s antennae are tuned to pick up on international hospitality trends that would work in the New Zealand market.

with European and produce some of the best and most innovative dishes presented in New Zealand. Gault‘s many awards and international recognition attest to his superb skill.

He has travelled and worked in industry leading restaurants throughout the world, including Leiths Restaurant in London and the prestigious Michelin Star Thornbury Castle.

Gault has cooked in his own restaurants and has also worked as chef to Simon Fuller, the entrepreneur responsible for the incredible success of the Spice Girls and Idol programme.

During his time in Europe with the Fuller Group, he catered for the needs of the group and visiting entertainment celebrities.

At the conclusion of this contract, he again returned to New Zealand and was instrumental in the establishment of Euro Bar.

Each of the properties within the Nourish Group has a clearly differentiated brand and audience, which defines the path for interior styling, food design and service style. By staying true to character, its establishments are better able to live up to the high expectations of customers.

The restaurant was and remains a huge success and while Gault retains a major interest, he is now executive chef to the Nourish Group and is a part owner and responsible for the day to day running of Euro Restaurant, Jervois Steak House and Pasha Restaurant in Auckland, as well as Bistro Lago in Taupo and Shed 5 and Pravda Restaurants in Wellington.

Euro Bar was won several awards of the years, including the Lewisham Award for outstanding maitre ‘d in 2008 and being the first New Zealand restaurant to achieve the international Conde Nast Top 50 restaurants list.

As master chef for the group, Gault works closely with the other Nourish chefs to design seasonal menus that make the most of fresh local ingredients, enhanced by imported discoveries that give dishes the X-factor.

International chef

His importing company, Sous Chef, sources and supplies key ingredients for many of the Nourish Group properties, including boquerones (white anchovies) from Spain, balsamic mousse from Italy and prosciutto from Parma.

Internationally respected Master Chef Simon Gault has a remarkable talent for bringing together tastes and techniques from around the world. His global experience allows him to savour in his mind the blending of Oriental

Euro Bar offers intimate dining in an ambient atmosphere.

Focus on customer service Supporting the Nourish Group’s exacting cuisine standards is a service ethic that demands knowledge, skill and genuine warmth from wait staff.

Etiquette training of new people is handled in-house, so that customers experience a consistent service style that fits perfectly with each property’s character.

to become the benchmark for hospitality businesses in New Zealand.

While its role as innovator and standard-setter requires global input, Nourish Group is proud to be a local enterprise that’s adding value to the country’s economy and culture.

Euro Bar Shed 22 Princes Wharf Auckland Nourish Group monitors its service standards T (09) 309 9866 by organising mystery shoppers to dine at its E eurobar@xtra.co.nz restaurants and report back to management.

In two decades, the Nourish Group has evolved www.eurobar.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Proudly built Euro in 1999 and completed the extension and refurbishment in 2010 Specialists in Bar, Restaurant & Office Fitouts PO Box 7766 | Wellesley Street | Auckland 1141 | T: 09 378 7278 | F: 09 378 7279 | E: enquiries@visioninteriors.co.nz | www.visioninteriors.co.nz 24 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 25

Initiatives | Hills Flooring

Commercial flooring

Hills Floorings’ expert commercial carpet and vinyl team have been busy throughout the recession, accounting for a large percentage of the company’s recent sales.

Hills director Peter MacShane says while the residential market has had some challenges during the past couple of years, commercial sales have been good. “When things are tough we take advantage of increasing our market share. Our commercial work has been good, and we’re starting to see an increase in residential sales now too.

Hills Floorings’ specialist commercial team deals directly with architects, interior designers and builders over a vast range of projects spread throughout the country.

Hotels, hospitals, office blocks, apartments, schools and supermarkets are some of the premises in which Hills Floorings has successfully installed both commercial carpets and hard floorings.

Commercial carpets and vinyl require specialist knowledge, experience and the resources of a large and highly trained team of installers and floor preparation experts.

The team at Hills Floorings has all the knowledge and expertise required, backed up by the company’s 50 years’ experience within the industry.

Commercial customers have the benefit of dealing with a family-owned and operated business that has been selling carpets and floorings since 1960.

Hills has a huge selection of quality carpets and vinyl and has a massive bulk buying power. The company purchases hundreds and sometimes thousands of metres at a time at exceptionally low prices, with savings passed on to customers.

All carpet is pre-cut before the team arrive onsite to install. The entire job is planned on Hills’ huge cutting floor in Otahuhu by trained expert planners.

This means installers do not have to cut a roll in your business premises, or worse still, outside.

Hills Floorings is a truly independent company, offering a free on-the-spot measure and quote service, with no commercial job being too big or small.

Flooring for all applications Hills Floorings has come a long way since founder Bill Hill established a small carpet shop in Otahuhu in 1960. Today, Hills Floorings employs more than 100 staff and services commercial and residential clients throughout Auckland. It is the biggest independent flooring specialist in New Zealand and possibly Australasia.

In 1958 Bill Hill arrived from England with wife Nancy and their sons Willi, David and George.

Bill came to Auckland to work as a sales rep for Bremner and Norie, a carpet importer and wholesaler, and then went on to help his employer Doug Bremner set up the Bremworth Carpet factory in Papatoetoe.

David Hill left a profitable farming career in 1969 to join the family business and remembers working hard for his father, who was a good teacher but was tough if any measurements were incorrect.

The company’s sales were among the highlights of the business in its early years and were legendary throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s.

They were held three times a year and people queued overnight to take advantage of the amazing specials on offer.

In September 1960 Bill and Nancy set up Hills Floorings in a small shop in Otahuhu, little Hills still has several major sales a year, often knowing that it would soon become Auckland’s hiring Greenlane Showgrounds to showcase its largest and most recognised flooring specialist. astonishing range of flooring materials.

The first shop was 360 square feet, with friends telling him it would be impossible to make ends meet because he had no space to display stock. However, Bill kept stock levels low, only replacing flooring rolls when sold.

He often worked late at night to complete a job to ensure he had enough money to buy more stock. Son George Hill says Bill was extremely driven and ambitious and was a good salesman. While most homes at the time had timber floors, Bill would sell people on the idea of laying carpet in their lounge or vinyl in their bathroom, and it grew from there.

Willi, Bill’s eldest son, joined the company in 1962 and like his father, went out knocking on doors to drum up business in the new housing development of Otara. Willi went on to establish the installation and commercial divisions of the company and helped grow it to where it is today.

George began working in the business at age 11. His first pay cheque was a pound for working through the entire school holidays.

Still a family business The reputation of Hills Floorings continued to grow, with a third generation of the Hills family now involved in the business.

Bill passed away in 2004 but his commitment to quality customer service continues today.

great deals and specials, which are passed onto its customers.

Specialist flooring store MacShane believes most of Hills Floorings’ success can be attributed to its focus on doing the basics right.

The company has never wavered from its core business as a floor covering specialist — a commitment Bill Hill made 25 years ago.

“Once you put a home appliance or one article of furniture into a shop of this kind in the eyes of the public you cease to be a specialist,” said Bill then. “You get a better class of salesperson when you have the one type of job. The salesperson gets the chance to specialise and if he is worth an ounce of salt he will grab that opportunity.”

MacShane agrees that flooring and installation is a specialist area for experts.

All of Hills’ floor coverings are pre-made and Bill’s grandchildren, Caleb Hill and Elizabeth Hill, trimmed on site, ensuring a quality job and have joined the business, which remains the exact measurement and fittings. single largest flooring stockist in the country, with offices in Wellington and Christchurch.

During the past fifty years, literally thousands It employs more than 100 staff, some of whom of homes have had carpet and vinyl installed have been with the company for decades. The by Hills Floorings, making the company one of commercial team is highly sought after and has New Zealand’s longest lasting flooring experts. worked on many of New Zealand’s landmark buildings. Hills director Peter MacShane says the company has a great relationship with many suppliers and can get deals that no one else can get.

Hills Floorings has a particularly close working relationship with Cavalier Bremworth, which also celebrated 50 years in the industry last year. This relationship allows Hills to get

MacShane says inevitably in 50 years the flooring market has changed a lot.

There are now a lot of smaller operators who have joined the carpet market. However, they are learning as they go.

“With us you’re dealing with people who’ve been in the industry a long time, who know the products inside and out.”

Wool versus nylon Pleased to support Hills Flooring

“Building a Legacy” Phone: 09 250 2150 Email: legacy@legacyconstruction.co.nz www.legacyconstruction.co.nz 26 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

The big choice facing customers is the choice between wool and nylon carpet. No one material is better than another overall.

It all depends on where the carpet will be, who will be using it, how much traffic will it get, and the size of the budget.

However, there is a certain stigma that goes with nylon because New Zealand is a wool country.

Hills director Peter MacShane says the rising price of wool is resulting in a growth in nylon carpets, particularly solution dyed nylon. “Because wool is very expensive, nylon is comparing very favourably. It’s hard wearing and resists fading and more

and more people are turning to it. There is some really cheap nylon out there but the quality brand of nylon is very good.”

Wool carpets offer benefits, including excellent resilience, recovery from crushing and maintenance of appearance. They resist liquid-based spillages and release dirt easily due to the unique structure of wool fibre. A good-quality wool carpet should outlast any other type.

However, nylon is a tough and durable man-made fibre that resists mildew and insect damage. Many better-quality nylons mimic the luxurious look of wool with added stain resistance.

Initiatives | Hills Flooring

Right: Second and third generation members of the Hills family — Caleb, David, George and Elizabeth — are continuing the values instigated by the business founder fifty years ago.

Modernising the Hills brand Hills Floorings in Auckland has celebrated its 50th anniversary with a complete rebranding and modernising of its large vehicle fleet.

Hills Floorings has been working hard to update its branding and fleet for the past few months. The move to modernise the logo and signage reflects Hills Floorings’ commitment to servicing its clients in today’s modern environment. While the company has a long history within Auckland’s flooring industry, it intends to stay ahead of its competitors now and into the future.

“We’re very much looking to the future and saying we’re coming into the third generation of Hills family coming through,” director Peter MacShane says. “It’s a very strong family business — we’re totally independent. I’m the only non-family director.”

Clean green fleet MacShane says the Hills premises have been repainted, with work on the company’s fleet of 40 vehicles ongoing. The large fleet of mobile showrooms and installers’ vehicles are

one of the company’s key strengths, meaning customers can view a full selection of Hills’ carpets and vinyls from the comfort of their own home or commercial premises.

MacShane says another unique feature of the fleet is that vehicles run on CNG. Hills Floorings has its own workshop for fitting and maintenance of the vehicles. “Our vans are driving around Auckland very clean and green and we believe we’re the only company with a fleet of CNG vehicles,” he says.

Residential flooring specialists Hills Floorings has laid carpet and vinyl in thousands of homes during the past 50 years, from the smallest room in a home unit to the largest mansion, and everything in between.

As a true independent flooring specialist, Hills Flooring deals with all the major suppliers and manufacturers and because of the size of the business, is able to command maximum discounts. The residential sales team have many years’ experience to draw on and are continually updating the latest trends and colours.

Buying and matching carpets When it comes to carpets, Hills Floorings recognises that New Zealand has its own style and most Kiwis prefer to add colour and design with furnishings and accessories.

The Hills Floorings team encourages customers to buy carpet first and then match furnishings and room decor to it. “I think one of Dad’s pertinent comments — and it’s still the way we run our business today — is to make sure you see the carpet on the roll,” director George Hill says. “We’re roll stockists. When you’re buying carpet or floor coverings you have to be confident you’re making the right decision.”

If you choose the colour of your carpet first then you’ve got your base colour, starting from the floor, making it easier to match. Over time you are less likely to change the colour of your carpet than you are the colour of other interior finishes. Once customers have selected their

carpet a team is sent out to measure up. The flooring is pre-cut and laid within a few days.

Hills Floorings’ expert commercial carpet and vinyl team have been busy throughout the recession, accounting for a large percentage of the company’s recent sales.

The Hills team invites you to give them a call on their free phone number 0800 445 573.

Hills Floorings Limited ● 28-32 Atkinson Avenue Otahuhu 1062 T (09) 276 1111 ● 60 Constellation Drive Mairangi Bay North Shore City 0632 T (09) 476 2025 E sales@hillsfloorings.co.nz www.hillsflooring.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 27

Initiatives | MOTAT

History takes flight For more than 40 years, the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) has been offering visitors amazing glimpses into our past. With its array of exhibits from early Auckland’s first trams and trains, to the military section showcasing tanks and equipment from 20th Century wars, MOTAT has always given young and old something to ogle at.

Far from resting on its laurels, MOTAT has an exciting new development under way. New Zealand’s largest clear span wooden structure is steadily taking form, with the new $15 million Aviation Display Hall set for completion in time for the anticipated influx of domestic and international visitors in September.

The 2750 square metre custom designed display hall is more than double the size of MOTAT’s existing aviation hangar. The expanded facility will house around 40 MOTAT aircraft including the newly loaned RNZAF Skyhawk, Sunderland and Solent flying boats, Lancaster Bomber, DC3, Cessna and Tiger Moth.

The construction phase follows stage one of the aviation project, the relocation and restoration of MOTAT’s original World War II Blister Hangar. This hangar is the workshop where volunteers restore aircraft.

MOTAT museum director Jeremy Hubbard says the new structure upgrade will provide enhanced housing for the collection and will allow for the exhibitions to be upgraded to tell the stories of the aircraft, the people

who flew them, and their contribution to the development of New Zealand.

“We are committed to ensuring that these historic planes, which have been restored by our volunteer team, have space to be displayed properly in all their glory. The previous hangar was becoming cramped and we even had to keep many of our prized planes, such as the Sunderland Flying Boat, outside.”

With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, MOTAT hopes the display hall will be admired by people visiting Auckland from around the world. “The Display Hall will be a fantastic attraction for both local and international visitors,” Hubbard says.

“They will be able to learn about aviation history and the stories associated with our magnificent aircraft collection, housed in a world class structure. We’re working towards getting more and more activities up and running around it as well, including tours hosted by some of our aviation volunteers.”

Durable, delightful building The new building is large enough to allow aircraft to be moved within the hall as the exhibitions change and provide a unique experience where the space can be hired out for events. The northern façade is a translucent skin which assists in providing natural temperature regulation including heating and cooling. There are 440,000 nails in the structure, all done by hand with 531 cubic metres of concrete poured.

Like the sturdy and reliable Blister Hangar, the Aviation Display Hall utilises wood as its primary material but in this case, new wood technologies have taken an older building method and brought all of the structural advantages of steel, while harnessing the many natural attributes of timber.

CHH Woodproducts’ Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) has been used for the framing for the entire structure. The technology has myriad advantages over concrete or steel, according to Carter Holt Harvey’s marketing manager, Bill Hayward and engineer, Cameron Rodger.

NZ’s largest clear span wooden structure is taking shape at MOTAT. The $15 million Aviation Display Hall should be completed in time for the RWC.

LVL is produced at CHH Woodproducts mill in Marsden Point — which is, coincidentally the largest building using LVL in the Southern Hemisphere. Radiata timber is rotary peeled and the veneers are then glued together using pressure and heat. An initial advantage is the eradication of knots and defects in the timber — increasing the overall strength of the LVL.

Product evolution Haywood and Rodger acknowledge that the framing work undertaken for MOTAT is only possible because of the evolution of the product mix of LVL and a dedicated effort to educate engineers and commercial contractors about the ease of use, strength, stability, reliability, and environmental advantages of using LVL over steel for framing.

Since 1986, NZ Woodtex Ltd has been responsible for providing outstanding product and service. Our speciality is in the acoustic and fire proof ability of our product. Our regular customers particularly value our good service and product information. Our business is located in Ngaruawahia, near Hamilton.

While LVL has been used extensively in the residential building market, it is beginning to gain traction in the commercial sector.

Haywood believes LVL’s properties make it an attractive and dependable choice. The issue is convincing those used to steel, that veneered timbers can do the job just as well, but with the added bonuses such as the environmental benefits of low carbon emissions.

Ph: 07 824 8789 Email: woodtex@xtra.co.nz www.woodtex.co.nz

CHH Woodproducts offer added services, Rodger says. These include assistance with applicable standards, preliminary design advice, and engineering expertise across all levels and to everyone in the supply chain. In addition, product is made to order to specified length and size, ensuring the most costeffective options for commercial customers.

28 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Initiatives | MOTAT

“LVL is an engineered solution,” Rodger says.

“Over the past three or four years, we’ve developed different products — with thicker sections etc, and we’ve been looking at how we supply to market — introducing more economies, for example. We speak with engineers and help them to understand the particular requirements of working with LVL.” Haywood adds that one of the bonuses of working with LVL framing is that contractors can work whole bay sections on the ground and then lift them — this greatly decreases the potential issues of working at height and on the MOTAT aviation display hall job, when bays were lifted in place, they fit precisely. “LVL is cutting edge, exciting stuff,” he says. “This whole project has been a testament to timber.”

Following the completion of the Aviation Display Hall, MOTAT will then refocus work towards upgrading the existing Aviation Hangar, construct a new entrance to the site and build new toilets.

Hubbard says the Display Hall has been created with the next generation in mind. “We have created something that will last well into the future and will keep generations of Kiwis coming back to MOTAT to learn all about New Zealand’s aviation history.”

About MOTAT The idea of a national museum of transport took shape in 1957 soon after closure of the electric tramways in Wanganui, Invercargill, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland during 1950–56. Beginning with Auckland tram No.253, the Old Time Transport Preservation League began to assemble examples of our national transport heritage at Matakohe, 150km north of Auckland.

MOTAT opened in Western Springs in 1964 and since then has been explored and enjoyed by millions of local, national and international visitors. The museum is built on a site that once pumped water drawn from Western Springs Lake to early Auckland homes and businesses.

The Pumphouse, with its magnificent Beam Engine has had extensive conservation to ensure it keeps its place in Auckland’s history.

Transport heritage MOTAT has a long history of volunteer work. In 1964 MOTAT was started by people passionate about saving Auckland’s transport heritage — a tradition which has continued today. Volunteers work alongside paid staff to ensure that MOTAT is able to care for its collection and provide its customers with a great experience.

MOTAT has more than 300,000 items in its collection. The museum is organised into sections that work on various areas of the collection, such as aviation and military. Each section has a manager who works with the many dedicated volunteers in that section, and liaises with MOTAT staff to ensure the continuing development of the museum.

Children are welcome at MOTAT. Hands-on exhibits offer entertaining and informative

fun for all age groups. The Challenge Zone, encompassing almost 20 interactive displays, is a must-do for kids on a visit to MOTAT. With experiences such as the earthquake simulator, the whisper dishes or the shadow room, it is a fun way to discover the workings of science.

The Tactile Dome is another local favourite.

In total darkness you can explore through tunnels inside a purpose built dome using only your sense of touch and direction. Another challenge is the puzzling Mirror Maze where

visitors try to see how fast they can get through the baffling labyrinth.

tram between the two sites as part of their MOTAT admission.

For research purposes, MOTAT has the Walsh Memorial Library. This is a reference library that is open to the public. Charges apply. It has a large range of books relating to transport, technology and social history. It also has a variety of historic and technical information detailing various components of New Zealand history. Visitors to MOTAT can take a return tram ride on a historic and lovingly restored

MOTAT Great North Road and Meola Road Western Springs Auckland T (09) 815 5800 F (09) 846 4242 E enquiries@motat.org.nz www.motat.org.nz — Advertising Feature

EXPERIENCE | QUALIFICATIONS | SERVICE

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 29

Initiatives | Howard Wright

… today Howard Wright enjoys a worldwide

reputation for innovation and quality …

The Wright way to medical care breakthroughs Howard Wright’s new M9 ward and compact beds are offering a raft of new features designed for easier patient care to health sectors in both New Zealand and Australia.

Howard Wright’s research and development team has spent eight months developing the M9 bed. It has now been released for promotion and sale.

Like its predecessor, the M7 ward bed, the M9 is aimed at Australian and New Zealand markets. Offering some exciting new features, it has been developed in conjunction with healthcare professionals with the aim of making human care easier.

Innovative bed Howard Wright research and development manager Anthony Batley says one of the M9’s key differences is its low height, with a standard low height of 350mm for easier and safer patient entry and exit. An under-bed light also helps with the entry and exit process.

The under-bed clearance of 140mm provides full access for patient lifters and bed movers

30 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

at any bed height. “It’s very low compared to other beds — it’s a class leader in the ward bed category,” Batley says.

The M9 has the option for either horizontal or vertical bar siderails. The horizontal bar siderail operation is gas assisted, making it easy to raise and lower. The simplicity of the design also makes it quicker and easier to clean.

The M9 bed is available as either a ward or compact bed. It is straightforward and practical to use, minimising servicing and user training.

The full electric functionality and sliding backrest to reduce patient handling.

The bed deck has multiple sockets for accessories and storage for a handset, attendant control panel and power cord.

The new backlit handset makes for easier location for both caregivers and patients.

Next generation Tente “linea” 150mm dual wheel castors from Germany offer easier central locking braking.

Batley says there is an integrated bed extension on the compact model for taller patients, who are often uncomfortable in standard-length hospital beds.

Initiatives | Howard Wright

Howard Wright is a multi-million dollar company… a leading specialist in the design, manufacture and international distribution of medical beds and stretchers…

Above: The M9 compact bed features a handy linen rack.

Left: The new M9 hospital bed features a horizontal bar design to make cleaning easier and faster.

both the public and private sectors. The past couple of years have seen the company win several significant supply contracts both within New Zealand and Australia for a range of its products, including ward beds, intensive care beds and stretchers.

Reputation for excellence

Howard Wright history The Howard Wright Company’s origins date back to the 1950s, when motor mechanic Howard Wright started his own engineering business in a small workshop under his house in New Plymouth.

Wright primarily made things out of wrought iron, such as balustrades, until he was asked by a nurse from the local hospital to make a modern hospital bed like ones they had seen in photographs from overseas.

Wright took on the project and it wasn’t long before he realised he could do a lot better by using the latest hydraulics. His hospital beds were sold throughout New Zealand and in the early 1960s he opened his first dedicated hospital bed factory.

By the 1970s Howard Wright was making and selling most of the hospital beds used in New Zealand, but it was the innovative M4 bed in 1976 that was the international breakthrough.

Wright came up with the idea of using remote hydraulic pumping at the foot of the bed to raise the bed surface, which was at the forefront in hospital bed design.

Throughout its 50-year history, Howard Wright has retained its vision for innovative yet practical design, and extended it across a whole range of patient care surfaces using the latest electronic componentry.

Every new product is developed by talking to and observing clinicians in hospitals and then converting their ideas, observations and insights into practical cost-effective designs.

Wright imports a range of high-quality medical beds and stretchers from Stryker.

Howard Wright is the Australasian distributor of Stryker products and has been awarded significant contracts in supplying Stryker medical beds, stretchers and EMS equipment in both New Zealand and Australia.

Howard Wright PO Box 3003 Fitzroy New Plymouth 4341 T (06) 755 0976 www.howardwrightcares.com — Advertising Feature

TNL International are proud to provide global freight forwarding services to Howard Wright Ltd.

Howard Wright Limited’s cornerstone philosophies are excellent design and service and today it enjoys a worldwide reputation with healthcare providers for its innovation and quality. The company’s highly skilled staff of 40 is focused on making patient care easier by providing quality patient handling equipment and support to the healthcare industry.

Leading healthcare products In addition to the new M9 ward bed, Howard Wright has developed a range of industry leading products in recent years, including the M8 intensive care bed, which won international design awards.

The Howard Wright Company believes its M8 bed is unique in the world, taking more than three years of research and development with 10 prototypes.

A major issue in the intensive care unit is having to move patients onto specialist tables The M4 was followed by the equally innovative in order to perform certain X-ray imaging Pacific shower trolley, which was developed procedures — this leads to manual handling and exported all around the world. issues for the medical professionals , while Today Howard Wright Limited is a multi-million introducing discomfort for the patient while they are being moved around. The M8 bed dollar company and a leading specialist in allows for a wide range of procedures to be the design, manufacture and international performed on the bed without the need to distribution of medical beds and stretchers. transfer the patient. It is suitable for chest The company supplies New Zealand ambulance X-ray, general X-ray and C-arm image intensifier services, private hospitals and a large number procedures. Image intensifier work is real-time of the country’s 22 district health boards with X-ray, so if the doctor or radiologist needs beds and stretchers. Howard Wright exports to insert a needle or line they can see it on about 65 percent of its product to Australia, screen while the patient remains in the bed.

Europe, North America and Asia. More than To complement its own leading healthcare three-quarters of its international sales are products, including the M7 stretcher, Howard to Australia, where the company supplies

TNL International Auckland Ltd Level 1, 47 Richard Pearse Drive, Airport Oaks PO Box 53 122, Auckland International Airport Tel: 09 275 4401, Fax: 09 275 4404 TNL International Nelson Ltd 30 Vickerman Street, Port Nelson PO Box 5033, Nelson 7010 Tel: 03 545 9457, Fax: 03 548 1651 TNL International Christchurch Ltd 41 Edmonton Road, Hornby Christchurch 8042 Tel: 03 344 2281, Fax: 03 344 2296

www.tnlintl.co.nz www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 31

32 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 33

Initiatives | Spookers Haunted Attractions

Let the terror “Give them pleasure,” Alfred Hitchcock once said of his audiences. “… the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare.”

Modern life, he surmised, had debilitated our ability to get a good dose of goosebumps, so his aim became providing the public with “beneficial shocks”.

It’s the same concept at Spookers Haunted Attractions, the only difference is Spookers is even more candid about their desire to scare the bejesus out of you. “We scare people silly,” Spookers managing director Julia Watson says.

“We make people face their fears and enjoy doing it.”

As a concept, it has taken the corporate world by storm. Offering attractions for different age groups, from the family friendly Amazing Maze to the R16 nights on Fridays and Saturdays through to senior citizen tours, Spookers has discovered a loyal corporate following, with spooky team

building and Murder Mystery nights popular for businesses big and small.

“It’s so unique,” Watson says. “When people hear of a haunted house, they think of amateur carnival rides. Our attractions are R16 for a reason; they’re full on. But people are always pleasantly surprised and many say they can’t believe how professional it is.”

Based in the former nurses’ hostel of the old Kinsgseat Psychiatric Hospital in Karaka, Spookers is said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity, specifically concerning a nurse who is believed to have committed suicide within its walls. Every week hundreds of people gather at the old hospital to get their spooks off in a place unique to New Zealand and, according to its website, Australia.

As a strategy, it’s been one of pure brilliance.

‘Dark tourism’ has become a global bestseller.

Now a multibillion dollar industry, terror sells.

Opened late in 2005, Spookers Haunted Attractions has become one of the Auckland’s signature tourist attractions with some 250 staff, 80 percent of whom are actors.

On key fright nights such as Black Friday or Halloween, as many as 1500 people pour through the gates, not including those who make it as far as the car park before one glance at the first roaming actor on the giant pneumatic monster that beckons you in from the roof has them running the opposite way.

“Scaring has a lot to do with adrenalin, and it can be quite unexpected how people will react,” Watson says.

SCARED?

Of losing money for several days! NO EFTPOS = NO MONEY!!

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Spookers call us on...

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Proudly Supporting Spookers since 2009 For any enquiries on where to purchase Mr Chips products please call the following number 09 274 7598 , email sales@mrchips.co.nz , or visit our website www.mr-chips.co.nz , where you can view our entire Food Service range.

34 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Initiatives | Spookers Haunted Attractions

begin...

“You get the ones who can’t bear to open their eyes the entire time, then there are the big staunch guys who come out the end holding their girlfriends in front of them…”

She certainly knows what she’s talking about.

Scaring is a family business for Watson, whose parents Andy and Beth created the world’s first CornEvil in Marton, south-east of Wanganui, and who still oversee franchises in the Bay of Plenty and the Hawke’s Bay with more franchises opening offshore.

A horticulturalist by trade, Beth Watson developed an autoimmune disease and was seeking an alternative source of income when she decided to turn their maize crop into a tourist attraction.

The Amazing Maze ‘n Maize, a family friendly day-time version opened in 1999, followed

by CornEvil the following year and then a Haunted Woolshed.

On fright nights at Spookers, her husband Andy’s alter ego is Old Man Joe, a lascivious drooler with a taste for pretty girls. Back home in Marton, he’s district councillor, which explains why a holographic haunted portrait now features on the council chamber walls.

He’s travelled as far as the United States to attend haunt shows. Fear, he says, holds a primeval allure. “Guys like to see their wife or girlfriend scream.”

Each month, some 40 to 50 wannabe scarers turn up to audition at Spookers.

They’re a colourful bunch; ranging from accountants and teachers, to dancers, kick boxers and hospital staff.

Horrors on offer...

Haunted House Unmatched horror awaits you within the walls of the Spookers Haunted House. Mutated half living men, souls of the damned and bloody corpses of the undead lie in wait. Restless and hungry, these creatures of the night will have no mercy upon you. Come prepared. The Spookers Haunted House may well be the last thing you ever do.

Freaky Forest Step into the dark trees and become engulfed by darkness, fear and heart pounding terror.

This forest is inhabited by horror that no man has ever experienced before. Don’t be fooled — you are not safe until you escape. There will be no mercy upon your soul and the sound of your screams will only spur them on.

Disturbia Beware of the Vortex where you’ll be pulled in and turned inside out. Which way is up?

Disturbia is an unusual mind trip through a maze of fluorescent colours. Around every turn you will find shocking 3D effects and scares that seem to appear from nowhere. Take a walk on the wild side…

Spookers Haunted Attractions 833 Kingseat Road RD1, Papakura, Auckland T (09) 291 9002 E Julia@spookers.co.nz www.spookers.co.nz — Advertising Feature

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 35

Pride in Print Awards | 2011

category winners 1. Publications — Urbis magazine 2. Business Print — Festivals Collectors’ Sheet of Stamps 3. Packaging — Cadbury Milk Tray 200g box 4. Labels — Totara Sauvignon Blanc 2010 5. Display Print — Joint Winners: Loreal Maybelline Colossal Lashes stand and King Collection Translite 6. Promotional Print — Jennifer and Andrew’s Wedding 7. Specialty Products — The Colemans, A Countdown Story, screen printed T-shirts 8. Industry Development — Solagard low sheen semi-gloss paint pails

process winners ■ Web printing — Valley Voice ■ Flexible packaging — Aria Farms Pam’s Vege & Chicken Stir Fry ■ Sheetfed/Offset — Urbis magazine ■ Digital — Kings Collection Translite ■ Finishing — Julia Grace CD Holder ■ Screen — The Colemans, A Countdown Story

Raising the bar Glossy magazine Urbis has carried off the Supreme Award at the 2011 New Zealand Pride in Print Awards, stunning judges with a complex multi-fold cover that “raised the bar in New Zealand printing”.

Auckland printer Geon Auckland not only received the top prize at the prestigious May 20 award ceremony in Wellington, but also the plaudits for the ‘best-of’ category in Publications, and the best entry in the ‘sheetfed-offset print process’ category.

Judging is based on the technical excellence in all facets of the production process, allowing for specialists to make a judgement based on the potential and limits of that process or processes, the materials and the equipment used. Elements of typography and good design must inevitably be part of this judgement, as is the effective and innovative use of materials.

A repeat supreme finalist, Geon’s combination of an innovative cover design and superb quality insert tipped the scales in favour of the Urbis publication. Judge Damian Fleming says the magazine caught the attention of everyone who looked at it. “There are things about this book which are really cool.”

right, and that has succeeded. This has raised the bar in magazine print standards,” he says.

Geon general manager Andrew Durrans described the moment as a “huge recognition” of the expertise of his staff.

“What the judges said is the bar is getting lifted and the quality is getting better each year. I knew our guys had lifted the bar…

The front cover folds out to make eight pages and the folds have to be exact to make it work. if there was going to be a reward for effort and perseverance and continuing to put out a It is a pretty outrageous thing to attempt and quality product to our clients,” he says. “It is get right. The attention to detail on the cover one of a number of magazines we print on a includes a matched image where the cover monthly basis, with very tight timelines. It has finishes just short of the fore-edge. The result some inserts and crossovers involved with the is seamless. overlay of individual pages, so it is critical that “Inside, there is a tip-in insert which has been you get the alignment right. It is a work of art printed to match the colour and position of the from the front end pre-press.” image on the page beneath. It was printed Pride in Print Awards on different stock, on a different day from the magazine, yet it matches perfectly. This wasn’t PO Box 50166 Porirua some simple glossy advert, but a perforated and complete image match up. Then there was T (04) 237 0489 the binding which has been difficult in its own www.prideinprintawards.co.nz

Q&A Pride in Print 2012 ■ Who can enter?

Entries are welcome from any person or company associated with the production or purchase of print.

for each entry submitted. An entry fee is payable per entry. For entries received after January 31 a ‘late fee’ will apply.

■ How do I present my entry?

Entries should be presented in a satisfactory state for judging (i.e. clean, unmarked, undamaged and carefully selected). The company name must not appear on the entry or display board. For any mounted work, the entry must be able to be readily assessed on ■ How can I enter? both sides of the job, if not, a loose sample An official entry form must be fully completed MUST be supplied. Section B can be attached

■ What work is eligible?

Entries must have been printed in New Zealand between December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011 and be from any production process.

36 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

to the back of the mount. Some categories have different requirements so refer to www.prideinprintawards.co.nz.

■ How many entries can I submit?

There is no limit to the number of entries submitted.

■ Can I place an entry in more than one category?

Yes. One copy of each entry and a completed entry form must be submitted for each category entered. For more information, refer to www.prideinprintawards.co.nz for Judging Information to Assist Entrants.

Pride in Print Awards | GEON Print & Communication Solutions

Communication solutions It’s the biggest of its kind in New Zealand, but GEON Print & Communication Solutions is going one step further, proving it is also the best of its kind in the country.

New Zealand’s largest sheet fed printer, GEON scooped the top prize in this year’s Pride in Print Awards after stunning judges with a complex multifold cover that “raised the bar in New Zealand printing”.

GEON at a glance ■ Geon New Zealand is part of an Australasian business ■ The company employs 380 staff nationwide ■ Geon runs 10 sites throughout New Zealand in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Taranaki, Wellington and Canterbury ■ The company encourages each site to retain its local character and take an

active interest in its local community.

For example, the Napier site sponsors the Geon Art Deco Weekend and the Auckland sites sponsor the Westpac Rescue Helicopter ■ Part of the company’s strategy involves individual sites having a specialist capability, for example the Heathcote site in Christchurch specialises in labels and Auckland’s Kingsland site provides significant small and large format digital print capabilities.

The production of the glossy Urbis magazine earned the company the Supreme Award for the best printed job of the prestigious award ceremony. A company-wide strategy to maintain excellence has ensured the Supreme Award was not the only accolade it achieved, with Geon amassing 44 awards on the night; the Supreme Award, two Category Finalists out of nine categories, one Process Winner out of six processes, 24 Gold Medals and 16 Highly Commended Awards.

Pride in Print judge Damian Fleming describes the Urbis cover as a striking example of a magazine cover and attributes its combination of an innovative cover design and a superb-quality insert as the qualities which tipped the scales in favour of the publication.

Feature continues on next page >>

Chemical Congratulates GEON Print & Communication Solutions on being the supreme winners at the 2011 Pride in Print Awards With the worldwide resources of DS Chemport, as well as being a local Manufacturer, FUJIFILM Chemical is a dominant force in the New Zealand press chemistry and consumables industry. Our focus is on providing competitive, value added premium products with quality service, cutting edge technologies and support for our customers. We want to create synergies with our customers that will promote a win win situation. We are in it for the long haul.

Please visit us at www.fujifilm.co.nz FUJIFILM Chemical is an exclusive distributor of :

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 37

Pride in Print Awards | GEON Print & Communication Solutions

“There are things about this book which are really cool. The front cover folds out to make eight pages and the folds have to be exact to make it work,” Pride in Print judge Damian Fleming says. “It is a pretty outrageous thing to attempt and get right. The attention to detail on the cover includes a matched image where the cover finishes just short of the fore-edge.

The result is seamless.

“Inside, there is a tip-in insert which has been printed to match the colour and position of the image on the page beneath. It was printed on different stock, on a different day from the magazine, yet it matches perfectly. This wasn’t some simple glossy advert, but a perforated and complete image match up. Then there was the binding which has been difficult in its own right, and that has succeeded.”

The Urbis magazine caught the attention of everyone who looked at it, he says. “This has raised the bar in magazine print standards.”

But the level of excellence is to be expected from Geon, who won the most awards of any one company nominated across all categories with all four of the company’s New Zealand regions — Auckland, Central, Wellington and South Island — contributing to the haul.

The flagship site in New Zealand, Geon Highbrook is a purpose-built 11,000sqm state-of-the-art facility, just 15 minutes from the CBD and airport. Operating since January 2008, this is the largest sheet-fed printing operation in New Zealand.

Geon Auckland was responsible for some innovative entries in the awards, including a 10lt Solagard Range bucket for Wattyl which won the Industry Development Category.

The paint pail has its label moulded into the product as it is produced, making it part of the plastic construction instead of being attached afterwards. The in-mould label arose from a request by the customer to provide a new label solution, giving rise to an 18-month programme of research and development,

Hostmann-Steinberg NZ Ltd would like to congratulate GEON Print & Communication Solutions for their success at the 2011 Pride In Print Awards.

WE ARE PROUD TO BE ONE OF THEIR PREFERRED SUPPLIERS.

(09) 528 0627 (09) 528 0642 www.hostmann-steinberg-ausnz.net tel.

fax.

GEON executive general manager for New Zealand, Andrew Durrans celebrates on the night (above) and with Parul Sheopuri, Urbis publisher (left), on winning the Pride in Print supreme award.

with the printer partnering with an end manufacturer to trial the print and a production mould. Geon trialled various substrates, inks, fountain solutions and coating formulas and moulds, sourcing products worldwide to get the best combination with the printed material.

Pride in Print judge and chairman Scott Porter sees in-mould labelling as an increasing area of industry development. “This involves placing the label in the mould and then creating the product around it. They have gone to a lot of effort to source the right materials that will stand up to extreme conditions that the label is exposed to during the moulding process.

“Their efforts have produced a product that has integrity and will last a long time showing no deterioration. It also shows a willingness to develop new streams for a technology that has previously been applied to smaller products like tubs and pottles.

“That represents a challenge to traditional printed labels that are applied by glue.

Now, this is a commercial product in the marketplace. The industry is showing it can develop new challenges,” Porter says.

Executive general manager for Geon’s New Zealand operations Andrew Durrans says the awards were well earned. “The results were a real thrill and a very strong recognition of our commitment to quality.”

It’s an apt summation; the awards are evaluated on “technical excellence in all facets of the production process.”

Accepting the award, Durrans described the moment as a “huge recognition” of the expertise of his staff. “What the judges said is the bar is getting lifted and the quality is getting better each year and I knew our team had lifted the bar.”

One of a number of magazines Geon prints on a monthly basis, with tight timelines, the Urbis publication is just one example of the quality printing customers have come to expect from Geon. “It has some inserts and crossovers involved with that overlay individual pages, so it is critical that you get the alignment right. It

38 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

is a work of art from the front end pre-press to the final binding process,” he says.

The magazine sector is a competitive one, but Geon competes well. “Our customers are demanding more from us. Particularly on front covers they are looking for special colours and the eye candy.

“Urbis is a magazine that also sells over the counter so it is very important that you attract the people they’re targeting, which is the people who are looking for high-end fashion and quality; they need to see that in the product. The advertisers in that magazine are the higher-end brands. It is important that they are aligned to a high-end product.

“As a leading print and communications business, we clearly have a responsibility to

the industry and we see our commitment to these awards as part of that. The awards allow us to be judged against our competitors. You get recognition from the wider industry and our customers and staff get a huge buzz from the jobs that win awards.

“I would like to thank our staff throughout the country for the huge part they played in Geon’s success,” Durrans concludes.

GEON Print & Communication Solutions 107 Kerwyn Avenue Highbrook East Tamaki Auckland T 0800 436 647 www.geongroup.com — Advertising Feature

Pride in Print Awards | GEON Print & Communication Solutions

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 39

Business Development | Rainbow Confectionery

Finding the right flavour Rainbow Confectionery in Oamaru is celebrating 10 years of manufacturing a delicious range of sweet treats for consumers throughout the country.

The company was created 10 years ago by Patrick Betty, Ray White and Rodney Thornton, who saw an opportunity within the New Zealand market. Betty and Thornton had previously worked together in a multi-national confectionery company, which was closing down its plant in Oamaru and moving offshore.

“We got together with Ray and formulated a plan,” Betty says. “Once the multi-national moved offshore we bought their building in Oamaru, bought some equipment, employed about half a dozen of the redundant staff and got going.

“We were making everything we make now, mainly the gums, jellies and marshmallows — similar products to what was made previously on site. We started making small volumes,” Betty says.

“We were supplying to a few small wholesalers, as well as The Warehouse.

“We still supply to The Warehouse, but now also supply Foodstuffs and Progressives, plus more of the main independent wholesalers.”

In Rainbow’s first year of operation, the company sold about 180 tonnes of confectionery.

Today it is selling 2800 tonnes. “We put together a long-term business plan. As the opportunities came up we just went for it. Then we got opportunities to do seasonal products like Easter and Christmas, as much as every day products.”

A range of confectionery brands

GELITA NZ Ltd congratulates Rainbow on their 10th Anniversary and is proud to supply their gelatine requirements.

www.gelita.com

Rainbow Confectionery now manufactures a lot of seasonal products, including marshmallow Easter eggs under its own brand. Its products are sold under a variety of brand names, which have experienced different degrees of growth.

“Some of our growth has come from house brands for Progressives and The Warehouse.

We’re probably the main supplier into the wholesale trade, which goes to the likes of Gilmours, Toops and Trents, and there are

the other independent wholesalers like Brandlines and Alexanders Marketing,” says Betty. “We supply them in a 1kg bag and they either repack it or sell it to a dairy owner. That’s reasonably big for us and then there’s the seasonal with Easter and Christmas.

We do a choc marshmallow Santa.

“We also do house brand retail packs and we have a bit of a presence with our own branding in the marketplace, but it’s small.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO RAINBOW CONFECTIONERY ON THEIR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY It is with pleasure that New Zealand Starch continues to supply Rainbow Confectionery with glucose and starch products proudly manufactured in New Zealand. We thank Rainbow Confectionery for their support and we look forward to servicing their future needs.

NZ Starch Limited | Ph: 09 634 2119 | www.nzstarch.co.nz

40 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Business Development | Rainbow Confectionery

Popular products Rainbow Confectionery produces a range of delicious lollies that are popular with sweet-toothed consumers. Director Patrick Betty says most of the Oamaru company’s products are variations of the same recipe but are produced in different shapes, colours and flavours.

The company manufactures under a range of labels, including its own Rainbow brand. Other brands include Homebrand, Night ‘N Day and Planet Candy.

Rainbow Confectionery makes lollies in five product ranges.

Gums, one of the most popular, range from spearmint leaves to airplanes, glow worms, milk bottles, wine gums, jelly babies, snakes, hats and black’n’reds.

Jellies are sugar sanded, and include fruit jellies, while sour squares and sour gloworms are sour sanded on the outside.

Licorice delights are coated in hundreds and thousands.

Another group of products is the “cream” lollies, such as peaches’n’cream and strawberries’n’cream.

Rainbow has recently released a feijoa’n’cream lolly, which has been met positively by consumers.

“We do a standard range.

Occasionally we launch a variation of that range — sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

All of Rainbow Confectionery’s products are gluten free, with materials sourced from corn,

rather than wheat, as is done in Australia.

“We have a technologist on site and we do a lot of compliance work, such as making sure our labels are correct. We have a food safety programme in place. In terms of product development, we spend a lot of time making sure we comply.”

Feature continues on next page >>

Another unique product is a volcano with a blue bottom and a sour top.

“We’ve developed a couple of products that are different to what anyone else can make, which has given us added value,” says Betty.

“No one else is making volcanoes — they’re one of the very early products we made and we get reasonable volume from that. A lot of customers come to us and ask if we can make something and we have a go.”

However, Rainbow’s biggest selling product is pink and white marshmallows for the route trade, which includes cafes. “We also do grained marshmallow products, such as

astronauts and assorted puffs. They have a short texture and are good for children as they don’t fall apart,” she says. “We also do choc-coated products like pineapple chunks and baby fish and a couple of other products, most of which are marshmallow coated in choc.”

Ph: (09) 259 5500

Rainbow does a small amount of “natural” lollies, as well as a couple of bar lines, including the 50g big fish and a toastie, which are individually wrapped. “We’ve just launched a whoppa chunk bar, which is a big pineapple chunk,” Betty says.

We are suppliers of high quality Gluten Free confectionery to the Wholesale and Retail Trade.

Contact us through our web site, by email or phone us!

Ph: (03) 437 1847 0508 4 RAINBOW Fax: (03) 437 2280

459 Thames Highway, PO Box 258, Oamaru 9444 New Zealand

www.rainbowconfectionery.co.nz

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 41

Business Development | Rainbow Confectionery

New Rainbow range Rainbow Confectionery is continually looking for new product variations and has recently released its own range of jellybeans.

Jellybeans were launched about 12 months ago and are made on machinery that was purchased by Rainbow about five years ago.

“It’s taken us 18 months to get the process right,” director Patrick Betty says.

“Most of our problem with jellybeans is price — we can’t make them for what people can import them for.”

However, after studying the market the Rainbow team decided it was economic to begin manufacturing jellybeans and purchased some additional new equipment.

“We felt there was an opportunity to make jellybeans. You can import jellybeans from South America and China, but looking at what’s happening with sugar pricing over there and the Chinese economy we wanted to be ready to make them if importing became expensive, and it’s slowly going that way.”

One of Rainbow’s main advantages in the jellybean market is its ability to supply customers with single-colour jellybeans, which are particularly popular with corporate clients.

Caramel variation Rainbow Confectionery has also just launched a caramel variation of the pineapple chunk, which has been well received in the market.

“There’s no question that our product is a little bit different to what you can get from Australia, texture wise,” Betty says. “It’s to the New Zealand taste. I think our quality is as good as the multinational companies.”

Trends within the confectionery market have seen a growth in popularity of soft lollies over hard-boiled sweets.

“Apart from that it’s either a snake or spider and you get that variation in shape that you’re after.”

Competitive market Despite the glut of cheap imported lollies within New Zealand, Betty says Rainbow Confectionery has maintained its competitive edge.

“One of the big things we can offer, apart from price, is that people can buy less than a pallet off us.

Proud to be long term suppliers to Rainbow Confectionery Congratulations to Rainbow on their 10th!

We’re proud to have been supporting them from the start, with products as diverse as gelatin, confectionary glazing and many others.

For all your food ingredients,

Otago Packaging Supplies Ltd 301 Hillside Road Dunedin

Ph 03 455 5206 Fax 03 455 5250

Phone. 09-8352050 Email. mike@ingredients.co.nz

www.ingredients.co.nz www.otagopackaging.co.nz

42 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

“When you import you have to buy a container load, but a lot of our smaller customers can buy just a layer or two on the pallet, versus a whole container load.

“They can put four or five different products on a pallet — it’s about service,” Betty says.

Rainbow Confectionery guarantees delivery anywhere in New Zealand within three days, while South Island customers can often receive their orders on the same day or following day.

Business Development | Rainbow Confectionery

Continued growth Rainbow Confectionery has continued to grow during the recession, as New Zealanders choose to reward themselves with small treats, rather than large expensive ones.

Rainbow director Patrick Betty says confectionery is quite price driven, but the company has had its best years ever through the recession.

Rainbow Confectionery employs 48 permanent staff and up to 25 casuals from its large factory at 459 Thames Highway, Oamaru, where it has been located from day one. “Our sales have increased during the past couple of years. People are staying home and treating themselves to confectionery and a video, rather than going to the pictures and dinner.”

Another factor was Cadbury moving its sugar confectionery division offshore. The move resulted in a few stock issues, which saw some customers switch to Rainbow.

Betty attributes the success of Rainbow Confectionery during its 10 years of operation to its skilled and experienced staff and the knowledge they’ve gained over the years.

“To pick up those staff who had worked in the industry meant we could get going and meet our target within 12 months of starting. We had that good base of experience. They could foresee the problems coming up and knock them off before they happened,” he says.

“Ten years down the track there’s still about three or four of them left at the factory. The growth plans with staff have been quite big, but without that core we would’ve struggled. Our staff are a real asset to us and the reason for us getting to where we are.”

Rainbow Confectionery has also continually looked for opportunities to grow and has recognised them when they came along.

Busy season ahead Betty says the company has the capacity for further growth in the future.

It currently operates its factory 24 hours a day, five days a week, but could easily expand it to seven days a week if needed.

While the quiet period within the confectionery industry is traditionally from March to May, Rainbow Confectionery is now into its busy season through until after Christmas. “From June onwards we start selling more and then we go flat out. The effort for us is to try to fill that quiet period early in the year.”

Rainbow Confectionery Limited 459 Thames Highway Oamaru T (03) 437 1847 F (03) 437 2280 www.rainbowconfectionery.co.nz — Advertising Feature

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 43

Business Development | Dexion NZ

Super storage systems

■■■ The principles of founder Demitrius Comino still guide Dexion today. The Dexion way of doing business was born out of necessity, created by Comino to solve a storage problem in his printing business. His beliefs became the glue that held the company together as it grew.

These beliefs, or values, are:

Dexion may have its roots in the 1920s, but the company’s focus is all about finding modern solutions with cutting edge technology.

■ Excellence in performance Comino was his own severest critic. Nothing satisfied him as he constantly tried to eliminate what he called “the not-so-good”. He used to say that no matter what the result was and no matter how good it appeared to be, the finished product should be critically examined for possible further improvements. Seek feedback, look for scope for improvement and never be entirely satisfied.

Humble beginnings Dexion is one of those household brand names. But its origins are much humbler than its phenomenal success might lead you to believe. The company was started by Demitrius Comino, an Australian who returned to England after WWII. As a young man building a new printing business he gave thought to the problem of how to best use the space available in his business in the most efficient way.

He needed a storage unit which could be constructed and, if necessary, dismantled and re-used in an infinite number of ways, easily and without waste.

■ Integrity in relationships Do what you say you will do.

Customer loyalty should be recognised as the greatest asset.

To achieve this there needs to be a strong personal commitment throughout the company.

His answer was a strip of metal bent at right angles longitudinally and perforated with specially shaped and positioned slots in both flanges — the “Slotted Angle”.

Interest in the new idea was immediate, and in 1947 Demitrius Comino founded Dexion Ltd. The word Dexion is derived from the Greek language and means ‘right angle’. From a tiny factory at Chingford in Essex staffed by nine factory workers and one sales person, Dexion began to grow rapidly.

■ Innovation in application Stay ahead of what customers expect, be proactive, changeoriented and proud of the knowledge of the application of products. Comino wanted all Dexion staff to talk with customers to gain insights into changing preferences and trends within their industries.

By the late 1960s Dexion products were being made or sold in more than 100 countries.

Demitrius Comino passed away in 1988, but his business continues to thrive in every corner of the world.

New Zealand expansion Expansion into New Zealand happened in 2006, when Dexion in Australia acquired Capital Racking Systems and six months later Hamilton Perry Industries, a long time New Zealand authorised dealer.

With a growing reputation as a customer led business, the team at Allfast pride themselves on their personal approach and dedication to customer service.

Allfast Solutions has the experience and industry knowledge to meet and exceed customer’s expectations covering a wide range of Industries including Manufacturing, Engineering, Building, Construction, Marine and Architectural.

For the best stock quality, competitive pricing and 100% customer service look no further than Allfast Solutions.

www.allfastsolutions.co.nz Allfast Waikato Ltd 38a The Boulevard, Hamilton, New Zealand P: (07) 849 5287 F: (07) 849 7304 E: hamilton@allfastsolutions.co.nz

Allfast Auckland Ltd Unit 4, 103 Cryers Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, NZ P: (09) 272 2203 F: (09) 272 2263 E: auckland@allfastsolutions.co.nz

Proud to support Dexion NZ ltd

44 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Manufacturer and supplier of High Quality Wire Rope and Rigging Hardware to the NZ Industry and Overseas We are proud to be associated with Dexion NZ LTD

Dexion New Zealand General Manager Craig Landon says the two businesses formed the nucleus for a new entity — Dexion New Zealand. “Dexion has progressively introduced its global certified systems into New Zealand superseding the previous systems manufactured here in New Zealand and aligning our offering to the global marketplace. Because of the globalisation of our client base, our clients wanted to work with Dexion as part of a global contract, specified to the same global exacting standards.”

Within only five years, the company has enjoyed phenomenal growth and success in this country. Why? “Because we don’t sell components, we sell solutions,” Landon explains. “Every customer’s requirements are different. When a customer invests in a new site to distribute its product it has an opportunity to establish a competitive advantage, if the site is designed effectively.

We enable that to happen.”

Business Development | Dexion NZ

Dexion takes responsibility for the design and engineering, customisation, implementation, integration of technology and equipment, system optimisation and after-sales service and support.

And the proof is in the pudding — or, in this case, quality big-budget projects. Dexion and its network of Dexion Supply centres deliver on average a significant new warehouse solution somewhere in New Zealand every day of the year.

Dexion in Auckland has just finished working on a number of sites including the CBD Goldair site, (which is the largest warehouse on Auckland’s North Shore) as well as Lion Nathan’s new East Tamaki Site, and work for Bridgestone, Packaging House and Cadbury New Zealand.

Dexion applies the same design methodology and precise execution to all projects, both large scale and small to medium applications, enabling all customers to enjoy the same peace of mind invest benefits that working with Dexion brings.

Landon says Dexion supports the business with a highly experienced and regarded team of professionals covering disciplines in account management, structural engineering, design engineering, construction management, project management and rack safety auditings; all focused on delivering exceptional projects — executed with precision.

■■■ Dexion New Zealand T 0800 339 466

www.dexion.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

components are designed and manufactured using high quality steel for New Zealand’s seismic conditions.”

Dexion operates a national network of Dexion Supply Centres situated in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. These Supply Centres are staffed by experienced staff, resourced to deliver quick and efficient solutions to market.

Dexion has a research and development centre in Sydney which works closely with the University of Technology, Sydney and the prestigious Oxford Brookes University in England. “We are always evolving and testing components to ensure we deliver customers exceptional performance,” Landon says.

Quality and innovation

Future goals

Landon recognises that there can be at times some confusion as to what is ‘Dexion’ and what is not. He stresses that ‘Dexion Compatible’ does not mean that the component has been designed, tested and manufactured to the Dexion standard.

Looking to the future, Landon says the company won’t be resting on its laurels.

“We’re looking to improve our customer offering all the time with an increased product range linked to increased financing options through Dexion Finance.

“There’s no such thing as Dexion Compatible,” he says firmly. “Our highly engineered

“Dexion has a proud history in New Zealand for over 60 years and we remain committed

and focused to growing with our customers and delivering supported solutions, applied with the same exacting standards that are the

hallmark of Dexion. Our success is driven by our customers and we hope that their success has been supported in some part by Dexion.”

Proudly supporting Dexion NZ Ltd Specialists in precision CNC laser cutting and high-accuracy press brake folding Quality Amada equipment capable of producing the following: • Flat sheet CNC laser cutting from 0.1mm through to 12mm thick (mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium) • High accuracy CNC press brake work up to 3metres • CNC 3D tube laser cutting up to 180 0 and 1200mm in length

We also provide the following services to complement your laser cutting needs: • • • • •

Insertion of clinch studs, nuts and standoffs Assembly and finishing work Welding of mild steel, aluminium and stainless steel Design through to fabrication Flexible design options - from development through to CAD drawings

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www.hi-techmetals.co.nz 4B Pukekiwiriki Place (off Kerwyn Ave) Highbrook, East Tamaki, Auckland Phone (09) 274-0623

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Email info@hi-techmetals.co.nz

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 45

Property and Construction | NZRPG (New Zealand Retail Property Group)

Creating quality urban space New Zealand Retail Property Group Limited (NZRPG) is not just about building shopping centres; it’s about identifying the needs and wants of the communities in which they have presence.

The company provides a unique retail environment reflecting the community demographic, rather than the “one style fits all approach” of the institutional investors in the retail property market.

NZRPG Ltd as a company is the successor to what originally started in 1992 as a mixed residential, industrial and commercial property development and management company.

Above: An artist’s impression of the proposed apartment living at Highbury Shopping Centre on Auckland’s North Shore.

It is today managed by director and CEO Mark Gunton, who heads a small team committed to the delivery of quality urban spaces that are valued and owned by the communities they serve, and the investors, businesses and workers that have a stake in them.

NZRPG has grown to become the largest New Zealand privately owned investor and manager of retail property, administering a portfolio that includes shopping centres in both

Right: Tauriko Crossing in Tauranga will be a regional retail destination in one of New Zealand’s fastest growing cities.

Auckland and Tauranga. All of these centres offer exciting organic growth opportunities, although the expansion of the Westgate Shopping Centre at the end of Auckland’s north-western motorway stands out, as the new motorway system to the west and north comes on stream this month.

Gunton says this focus on retail property happened naturally after the company acquired the site for the large Westgate Shopping Centre in Massey, Auckland, in 1997.

“We’ve become a niche player in terms of being a greenfields or brownfields developer of retail, rather than investors that buy existing centres,” Gunton says. “We take it from the identification of the land through the planning process to the development, management and ownership of the centre.”

NZRPG currently owns and manages 110,000 square metres of retail space spread across 268 tenants. The group has proposed growth of another 250,000 square metres of retail space, which will primarily be developed at Westgate and the Tauriko Crossing Shopping Centre in Tauranga.

Creating communities Gunton says NZRPG is committed to helping create communities around its retail developments.

In other urban developments, including the Milford Shopping Centre and Highbury Shopping Centre on the North Shore, the company is investigating options to develop smart suburban centres, compact communities and mixed-use neighbourhoods in an effort to move away from existing unsustainable and disconnected city environments.

Milford is a modern shopping centre on Milford Road that consists of mixed retail with large anchor tenants including Countdown and The Warehouse. Highbury on Birkenhead Avenue is a smaller shopping centre which also includes Countdown and The Warehouse.

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Property and Construction | NZRPG (New Zealand Retail Property Group)

Gunton says NZRPG is committed to its goal of developing residential apartments around Milford and Highbury, as well as extending the retail offering.

“We’ve been seeking to wrap apartment-style living around and above both Milford and Highbury Shopping Centres for the last three to four years, but while the council is supportive, given the concept has been enshrined in the planning process, the local community, particularly at Milford, have evidenced some resistance to change.

“The Auckland spatial plan is about creating more intensive urban outcomes in transport supportive environments, which we believe is very consistent with our planning processes for these centres,” he says.

“In fact, as a comparison, the proposed expansion at Westgate has, as a requirement of the planning process, a need to develop a residential offer within the centre.

“We’ve already completed a significant ambient upgrade at Milford. The next step is to extend the retail offer and sleeve it with a softened residential face to the street, while progressing with the planning requirements to allow for an apartment-style development to create a ‘live, work, play’ environment.

The flow-on effects to the local business community should also not be underestimated, with an additional 234 residential units on their doorstep.”

On a broader note, Gunton says retail developments need to keep growing and changing in order to remain current, which is the enduring challenge for retail property investment companies.

During the last three years there has been a dramatic shift in retail spending as consumers deal with uncertainty at every level within the economy. During this time NZRPG has recognised the need to let those retailers incapable of adapting to change move on, while assisting those who have shown a willingness to “get on”. As a consequence NZRPG has been extremely successful in maintaining a fully leased portfolio.

Honesty and integrity What defines NZRPG is its steadfast commitment to overcoming challenges and meeting objectives. It prides itself on taking a realistic and positive approach to projects with excellent growth potential in order to secure strong income for the future.

NZRPG has an unwavering desire to get it right first time.

It is defined by its Kiwi roots. NZRPG is locally owned and managed, and unlike the larger institutions owning and operating shopping centres in New Zealand, the economic benefits that flow from local ownership remain onshore.

NZRP has honesty and integrity and an ability to identify properties that provide an opportunity for growth that keep the company in the game.

“What defines us is our sense of community,” Gunton says.

“We are manifestly aware of the need for our projects to be valued by the communities that surround them, that interact with them, and that work within them. Having said this, the very nature of what we do is about change and while it is the only constant in life, there is always resistance. It can therefore be argued that being a developer now is more about managing change and perceptions than the physical act of development.”

An aerial view of the site for the new Westgate Town Centre in Massey.

Proposed Westgate development The New Zealand Retail Property Group Ltd’s development of the Westgate expansion at the end of the north-western motorway is poised to help it become one of Auckland City’s key new town centres.

The opening of the Westgate shopping centre in 1998 helped grow the Massey district, which was largely a rural area until the 1960s and the development of the north-western Motorway.

“We acquired the existing Westgate site in 1997 and we’ve served an apprenticeship.

“We accepted council’s approach in 2002 that further development of Westgate should be in a ‘best-practice urban form’ and this has lead to the design providing for the expansion and maturing of the Westgate offer into a fully

functional urban environment, offering a full range of commercial, retail and community services. The opportunity is unique in terms of New Zealand. It’s replicating the opportunity that Manukau City was 30 years ago — it was a blank canvas.”

Feature continues on next page >>

NZRPG Limited director Mark Gunton says his company has been working towards the expansion of Westgate for the past nine years.

Westgate currently consists of 45,000 square metres of mixed retail, including Event Cinemas, Countdown, Farmers, The Warehouse and 106 other retail business and service providers.

“We now have an opportunity, with land acquisition over the last nine years and a further $30 million spent on planning, to develop the third major retail hub in Auckland,” Gunton says.

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“The opportunity for Westgate is to emulate both Takapuna and Manukau in terms of its relationship with the Auckland CBD.”

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Initial projections suggest the Westgate offer will expand to include some 113,000 square metres of additional retail, including a town square and a large format retail precinct.

NZRPG has also developed plans for 54,000 square metres of yard-based retail, such as Placemakers, Mitre10 and DIY stores.

and engineering services to

NZRPG has already started work on the development’s infrastructure, which includes road works and civil works on 52 hectares of land.

the team at New Zealand Retail

“Between Auckland council and ourselves as the developers, we’re spending $63 million on these works. We expect to start building in November and we hope to have the first retailers open and operating by July next year,” Gunton says.

“The town centre is due for opening by mid2013 and will include a three-level regional library overlooking the town square with a separate town park.”

Gunton says there has been huge interest from retailers in the proposed expansion of the Westgate shopping centre.

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Quality Services for Quality Environments www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 47

Property and Construction | NZRPG (New Zealand Retail Property Group) Growth in the Massey district Westgate has so far been one of the most commercially successful developments in Waitakere City. It occupies almost 12 hectares of land and has a high level of exposure to the busy north-western motorway.

It is an established mixed-use retail location surrounded by residential suburbs, and offers a consolidated cluster of retail trade activity, leisure facilities and food and beverage venues in a streetscape environment with about 1530 carparks.

The Westgate centre and Massey North is set to become a major bustling centre for people living in Massey, West Harbour and other areas nearby. There will be regular public transport, with express buses to Auckland City.

It is expected the population of the Massey North and existing Westgate area will rise to 8000 by 2021. Employment opportunities in the existing and future city centre area and industrial developments expected to the north will provide for 7200 new jobs or more.

“The Auckland City Council has made a commitment in the north-west area of a total of $350 million of infrastructure spending,” says Gunton.

“This will be spent in the next three to five years in the NorSGA (North West Strategic Growth Area) corridor with marine working environments, significant residential housing projects, Hobsonville Village, working environment land and the Town Centre all being party to the grand plan. That’s a big commitment by council and very timely in terms of work done by central government with the new motorway system being opened on August 6.”

Tauriko Crossing The New Zealand Retail Property Group Limited (NZRPG) is currently garnering leasing interest in its new Tauriko Crossing premium retail development in Tauranga, with earthworks complete and construction due to start soon.

These changes will see the area become a comprehensively planned town centre that will provide a full range of opportunities for work, living and recreation.

NZRPG Ltd has a certificate of compliance to build a 37,000 square metre mall-style retail centre on the southern edge of Tauranga next to the State Highway 27 and the Route K roundabout.

Tauriko Crossing will be a regional retail destination in one of New Zealand’s fastest growing cities.

NZRPG has been pursuing a range of “green” options for its developments and plans to make Tauriko Crossing New Zealand’s first green shopping centre. The vision is that this project will incorporate the world’s best practice in ecological sustainability with innovative design.

Fraser Cove shopping centre

NZRPG director Mark Gunton says his company is in the process of concluding agreements with the mall anchors and regards the current interest as strong.

Another retail development built by NZRPG in Tauranga is Fraser Cove in Fraser Street. Fraser Cove features Countdown and The Warehouse with a variety of specialty retail stores.

“We’re looking to establish that as a two-level mall and have another 10 hectares of adjacent land, of which 6.5 hectares has recently been rezoned bulk retail, which will be developed contemporaneously with the mall, and offer the only fully comprehensive retail destination in the Bay of Plenty,” he says.

Fraser Cove offers a diverse range of retail activity, including a gymnasium, clothing stores, an auto-electrical supplier, video rental outlet, clothing shops, a home-security business and a pharmacy.

Tauriko Crossing will be considerably larger than Bayfair Shopping Centre and will be a true regional fashion centre, attracting shoppers from Matamata, Katikati, Te Puke and Rotorua, as well as Tauranga. It is expected to cost $100 million for stage one.

NZRPG wants to start building the bulk retail area, of 25,000 square metres, early next year and some of the large stores, as well as a cafe and bar, should be operating 12 to 18 months after that.

The centre was completed in 2002 by NZRPG, with The Warehouse operating as its anchor tenant.

Fraser Cove initially comprised of 19,000 square metres but was extended by an additional 2200 square metres in 2004, when a two-level building was added. The success of Fraser Cove resulted in NZRPG adding another 2200 square metres in 2009 together with a 5,000 square metre Countdown and bringing car parking spaces up to more than 1000.

New Zealand Retail Property Group PO Box 84 001 Westgate Auckland 0657 T (09) 831 0200 F (09) 831 0201 E info@nzrpg.co.nz www.nzrpg.co.nz — Advertising Feature

NZRPG wants to help build a community around the Milford Shopping Centre.

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Property and Construction | Coastal Builders

Recladding & luxury homes leader Coastal Builders in Takapuna is already a specialist in building high-spec luxury homes and is now growing its expertise in large technical recladding work.

Recognised for its expertise in the Auckland new luxury homes market, Coastal Builders is also gaining notice for specialist recladding projects, including an extensive renovation of a 70-year-old home (below) which was carried out under a waterproof shrink wrap.

Coastal Builders was formed in 1996 by Geordie Davidson and Reuben Paranihi, who today head a team of nine fulltime employees and a wide range of qualified subcontractors.

Over the years the company has undertaken almost every type of construction, from luxury homes to commercial office fit-outs, house renovations and extensions.

Focus on luxury homes Coastal Builders originally began building homes of all budgets but soon specialised in new home building and alterations for Auckland’s high-end market. Dedication and hard work means today Coastal Builders is one of Auckland’s preferred luxury homes builders.

Coastal Builders’ portfolio of renovation work includes custom kitchens and bathrooms, home automation, outdoor entertainment areas and swimming pools and water features.

water in them they’d be completely ruined,” he says. “It’s as technical as you can get but it means you can work in any weather. It’s a controlled environment all the time.”

“Quality is the big thing with us. We know the difference between a quality home — something that’s been specified to last — rather than something that is not going to last.

Recladding expert

The company’s skilled team is experienced in working with some of Auckland’s leading architects, as well as clients who are constrained by tight timeframes and deadlines.

The relationships developed with a network of talented sub-contractors allows it to use the same experienced team on all its projects.

While Coastal Builders has traditionally concentrated on the high-end new home build and renovation markets, Geordie Davidson says the recent recession has brought about new opportunities. “We’re experts in the luxury home market but we can do everything,” Davidson says.

Both projects were a huge success, with the owners more than happy with Coastal Builders’ high-quality recladding work.

“We deal with people who don’t want to go home to problems.”

Coastal Builders always builds to an architect’s plan and does not offer design-and-build services. Recent new home projects include a five-bedroom 420 square metre home in Remuera with three ensuites and two guest bathrooms. The project involved extensive excavation work and construction of stone walls, with the house being clad in cedar.

“Recladding is big now and we’ve learnt a lot.

It’s a very specialised arena.”

Alterations and renovations This high level of knowledge and experience is also evident in Coastal Builders’ renovation and addition work, where quality craftsmanship is never compromised.

The company started out on small-scale alterations but now tackles projects that include stately homes where no room or land area is left untouched. Staff enjoy the chance to work on character homes where they can retain the original style while introducing modern living spaces and technology.

Total house reclads are fast becoming the norm as it proves to be one of the simplest and most cost-effective methods of addressing weather tightness problems, as well as adding real monetary value to your property.

Last year Coastal Builders undertook two large recladding projects, both involving wrapping the entire house in shrink wrap over scaffolding, in order to completely strip the old cladding and roof and carry out the weatherboard recladding and refurbishment work in a totally water-tight environment.

Davidson says it was an interesting and unique process, which effectively involved “building the house in reverse” under the shrink wrap.

Success and growth Davidson says customers come to Coastal Builders for the company’s skills, experience and high level of organisation.

“We’ve got a network of subcontractors that we use over and over again. We’re not always the cheapest price people are going to get but everything has been done cheaply in the past and there have been huge problems,” he says.

Coastal Builders Limited PO Box 331-628 Takapuna Auckland 0740 T (09) 489 8103 F (09) 489 8104 info@coastalbuilders.co.nz www.coastalbuilders.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Transport and Motoring | Keith Andrews Trucks

Trucking on…

If you’re into trucking then Keith Andrews Trucks Limited, with bases in Northland and Auckland, is a name you need to know.

There’s also a range of lease and finance options to provide flexibility and manage the capital outlay more easily. The breadth of this truck sales operation means clients are dealing with the best in the business.

The company was formed in January 1992 by Keith and Vicki Andrews, who started with a team of five in their Whangarei dealership at 50 Rewa Rewa Road.

The Keith Andrews sales team has the expertise, comprehensive range and practical knowledge to assist with any requirement.

Better still, the team is committed to ensuring all customers are completely satisfied with the entire truck sales experience, and especially the end result.

An automotive mechanic by trade, Keith has dedicated himself to building a business his whole team can be proud of, with a commitment to providing an environment and level of service second to none in the industry. Today Keith and Vicki manage 60 staff across four locations — Whangarei, Manukau, Tauranga and Hamilton.

The company specialises in new and used trucks, pre-built or custom-made trucks, one-off purchases through to full fleet replacements, and truck purchases for any scale or use.

Keith Andrews Trucks supplies and services a range of trucks and commercial vehicles, specialising in Mitsubishi Fuso, Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi forklifts with new and used vehicles, parts and services onsite at both Manukau and Whangarei.

Quality used trucks

Sixty-five percent of New Zealand’s transport sector is in the Taupo to North Cape region and Keith Andrews Trucks supply and service a wide range of industry-leading trucks and commercial vehicles to the entire sector.

The company offers:

Keith Andrews says his business is ideally located to meet the changing needs of this demanding industry group. “We offer vehicles for all facets of the road transport industry, from the very smallest to the largest,” he says.

“We’re giving them a seamless experience — it doesn’t matter which dealership they go into.”

■ A high standard of servicing on all used trucks

New truck specialist With more than 20 years in the commercial vehicle business and a reputation for expert advice, fair pricing and top-quality service, Keith Andrews Trucks is one of the largest and highly respected truck dealers in New Zealand.

With a reputation established through hundreds of truck sales and hundreds of satisfied customers, the team understands the commercial realities customers consider when purchasing a new or used truck.

Keith Andrews Trucks recognises that customers buying used trucks want to know the unit has everything they need at the right price. And most importantly, that it’s going to be reliable.

■ A great selection of used trucks with a regular turnover of vehicles ■ A full service history on most vehicles

■ Peace of mind — all servicing is up to date and only genuine parts are used.

Although Keith Andrews Trucks is a Mitsubishi Fuso and Mercedes-Benz specialist, the team has expertise in all other makes traded from new truck buyers. Customers’ requirements will be matched with the most suitable used truck for the job, at a fair price.

Keith Andrews Trucks recognises that customers’ trucking requirements are unique to their business. The team will help their clients spec, design and build the truck that will tick all their boxes. Their experience means they have plenty of ideas and practical knowledge to bring to the process, to ensure every possible option is considered.

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Transport and Motoring | Keith Andrews Trucks

Staff also understand the commercial realities of their customers’ business, and will ensure every truck build is completed on time, to budget. Customers are kept informed at each stage and are welcome to check on progress during the build.

Parts and service Keith Andrews Trucks carries a large range of genuine Fuso, Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz and Alliance truck parts, as well as parts for Mitsubishi forklifts.

In addition, the company stocks a wide range of consumables for all makes and models of vehicles and can source just about anything clients need for trucks, buses, vans and light commercials. Any parts not in stock are just a phone call and an overnight delivery away, and the Keith Andrews’ team works closely with the service team to ensure fast-turnaround with truck parts to keep drivers on the road.

The Keith Andrews’ team combines specialist van and truck parts knowledge with a real commitment to service and customer satisfaction. The company offers a 24/7 breakdown service, with courtesy cars available, while the Auckland dealership has an evening service facility, offering even greater convenience to its customers.

New Fuso dealership

The previously factory-owned Auckland dealership is located at 131 Roscommon Road.

Managing director Keith Andrews says the Auckland dealership is a great addition to his company. “It expands our territory from having access to 12-15 percent of the New Zealand market, to 60-65 percent of the New Zealand target market.”

The cab’s spaciousness and its full spectrum of safety and comfort equipment have proved a winning formula for all manner of applications, from road crews to campervans, tip trucks to curtainside delivery vehicles, crop sprayers to refrigerated units.

Last year Mitsubishi Fuso was the number one commercial vehicle brand in New Zealand.

Fuso trucks have helped New Zealand truck drivers and fleet operators put rubber to the road for more than 40 years, bringing the latest innovations in performance, as well as ride, to the Kiwi transport industry in quality lightweight trucks, medium-duty trucks and heavy haulage vehicles.

Mitsubishi Fuso’s Fighter series of mediumduty trucks offers a range of tailored middleweights from10.6 to 24 tonnes GVM.

Keith Andrews Trucks offers the full range of new trucks from Mitsubishi Fuso to meet any commercial vehicle requirements. Its experienced sales team help customers select the right model and configuration to handle their payload and logistics.

The Auckland Fuso operation is being managed

by Andrews’ son Kurtis Andrews, who is heading a dedicated team of truck enthusiasts.

Keith Andrews Trucks bought the Fuso dealership in Manukau in March to complement its Whangarei Fuso dealership.

Mitsubishi Fuso offers a wide range of trucks to suit every transport need. Fuso’s versatile Canter series is New Zealand’s most popular

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Widely acclaimed as being the most driverfriendly truck for around town and inter-city delivery work, the Fuso Fighter more than delivers on driver-friendliness, helping keep stress low and productivity high.

Exceptional manoeuvrability allows the driver to take full advantage of the low-down torque of its powerful emission compliant 250/280ps six-cylinder engines and deliver a big payload into the most difficult spots.

The Fighter’s cab is designed to be more comfortable and ergonomically efficient and, equally important to the driver, more rigid and therefore safer.

Mitsubishi Fuso’s Shogun 40-60 tonne longhaul range serves many of New Zealand’s leading names in general cartage, logging, tipper operations and livestock. Shogun series trucks have powerful inline six-cylinder engines built to handle high payloads with minimum gear shifting, unrivalled fuel economy and ultimate dependability. The Shogun consistently delivers maximum operating efficiency under the toughest conditions, with extended engine life and compliance with the latest emission regulations.

Feature continues on next page >>

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Canter’s powerful, high-torque turbointercooled engines have the easy operation, penny-pinching economy and long-term dependability every business needs.

Keith Andrews Trucks has continued to run the Fuso dealership as it was previously being operated and has employed most of the existing staff. “Some have stayed, some have left, but we’re adding extra staff as we build it up,” Andrews says.

The addition of the Auckland Mitsubishi Fuso dealership to Keith Andrews Trucks Limited has increased the company’s nationwide target market to more than 60 percent.

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 51

Transport and Motoring | Keith Andrews Trucks

Transport and Motoring | Fastway Couriers Auckland

Mercedes-Benz vans

Buses for sale

Keith Andrews Trucks offers a superior range of Mercedes-Benz vans and shuttles, as well as buses, motorhomes and Mitsubishi forklifts.

With a wealth of experience in the bus sales market, Keith Andrews Trucks is the place to start and finish a search for buses for sale.

Mercedes-Benz has a range of quality vans and people carriers for business or personal use, offering the ultimate in comfort and practicality along with a reputation for superior reliability and safety.

For any size or purpose, Keith Andrews Trucks offers new and used buses to meet the needs of an individual bus buyer through to a passenger bus fleet purchaser. Each situation will still be managed with professional service to ensure the right solution is found.

The Keith Andrews dealership in Whangarei was awarded the Mercedes-Benz Commercial Dealer of the Year for 2010. It is also the Mercedes-Benz service agent for Northland.

The Keith Andrews team has the experience to help customers find the right van to suit their requirements from the exciting Mercedes-Benz Vito, Sprinter and Viano ranges.

For business or personal use, there’s a Mercedes-Benz van to fit the bill and the budget. These quality vehicles are the best choice in new vans for reliability and safety, comfort and practicality and great value.

Keith Andrews Trucks also offers a range of high-quality and reliable used vans, with most accompanied by a full service history.

Mitsubishi forklifts Keith Andrews Trucks is proud to sell and lease a wide range of new and used Mitsubishi forklifts, recognising them as critical machinery in any commercial or industrial operation.

The Keith Andrews’ team keeps up to date with developments in the industry. Its sales team are qualified to talk customers through the best option for their business, and offer the flexibility of buying or leasing.

The company’s fair pricing and expert aftersales service means Keith Andrews Trucks is the best option for buying or upgrading forklifts. Its range is known for reliability, with Mitsubishi forklifts a sound proposition for any environment. Mitsubishi’s reputation for being ahead of the game with new products and enhancements to their range means the Keith Andrews team will ensure customers get the right advice to match the right new forklift to their business.

The team at Keith Andrews also helps ensure the forklift’s maintenance, servicing and repairs are done to the highest possible standard. Keith Andrews’ industry-trained service mechanic will travel to their customers’ business to service their new forklift on-site and minimise downtime.

As Northland’s largest bus dealership, Keith Andrews Trucks is proud of its reputation for the best range of buses for sale.

Customers can enjoy its experienced, friendly service and know they’re getting a fair deal and a quality product, whether it’s a purposebuilt school bus, a fleet of touring coaches or a reconditioned bus for travelling the countryside Keith Andrews Trucks is proud to offer the Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa bus, along with a range of Mercedes bus options.

High-quality motorhomes For the ultimate in freedom, a motorhome offers a way of life second to none.

Talk to the team about designing and building a chassis that provides the foundation for your dream motorhome — its Mercedes-Benz and Fuso expertise means the Whangarei dealership is a specialist in everything from entry level to highly specified homes on wheels.

The team works closely with the selected coachbuilder to ensure every new motorhome fits the customer’s budget and lifestyle.

Keith Andrews Trucks will also take care of every motorhome servicing requirement.

Keith Andrews Trucks Limited 131 Roscommon Road Manukau City T (09) 250 2222 F (09) 250 2211

The Auckland branch of Fastway Couriers has stayed strong throughout the recession.

Fast franchise High service standards, teamwork and huge sales growth has proved a successful combination for the Auckland branch of Fastway Couriers, winners of the Franchisee of the Year for 2011.

Auckland general manager Scott Jenyns says he was “elated” to win. He knew the branch was in the running as it had been performing well, realising double digit growth in the two and a half years since he took on the job.

Jenyns believes the company’s franchises are what set it apart from other couriers. “Our franchised status means there is ownership and accountability at all levels,” he says.

Franchising has been a key to Fastway Couriers almost since inception. The company was started in April 1983 by Bill McGowan as a cost-effective hourly pickup and delivery services between Napier and Hastings.

50 Rewa Rewa Road Whangarei T (09) 430 3900 F (09) 438 05233 0800 4 TRUCKS (0800 487 825)

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A year later, an evaluation of company drivers showed that no new work was being generated by them. Franchising was introduced and this concept provided the desired incentive. It also freed-up working capital which enabled the company to develop further operations and linehaul networks.

In 1986 Bill McGowan received the award of NZ Entrepreneur of the Year. Today Fastway is franchised in New Zealand, Australia, England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Ireland, Northern Ireland and South Africa.

Scott Jenyns says the Auckland franchise has stayed strong throughout the recession by using it as an advantage. “We have secured business that wouldn’t have looked at us in past because they were previously not as concerned with freight charges. With recessionary pressure businesses began reviewing their costs and saw our pricing so gave us a go — and never went back.”

Engineering road transport to meet… and exceed… fleet requirements

TransfleetlEquipmentlislproudlto suppor tlKeithlAndrewslTrucks TransfleeT equipmenT lTd

15 Mana Pl, Wiri ✦ PO Box 76-065 ✦ Manukau City ✦ Auckland Phone (09) 262 3176 ✦ Fax (09) 262 3267

52 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Jenyns says Fastway Couriers is gearing up for strong growth as the economy recovers, with approximately 150 new customers a month.

The major growth in the online retail sector has benefited the company. “The likes of TradeMe has changed the retail sector and is a huge plus for courier companies like us,” Jenyns says.

Looking to the bright future, Jenyns says winning the Franchisee of the Year award again will be top priority.

Fastway Couriers Auckland PO Box 13947 Onehunga Auckland T (09) 633 0377 www.fastway.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Our Aspiration “Through a commitment to understand your business, we will earn your trust and through proactive advice and solutions, position you to financially survive any insurable event.”

Crombie Lockwood is proud to support Fastway Couriers Auckland For all your insurance requirements and a free no obligation quotation, contact us on www.crombielockwood.co.nz Ph 06 834 4820 | Fax 06 835 0144 napier@crombielockwood.co.nz P.O Box 914, Napier

Manufacturing | TP Engineering

Intuitive engineering With more than 25 years experience, TP Engineering offers a wide range of services for completion of various engineering projects:

■ Servicing key industries • Construction • Food and beverage • Infrastructure • Petro-chemical • Water and wastewater

■ Primary equipment • Feed bins • Weigh feeder conveyors • Rotary drying/mixing drums • Scraper/slate conveyors • Hot storage silos • Lime silos • Dust silos • Fibre-feed systems • Baghouse and emission control systems • Wet scrubber systems • Cyclones • Storage tanks • Dangerous goods tanks • Pumping and blending systems

■ Secondary equipment • Hot oil heating systems • Electrical heating systems • Insulation and cladding • Tank agitation and mixing • Pug mills • Trough conveyors • Bucket elevators • Augers and rotary valves • Vibrating/scalping screens • Combustion system • Drying and cooling system

■ Engineering and support systems • Full design services in Auto CAD 2D/3D • Plant installations and upgrades • Certified welding to ASME9 & 4711 codes • Plant relocation and maintenance • Electrical and control • Qualified rigger and scaffolders • Hydro and nitrogen testing • Machining and fabrication facilities • Stainless and mild steel capabilities • ERMA approved tank manufacture

Proud to support

TP Engineering Limited From the team at

“The impossible is our speciality.”

That’s the ethos at TP Engineering, an Auckland based company which sets itself apart by its innovative engineering solutions.

TP Engineering is based in Wiri in a purposebuilt workshop, full of modern equipment.

Services cover a diverse range of manufacturing activities including design, fabrication, pipe work, material handling equipment, conveyor systems, pumping and vacuum systems, heating systems, plant relocation and maintenance.

Adaptability General manager Tony Herewini says the company enjoys taking on challenging projects that requires the team to think laterally.

“Our point of difference is our ability to adapt to our client’s individual needs and to provide innovative engineering solutions.”

For example, it recently finished a major project for Viterra’s new feed mill.

TP Engineering manufactured some of the components, fully installed the material handling equipment, and was also responsible for the build of the structural building and commissioning.

At the project’s peak there were 60 employees on site and in the workshop, with mechanical, electrical and civil work carried out concurrently.

Despite poor weather conditions, this major multi-skilled plant installation was successfully finished in eight months — before the scheduled completion date, to the delight of the client.

In 2009 it played a major part of building a 12 metre high sculpture, designed by acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor. After completion, the sculpture was shipped to England and has now found a permanent home at the Museo Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain.

The company believes its success depends not on who calls them, but on who keeps coming back, because repeat business tells the team they are doing something right the first time round.

Specialists in: · Business Development - Strategic Planning, Business Analysis · Annual Financial Returns, Taxation, · Computer Services -, Installation, Training · Personal - Trusts, Investment Advice.

Level 2, 65 Upper Queen Street, Auckland Level 2, 652 Great South Road, Manukau.

PO Box 97 999, Manukau City 2241 Phone : 277- 8278 | Fax: 278-5725 info@chestergrey.co.nz | www.chestergrey.co.nz

In 2009 TP Engineering was approached to play a major role in a unique stainless steel fabrication project.

England-based internationally acclaimed sculptor Anish Kapoor conceived the idea for his stainless steel design after seeing a sample of a mirror polished stainless steel sphere sent to him from New Zealand.

Tony Herewini urges readers to take a look at the company’s website — www.tpeng.co.nz — to see some of the work it has undertaken.

The project consisted of a high tensile steel skeleton invisibly positioned to support 76 mirror finished stainless steel spheres.

Each sphere was one metre in diameter and the assembled structure

towered more than 12 metres.

The spheres were arranged to maintain invisibility of the skeleton and achieve the artist’s requirements to have the spheres appear to be floating out of the ground.

The complete structure was mounted inside a custom-built container, shipped to England and installed at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

The Anish Kapoor sculpture TP Engineering built is now showing at the Museo Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain (above).

The efforts and talents of TP Engineering were essential to the realisation of the sculptor’s vision.This was a “one of a kind” structure requiring inspired thinking to provide innovative solutions to achieve the end result.

TP Engineering 256 Roscommon Road Wiri T (09) 269 8490 F (09) 269 8496 E sales@tpeng.co.nz www.tpeng.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Proud to be associated with TP Engineering www.aucklandtoday.net.nz August/September 2011 | 53

Manufacturing | Easiroll Roofing

Manufacturing | Whangaparaoa Engineering

Dedicated to diversity The industrial sector’s reliance on machinery is absolute. Like any industry, its viability depends upon functional and reliable tools of the trade. As a general engineering and maintenance services company, Whangaparaoa Engineering is in the business of keeping other companies alive and kicking.

On a roll…

When it comes to roofing what you want is something that’s going to last and is easy to install, so any disruption to your home or business is as minimal as possible.

Albany based Easiroll Roofing has a range of products designed to deliver exactly that — a long life and simple installment.

Easiroll Fibreglass Roofing is a unique one-piece roofing system. It can be cut to your requirements, eliminating the need for joins or dirt-collecting overlaps, with no wastage. The real magic is in the simplicity of installation — just roll it out and screw in place.

It’s ideal for any outdoor application, such as pergolas or carports.

The company opened its doors in 1986 when Guy Stucke began operating as a sole trader manufacturing motor car hoists and doing general jobbing work.

Based on the back of consistent growth, the past two and half decades has seen Guy move from being a sole trader to carrying the title of managing director. “We were registered as a limited liability company in 1995 and have grown every year,” he says.

It is light weight, easy to install and delivers excellent thermal insulation and solar properties. Basically it’s an attractive and very cost effective alternative to glass.

Also featuring properties ideal for commercial application is Topglass — a cost efficient UV stabilised product manufactured by Alsynite.

This product is a weapon of choice when it comes to commercial, industrial and institutional applications.

■ Crane fitting

Lexan Thermoclear Twinwall polycarbonate sheeting, manufactured by Ampelite, is widely applicable over commercial, industrial and domestic situations.

Easiroll is a unique roofing system that eliminates dirty joins and laps. Cut to size to fit most pergola roofs in one piece.

Easiroll also supplies other translucent roofing products like Laserlite, Suntuff, Solasafe and Twinwall.

We supply flat sheet polycarbonate, acrylic and fibreglass along with café blinds.

We have the right plastic products for most domestic applications.

EASIROLL ROOFING LTD 40E William Pickering Drive, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand Ph/Fax 0800 EASIROLL rodney@easiroll.co.nz

“We pride ourselves on providing a top quality service. Our ability to cope with a huge range of different engineering problems makes us a first stop for you, regardless of the complexity of your project. We are happy to give free advice on a large range of engineering based problems. We can offer a solution to virtually any engineering problem. Our workshop is well equipped for our experienced and competent staff to complete most work in house.”

Whangaparaoa Engineering services ■ Hydraulic power services

Easiroll Roofing Ltd 40E William Pickering Drive Albany, Auckland T (09) 415 3647 0800 327 476 F (09) 415 3649 www.easiroll.co.nz — Advertising Feature

This range includes primarily the manufacture of ground drilling equipment; the design, manufacture, repair and maintenance of hydraulic systems; testing, repairing and maintaining truck mounted cranes, the manufacture and repair of ground drilling equipment, profile cutting services and general engineering work.

Whangaparaoa Engineering Ltd 9/623 Whangaparaoa Road From the outset Guy Stucke set simple goals; Whangaparaoa to produce engineering products and services T (09)424 8125 F (09) 424 2973 of only the highest quality possible. And it remains the company’s daily aim and guiding E guy@whangaparaoaeng.co.nz www. whangaparaoaeng.co.nz principal. “We are constantly improving and

At this time of year there is one product on the Easiroll list that has to appeal to homeowners, and that’s verandah curtains.

They block out cool breezes and the rain, but But if you’ve bigger things in mind, Easiroll can still give you the feeling of being outdoors, are supply Laserlite 2000 — translucent roofing for made from top quality UV treated products and both domestic and commercial applications. It’s are fire retardant. is a polycarbonate with superior performance Ziptrack is the latest product available, with against loss of light transmission and comes in a spring loaded system meaning it can easily a large range of contemporary colours. be pulled up or down and can be made with Manufactured by Alsynite it’s the perfect clear or mesh fabrics. Of course it’s not just solution for applications, such as pergolas, home owner who should be excited, as they’re carports, skylights, awnings, verandas, fences, ideal for restaurants and café’s. And when the patios, pool enclosures, screens, canopies, weather heats up, they simply roll up and out gazebos, sunrooms or greenhouses. of the way.

Whatever your needs, Easiroll Roofing has a quick, simple and solid solution.

expanding the range of products and services that we offer.”

The design and construction of hydraulic power system and the repair and installation of hydraulic hoses, parts and components, and the ability to fabricate, repair and alter hydraulic cylinders.

■ Crane testing and repairs All truck-mounted cranes require an annual inspection, and all over five tonnes require an inspection certificate.

The company offers a certification-grade inspection and repair service to ensure your truck crane is safe and functions to its correct specifications.

Fitting and/or removing cranes to/from trucks and any other work required on the crane or truck chassis.

■ General engineering All types of engineering work offering solutions to virtually any problem. From a full machining service, heavy fabrication, site works, pump overhaul and repair, earthmoving equipment modification, maintenance and repair, plate cutting, welding and all kinds of engineering supplies.

■ Weco borers and augers The company manufactures and supplies borers and augers for excavators and cranes. It also manufactures and supplies one-man self propelled borers for the hire industry.

— Advertising Feature

Brevini has grown to be a dominant force in the New Zealand power transmission and hydraulic industry.

Brevini operates extensively in agriculture, marine, forestry, industrial and mobile sectors. With a vast range of both hydraulic and power transmission products in the range, Brevini NZ is unique to the New Zealand Market in being able to offer an unbiased opinion as to a suitable drive solution.

Brevini New Zealand Ltd. 9 Bishop Croke Place. East Tamaki PO Box 58-418 Greenmount Auckland

For ALL your gearbox, hydraulic system and power transmission requirement please contact us.

Ph:(09) 250-0050 | Fax: (09) 274-5055 www.brevini.co.nz | info@brevini.co.nz

Proud to support Whangapraoa Engineering Ltd.

Shades and Sun Sails | Waterproof Outdoor Canopies | Veranda Curtains Boat, Ute, Trailer Covers and Caravan Awnings

Unit 7A/6 Keith Hay Drive, Wiri, Auckland.

Ph 09 969 1876 • Fax 09 969 1877 Cnr Diana Drive & Ashfield St, Glenfield, Auckland Ph: 09 444-6566, Fax: 09 444-4963 Email: sales@aucklandbearings.co.nz

Proud to support Easiroll Roofing Ltd P. 09 438 1741. | 17 Gumdigger Place, Raumanga, Whangarei www.jhc.co.nz

54 | August/September 2011 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

PROUD PROUDTO TO SUPPORT SUPPORT

WHANGAPARAOA WHANGAPARAOA ENGINEERING ENGINEERING IN IN DELIVERING DELIVERINGTOP TOP QUALITY QUALITY BEARINGS, BEARINGS, SEALS, SEALS, SERVICE SERVICE AND ANDTECHNICAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT SUPPORT

www.aucklandbearings.co.nz www.aucklandbearings.co.nz

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