Auckland Today Magazine 105

Issue 105 | April/May 2014

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Home truths Local company Hystand is doing more than making flash floors, it’s breaking cultural barriers along the way

Rockefeller habits How a simple checklist can improve your business

How valuable is your land?

Auckland Today Transport Supplement inside

Olly Newland previews the 2014 property market

The road to success

The rotten truth

Inside the largest transport shakeup our city’s seen

Our leaky homes epidemic remains alive and well

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

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Issue 105 April/May 2014

In this issue...

Viewpoints

Features

In Business

8 Management

14 Getting work sites sorted

38 Property and Construction

A smarter and more simple way to sort health and safety systems on construction sites

Virgin Concrete, Regal Plus Joinery and the sad fact that the leaky homes epidemic remains alive and kicking

Business consultant Kevin Vincent on how to be a good boss when times are tough

8 Development The Organisation Development Institute’s Nicky Trainor talks about making training pay Auckland Today

Issue 105

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Accountable Business Progress boss Colin Clapp says steady progress beats chasing perfection

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MEDIA CONSULTANTS

Beth Parton Tina Aiono Maree Aucamp Nick Douch

How a simple checklist can improve your business

18 How valuable is your land?

Olly Newland previews what the 2014 real estate market might have in store

19 Second nature

9 Money Craigs Investment Partners’ Martin FraserAllen on the upside of interest rate rises

10 Legal

Gary Collins

Grant Williams

9 Strategies

16 Rockefeller habits

Malley and Co lawyer John Shingleton stresses the importance of getting employment agreements signed on the dotted line

10 HR HRINZ Auckland president Angela Atkins on your legal obligations regarding parental leave

12 Online Liz Benny from Jinga Social offers six strategies for a Facebook friendly business

11 Online Website specialist Suzanne Carter explains how to keep those website hits coming

Designer David Trubridge talks about the importance of organic and sustainable designs both at home and the workplace

20 Business tips Management myths and facts

22 Cover story

47 Goods and Services Shape creators Nortech Plastics can create pretty much anything – all you need do is specify what you want

48 Container logistics

Local company Hystand isn’t confining itself to flash floors, it’s breaking down cultural barriers along the way

How Conlinxx ensures importers, exporters, freight forwarders and trucking companies are receiving the most efficient container transport service around

28 Getting selective

50 Transport and Motoring

Emma Clarke’s company The Selective has turned the marketing paradigm on its head

For local SMEs, Multi Freight offers a personalised logistics service, getting your product around the world quickly and efficiently

30 Jump master Henry van Asch talks about bungy jumping 25 years after taking the plunge

51 Heating systems

32 Taking aim at your audience

52 Focus

The Heat Pump Guys

NEWSROOM

13 Working life

Jonathon Taylor EDITOR Davina Richards JOURNALISTS Laura Hall Marie Sherry Peter Loakman

Workplace advisor Karen Degan says navigating differing values quells wars at work

Getting people to notice you, engaging their attention and converting them into paying customers

Rampworx and AMW Fabrication, Allwin Steel, the Heat Pump Guys, DCN Drilling and the Mt Albert Aquatic Centre, a water park haven in the middle of the city

13 Events Diary

33 Destinations

59 Fishing and boating

Morocco’s tale of two cities

Top Catch Glen Innes is the best kept secret fishing supplies spot in the eastern suburbs

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ISSN 1173-1508(Print) | ISSN 2230-6168(Online)

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34 Lifestyles Everything from gadgets and gizmos to hat stands and baubles

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Viewpoints | Management/Development

Being a good boss when times are tough

How to make training pay

Kevin Vincent is a director of business improvement consultants Vincent and Nugent Limited . Visit www.vincentnugent.co.nz

Is there a sine qua non, a set of characteristics, that define a good boss in these troubled economic times?

Most certainly we are in the midst of a difficult period of which there will be no miracle cure-all “switch” that can be simply “turned on” to quickly alleviate the pain.

Every day we read of companies facing difficulties. Generating income, improving cashflow and making ends meet are common place issues confronting all.

Companies that invest in their people will be better equipped to compete and survive.

Forward thinking companies recognise the link between employee engagement and sustainable company performance.

Bosses must provide the strong leadership that sets direction and communicate that direction so that all stakeholders understand and buy into the plan.

It is true that difficult economic times seem to bring out both the best and worst of leaders.

Effective leaders distinguish themselves by their capacity to inspire colleagues to action. Having employees with a will to work effectively, collaboratively, cooperatively and with a unified direction is a recipe for success. We are the only ones who can use our ability. The decision to survive and thrive is clearly a choice.

In order to succeed you must know what you are doing; believe in what you are doing and like what you are doing. This is the key.

Sure, there will be a need to re-evaluate business plans and strategy in light of the current conditions. However, the most important thing is to remain focussed and adhere to the agreed-upon tactics.

By keeping employees focussed during these tough times a greater level of comfort for all will be achieved. Teams will see and know how management responds to the various situations and will be supportive as the whole organisation seeks to improve performance and remain viable.

Team members take notice of and pay attention to those who control their activities.

The psychological state of teams can often

be driven by fear and anxiety. It is critically important; the leader demonstrates high levels of emotional intelligence and displays a calm stability in their behaviour.

Good bosses ask colleagues and teams for opinion on things and encourage thinking.

They promote empowerment, delegations of authority, with trust and confidence. When asked for advice, the effective leader gives the advice without fuss or drama. A good boss will connect everyone’s priorities and help individuals understand their part in the organisation goals.

In summary, the key drivers to being a good boss in these tough times include; • Having a high degree of trust in your team • Delegating responsibilities • Not micromanaging • Good communication. Share the goals, share the dreams and share the reality.

Listen effectively to your team. They desire and need to be heard • Walk the talk, act with integrity, honesty, transparency and best ethics. Character, integrity, values and trust are the cornerstones of a person’s foundation and this determines your success • Ensure employees know how their contribution adds value to the overall company performance. Encourage creative thinking • Create ability to anticipate change.

Make change an opportunity and embrace it with vitality • Understand the linkage between the success of the company and the efforts of your team. Develop a culture of pride in being part of the team • Manage by walkabouts. Make a point of regularly meeting with the team, get to know them personally, their work environment, their family situations, their dreams, goals and aspirations. Find someone doing something well and tell them. Seize that opportunity to share a sincere complement.

Show that you are in control of the situation, be strong and decisive. It is important you remain the ultimate authority. Stay focused and act swiftly as problems arise. Remember, your attitudes and beliefs will lead your team’s behaviour. You must lead.

Nicky Trainor is a director of the learning and development consultancy Organisation Development Institute. Visit www.odi.org.nz

How do you achieve desired business outcomes from training?

may not be so obvious, but are vital for programme success; senior management for example.

This is a central question for any organisation and the answer lies in analysis, planning and design of learning solutions in conjunction with an experienced learning and development specialist using a Kirkpatrick® approach (an internationally recognised model for design and evaluation of learning solutions).

Having the CEO committed to the programme and visible to participants should not be underestimated. The participants’ managers are another important input as there will be an obligation on them to ensure their staff are supported at work to apply what they’ve learned.

Rather than simply sending individuals to ad hoc training courses, this approach takes a more holistic approach which involves considering what your desired business outcomes are from a learning solution, then working backwards to identify what success would look like if those outcomes were met.

How would you know? What behaviours would you see at work? What would be different? Then you can think about the best ways to achieve those outcomes. Partnering with a reputable learning and development specialist to help with this and delivery of a customised programme provides the best chance of success.

I like to equate the design of such a programme with the Input-Processing-Output model - a simple model for brainstorming and initial planning of an information system.

Using this approach, you’ll consider all aspects of each component and write them down so you can develop strategies for each one.

Start with outputs, or more relevant for learning solutions - outcomes. These could be anything from improved customer satisfaction to increased efficiency.

Depending on the programme being delivered, process might involve active participation by staff in workshops and coaching sessions. It will definitely involve learning about tools and methods they can use, and should involve planning and applying new learning back at work.

And not to be under-estimated is Feedback.

How will you track this programme and know that it’s working? You need a mechanism by which changes can be made to the programme if necessary and you’ll want to know how successful it is on completion.

A well planned end of workshop evaluation is useful for evaluating participants’ experiences and their commitment to apply their learning.

Was it relevant to them? Was it at the right level? What did they learn? What do they intend to implement at work? How confident and committed are they to applying what they learned?

How will you get evidence of application?

This can be by observations, interviews, surveys. Use of a workplace application tool can provide evidence that they’ve planned, implemented and reflected on application of learning.

Then at the conclusion of the programme comes the real test of success. How will you The trick is to consider how you will know know that your desired business outcomes that you have achieved your desired outcomes? What are the indicators of success? have been achieved? Will your indicators of success demonstrate positive change? What For increased efficiency they could be a metrics can you use to evaluate success? Is reduction in average processing time or there an increase in the average processing speed to market. For improved customer time or speed to market? Is there an increase satisfaction they could be an increase in in new customers or a reduction in the new customers, or a reduction in the number number of complaints? of complaints.

With a little time, thought and planning, with Then consider the inputs. There are some assistance from an experienced learning and obvious ones – programme participants, development specialist, you can see real workshop presenters, coaches, training changes at work and achieve your desired venue, etc. Now consider some others that business outcomes.

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Viewpoints | Strategies/Money

Strive for progress, don't chase perfection Colin Clapp is the Chief Thinking Officer at Accountable Business Progress.

Visit www.accountable.co.nz

It’s a new year and we are all looking to make improvements. We all want our life, business and work to turn out perfectly.

We all have our own definitions of what is ‘perfect’, but basically we all want things to turn out the best they can be. And that’s why we’re always reviewing, fixing, reviewing, fixing… until we reach that stage of ‘perfection’.

But… it’s never quite enough. Could the design have been better? Would more people have heard about it if there was better marketing? Did I have the right people on the job?

But that’s the thing, everything could always be better. Perfection isn’t an achievable reality.

Instead of focussing on reaching this illusion called perfection, try focussing on making progress; because in reality, there are only those making progress and those who aren’t.

Online marketing provides a good example of this. Say you send out an e-newsletter to your client base every month. The perfectionist in you aims for an open rate of 100 percent.

However, anyone with experience in this form of marketing will tell you that this is not just unrealistic – it’s impossible. There will be out of office replies, people who don’t have time and those who simply don’t want to read your newsletter.

In this example, your open rate actually averages around 30 percent (which is the accepted average by industry standards, by the way). The perfectionist in you would find this very disappointing and may become disillusioned with the strategy and lose focus on other areas of your business that need your attention.

In addition, focussing on not reaching 100 percent doesn’t actually provide any tangible lessons to improve your rate.

However, if you take a step back… breathe… and focus your efforts on making progress, you will begin to identify small ways to increase your readership.

By looking at your monthly progress throughout the year you may find that readership has increased or decreased. Then

you can compare the style and content of your newsletters to figure out what worked and what didn’t.

By making small changes each month, you could aim to increase your open rate by one percent a month. But don’t get caught up with that illusive 100 percent, because it will never happen. You will waste your time and miss the little opportunities that all add up to big improvements.

By looking at the three aspects necessary to achieve more meaning, you can understand how progress, not perfection, will result in big improvements and business success: Purpose Defining your purpose is fundamental to making progress. Take time to clarify the purpose of your business – this isn’t a philosophical discussion; it’s a pragmatic business step. If you are not clear about your purpose, you can never determine if what you are doing is effective or not – and you’ll be working very hard for a very long time.

Vision Your vision is your ultimate scenario. Where do you see yourself and your business in one, five and 10 years time? Your vision can be unreasonable, it can be this illusion of perfection, but understand it is simply there to guide you.

It is the progress you make each and every day – by networking with clients, training employees and improving your business.

These steps will take you towards your vision – but it’s the progress along the way you should thrive in and enjoy, not the illusion of the perfection that isn’t reality.

Plan Look at your vision statement – what do you need to do to get there? Look at the small steps – things you can start implementing in the New Year that will become a part of your every day operations. Write it out, make it big and visible, and keep it in mind.

Your vision is your ultimate perfect scenario and your purpose is to make a difference.

Your plan is a map of how you are going to make progress towards making a difference, which will lead you towards your vision.

The upside of interest rates rises Martin Fraser-Allen is an advisor at Craigs Investment Partners. Visit www.craigsip.com

The Official Cash Rate (OCR) will almost certainly increase over the course of this year, with the first move likely to be this quarter.

In some ways this will be a drag on the economy and on the sharemarket. Borrowing costs will increase for businesses and consumers, potentially impacting negatively on profit growth and discretionary spending.

However, it should be noted that the reason for these interest rate increases is because of the strength of the domestic economy.

Exports are strong, the housing market is robust, employment prospects are improving and business optimism is at its highest levels since 1994.

Despite the pending increase in interest rates, we expect the economy, corporate sector and the sharemarket to all perform well over the coming period as economic momentum improves.

We recently looked back at the impact of rising interest rates on the local sharemarket over the past 25 years. During this period there have been five occasions when shortterm interest rates have increased across a sustained period.

In every occasion, the market has produced a positive return, to varying degrees, during the time that these rate rises occurred.

Quite simply, this is because rising interest rates are merely a reflection of a buoyant economic environment.

While they may lag the market during these periods, they often still rise, albeit to a lesser degree than growth stocks.

Growth stocks tend to perform best as the economy expands and interest rates rise.

Because rising interest rates are reflective of improving economic momentum, investors begin to focus on those sectors that are likely to benefit most from the improving environment.

Growth stocks (also known as cyclical stocks) tend to perform best as they have the greatest leverage to an improving economic cycle.

Sectors such as materials, industrials and retailers have historically performed well during these periods, because of their greater leverage to an improving economy.

We expect a positive performance this year from the local market, albeit with returns closer to 8 percent to 10 percent, rather then the 16.5 percent we saw in 2013, or the 24.2 percent from 2012.

We don’t see the coming interest rate rises as a reason to become cautious on New Zealand shares, as these rises will simply reflect our strengthening economy.

However, we do believe investors need to ensure they have a healthy exposure to growth stocks (while retaining high-quality defensives also).

However, what does change when interest rates begin to rise is the performance of various sectors and companies.

When interest rates are falling (or staying low) high yielding, defensive sectors such as property and utilities perform well.

When interest rates begin to rise, the ‘yield premium’ these sectors enjoy begins to look less attractive and investor sentiment toward them becomes more cautious.

This doesn’t mean we should ignore defensive and high-yield stocks when interest rates are rising. They provide a vital role in generating income, providing a buffer in case the recovery stumbles and generating solid, steady earnings growth over the longer-term.

For Investment Advice please contact Martin Fraser Allen, Investment Adviser at Craigs Investment Partners Christchurch branch, by phoning 0800 272 442 or visit www. craigsip.com for more information. Mark Lister is Head of Private Wealth Research at Craigs Investment Partners. His disclosure statement is available free of charge under his profile on www.craigsip.com. This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as specific investment advice.

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 9

Viewpoints | Legal/HR

Get it in writing

Help! Ben’s having a baby.

What do i need to do?

John Shingleton is a partner and general manager at Malley & Co Lawyers. Visit www.malley.co.nz

The start of a new year is the time when we are supposed to make a resolution for the oncoming year.

As business people, it is a good opportunity to reflect on where our businesses are at and what we can do to improve commercial outcomes. A number of you will be gearing up for a busy 2014 and how you organise labour will be a key issue.

I must confess to being always surprised when clients come to see me regarding an issue with an employee to discover no signed written employment agreement was put in place. Naturally, we are all very busy, so I am not criticising fellow employers, but I will endeavour to highlight in this article some of the lost opportunities.

Since 2000, all employees must be on a signed written employment agreement.

Failing to do so could attract a fine up to $20,000 per employee, if you are trading as a company, or $10,000 if a sole trader or partnership.

But, putting aside the risk of a fine, as an employer you miss out on some clear benefits and advantages.

First, in order for an employee to be held to the maximum period of 90 days for raising a personal grievance, there must be a written explanation concerning the resolution of employment relationship problems. No written agreement, means no time limit on raising a PG. Secondly, his Honour Chief Judge Colgan, in the case of Smith v. Stokes Valley Pharmacy (2009) Ltd made clear that in order for a 90 day trial period to be valid, it was necessary that there be written provisions that complied with the requirements of the Employment Relations Act 2000.

that the absence of an express written confidentiality means an employer does not treat confidentiality as essential.

Fourthly, in order for a fixed term agreement to be valid, the agreement must, amongst other things, be in writing.

With the rebuild of our city requiring project based hiring, the ability to hire on a fixed term can be essential.

Fifthly, as you will all be aware, the fact you hire a worker as a contractor is not conclusive that the worker is not by law an employee.

The courts will apply a number of tests to ascertain the true legal nature of the relationship and may in the end determine that a worker is an employee despite signing a contractor agreement.

Angela Atkins is GM of Elephant Training and HR, president of the HRINZ Auckland and a bestselling author. Visit eww.elephanthr.co.nz

Obviously Ben himself isn’t having a baby, but his wife is! How well do you know your legal obligations about dealing with parental leave?

Have a read of our case studies and see.

It’s an exciting and scary time in anyone’s life becoming a parent. As an employer you have some legal obligations under the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act when your employees apply to take leave.

This time we’ll look at a few cases we’ve advised on recently at Elephant. See what you think the right answer is before you read what you should do!

Case study 1: I’m a dad!

The existence of a signed written agreement is still a factor that is looked at and can be persuasive in certain circumstances.

Ben’s excited about becoming a dad. He wants to know how much leave he gets under the Parental Leave Act. Which statements are correct?

Ensuring a worker signs a contractor agreement is the first step in minimising the risk the worker later claims they are an employee.

A: He gets one week paternity leave if he’s worked for six months.

Finally, having a signed written agreement will allow you to ensure all that is agreed between you and your employees is documented and should eliminate any disputes.

Any changes should also be documented.

So, a good resolution for 2014 is to make sure all workers are or will be party to written agreements which reflect their terms of employment, if employed, or hirage, if independently contracted.

B: He can share 52 weeks extended leave with his wife.

C: He gets 10 days special leave for doctors or midwife appointments.

D: He gets two weeks paternity leave after 12 months.

The correct answers here are A, B and D. He and his wife can share extended leave as long as they’ve both worked for their employer for 12 months. Only the mother gets the 10 days special leave.

Case study 2: Coming back Ben wants to check that he’s sure about what needs to happen when his wife Gemma wants to return to work. Which of these statements is correct?

No written employment agreement, no 90 day trial period.

A: Gemma needs to give 21 days notice in writing to confirm that she is returning to work.

Thirdly, without a written agreement, you will lose the protections of a robust written confidentiality clause. Remember more and more our biggest asset is knowledge based.

B: Gemma can return early if she decides she misses her job too much.

Although, the Courts are carefully scrutinising what the parties have agreed in terms of confidentiality, an inference could be made

C: Gemma can return early if she miscarries or has a still birth.

D: If Gemma wants to return with flexible hours she can request this as she now has caring responsibilities.

All of the statements are true except for B. If she wants to come back because you’re such an awesome company to work for, it’s up to you whether you approve this.

For D her request would be under the Flexible Working Amendment and she’d need to specify what hours she wanted to work and how she could achieve the outcomes needed.

You’d have to decide if you turn down her request under one of the reasons in the Act, or try it for a period of time, or agree that she can work different hours.

Case Study 3: Applying A quick one to finish: Ben asks how long before Gemma’s due to give birth she needs to write and advise her employer that she wants to take leave. Is it: A: 21 days B: 1 month C: 3 months D: 90 days The answer is C. Gemma will also need to attach a medical certificate advising of the expected date.

If she’s worked six months she can apply for 14 weeks maternity leave. If she’s worked for 12 months she can apply for 52 weeks extended leave and if she wants to share this time off with Ben, he’ll also need to apply.

You then have 21 days to confirm the leave. In some circumstances you don’t have to hold a role open for 52 weeks, but you need to check the specifics of the Act for when this applies.

If you’re unsure about parental leave check out the Department of Labour website - they have lots of great information for employers and employees.

Next time Ben’s off on holiday and there’s much confusion! Will you be able to help him out?

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Viewpoints | Online

Six strategies for a Keeping the hits coming Facebook friendly business Liz Benny is the CEO of Jinga Social, a company assisting businesses capitalise on social media marketing trends. Visit jingasocial.co.nz

Are you a business owner that would dearly love to finally have Facebook work for you?

More brand awareness, fans, email database growth, likes, comments, shares… Facebook can be an incredibly powerful tool for businesses that are serious about growth.

On the flip side, if Facebook is used in the same way as traditional marketing, business owners often find themselves scratching their heads over why it’s not working as expected.

Be real You got into business for a reason, right?

Undoubtedly you’ll have a story that you tell people about your business, almost as if your business is a person who has a face and a voice.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to be like your competitors.

Being authentic in the delivery of your message on social media is always best. If you’re a café, speak as your café. Don’t ever try to be cool and hip, if your business is not that way inclined. Just be authentic.

Treat people like people Don’t get us wrong – businesses need to believe without a doubt that their product offers incredible value, but social media is not the avenue for traditional marketing speak.

If you want to rock on social media, treat people with respect. If someone says, “You have the best fish dish in Christchurch” on your Facebook wall, don’t just “LIKE” that comment. That’s Social Media 101. Take the time to reply directly back to that person, tag their name (ideally just first name) in the reply and sign off with your name. After all, they are people and so are you.

Don’t remove complaints One thing we hear business owners fear is negative comments on their social media. We tell our clients that this is one of the best opportunities to reply back with exemplary customer service that leaves the “complainant” feeling heard and special.

We’ve seen many occasions now when previously annoyed customers have turned out to be the best advocates because of how the issue was dealt with.

Suzanne Carter is the business development manager for website design and development company Limelight Online Ltd. Visit www.limelightonline.co.nz

The complaint doesn’t have to be addressed fully in the public light, however.

It’s quite reasonable to say to a fan, “Can you please private message us so we can assist you further”.

Hands up if your head is in the sand when it comes to your website?

Post information that provides value Want the winning formula for posting on Facebook? Of course you do! Now… this must be taken with a grain of salt, but a general rule that we follow for our clients is 80 percent of posts are engaging posts (some branded with their logo, some not) and 20 percent of posts are selling posts (meaning “Come in this weekend and receive 50 percent off).

OK, that’s a lot of hands that I am seeing.

Burying your head in the sand is not an option if you need your website to bring in new customers to your business.

If your engaging posts are done the right way, they are equally as powerful as your selling posts, because when someone takes the time to tell you, on your Facebook page, how they like their steak cooked they are, in fact, endorsing your brand for you right then.

As we know most people are now searching online for the type of product or service you are offering, so it is important to consider what the search engines, and most importantly Google, are looking for from a website. Matt Cutts from Google has said “What Google wants is what users want”.

The reason for this strange 80/20 rule? Well, social media is about being social! It’s about building and maintaining a conversation with your audience rather than trying to snake them of a few bucks.

It is very common for business owners to get their website live and then just let it sit there in the background hoping that it will do its thing. Letting it do its thing is really doing nothing.

Breed a community minded focus Bar none, the most successful Facebook pages are those with an audience that treats the page like home. You do this by talking with people, rather than at them, as well as speaking as “one of them” rather than someone trying to sell something to them. When you’ve nailed this, you’ll find your fans actually answer other fans questions about your business, and you’ll likely smile ear to ear!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but doing nothing is not what Google is looking for. You need to consistently provide what users want.

Keep customers updated Kiwibank is a great example of a company that uses social media to update its customers about outages and issues.

Customers are now turning to social media (predominantly Facebook) to find out if you’re open during public holidays or what your hours are.

There’s more to Facebook than meets the eye, but these six strategies are fundamental to building a strong following of loyal fans who remember you, before your competitor.

You will only ever get the best out of your website if you give it the regular care and attention it craves. Not only does it need to look great but it needs to function well and provide a great user experience.

Apart from an easy to use, nice looking website design, users want websites that provide them with engaging, good quality content relevant to their search. If you get this right then you are demonstrating to Google that your site is awesome and worthy of being ranked highly.

Content can be either visual, auditory, or written. It includes everything from blog posts, articles, website copy, letters to customers, and social media posts, to podcasts, recorded interviews, infographics, photos, and video. For this column I am just focussing on website content which does actually include most of the above examples.

How do you make your content awesome?

Here are some tips.

Your content needs to be attention grabbing and inspire engagement via clear and specific communication. Great headlines, bullet points, spacing, short paragraphs; these are all examples of how to make your content stand out. Give users obvious information and/or justification to stay on the site and take a look around.

Make sure that your content is unique and is not duplicated online anywhere else either within your own site or another site.

Customer engagement is a metric that Google picks up on so make sure that users can share your content via the provision of social sharing and connection buttons. Also, why not have a comments area on a blog?

Become an expert and an industry resource.

Commenting on news stories in your industry is a way of achieving this.

If you have various products or services then make sure you segment the content by creating different pages for each.

Write with personality. People engage with people so try to inject personality into your content. This can be achieved particularly well via video and as mentioned above video is also content, so adding one to your site is a great way of engaging users and providing an alternative to written content.

Don’t forget to add a call to action with your content. Ensuring that everything you are writing provides a clear message to customers will help increase your sales conversions. This single step alone will dramatically increase the ROI on content that you create.

Creating unique, awesome content is the key to Search engine visibility and customer loyalty.

Admittedly, writing awesome content is not an easy job but there are plenty of experts When you are writing content for your website who can help you put together a content you must have your target market in mind. marketing plan. They can even write the What information do they want? content for you!

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What questions do they have? You need to offer the user what they expect. Nobody knows what your customers are looking for better than your customers themselves, so a quick survey is a great idea. I do mean quick though, as no-one will answer a 20 question survey.

Viewpoints | Working Life/Events

The war at work

EVENTS DIARY What’s happening on the business and entertainment front

Karen Degen is the owner of Set Free with EFT, a company that changes mindsets to create business success. Email karen@setfree.co.nz or visit www.setfree.co.nz

Differing values is recognised as one of the primary contributors to workplace conflict, according to a study by the University of Colorado, Boulder. Values, which are based on the beliefs of the individual, are often deep seated and inflexible, making conflict resolution a real challenge.

Beliefs are formed from what any individual has heard or been exposed to sufficient times. They are picked up from parents, teachers, movies, churches, advertisements etc. In short, someone else’s beliefs become our beliefs, and although they are not necessarily the truth, they become ‘our truth’.

A study by David Gal and Derek Rucker from Northwestern University found that people who were given reason to doubt something they believed in became even stronger advocates for their beliefs. “People proselytize to have their beliefs affirmed or validated,” Rucker said. “The point of it all is that our beliefs are who we are.

When those beliefs are challenged, we are challenged, and we spend more time trying to convince others.”

Not only does shaking someone’s belief make them an even stronger advocate, but the research found they will fervently try to raise support for their beliefs from others. It seems that if other people also believed what they believed then their internal conflicts would lessen.

Although it is natural to assume that a persistent and enthusiastic advocate of a belief is brimming with confidence - that may not be the case. The researchers offered a warning to anyone on the receiving end of an advocacy attempt, that it might in fact signal that the person is boiling over with doubt.

It does not seem to matter whether someone is boiling over with doubt or holding their belief firmly. Either way they are unyielding in their view. Thomas Jefferson once stated “Never enter into dispute or argument with another. I never yet saw an instance of one of two disputants convincing the other by argument. They are determined as to the

facts they will believe, and the opinions on which they will act.”

None of this gives us hope for changing someone’s beliefs or avoiding conflict, which often occurs when one person pushes the buttons of another. The way people react is directly related to their personal emotional triggers.

For example, one dispute arose when a colleague commented “don’t be silly” during a light hearted repartee in the staff room.

The recipient of the comment was upset and no amount of dialogue made him feel any better, because the problem wasn’t really with the comment or the person delivering it.

The real problem lay in his childhood because “don’t be silly” was something his father used to say whenever he spoke up or said how he felt. Those exact words uttered by the colleague triggered all the anger and resentment from the past. No amount of conflict resolution for the incident in the staff room would have any affect because it was a trigger for a much larger issue.

Country singer Garth Brooks stated “The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself”.

Only those prepared to deal with their inner conflicts will be successful in dealing with the outer ones.

Marilyn Ferguson expressed that best when she wrote “No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or emotional appeal.”

Its ‘opening the gate from the inside’ that holds the key to conflict resolution because each party needs to be willing to look within and explore the reasons for their strong feelings with regard to the other person. This is best done in conjunction with a professional who can work with the subconscious mind, thereby eliminating that particular trigger.

Because values and beliefs are often deep seated and inflexible, it seems that the challenge of conflict resolution lies not in convincing one party to change theirs, but in encouraging them to be accepting of another’s.

Monday, March 31 Performance Management This one day course, ideal for SMEs, will teach you how to create a motivating environment that will encourage staff to perform at their best and beyond. It covers goal setting, the shared management model, coaching and training. The course is run by an expert facilitator in a small interactive class.

For more information, visit: www.minervalearning.co.nz

Thursday, April 3 Leadership through Change Change in the workplace can create financial pressure, resistance from staff and inefficiency’s if not carried out well. This workshop covers the fundamentals of how organisations initiate and drive successful change. This course will benefit those with a leadership role in a workplace dealing with change.

For more information, visit: www.nzica.com

Friday, April 4 Starting off Right (North) Starting a new business is challenging, stressful and timing consuming without the proper help. This four hour seminar covers concerns business owners have when they are starting a new business, networking, informing and empowering. By following the Starting off Right programme - in up skilling, planning and preparing for possible hurdles, success is more likely.

For more information, visit: www.businessaucklandnz.com

Friday, April 4 – 6 Go Green Expo The Go Green Expo is the local Mecca of organic, sustainable and healthy living.

Discover environmentally friendly products and services that will amaze and inspire you to live a greener life style. Exhibitors include home building and renovation, water conservation and recycling, heating efficiency, health, beauty, organic food and beverages and organic gardening.

worksheets that a professional in look and design. The one day course will teach the basics on how to insert and edit data in a worksheet, create basic calculations using formulas and functions, sort and filter lists of data, apply borders and colour and print the worksheet. The course is suitable for those completely new to Excel or have a very basic understanding of the programme.

For more information, visit: www.aucklandchamber.co.nz

Friday, April 11 New and Aspiring Directors This lunchtime workshop, run by the Institute of Directors, is designed for those who have aspirations to become a director but are unsure how to promote or equip themselves for the position. Workshop discussions cover making a career as a professional director, including when to start, identifying your competencies and how to play your strengths, normal term for board appointments, directors’ fees, liabilities and more.

For more information, visit: www.iod.org.nz

Friday, May 2 Accounting for Non-Accountants This half day course focuses on the critical skills of financial reporting, cash flow, budgets and forecasting – all in plain language. Participates will learn how to interpret balance sheets, income statements and cashflow statements, understand double entry accounting and accrual accounting, analyse the profitability and efficiency of a business and carry out ratio analysis and benchmarking. The course is designed for SME business owners.

For more information, visit: www.aucklandchamber.co.nz

Thursday, May 8 Building a Business Case

Microsoft Excel 1

The highlights of this course include different types of business cases, understanding business case components, writing persuasively, cost-benefit analysis, evaluation criteria, packaging and presenting the business case and more.

This one day course is run by Warren Meyer, an independent business consultant with over 20 years’ experience.

Microsoft Excel 1 is an introduction to the fundamental skills needed to create

For more information, visit: www.events.nzica.com

For more information, visit: www.gogreenexpo.co.nz

Friday, April 11

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 13

News | Good ideas

Getting work sites sorted

By Laura Hall

Construction sites can be dirty, wet, chaotic environments, certainly not the ideal place to fill out paper work.

Matt Cobham and Ashok Fernandez were both engineering students at the University of Canterbury. Last year was their final year of study and they were required to complete work experience, so Matt worked as a project manager on a construction site.

Documents can easily go missing or become damaged and it is incredibly inefficient to physically deliver hard copy documents to an office, especially if they are urgently needed.

“My job was to essentially organise and review the information that was onsite, I quickly grew sick of the incredibly inefficient systems, the disorganised paper trials and the huge amount of lost information,” Matt says.

But these problems will all soon be a thing of the past thanks to a pair of switched on university students and the collaborative help and backing of two Christchurch businesses. The solution is SiteSorted, an extremely logical, sensible yet genius programme that aims to streamline and standardise health and safety systems in construction industries in New Zealand and beyond.

Realising there was a need for something more efficient utilising the technology available prompted Matt to find a solution, and in April last year the idea for SiteSorted was born.

practices, but instead enhances the current outdated system by making everything instantly available, searchable and auditable.

At the same time Christchurch companies BVT Consulting and Worthington Contracting were independently working on similar ideas to implement within their own organisations. The three groups joined forces to create SiteSorted in a partnership that Matt describes as “mutually beneficial”.

“Our aim is to replace the paper system.

I would like to see the whole construction industry standardised and utilising the technology to make workplaces safer across the country.”

He and Ashok lacked business smarts and BVT Consulting and Worthington Contracting needed an extra pair of hands and some fresh creative initiative; together they made an ideal team.

The SiteSorted team recently completed final running tests to smooth out any kinks in the system. “We have received extremely positive reactions from our field tests,” Matt says.

How SiteSorted works SiteSorted is mobile reporting programme for iphones, smartphones, ipads and tablets.

Initially it allows workers onsite to file health and safety reports and information instantly and accurately. Information from across the field is then analysed and the statistics can be used to determine risks and hazards before it’s too late.

The programme can minimise the risk of accident or injury by determining the most common accidents on site, what causes them and which staff member is most likely to have an accident. <

Matt Cobham and Ashok Fernandez

James Worthington at the NZ Contractors Federation Awards ceremony receiving the 2013 AB Innovation Award for the SiteSorted tool

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However, health and safety paper work is an important aspect on construction sites to keep workers safe. But the traditional method of crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s on hard copy is often fraught with difficultly onsite.

Matt says the programme doesn’t introduce anything new to existing health and safety

Putting it to the test

Market research is also being carried out to help define what the end cost to the user will be, and while this aspect is still in its early stages, Matt says initial costings indicate it will be very affordable.

At this stage they are focussing on marketing and releasing the programme to the Canterbury rebuild SCRIT and alliance partners, including City Care, Downer, Fletchers, Fulton Hogan and McConnell Dowell.

But SiteSorted will be available nationwide after the official launch in late March.

“Initially we will focus on implementing the programme into the civil construction industry such as road and drainage companies. Once we are established we will then build up business in the vertical infrastructure industry, and from there the possibilities are endless.

“

Our aim is to replace the paper system.

I would like to see the whole construction industry standardised and utilising the technology to make workplaces safer across the country.

”

“There are so many industries SiteSorted is desperately needed in, namely the forestry industry, which has been hot in the press lately with their poor safety track record.”

Matt has big ambitions for the programme that started from a university project. “My personal five year plan is to get SiteSorted into the mines in Australia, but that’s a whole other beast in itself.”

His goal for 2014 is to standardise the “clumsy” health and safety practises in New Zealand and make it a safer environment for everyone.

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News | Management

Rockefeller habits

By Leigh Paulden

If I were to tell you that by using a simple checklist you could reduce the management time in your business by as much as 90 percent – would you believe me?

It’s true, and many mid to large size companies (those with turnovers exceeding $12m) repeatedly prove the worth of the Mastering the Rockefeller Habits Check List.

This checklist is an internationally proven tool to manage business and can reduce the time spent doing so from 50 hours per week, down to 15 hours. This frees up more time to spend on priorities that are more important.

The Rockefeller Habits Checklist has 10 essential habits, which help major functions of everyday business to run smoothly and efficiently. When used consistently, the Rockefeller Habits list will reduce management time, while keeping the whole team aligned and focussed on what needs to be executed, monthly, quarterly and annually.

The value of the checklist is that it helps to remind you of what you need to be doing on an ongoing basis.

It is just like any pilot of a plane. There are significant tasks that must be checked and done regularly to ensure a safe flight. The pilot will have flown many times before, but they still go through a checklist each time before take-off.

And like the pilot – your success in using the list is in discipline – use it all the time. This discipline will keep the entire team focussed so you can obtain operational excellence.

Christchurch chartered accountancy and consultancy company Taurus Group has been implementing the Rockefeller Habits

The Rockefeller Habits Checklist • The executive team is healthy and aligned • Everyone is aligned with the number one thing that needs to be accomplished this quarter to move the company forward

for several years and director Wayne Bailey says it has made a huge difference in the company’s clarity of direction.

• Communication rhythm is established and information moves through organisation accurately and quickly

“We are now focussed on the right priorities, communication is improved within the business and we have faster execution.

This has resulted in strong revenue growth, stronger cashflow and a large improvement in net profit.”

Sloppy execution a major downfall You can have a great growth strategy, but if your execution is sloppy or haphazard, the strategy is likely to fail. It‘s been said time and time again, the reason 90 percent of strategies fail is due to poor execution.

One common challenge that quietly sneaks up on successful growth companies is the transition from excellent, precise execution to complacency and then poor execution disciplines.

Too many times, I see companies executing a strategy, which in turn sees revenues growing, but not profits, and this is invariably due to poor execution.

• Every facet of the organisation has a person assigned with accountability for ensuring goals are met • Ongoing employee input is collected to identify obstacles and opportunities There are 10 key areas on the checklist, with smaller, four crucial items under each.

Do not try and action the entire checklist all at once - it’s just too much and you will not implement any area well.

I suggest you start with one or two key areas, then set a timeframe to implement those say in a quarter (three months). I also suggest you start with action one under habit number 10. Once this is mastered, you can move onto others. Spend a few minutes deciding on the one area that would give you the most impact if you focussed on it.

It does take time to implement the Rockefeller Habits Checklist but the rewards are great execution, improved profits and it By simply tightening up your execution habits, gives you time to plan/think. you can dramatically improve gross margins and profitability, while reducing the time it Leigh Paulden is the only Gazelles takes everyone to complete their work. This is International certified business coach in where the Rockefeller Habits checklist really New Zealand. He works across the country plays its part in the process. It’s the old adage with companies serious about growth. Visit – what you do not track, you cannot measure. http://www.advancing-businesses.co.nz/

• Reporting and analysis of customer feedback data is as frequent and accurate as financial data • Core values and purpose are alive within the organisation • Employees can accurately articulate the following key components of the company’s strategy • All employees can answer quantitatively whether they had a good day or week (part of the strategic plan) • The company’s plans and performance are visible to everyone.

To download the list in its entirety, including the four items which sit under each habit, visit advancingbusinesses.co.nz/assets/rockefellerresources/Execution/Rockefeller-HabitsChecklist.pdf

Customer experience key to driving business growth A new Colmar Brunton survey shows how Kiwis respond to good and bad customer experiences and reveals why delivering great customer experiences is the key to business growth.

Colmar Brunton CEO, Jacqueline Ireland says New Zealand businesses must focus on the customer experiences they deliver because of how customers react to their experiences – good and bad – and the influence that has on business growth.

16 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

“Our survey shows that most Kiwis take action as a direct result of customer experiences.

The first response is to tell others about their experience and then they look at changing their behaviour,” she says.

the phone (41 percent) or post on Facebook (20 percent) to tell others. By comparison, only 25 percent of those who shared good experiences used the phone and 13 percent posted on Facebook.

Poor customer service was the biggest turn off (43 percent) with long waiting times (16 percent) and poor communication or lack of follow up (14 percent) also contributing to bad experiences.

The survey asked 1,000 New Zealanders about their good and bad customer experiences.

Of those surveyed who had a particularly good experience, 51 percent chose to make that company their first choice provider while 28 percent became less interested in the competition.

Ireland says the survey underlines the critical role the customer experience plays in business and their ‘Grow’ seminar has been developed to deliver deeper insights into the customer experience.

On the other hand 35 percent of those who had a very negative experience started looking for an alternative provider and a further 30 percent became more interested in hearing from competitors.

“We are a passionate advocate for the voice of the customer to drive business growth and success,” she says.

Results showed that more people (70 percent) told others about their good experiences than shared their bad experiences (58 percent).

But it is those with a bad experience to report who tell more people about them.

Fortyone percent of those surveyed told 11 or more people about their bad experiences compared to only 15 percent who told at least 11 people about their positive experiences.

Survey respondents almost all shared their good and bad customer experiences with others in person, but those who are subject to bad experiences are most likely to pick up

Great service (for 37 percent of those surveyed) and helpfulness (21 percent) were highlighted as the overwhelming reasons behind a good customer experience, ahead of price (18 percent).

“We want to share our insights on how to identify the types of experiences customers want, creating ideal customer experiences, empowering staff to deliver them, measuring their effectiveness and using the information to drive business success.”

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Banishing the word ‘no’ from its businesses vocabulary has helped Best Property Services more than triple turnover in just three short years.

The company’s can-do attitude is what makes its water blasting, carpet cleaning, pest control and window cleaning, including all high-rise cleaning work, the best in town.

Chris Wilson and his father Bob bought the company, formally known as Best Water Blasters, more than three years ago after Chris returned from England where he had worked in the corporate pharmaceutical industry for 11 years.

Armed with sound business knowledge and cutting edge sale skills he decided to try his hand at something new. “It was a daunting challenge stepping into a whole new industry but we tackled it head on.”

When Chris took over the company it had just one main customer and “desperately needed a new lease of life”.

He promptly got to work restructuring the business to serve valuable customers, focusing on commercial and residential

property managers and large commercial companies, as well as expanding the residential business.

Soon after purchasing Best Water Blasters new customers were asking them to undertake extra work, so instead of saying no, Chris bought a carpet cleaning and pest control company to meet his customers’ needs.

“Purchasing the second company and rebranding to Best Property Services was a smart move because it kept our customers happy, and opened up new avenues,” Chris says.

A smart business attitude has expanded their customer base from a small business with one major client to businesses Auckland wide, from food packaging warehouses, high rise buildings, office buildings, residential buildings and pre paint cleaning for painters.

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“Our attitude towards saying yes sets us apart from our competitors. We don’t see problems, we see solutions and I think that’s the key to keeping our customers coming back.”

hi-tech gear. The vehicles are purpose built to house the carpet cleaning and water blasting equipment so when the team arrives on site, all it needs is water and they’re ready to work.

Chris understands business interruptions can cause productivity and profit loss.

While some commercial cleaning companies only work during office hours, disrupting business, Best Property Services goes above and beyond to reduce interruption.

The company’s 12 staff includes men with more than 10 years water blasting experience, and a team of Level 3 IRANZ qualified abseilers. “A business is only as good as its staff and you can’t beat a business with an experienced, committed team,” Chris proudly says.

“We frequently work outside of office hours to minimise interference to our clients; it’s not uncommon for my team to work weekends or throughout the night.”

Due to Best Property Services’ rapid growth during the past three years the company is looking to consolidate it’s new services in 2014.

During the last 18 months Best Property Services has renewed its vehicles and equipment, now boasting a fleet of smart, sign written vans and trucks and the latest

“We will continue to build our diverse customer base and be the best commercial and residential cleaning business Auckland wide,” Chris says.

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News | Property

Property outlook for 2014

By Olly Newland

In this article I will take the plunge and make my forecasts for the year ahead. So much news has been coming from all quarters of late that forecasting is a dangerous game, but not to try is avoiding the issue.

The actions of the Reserve Bank I have written several times on the previous actions of the Reserve Bank, and I along with many others just wonder what goes on behind the walls in that hallowed institution.

The LVR restrictions will drag down some low deposit buyers, but I remain at a loss to see how in the long term these restrictions will be beneficial.

One good thing that may happen if the restrictions do bite, is to cramp the style of the Johnny-come–lately spruikers who promise fabulous wealth, no money down, pay off your mortgage, or free advice deals when all but the totally foolish know that there are no free lunches.

As I write this the Reserve Bank has announced that personal loans and credit cards no longer have to be taken into account when calculating 20 percent deposits. This means that effectively the LVR rules have been watered down to almost nothing. Anyone with too smaller deposit can top up with personal loans, second mortgages, or credit cards.

Interest rates From all sides bleating economists keep calling for the Reserve Bank to increase the cash rate from its current 2.5 percent.

Their calls are backed by breathless journalists whose job is to create a fresh shock-horror headline every day of the week without real research.

Be careful what you wish for. If rates are increased I would imagine it would be by

as little as 0.25 percent to start with and maybe another 0.25 percent later. Beyond that would be hard to forecast.

With Europe in the doldrums, Australia likely to cut rates and the US just lifting, and Japan and China still very benign, it’s going to get very interesting as the NZ dollar risks going through the roof as a result.

With competition and borrower resistance it wouldn’t surprise me at all, if actual mortgage rates stayed more or less where they are at present.

Of course the building industry would take a knock as buyers hesitate so expect some howls from that quarter. Any interest rate rise will be done more for shock value then effectiveness.

It could well force the market to hesitate, but I believe given a month or two, it will business a usual.

been steadily dropping. Properties, that a few years ago would be hard pressed to return a 10 percent yield now sell for sub five percent yields.

Commercial property

In other words investors are paying more and more for the same rental returns.

As we know commercial property (shops, offices, factories) run on quite different rules from residential.

A house is worth the same whether rented out or not. The value is influenced mainly by position and condition. Not so with commercial property.

The value of any commercial property is seriously effected one way or the other by:

• Rent received • Length of lease • Strength of tenant • Terms of lease

Also note that a paper-thin inflation rate as we have at present risks deflation - the ugly brother of inflation.

• Position

If you think inflation is bad, deflation is a 100 time worse. The slightest knock to the economy could spiral into deflation and aggressive interest rate rises could be just be the catalyst needed.

• Earthquake risk

Maybe one good thing will come out of it all; if interest rates rise, more and more people will choose renting as the cheaper option.

• Number of tenants

Politics Normally I avoid getting into politics but it can’t be ignored in the present market, especially as the heat and light generated by the rising market cannot be ignored, as it is a very major topic of discussion.

This is election year and for better or worse the next 6 months will be filled with rhetoric, accusations, threats, wild promises, bribes and exaggerations. This has a destabilising effect on the market - any market in fact - so cool heads are needed.

I have been through at least 20 elections as I recall and it has always been the same.

Who ever gets into power immediately becomes sober, serious and conservative and all the promises, threats and accusations drift away or are watered down.

Olly Newland

Property Consultant Impartial, expert guidance

For an obligation-free session with Olly, call: 0800 66 22 80 18 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

So it will be business as usual for experienced investors and may indeed, create bargains for the canny as the naïve panic and rush to the exists.

• Condition of property • Configuration • Contamination • Guarantees • Zoning - and many more as well.

It is quite possible to have two identical commercial properties side by side with the same rental returns, but to have a 100 percent difference in value simply because one has more advantages. Simply put, investors are prepared to pay very much more for the right combination.

Therefore with the right advice it is quite feasible to pay, for example, $500,000 for a commercial property, and with a stroke of the pen and some sensible negotiation double the value to $1million without spending any more money - just some patience and good advice.

Nothing to do with inflation or luck - all to do with doing your homework first and not guessing or hoping for the best.

Because interest rates have been low, the returns from good commercial property have

Summary All the signs say this will be a good year for the economy and this in turn must flow into the property market.

The economy continues to be buoyant compared to other developed countries due to our increasing exports of food based products.

This in turn is encouraging immigration and a feeling of confidence among consumers which in turn improves the economy even further. The result is that the economy however, is becoming more and more Auckland centric, as jobs increasingly move to Auckland which attracts more yet still.

All of this pushes the Auckland residential and commercial property markets along, with supply simply not keeping up with increasing demand. Hamilton is also benefiting from this situation as the real travelling time between the cities rapidly continues to shrink.

It appears certain that the main economic drivers being the Christchurch rebuild, net immigration, and continued positive economic growth in China, as China moves more towards a consumer based economy, plus rising confidence and more jobs; all these may play an even bigger role in our economy than ever before.

Now is not the time to be distracted by all huffing and puffing of the gloomsters and stirrers. Now is the time to take advantage of the current climate.

Remember: It only takes one good deal to change your life for better for ever.

With more than 45 years in the property game, Olly Newland provides a consulting and mentoring service for people committed to make serious progress with property investments… whether it be buying, selling, holding or troubleshooting. If you’re interested in knowing more, visit Olly’s webpage at www.ollynewland.co.nz

Get skilled advice on residential and commercial property investment from Olly Newland, reknowned property expert, author & Authorised Financial Advisor.

Purchasing, selling & managing property.

‘No problems - only solutions.’

Personal, One-to-one, Confidential

www.ollynewland.co.nz

News | Second nature

Second

nature

By Davina Richards

In an age where work places and homes are cluttered with stuff, trends tend to come and go and it’s easy to fall into the trap of throwing good money after bad endlessly chasing the look of the day.

But as they say, style and fashion are entirely separate entities. It’s a maxim not lost on British born, but New Zealand-based designer David Trubridge, who was catapulted onto the international stage in 2001.

He has been on the receiving end of many awards, including the prestigious John Britten Award for innovative design and was also a speaker at last year’s TEDxAuckland.

In a world where waste is polluting our lands, the self taught furniture maker has a strong awareness of environmental responsibility. His work details the light and delicate minimalism of true materials and anchors the importance of organic and sustainable designs.

From materials, creative processes, to his ecofriendly design and manufacturing business in Hawke’s Bay, David likes his products to tell a story; you can read more about his experiences and creative processes in his biography So Far. Is a good design something which stands out, or something which blends in?

I don’t think you can generalise. Some good designs stand out, while elsewhere a good design may blend in. It all depends on the design and the context.

anything, but now with much larger overheads my options are much more limited.

Sadly we can’t make most of my furniture designs because by the time we have added our costs, then put the piece through our distribution/retail chain mark-ups, the price is prohibitive.

and that developed into quite a different business which has allowed me to employ a great team of more than 20 people.

What do you enjoy the most about mentoring young designers and employing interns? And do you find yourself learning new things as well?

What do you think about the current state of the design world?

I love their fresh energy and enthusiasm.

Some of their ideas can be a bit whacky but that is just what we need. Yes of course I learn from them, especially the foreign interns who bring a quite different culture and perspective.

There are a lot of great people who really care, but they tend to be small players.

Unfortunately most of the big players are largely content with business-as-usual while playing lip service to responsibility.

I wish the idealism of the young had more influence!

What are you working on at the moment?

We are doing quite a bit with acoustics in some form or other. At last the design world has woken up to the fact that it is not enough to design amazing looking buildings and spaces if they deafen you with reverberation!

Which cultures have given you new insight, inspiration and understanding into the ideas and processes behind design?

How has the practise of furniture and lighting design evolved for you?

I am most inspired by the Australian Aborigines, especially the recent wave of paintings by women artists, such Dorothy Napangardi and Emily Pwerle. Art has always inspired me more than design which has in effect already been done.

It started as a self-employed, craft driven practice making furniture which sustained me for 25 years. Then the lighting came along

Do you find yourself fighting an ongoing battle between form and function; as in

is finding the balance one of the toughest elements of design, because if either is compromised the product isn’t what you want it to be?

No not really! The dogma of form following function went out in the last century - it is very minimal and boring! The form of my lights has nothing to do with the function.

But you are right that finding balance in design is very hard - all the different criteria are pulling in opposite directions: aesthetics, structure, material requirements and cost.

It is very hard to get them all right and just about every design is a compromise of some sort.

If we take your business as an example of being environmentally responsible, do you think there is an awful amount of ignorance about how wasteful our society is?

I don’t make my business out to be a paragon of virtue, but we do care and we are constantly trying to improve. I think the same may be true for many other people and businesses.

Then there are others who do care, but who are caught in the juggernaut and find it too hard to take enough action. And yes, there is also too much indifference and waste.

Have you ever had any designs or concepts which you loved, but weren’t feasible, so they never made it to production?

There has to be a mixture of hunger for change from the bottom and encouragement and leadership from the top. Sadly our government shows no sign of living up to its responsibility and we drift backwards rudderless.

Yes of course. In the old days when I was working alone I could make just about

www.davidtrubridge.com

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 19

News | Business Tip

Management myths and facts I have read hundreds of business books during the years and to be honest it’s hard to impress me these days. A lot of “so called” best practises are often nothing more than the same old myths that keep getting perpetuated.

As a result, I seek out authors who bring meaningful data and intellectual rigor to their work. One of them is Professor Bob Sutton from Stanford.

I love it when research blows away my preconceived notions and as leaders we must always be willing to change our minds when better information comes to light.

If you want to have your beliefs challenged, I recommend any of Bob’s books, Good Boss, Bad Boss and The Knowing - Doing Gap and Hard facts, dangerous half truths, and Total Nonsense: Profiting from evidence-based management, for starters. I draw on his research often in my writing and in our work with clients.

By Stephen Lynch

i.e. the gap between what the CEO earns and what the lowest paid employee earns is far less and much less likely to cause employee resentment.

Myth - The most important thing we can do is to find and develop the senior leaders.

Fact - The most important thing we can do is to find and develop great front line supervisors.

Myth - The best organisations have the best people (the “war for talent” mentality).

Fact - The best organisations have the best systems and not necessarily the best raw talent. Ordinary people can learn to perform at top levels in a well designed system, but even rock star employees are doomed to fail in a bad system.

Myth - Every company needs a great performance review system.

Eliminating the negative is more important that accentuating the positive when it comes to superior business execution.

Here is a summary of some pearls of wisdom derived from a presentation Bob gave to a group of human resource managers a while back.

Fact - Most organisations do performance appraisals because they have always done them, and there is an entire industry vested in promoting this model. Forced rankings, merit ratings and other forms of grading that breed internal competition tend to undermine employee motivation and breed contempt.

Myth - Find rock star employees and pay them whatever is necessary to keep them happy (the “Wall Street mentality”).

Myth - Managers should focus on finding, hiring and developing the very best people.

Fact - The best performing organisations do pay above average salaries for roles, but the pay bands are more compressed

Fact - Reforming or terminating the worst people is up to five times more important for raising overall team performance.

“

The research shows that managers of high performing teams confront poor performance directly and quickly, issue more warnings and formal punishments, and promptly fire employees when warnings fail.

These no-nonsense managers inspire higher performance because they make it crystal clear that they will not tolerate poor performance.

This works so long as they are fair and consistent, and balance this approach

I would like to thank you for the recent work you did at Synnex NZ. On Friday the 21st of September we celebrated the doubling of our Auckland logistics centre and we used your company to provide the canapés, meals, tables, seating, heating, linen and glassware.

I found your service to be excellent with getting back to us quickly with a quote, the delivery was on schedule and I found you very pleasant to deal with. Thank you for your service.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending you to friend or other businesses that are in need of some quality catering.

Many thanks. Kind regards, - Richard Harri

Cooked Onsite Menu Packages

”

with ample recognition and praise for good performance.

Don’t procrastinate when it comes to doing the unpleasant work. Rooting out poor performance and negative behaviours is not fun, but playing “bad cop” is an essential part of being a successful manager, and driving business execution success.

How well are you implementing these facts in your business?

Stephen Lynch is the chief customer officer at RESULTS.com. Information kindly provided by RESULTS.com: www.results.com

SPIT ROAST CATERING COMPANY PROVIDES PACKAGES FOR ALL TYPES OF OCCASIONS. ...From very casual beach parties and construction roof shouts to formal wedding and corporate functions, huge public events and everything in between.

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20 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

News | Cover Story

Home truths

Before globalisation and the emergence of international trade relationships, members of the commercial market throughout the world were isolated from each other, and consumers were limited to buying within their own respective markets, or waiting extended periods of time for their offshore investments to arrive.

In China

The Zhang family had high hopes when it brought Hystand to the New Zealand market, and rightly so. It knew it had Today imports and exports are ubiquitous a niche – a product that was head and and with their presence the accessibility of goods and services spoil consumers for choice. shoulders above the rest, because it had been so carefully refined to appeal Spoiling consumers with exclusive flooring to the tastes and preferences of New choices in New Zealand is start-up success Zealand people. story Hystand – a brand of Hyplore Holdings New Zealand Ltd. Having owned and operated a factory in The business has a culturally rich history Shanghai, Zhejiang province in China, the with ties to one of the most compelling Zhang’s weren’t entering into an industry and rapidly diversifying economic climates blind, and they had the smarts and skills to on the planet – China. Hystand thrives thanks make a compelling entrance. to an environmentally conscious, adaptive Owner and operator Luna Zhang says, and evolutionary business model – one that “We own a manufacturing factory that is has seen the company rapidly makes its based in China and import all the materials way into the hearts, minds and homes of from countries including Europe, South New Zealanders.

America and Russia. Our products are made As a young brand in Aotearoa, New at the factory in China and then brought to Zealanders’ needs are Hystand’s highest New Zealand. priority. Its mission is to provide quality “I know the business inside out because I flooring and delivering reliable service grew up in China and managed the factory and assistance.

22 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

“

a quality product for a good price, and we have grown much faster than we initially anticipated.”

Testimonial “HYSTAND products always have a good performance. You may buy other brands’ flooring for the same price, but they never show the same quality as HYSTAND. I would definitely recommend HYSTAND to my customers.”

Raysen Boivin, professional flooring installer

”

for three or so years before I came out to New Zealand. My father owns the factory and it has been in operation for more than 12 years, so we are an expert in this area.”

While the New Zealand arm of Hystand is still in its relative infancy, it is maturing quickly, and befriending style lovers along the way.

“We thought very carefully and considerately about bringing our business to New Zealand. We wanted to be able to sell

This growth no doubt owes to an extensive, attractive and functional flooring range that includes 100 percent New Zealand designed flooring options that range from residential through to commercial.

Not only does Hystand offer a broad selection, it builds on its offering even further by offering easy to clean, low maintenance, cost-effective, impact resistant, easy to install and eco-friendly options. It also offers customisation for customers that want to exercise greater discretion over their flooring choices.

Solid wood options are available in European Oak, Siberian Highstand Pine, European Ash, North American Birch, South American Tauari, South American Cumaru, Southeast Asia Kasai, Indonesian Kempas and African Kosso three in one. Laminate and engineered options are also available, as well as free samples and free quotes.

News | Cover Story

For the last year Hystand has also been an avid supporter and contributor to human rights advocates Amnesty International.

Kiwis love quality Luna Zhang knows and values that the Hystand brand stands for incomparable quality – something which has bolstered the credibility and authenticity of the company so much in the last year.

“I would say one of our strongest competitive advantages is our quality. So very often similar looking products flood into this market, and perhaps for a while, customers may start buying them because they look the same and they are cheaper.

“But then after a while, they realise the low price is a reflection of the quality. Our flooring solutions are considered an investment in the future because they are designed to last.

“We find with most Kiwis that they are very much focussed on quality – they want and appreciate quality. We have embraced this and also listened very careful to what their style preferences are. Many of our consumers now love and prefer the lighter colours for their flooring, so we have adapted our factory in China to meet these needs.”

Hystand has also positioned itself as an environmentally conscious business and takes this position seriously. It manufactures ecofriendly and safer flooring options for kids and pets, and all materials meet New Zealand’s environmental standards for flooring. The solid wood flooring is also protected with anti-scratch technology, which prevents kids or pets damaging the surface.

“

Testimonial “This product has the best value and quality I have ever used. It meets all my needs – it is waterproof, heat system safe, harmless for children and for pets, and is much cheaper than I anticipated. All in all, if you are thinking of flooring for your family, HYSTAND is a brand you can’t afford to miss.”

Charlotte Shi, Architect

For the future

”

The Hystand brand could also find itself based throughout New Zealand with plans for expansion too.

“We are currently based only in Auckland, but we would very much like to base ourselves in Christchurch and Wellington too with the potential for franchises and a show room.

A show room would very much give us the opportunity to build new networks, which is a real focus for us in the coming years.” www.hystand.co.nz

Having already firmly established itself as a flooring favourite in the New Zealand market, Luna is now considering the company’s next move, and is committed to diversifying Hystand’s services even further.

“We are thinking carefully about our options from here. It is very important to us that we continue to meet the demands for our products in New Zealand and maintain the high standards that our customers expect from us. We also want to look at the possibility of taking on large, commercial projects.

“Last year we were contracted to do the entire flooring for a Hilton Hotel in China. It is our desire to take on projects like this in New Zealand because to date we have very much been taking on residential projects, and not really big, commercial projects.”

“

We find with most Kiwis that they are very much focussed on quality – they want and appreciate quality.

- OWNER AND OPERATOR, LUNA ZHANG

”

With all the available flooring options on the market, why Hystand? Because HYSTAND knows solid wood flooring: Has sound insulation

PHILANTHROPY: HYSTAND is proud of its relationship with, and commitment to Amnesty International. It partners with Amnesty International in its fight for freedom, justice and dignity for all. HYSTAND cares deeply about gender based violence, children’s rights, human rights in the Pacific, as well as the challenges faced by the less fortunate all across the world.

Solid wood flooring has a hard texture and compact fiber structure. It works better than concrete, tiles and steel for a sound insulation.

Is a life product Solid wood flooring is a life product.

When saying ‘life’ we mean this product breathes to release the internal moisture when the conditions are too dry and absorbs moisture from air when it is humid.

Is eco-friendly Solid wood flooring is made of natural wood from primeval forest without the coating of volatile wear-resistant paint.

It is totally eco-friendly in terms of its material and coating.

Is unique We all know that each tree has its own texture, which means you can’t find two trees that look exactly alike. As a result, every piece of solid wood flooring is unique throughout the world. Nobody else will get the same as you do.

Durable, solid wood flooring has a thicker wear surface and can be sanded and finished more times than other types. It has a lifespan of tens or even hundreds of years i fused properly. It is not uncommon for homes in New England, Eastern Canada and Europe, which are several hundred years old, to have the original solid wood flooring still in use today. www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 23

Appliances - “Your living is our mission” It’s hard to know how to distill down EISNO Appliance’s monumental offering – its potential as a world class appliance manufacturer knows no bounds.

Distributing through the 100 Percent Group and Betta Electrical, EISNO’s already impressive reputation and strategic partnerships are palpable indications of its growing presence in the New Zealand market.

A family business encompassing traditional values, it survives the tumultuous nature of the commercial market that has a natural proclivity for taking no prisoners and is prone to extreme peaks and troughs, with a simple formula – excellent products and excellent service.

“Transparency with our products is very important, as is a direct line of education for our resellers, who in turn educate our customers. We want the reseller to understand our product 100 percent and for the customer to have the same experience.”

EISNO is the first choice for appliances including – rangehoods, ovens, cooktops, dishwashers, freestanding equipment and accessories - thanks to its distinctly compelling offering.

Here’s why EISNO should be your first choice….

Strategic autonomy When you enter a marketplace, there’s no time or tolerance for retrospective marketing strategies, or target demographic consideration. You must come prepared.

It does not take these partnerships for granted – ensuring bi-directional communication is at the heart of all its relationships. “When dealing with existing or prospective resellers, we make contact with the individual owners and establish a direct line of communication with them.

A successful direct line of communication and education has been made possible through the establishment of a Home Idea’s centre in Auckland – a concept that Xia is keen to see utilised throughout New Zealand.

Participating in experience centres throughout the country is a priority for EISNO. It takes its role in the industry very seriously and thinks laterally in terms of how it can engage its customers.

“We do not operate strictly within the parameters of manufacturing – we also involve ourselves in the design elements. For us, it is important that we can create high performing appliances, but also products with a contemporary look too. We see ourselves as being pioneers in the industry by leading and facilitating innovation.

When EISNO came to the New Zealand in 2011, it was not only prepared, but also ready to take the market by storm, and that’s exactly what it has done. With a breadth and depth of knowledge like no other, the business is an Italian Joint Venture. At the helm is Robert Xia.

“An important part of this role involves participating in shows, and playing a role in the broader industry, which includes our membership in the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association – a lot of businesses and architects work with them, and we have forged connections with them also.”

Having operated as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in China for many years through the EISNO brand exporting millions of products per year, the Xia family identified a niche in the New Zealand market – they planned to position themselves in the same league as appliance giant Fisher & Paykel.

EISNO’s industry association also extends beyond the commercial realm and into the education sector. It is a major sponsor of UNITEC’s Architecture Department and is integrally involved with the annual FESTA event.

The time it would take to establish a credible presence and command this respect was anyone’s guess – but the family has made this happen during the short space of time their business has been punching well above its weight in New Zealand.

“We like to utilise these opportunities to get industry feedback – this paves the way forward for us and our future. We want to continue to revolutionise our sector and have plans to lead the roll-out of experience centres across New Zealand.”

Aotearoa was an obvious choice for Xia and his family who recognised that the consumer culture is looking for appliances that are sophisticated in looks and functionality.

EISNO’s own showroom is the “E-cubby Kitchen Fashion Boutique” – a premium showroom destination for EISNO appliances that demonstrate the brand’s commitment to kitchen fashion and the latest designs.

“We identified with New Zealand as being a healthy economic environment, and we arrived here with very crystal clear objectives,” Xia says. “While it is a competitive industry to some extent, we knew only one major player – Fisher & Paykel - was already doing what we were prepared to do as the owner and operator of its own factory and manufacturer of its own products.”

“At the centre our display presence is striking – we imported black paint from Lamborghini for our cupboards, and the tiles have come from Spazio Casa in Italy. For us, this is about relationship building too, because we are representing not only ourselves, but also the result of our co-operative efforts with our strategic partners.

With its own direct line of import, the quality of EISNO is, quite literally, world class. In addition, the innovation and brainpower of its in-house research and development (R&D) team means the appliances manufactured are market leading – a hybrid of the most advanced technology and design.

“We can manage and streamline our entire process – from the design and manufacture of our products through to the distribution and after-sales support. Because we work out of our own factory, the service we can provide our customers goes well beyond the point of sale.

“Thanks to our specialised machinery, we can manufacturer parts for our customers should they require a replacement. We are one of only two market players that have these capabilities. Other traders do not have the buying power, or the factory access to offer this kind of service.”

Manufacturing its own products means lower margins for EISNO – a benefit that is also passed on to the customer. “The quality of our products and the efficiency of our shipments is also much higher than our competitors because we have full control of these functions.”

“We are excited about the inspiration this will create in the minds and imaginations of our clients.”

Committed to fostering a culture and identity for EISNO will be at the forefront of Xia’s attention in the coming years. This culture and identity will be defined by sophistication and elegance.

Watch this space.

EISNO APPLIANCES PO BOX 151191 NEW LYNN AUCKLAND 0640 P 09 974 3226 E robert@eisno.co.nz www.eisno.co.nz

EISNO E-CUBBY KITCHEN FASHION BOUTIQUE Auckland Home Ideas Centre, Stand 280, 165 The Strand, Parnell, AUCKLAND (Free Car-Parking)

is a game changer – making domesticity fashionable one stylish appliance at a time.

It’s a fashion leader marrying functionality and contemporary aesthetics and revolutionising how we identify with our spaces at home. If you want your kitchen to say ‘modern’, ‘innovative’ and ‘powerful’ then EISNO is exactly what you’ve been searching for.

Functional beauty doesn’t need to be a luxury or reserved for the elite –because EISNO is for everyone and everyone includes you.

With sophisticated products incorporating the latest technology, EISNO keeps its finger on the R&D pulse at all times. Ovens, cooktops, rangehoods and dishwashers – every piece of equipment manufactured to the highest standards.

The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for commercial giants including Whirlpool, Electrolux, CDA and Haier, EISNO has its head firmly in the game – and that head is bursting with ideas.

These ideas make your world better, simpler and more productive.

When you choose EISNO, you’re choosing efficiency and style. You’re saying ‘Yes’ to the best, and only the best.

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E: sales@crestron.co.nz M: +64 27 290 7270 All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2013 Crestron Electronics, Inc. AD2013_08

SVL0054_FPC_250x355_Crestron_Magic_Button.indd 1

6/03/14 4:35 PM

News | Q&A

Getting selective

By Laura Hall

Emma Clarke is a well known name in the New Zealand marketing industry, and rightly so with more than 15 years of experience.

She spent the first eight years of her career overseas working for multinational companies as a marketer. The she returned home spending the last seven years as a marketing consultant, managing teams of creative specialists developing marketing and communication plans for businesses in New Zealand.

She recently added a new title to her name, founder and marketing strategy director of The Selective. Emma launched the marketing company in August last year in reaction to a dramatic shift in customer demand.

The Selective is a new take on the traditional marketing model, which conventionally requires clients to pay for the ‘’full service’’ including marketing, communications and creative expertise, which she says can often be costly.

Clients of The Selective can use its creative experts when and how they want, reducing cost and inefficiencies. This model opens up top quality marketing to SMEs, who were normally locked out of these services because of the high cost. Or it can offer an extra set of hands to large well established marketing companies when they have taken on a big job.

The Selective is comprised of a group of creative experts Emma hand picked and invited to be onboard. Each team member is a top player in their own field including photography, copy writing, public relations, website design, graphic design, social media and more.

So when a client needs someone to design a website, logo or newsletter they can go direct to Emma and she’ll put them in direct connect with a expert on The Selective.

Why did you create The Selective?

Over the last few years I’ve noticed more and more prospective clients want really specific services. So instead of saying we need to do some marketing, which is what they used to say, they’re now saying we want someone to build a website, handle our social media, or create a logo. I launched The Selective because I saw there was a specific need from the SME space, but also from larger companies.

You’ve been in business for a few months now, how is it going?

Good; we’re beginning to gain momentum and are getting some good feedback. But like all new businesses starting up presents its challenges. I’ve been out selling, cold calling and meeting people to get our name out there.

What distinguishes you from other PR or marketing companies?

We provide clients with direct access to top marketing and creative talent. We work on 28 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

a job by job basis so there is no on-going commitment required from clients.

Because each of the suppliers is independent we don’t have the same overheads that large agencies have, so there are financial benefits to the clients and suppliers.

We’re not a full service model like other agencies so clients can pick and choose their services, plus they can work direct with the creative supplier; no middle man.

I think for a long time the marketing and creative service industry in New Zealand haven’t been meeting the needs of SMEs. There are a large proportion of small businesses in New Zealand and the old fashioned model has really been screaming out for a reinvention.

If a SME has been in business for several years and never used a marketing company, what can you do for them?

If an organisation came to me wanting to do marketing for the first time I’d be drilling into them what there business objectives are and what they want to achieve.

If there objective is to compete, for example they may have a new competitor and they’ve taken there market share, then their objective is to try and win that market share back. So there are certain types of marketing we can do to achieve that.

It all comes down to business objectives and every business is going to have a different one. Ultimately marketing is about understanding why people buy things and influencing the purchasing decision process.

“

I think the way you stay ahead of the game is by constantly reinventing the business model based on the customers needs.

I think although it is a really cost effective way to get your message and your brand out there if you do it well. But it can be really damaging too.

Even if you’re an honest, hard working SME, you can’t stop unfair or unjust online reviews tarnishing your reputation - so how does an SME combat this?

Whatever objectives you have heavily influence what marketing methods you should take. If you don’t know what your objective is I think you’ve got to monitor your online presence; there are ways and companies how can you measure progress and how do who can monitor who is talking about your you know when you’ve achieved your goals? business and what they are saying.

Has the computer technology and information age made it easier or harder for businesses to maintain a positive public image?

I think both; it’s made it easier and harder.

Social media and internet tools available now make it a hell of a lot easier to measure what’s working and what’s not working in your marketing strategy.

Plus it’s certainly more cost effective compared to other methods. But I think it’s harder because you have to be really consistent with your messages and tone of voice. You have to monitor everything you are doing online and you have to check it on a daily basis; I think that’s where companies fall over.

Businesses often start a Facebook page, they chuck up a few things then they just forget about. This leaves it open for people to freely and publicly comment about them and that’s where they get into trouble.

You need to respond to negative comments quickly and efficiently to clear up the mess before it snowballs and gets out of control.

People often make the mistake of ignoring comments but that is the last thing they should do.

Finally if you are in the wrong, just say sorry.

How competitive is the marketing industry?

It is competitive. I think a lot of marketing companies try to specialise in one industry to try and compete. Companies also try to compete on price, the New Zealand market is very heavily price driven.

But in the creative services industry you get what you pay for, so it can be worth investing in. I think the way you stay ahead of the game is by constantly reinventing the business model based on the customer’s needs.

”

What is the key to the success of your business?

Firstly having the best creative specialists on our team who are leading in their industry and making sure they fit our clients’ demands. Secondly we are constantly evolving to address our customers’ needs and we never loose sight of the purpose of our core business.

Do you have one piece of advice to people who are considering starting up their own business?

Always do your research, ask people if they would buy your product or service and what they’d pay for, and then listen to their feedback.

A lot of entrepreneurs have great ideas, and they invest all their money into product development. But then they have nothing left to pay for market research or advertising, so they’ve got this great product but no one knows about. I see a lot of new businesses fall over because they don’t invest in marketing.

What are your plans for the future of The Selective?

My immediate goal is to grow the number of creative specialists on the team. The short to medium term goal is to move into the Australian market.

A lot of New Zealand companies are breaking into the Australian market and they want to use a local marketing company to help them do it.

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Southern Focus | Interview

Jump master

By Kayte John

Henry van Asch began a life in adventure sports - an avid skier he set records in speed skiing, with a top speed of 194kph and represented New Zealand at the World Downhill Championships.

But his interests expanded beyond skiing when he met a man named AJ Hackett.

In 1988 the duo set up the world’s first permanent commercial bungy site at the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown - this marked the genesis of modern day bungy jumping.

Twenty five years later AJ Hackett Bungy is still delivering amazing experiences, with the likes of the Nevis Bungy, Nevis Swing and the Auckland Bridge Bungy.

Last year the business turned 25 and in true style it celebrated with a pre-party build up and plenty of festivities. Henry van Asch remains the co-owner of AJ Hackett Bungy and is also the owner of Van Asch wines, having diversified into the wine industry in 1993.

30 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Canterbury Today finds out about his first bungy, what keeps him motivated and what the next 25 years hold for the iconic bungy business.

Twenty-five years ago you stood on the Kawarau Bridge and opened the world’s first commercial bungy jump – how did that feel?

Well 25 years ago on the 12th of November, we started jumping at the Kawarau Bridge.

We’d spent a few weeks getting DOC to approval and AJ got out there a couple of days beforehand and built the jump deck.

We had the mayor out there, a few apprehensive spectators and some of the agents from town. Jeff Desbecker forked out his $75 and was happily the first customer to jump off - to do this big new exciting thing bungy jumping.

The Kawarau Bridge was built in 1880 and in early 1962 a new bridge opened, so the old bridge sat there and became a bit dilapidated over 25 years.

There was a fire at one end of the bridge, but luckily a local had seen it smoking and called the fire brigade, so the year before we started jumping the whole thing nearly burnt down.

The army talked about using it as a demolition exercise at one point, but we approached the DOC and said we’d like to set up a commercial bungy jump from this site.

They looked at us like we were a bit crazy.

Luckily we were able to convince them that we could do it safely.

We went on to set up a restoration fund for the bridge and when we opened we walked around the audience and shook tins to collect coins. We were only granted a 30 day permit initially but it was great, it all started from there.

The DOC saw that it was going to work and granted us a six month licence, and then we got five years, then eventually a very long term licence.

What inspired you personally to start AJ Hackett Bungy?

25 years ago I met AJ in France while I was competing in high-performance sports and together we met friends who were really into Bungy.

We saw the amazing affect it had on them and became inspired to take it to the next level. We realised while jumping with friends all around the world that it was something quite special and so we decided to commercialise it and offer bungy to the world.

What’s been most memorable about the last 25 years of being in business?

The most memorable thing for me is that every time someone jumps, they’re creating their own memory - it’s a special moment for them. Also knowing that we treat each person as an individual and acknowledge it’s their first time and a big achievement is really memorable for me.

They come out here and do this amazing activity that’s meaningful for them.

What’s been your worst moment in business?

One of the worst things was dealing with people who just saw bungy as a cash cow, with no respect for the safety systems.

In America people used to make what we called the ‘supermarket bungy’ – a bungy cord and a one page sheet of instructions which they started selling by mail order.

Dealing with those cowboys was quite a difficult and taxing phase.

So within a few years we wrote a code of practice that really set the foundation for bungy to carry on without being destroyed by people who weren’t so concerned with the safety or as passionate about the activity.

That code of practice was used all across the world subsequently and we still operate it today.

When and where was your best bungy?

My best bungy was probably the first one in Hamilton over the Waikato River at about 20 metres - so it wasn’t a huge bungy, but bungy for me was really about the technical system and processes, working out how to do something that was a bit different using gravity. Instead of falling into the water, we’re actually bouncing around above it.

My favourite bungy was the first time on the Nevis Bungy. We had conceived this notion of putting a bungy together using a cable car so we designed and built it, and then we did some tests. I was the person driving it and so I was the first person to jump from it.

Southern Focus | Interview

It was very satisfying to design something that would challenge a lot of people.

How do you stay motivated and keep going in business?

I think AJ Hackett Bungy’s success has been based on the constant stream of ideas that have come along over the years.

I’m motivated to try and make some of those come into fruition for my own satisfaction and the eventual thrill of others.

Also, I’m very motivated by seeing my crew giving customers a good time and also seeing the crew we’ve gathered around us over the years growing in their ability and progressing with the business.

What does the next 25 years hold for AJ Hackett Bungy?

For the next 25 years of bungy we will just keep on evolving our products. There’s always been plenty of good ideas coming from the crew, so there’s definitely going to be a lot more stuff coming up.

We will always be focussed on our customers and making sure we delight and thrill.

We’ve just introduced the Zipride, which is a bit more accessible for people who aren’t quite as adventurous as some bungy customers. We are also developing some more products - bigger jumps, personalised service and higher levels of personal challenge for people.

Why do you think AJ Hackett Bungy has been such a successful and iconic brand and business?

I think bungy has managed to maintain its position in the front of the market for a long time because we’ve continued to adapt. We’ve brought new products in and stayed focussed on our customer’s experience.

As well as being innovative with new and more exciting jumps, we’ve embraced technology. In the early days, a big innovation was just filming it and giving people a VHS cassette or taking photos on film, which they’d then take into town and get developed to get their ‘proof’.

Today our ‘proof’ as we call it, happens almost instantly - it’s important that people have that ‘proof’ as quickly as possible. So

we have developed a lot of our periphery products around that.

How do you think tourism in Queenstown has changed during the last 25 years?

When we first arrived in Queenstown there were huge shoulder seasons and periods of low activity. The winters weren’t as long as they are now, as there was no snowmaking, and in the summer there were more domestic travellers and less international visitors.

Now there’s a ski season which lasts longer due to technology and a summer with more international travellers. With the work of organisations like Destination Queenstown and Tourism New Zealand we’ve created reasons to come to Queenstown year round. There are more conference and incentive groups and people travelling here in those fringe seasons, so it’s really a four season resort.

Why do you think bungy still poses a huge personal challenge for people?

Bungy’s still a great challenge because it is very personal. All you can do is get them to

the edge in the best frame of mind and know were going to do it safely.

They’ve really just got to pull it out of themselves to jump. We’ve got ‘psychologists’ there basically, getting them ready to go, but at the end of the day we’re not going to push them off, they have to make that final decision to jump themselves.

We know they’re going to have a great experience and when they get off the end of the bungy they are sort of ‘reunited’ with the earth and get a great boost in their self esteem.

It’s really satisfying for all of our team, to get someone to jump. People who are the most scared generally get the most satisfaction.

If you could put a bungy jump anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

I jumped all round the world, but the Kawarau Bridge is one of the best places to jump in the world. There’s an area about 200km away from Queenstown where I’d really like to establish some other jumps in the next 25 years. Watch this space. AT Interview questions supplied by Southern PR

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 31

News | Local Moves

Taking aim at your audience When you engage an online marketing company, you want snipers who focus precisely on your target, not cowboys firing a shotgun.

Like the wild west, online marketing is full of unknowns: goodies, baddies, hidden opportunities and unexpected events.

Google says what is and isn’t allowed, but like a hard-pressed sheriff, its laws have to respond to challenges and they’re not always written down.

Google represents 90 percent of all searches in New Zealand and approximately 65 percent internationally, so the rules they set do matter.

In this fluid and unpredictable environment, the challenge for your business is three-fold: getting people to notice you, engaging their attention and converting them into paying customers.

Conversion Foundry managing director Brendan Sullivan believes he has the silver bullet to online success facts. “We find facts through data and apply this in the real world.”

With this real world data, the team at Conversion Foundry exponentially grow revenues for their clients, Sullivan says.

Rate Optimisation – increasing the number of visitors who actually become customers.

“We help businesses understand how to get visitors interacting with their site and make it easy for people to do this. It’s about the site architecture, how a visitor moves through the site, the perception of quality you portray, the ease of the conversion process and the relevance of the information.

‘Client A’ partnered with Conversion Foundry to increase their website visitors with Search Engine Optimisation and Google AdWords campaigns.

Within four months, they gained a 140 percent increase in unpaid search visitors and 93 percent growth in paid visitors. In getting more, and better quality people to the site, their conversions increased 250 percent and their AdWords cost per conversion halved.

Through ongoing management and incremental site changes, Conversion Foundry improved the quality of visitors and site health, where people now stay on the site longer, view more pages and enquire more often.

Sam Law, one of the Foundry’s online strategists, is currently part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) customer experience digital data community group that works to develop specifications and standards for the

collection and analysis of visitor behaviour and demographic data.

Sam sits alongside other experts from Adobe, Digital Analytics Association, Google, IBM, Marin Software, Red Hat and 41 other large international industry leaders.

“Our business is framed around the new way Google measures and ranks websites.

We’re focussed on improving conversion for our clients, and we are deeply passionate about it.”

The online lingo Like the lingo of the wild west, the online world also has a language of its own.

Sullivan’s team is primarily focused on your SEO, UX and CRO. That’s Search Engine Optimisation (ensuring your site appears in Google when people type the relevant words), User Experience (ensuring your site is engaging and persuasive), and Conversion

Corporate giving doesn’t have to hurt Everyone wants to do the right thing, but as a business, sometimes it is hard to find the appropriate vehicle to truly practice corporate social responsibility, or more specifically, corporate giving.

There is of course the worthy donation to your charities of choice, but for many businesses, they want to get more involved in giving back to the communities in which they operate – not just for the fiscal benefit to the charities, but to enable their teams to feel like they are contributing something worthwhile to the larger picture.

The Cancer Society Relay For Life is one annual event attracting an increasing number of corporate teams, and while the objective is to raise funds for the society, the reasons for getting involved are far wider reaching.

It’s a major fundraiser on the Cancer Society calendar year after year and across the country people come together to celebrate, remember and fight back against cancer by participating in relay — including a Kiwi team based in Antarctica. In all, 23 communities up and down the country will host relays in 2014.

32 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Teams register, fundraise and participate in the overnight event. Team members walk and jog through the night, symbolising the fact that cancer never sleeps. Relay is a true community event attracting students to senior citizens and everyone in between.

Bronwyn Manning, PA to the general manager at Wynn Williams, was the driving force behind getting the law firm involved in the event. It has participated twice now and raised more than $6,500 dollars to donate to the society.

“As a team, spending overnight at the relay was a really special time. We became closer and this was evident in the office after the event. It was so much fun and to be involved in such a worthwhile event that I was so passionate about. It was just an incredible experience on every level,” Bronwyn says.

Quizzed about the external marketing kudos the company garnered from their

involvement, Hannah says it was intentionally minimal. “It was about being able to give – not patting ourselves on the back and getting any recognition. The giving and the ability to have fun as a team was of far more importance to us,” Hannah adds.

Relay For Life is the world’s largest cancer awareness and fundraising activity. Described as a life-changing experience, it’s a team event and people of all ages and levels of fitness participate. More information on the Cancer Society Relay For Life and how to enter can be found at www.relayforlife.org.nz

“Our goal is to create an online environment which provides attraction, engagement and retention for our clients. We do this through an applied approach; making sure we have good understanding about who we are engaging with, and what the drivers for their decisions and behaviours are online.

“There’s been a fundamental change with online positioning techniques and practices within the last few years, but most businesses don’t know about it. We work on educating, empowering and energising our clients so they can find the best opportunities for growth online,” Sullivan adds.

It’s no easy task. Google’s rules change fast as they roll out updates to the algorithm that matches websites to searches – in quick successsion we’ve seen the Panda, Penguin and now Hummingbird updates fundamentally change how Google ranks sites.

“This latest change has seen Google coming back to the pure essence of how we humans search for information, and it’s trying to deliver the absolute best results. So imagine what your world could be like if you truly understood how to use the power of the current Google algorithms for your business.”

News | Destinations

Morocco’s tale of two cities

Essaouira

By Corazon Miller

Ever since I was a child I’ve wanted to visit Africa.

For me it epitomises the word “exotic”.

A vast continent so many miles away from our small corner of the Pacific, with its shimmering deserts, cultural melange of races, languages and spicy, enticing cuisine.

My first trip may not have satiated my urge to see more of the place, but it certainly did not disappoint. The Kingdom of Morocco is the most westerly of the North African countries, with a rugged mountain interior and a vast area along the Western Sahara.

Its unique geographic layout serves up a unique array of scenic countryside, from the lusher hillside valleys, the dry rolling desert dunes and its numerous cities and towns.

My personal two favourite cities from my eight day taste of Morocco trip paint a clear picture of the diversity found in this ancient country; from the busy urban sprawl of Marrakech to the quieter, pituresque sea-side town of Essaouira

Navigating Marrakech It was early evening when I flew into Marrakech and caught my first view of the African nation; the rural landscape with its perfectly circular green crop circles dotting the otherwise sparse African desert.

As the plane began to circle into land, little collection of flat and open-roofed clay buildings began to dot the increasingly urban landscape, spreading out to form the densely built up ancient city of Marrakech.

Just out of the airport gates, I met with Debra, the first of two friends I was to meet up with in Morocco. As our cab driver drove from the outskirts of Marrakech through to the Medina, the city’s ancient walled part that’s intertwined with many narrow, maze-like streets Debra and I had plenty of opportunity to gawk at the scenery… exclaiming every few minutes that we were indeed in Africa.

However, Morocco, due in part to its northern location and its largely Arab and Berber ethnic mix, also gives off a distinctively Middle Eastern vibe.

Men wander the dusty narrow streets dressed in their largely traditional garb, women robed in their traditional gowns, merchants and their donkey carts, young kids running through the streets… it’s a scene that is many worlds away from the quieter more sparsely populated larger New Zealand streets.

Eventually the our cab driver pulled over, to stop, in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. Debra and I suffered a few nervewracking moments when a man subsequently came out of the shadows, to shake hands with our driver and greet us in his broken English before leading us through the dark winding streets of Morocco’s Medina to a small red door in a wall.

As we walked through the door, both Deb and I breathed a sigh of relief, that our fears were nothing more than simple paranoia.

“Welcome to Hostel Riad Marrakech Rouge…”

The scene which greeted us through the door was like one from Arabian nights; colourful carpets lining the walls, sombre coloured lighting, men smoking shisha, back-packers perusing over maps in one corner, antique wooden-framed settees and small coffee tables with miniature glasses of hot Moroccan mint tea – the traditional Moroccan drink for guests.

It was here Debra and I met the final member of our trio: Lauren. We were an odd trio to be travelling through Morocco together; me, the taller Euro-Asian, Debra the smaller preppy Indonesian and Lauren, the tall euro American. We were clearly attention waiting to happen.

And as three girls travelling unescorted in the Middle East… attention we certainly got. Some of it was entertaining, some of it annoying and some of it was rather infuriating... but hey I guess it’s all part and parcel of being a tourist.

Despite this attention, which we soon learnt to combat by feigning ignorance, Lauren, Debra and I proceeded to spend the next two days wandering through Marrakech’s “two cities” – the old and the new.

The old Marrakech, is an old fortified city, with its medina made up of tiny winding maze-like streets, lined with merchants and their wares; exactly what I’d imagined Marrakech to be.

The spice souks in the Jewish quarter offered up a fun morning of sniffing various coloured mounds of spices. The main souk just off the cities main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa, is an integral part of your visit to Marrakech.

But do prepare to get lost in the maze, made up of a truly dizzying number of stalls and shops with their colourful array of bejewelled leather shoes, silk scarves, mounds of dried fruit, carpets, metal work and pottery. And once you are truly lost, be wary and DON’T trust the next “friendly looking” man you walk past (as we did) or you may just end up arguing with him or paying him off to get rid of him. Instead find a security guard or

“

My personal two favourite cities from my eight day taste of Morocco trip paint a clear picture of the diversity found in this ancient country; from the busy urban sprawl of Marrakech to the quieter, pituresque sea-side town of Essaouira.

”

genuine shopkeeper who are less likely to have ulterior motives.

The new Marrakech, while just as grand as the old, is definitively more polished than the latter. With the numerous modern hotels, large restaurants lining the streets and a good mix of expensive designer stores, well worth a visit, this part of the city is definitely more for visitors who enjoy less adventure and more certainty.

A walk along the beach After two days of “roughing it” in Marrakech we were all ready for some time out in Essaouira, pronounced ‘essa-weera’. The journey there, for those of you with a religious upbring, was reminiscent of images from the old children’s bible, donkeys dotting the sparse country side, little shepherd boys, men in big white robes and women robed in blue.

Hassan II mosqu

sixties, when singer Jimi Hendrix made it his seasonal home. It was also here in this hippy town where it dawned on Debra, Lauren and I just what “Happy Cakes” are.

Throughout our time in Marrakech, men, or boys would often approach us with a tray of biscuits, sweets and goodies for sale.

While “Happy Cakes” aren’t a must try, what is in Essaouira is the seafood. And where better than a feet away from the water’s edge.

As we walked along the city’s seaside wall, the seagulls soared and dove, old wooden boats lined the waters edge, with a handful of fisherman hauling their catch to shore, and just across the path, was a collection of white-roofed stands, with picnic tables lining the stall-fronts.

Before our trio could even get past the first stall we were talked into a huge grilled meal of shrimp, small lobsters, squid and meaty white fish. We’d potentially been ripped off by an exuberant price (by Moroccan standards anyway at a hefty $NZ40 between the three of us), but it tasted divine and with the sea right at our feet, the setting could not have been better.

At first glance, our final destination Essaouira, with its fortified walls, picturesque fishing harbour, soaring seagulls, blue-roofed white houses, could have been Greece.

The rest of our short day and a half in Essaioura was spent wandering along the miles of beach, watching the camels and their riders antics crossing the sand, kite surfers As a port city, it’s lined on one side by a beach enjoying the waves, visiting the remains of that stretches south from the town for about an old Portuguese port and even partaking in two miles. Inside its walls was a small, but the odd (often bizarre) conversation with the bustling souk, with a more artisanal feel than friendly locals. its Marrakesh counterpart, full of woodcraft, And the perfect way to finish a holiday by paintings as well as the usual layout of leather the beach - a sweet cocktail, at sunset on goods, woven scarfs and pottery. the terrace of one of the quaint seaside It’s a city which retains much of the hippy restaurants overlooking this little African hang-out vibe it was known for during the port city. www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 33

News | Lifestyles

Lifestyles

By Davina Richards

1.

1.

Outdoor thrills

The Expert Carbon This take anywhere, do anything bike is easily one of the most capable machines on the move. It’s got a lightweight carbon fibre and alloy frame available in 26-inch and 29-inch wheel sizes. As you’d expect it has a suspended front and rear with disc brakes all around. The perfect machine to take anywhere you want to adventure.

RRP: $8,700 Available from: www.outsidesports.co.nz

2.

2.

Wheelie good designs

Wheelie box Brooke from Move Ur Art has been busy with her line of funky wheelie boxes and tables. Check out her Facebook page for a range of quality products which make fantastic children’s toy boxes, or modern tables for your living room. Made from natural ply with castors and you can order one with or without a lid.

RRP: $165 Available from: www.facebook.com/MoveUrArt

3.

Love mechanics?

3.

Gear Ring This is a ring which epitomises mechanical components with all its nuts and bolts refined to bring you a band with small rotating gears, and is addictive for those who love to fidget and play their way through mind-numbing meetings. It looks simple from first sight, but upon closer inspection you can see how its mechanical touch combined with its surgical stainless steel design brings the ring to life. Its convention with a twist, no pun intended.

RRP: $197.96 Available from: www.kinektdesign.com

4.

Light forms

Lounge chair and side table Squint your eyes and the chair appears to morph into two Pringles; you probably shouldn’t try and bite into it, but you should certainly try it out for comfort as the sensational design of this Dansk chair makes it wickedly comfortable.

Include the Dansk side table into your setting to create a welcoming environment which lasts throughout the seasons.

RRP: Dansk lounge chair $3,540. Dansk side table $1,570 Available from: www.coastaldesign.co.nz

34 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

4.

News | Lifestyles

Lifestyles 5.

5.

Clear as day

Molokini clear kayak You may as well get the full benefits of kayaking by enjoying the views above and below. Try the two passenger Molokini clear kayak which has excellent visibility reaching up to 75ft on a sunny day and in still water conditions. It weighs 18 kilograms, has a removable, anodized aluminium frame and is made from the same material as bullet proof glass – polycarbonate. It might be more expensive than your average kayak but it’s the only way to float.

RRP: $2,647.63 Available from: www.clearbluehawaii.com

6.

6.

If you got the money

Canvas wallet German poet, novelist, philosopher and scientist, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time. You could say that life’s too short anyway, so you can at least spend the time to look after your notes and coins while you still have them by stashing them in this nautical inspired cotton canvas and leather patch wallet.

RRP: $44.90 Available from: www.countryroad.co.nz

7.

7.

Lip-tastic

Plum lip gloss The hunt for your new favourite lip gloss is over. Sexy in colour and delicious on the lips, the Body Shop’s new natural plum flavoured lip gloss will make your lips shine, and, actually, you won’t be able to keep the man off you.

Go on, pucker up and stir the passion!

RRP: $23 Available from: www.thebodyshop.com

8.

8.

Count down

Stendig calendar Whether you work from home or at the office, your world needn’t be all beige – it can be one of contrast with this black and white number that has a duel purpose. This Stendig calendar design from the sixties makes for a great interior focal point, ideal for homes and businesses and waste not, my friends - remove the sheets and use it as wrapping paper.

RRP: $124.90 Available from: www.letliv.co.nz

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 35

been seen The people, their faces and all the right places - Auckland

The New Zealand Trade Centre, which unlocks export possibilities for New Zealand businesses, expanding their services and products abroad paid host to the launch of it’s New Zealand stores, which will open throughout the globe.

1. Irene Huang (AEQ Furniture), Rick Gee. 2. Grace, Tina,Intoe, Carolyn, Nancy, Audrey, Irene.

3. Robert McEwan, Denyse Saunders (DS Event Management), Clive Greenwood.

4. Paul Baines, Nick Gaunt, Miranda Young, Greg Webber.

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5. Simon Hathway (Designland), Frank Li & Wendy Mo (New Zealand Trade Centre), Adriana Ozieranska, 6. Caroline Zhao, Denyse Saunders.

The Alexandra Park held the Auckland Trotting Cup meeting incorporating the Scenic Circle Hot to Trot Fashion, which saw entries competing from all over the country at this prestige’s event.

7. Fleur Finlayson, Lynne Puddy Greenwood (Judges) 8. Annah Stretton (Judge) 9. Roy Thomson (Plasterboard Ltd), Chris Soonea, Elizabeth Whelan, Peter Fenemor 7

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10. Karen Thomson, Christine & Nick Cunnold.

11. Kevin Jury, Frank Nelson, Norm Cherry.

12. Honika & Johanna Nevhauser, Christine Verrion-Clarke.

13. Chrissy & Adrian Chisholn (Tourism Properties) 14. Robbie Wybrow, Luciana Lovrich.

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15. Back: Faye Algie,Pauline Harkess; Front: Emma Shaw, Amanda MacDonald.

16. Chris Alexander, Yvonne Fullerton.

17. Hot to Trot Fashion Event Manager Denyse Saunders, Phyliss Paul.

18. Rafaela Barcelloha (Coke), Nadia Greatrex, Cameron Taylor (ANZ), Anastasia Naumova (Coke).

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19. Ruth & Dr Robert Beulink, Fleur Finlayson, Glenn Reed 20. Body-artist and models 21. Winners of the Annah Stretton Best Dressed Lady.

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36 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

20

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been seen The people, their faces and all the right places -Auckland

Auckland Racing Club held a gala day of racing at Ellerslie during the Auckland Cup meeting.

22. Carina and Rawin 23. Shun 24. Andrew, Matthew, Natalya

and Velenina

25. Winston Peters and Megan 26. Chloe and friend

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27. Allen and Shelley 28. Colin Mathura Jeffree 29. Oliva 30. Jan and Di 31. Thanya, Nancy and Athitaya 32. Maureen

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Proud Party at Victoria Park Market.

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Visit Auckland’s best bars, restaurants and select retail Limited leasing options available www.victoriaparkmarket.co.nz

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 37

Property & Construction | Virgin Concrete

Laying down northern foundations If the name is good enough for Richard Branson, it’s good enough for the exceptional service offered to the Whangarei and Northland region by concrete contractors Virgin Concrete.

No, Mr Branson hasn’t decided to ditch his space adventures for the hard stuff; this Virgin is a concrete company celebrating five years in business.

However, some comparisons ring true.

Richard Branson famously stated that “making customer service key to your organisation will keep your employees motivated and your customers happy”. And it’s a view completely mirrored by Virgin Concrete, director Suzie Fisher, says.

“It’s all about service. If you give your customers good service they’ll keep returning and you’ll get referrals for doing a good job. We have awesome staff and that definitely helps as they represent our company on the front line.”

The concrete industry is a competitive one and with the economy thriving from a number of building booms throughout the country, cornering a market has never been more important. Virgin Concrete provides its flawless services to the Northland and Whangarei region and its aim is to fully cater for this region.

Virgin’s impressive fleet of 13 trucks in varying sizes are well recognised in the area with the striking silver and red ‘V’ emblazoned on the body and cabs. On a busy day, all 13 trucks will be on the road supplying ready mix produce to a wealth of jobs, big or small.

BASF is the supplier of quality admixtures to Virgin Concrete.

Congratulations on 5 years!

“

Testimonial C&H Construction / Skyline Buildings “Virgin Concrete has been our preferred supplier of concrete for the last two years.

They offer a quality product backed up by a professional service. If there are any problems that need addressing, this is always remedied easily and promptly.

“What sets Virgin apart from some other suppliers is the short chain of command.

The people running the plant make the decisions, which makes communications simple. No reporting to the middle management whose main objective is profits; not quality of service or product, let alone customer relations. A locally owned company doing this region proud.

“I take this opportunity to thank Suzie and the team for their support and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”

- Darryl Cullen, C&H Construction / Skyline Buildings

”

Virgin is a proud member of the NZRMCA (New Zealand Ready Mix Concrete Association) and the company’s customer feedback speak volumes for the standards it repeatedly adheres to.

www.basf.co.nz

Dicksons Transport & Quarries Ltd Operating in Glenbervie & Tutukaka For all your aggregate needs and bulk haulage Farm Development Driveway Work. Also for hire: • Trucks • Bulldozers & Scoop

• Diggers • Grader & Roller

WE ONLY MIX THE BEST Localy owned and operated for the last 50 years!

38 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

09 437 5903

Proud to be the supplier of aggregate to Virgin Concrete

021 932 129

Property & Construction | Virgin Concrete

“

Testimonial Bowling Infrastructure Group “This letter of reference is in relation to Virgin Concrete. Bowling Infrastructure Group consists of four companies: Steve Bowling Contracting, GHK Piling, NPM Construction and SSP Engineering.

“Two of these companies, SBC and GHK, would be considered large users of ready-mix concrete. Since the beginning of Virgin Concrete we have slowly increased the amount we are purchasing through Virgin. This increase in purchases is related to the good experience we have in working with Virgin.

“

Locally owned and proud

Testimonial Robinson Asphalts “We have been using Virgin Concrete as our preferred supplier of ready-mixed concrete for the last four years. During this time we have found Virgin to be consistently reliable in their service delivery and the quality of their product.

We have had no issues whether it has been a large commercial concrete pour or small domestic job.

“Robinson Asphalts seeks to support other locally owned businesses and we have been very satisfied with the relationship with Virgin Concrete. They run a smooth and successful operation with good resources.

“We have no hesitation in recommending Virgin Concrete as an excellent provider of ready mixed concrete and we would be happy to verbally endorse this testimonial at any time.”

- Alan Johnston, managing director, Robinson Asphalts

”

Virgin Concrete has stuck to its roots and as such, its place in the Whangarei construction industry has been firmly cemented by the ongoing, impressive service.

In a relatively short lifespan of six years, the company has forged long term relationships with many key players in the local construction industry. The mix of honesty, integrity, punctuality and transparency has endeared the firm to the many contractors the company now calls regulars.

Virgin services • Driveways • Footpaths and curbing • Floors and yards • Coloured aggregate • Exposed aggregate • Designer concrete • Pod floor components.

“In our experience with Virgin we have found them to be very focused on service and we can rely on that service to be consistent in supply and delivery times. The quality of the concrete has been consistently good and our concrete layers and finishers comment that Virgin’s concrete is easier to work with and the set times are consistently earlier than their competitors, which saves us time and money.

“The profile of the company is very good, their plant and machinery is all very well presented which is a credit and reflection on how they run their business. “ - Steve Bowling, director, Bowling Infrastructure Group

”

Located at 10 Hiko Road, Kamo, Virgin Concrete is on hand to supply the local catchment area with all of its ready-mix concrete needs. The versatility of concrete as a building material is complimented by Virgin’s knowledge of its own product and the industry it serves.

Check out the gallery section on the company website to see if one of the many concrete offerings takes your fancy – www.virginconcrete.co.nz

Proud Supporter of Virgin Concrete Ltd Give us a call today - 09 435 2276 15 Clark Road, Kamo, Whangarei

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 39

Property & Construction | Virgin Concrete

“

Testimonial Northland Coastal “Northland Coastal Developments Ltd is the construction company constructing a luxury residential development in Helena Bay, which incorporates reputedly the largest residential home ever to be built in New Zealand.

“That property includes over 1,000 acres of land in various guises. We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Virgin Concrete for approximately three years. Virgin Concrete was chosen to be the main supplier of premixed concrete to the project. They were chose for the following reasons:

No job too big or small Suzie Fisher is confident of her company’s ability to provide a large range of ready mixed concrete services to a wide spectrum of requirements.

The fleet of ready-mix trucks reflects the ability of the company to attend differing sized jobs and the drivers are fully prepared with their own skill-set to complement the products they deliver.

• Ability to meet deadlines as per our predetermined programme

The future for Virgin Concrete Virgin Concrete is looking to increase its stronghold in the Whangarei region and in doing so will conduct ‘business as usual’.

After all, the company puts product quality and customer satisfaction at the forefront, so why change the habit of a lifetime?

• Quality of product • Solutions to problems in specialised areas.

“During the foundation stage of the project there were substantial single pours of 250m3 pre-mixed concrete required.

Virgin Concrete was able to deliver these large amounts to site on time and to specification, sometimes working well into the evening. On a different part of the project, they were able to provide concrete designed to meet an engineer’s specification for the pre mixed structural concrete to a decorative coastal walkway.

“In all aspects of dealing with Virgin Concrete we have found them to be professional, friendly, reliable, co-operative and helpful. The truck drivers delivering the concrete were on time, friendly and helpful. We wish them every success in their future endeavours and would highly recommend them to anyone who wishes to use a reputable company.

“We wish to thank them very much for their efforts in keeping the project on task.”

- Brian Cutforth, site manager, Northland Coastal Developments

Pouring foundations can be a time consuming and complex operation; too little concrete and the foundations can be incomplete, too much concrete obviously equals wastage hence accuracy is the key to a successful pour – this is where Virgin Concrete’s experience comes into play.

Virgin Concrete 10 Hiko Road Kamo Whangarei T (09) 435 5044 E info@virginconcrete.co.nz www.virginconcrete.co.nz

After all, concrete is the foundation to almost every build in the country, and getting the foundations right is the first step in getting the build right.

— Advertising Feature

Technical Welding Services Ltd

Proud Supporter of Virgin Concrete Ltd

Proud to support Virgin Concrete Ltd 40 Ellis Street, Frankton, Hamilton Ph: (07) 847 2031 • Fax: (07) 847 2032 Email: techweld@wave.co.nz

0800 CEMENT (236 368) www.goldenbay.co.nz

Tomarata Sands Ltd are Proud to support Virgin Concrete Ltd

FOR ALL YOUR SAND SUPPLIES From Readymix to Sports Fields Give us a call and see how we can help you 0800 438 698 40 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

”

Property & Construction | Regal Plus Joinery Ltd

Inside solutions If a home reflects the character of the homeowner, then it makes sense for that homeowner to use the best professionals to implement great design concepts which blow minds.

We’ve all fallen victim to the odd retort whether it is about the clothes we wear, our choice of music or the colour palette used in our homes, but when it comes to kitchens, balustrades, stairs, furniture and cabinetry, Regal Plus Joinery has all the experience and talent you need to achieve quality craftsmanship and in turn, generate compliments from all those who cast eyes upon your beautiful home.

The business is owned by well-known Northland identities, Roger Turner and Jason Hammond, both Northland representatives in tennis, cricket and rugby.

Regal Plus has gained quite the knowledge and experience in its 25 year history in the joinery industry. As kitchen, balustrade, stair and general cabinetry specialists in the Northland market, the team takes care of all

the hard tasks as well as the smaller jobs so you don’t have to.

Superb design and superior manufacture is the creative design team’s forte, so don’t be surprised if you find some of the best solutions and at affordable prices.

It offers a full range of kitchen styles, from melteca to high-end designer solutions i.e. high gloss PU lacquer with granite and composite stone bench tops. With its own balustrade specialist at hand with 15 years experience, Regal Plus will manufacture and install aluminium and glass balustrades, pool fencing, gates and internal handrails and all styles comply with current building regulations.

The company offers a 3D computer design package and personalised consultancy service so that your chosen design style meets your requirements and expectations.

The internal specialists will keep you informed of the process at every step of the way so that you are more than happy with the work carried out.

All joinery is custom made by each qualified joiner, who in turn fabricate and install each kitchen and joinery items taking pride in their workmanship. Three of the joiners together have more than 35 years experience with Regal Plus Joinery Ltd. Whether you just want to replace old doors, or want stunning handcrafted pieces of furniture such as a dining table, bookcase or storage solutions, Regal Plus won’t let you down.

It covers everything from bathroom vanities, wardrobe systems to commercial office

“

Superb design and superior manufacture is the creative design team’s forte, so don’t be surprised if you find some of the best solutions and at affordable prices.

”

and retail fit-outs, school and kindergarten requirements, as well as carpet grade stairs through to solid timber options.

So you see Regal Plus has you covered. For great precision, technique, work ethic and a friendly service, call Regal Plus for ideas, quotes on existing plans, or organise a free measure and quote.

Regal Plus Joinery Ltd 35 Commerce Street Whangarei T (09) 438 2989 E info@regalplus.co.nz www.regalplus.co.nz — Advertising Feature

SUMMER RENOVATIONS Replace your Bench Top

Exotic Natural Granite or Engineered Stone Choose from our many options from simple to the exceptional

• We specialise in solid granite and quartz, and source our top quality stone from all around the world.

• Obligation Free Quote Visit us at 11 Cowley Place, Albany Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday until 3pm Phone (09) 415 0715 or check out www.stone.co.nz

Architectural balustrades require specialised expertise.

Unex Systems is New Zealand’s leading balustrade specialist, with installation available nationwide through a network of authorised fabricators. Call Unex Systems on 0800 333 777 or visit www.unex.co.nz

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 41

Property & Construction | Leaky Buildings/HOBANZ

The rotten truth

Our leaky homes epidemic remains alive and well The leaky homes issue is a complex one, fraught with strong emotions, stacks of litigation and a high financial price tag, not just for those who have been caught out, but for our country as a whole.

“Whether homes have failed is really becoming less relevant today because the value of properties built to designs linked to these types of issues are losing value anyway.

“There are a large number of New Zealand home owners – more than 100,000 nationwide – who own monolithic clad homes. They will have no option but to sell them at a reduced price or reclad the building with a cavity to restore the value to where it is supposed to be.

“Fact is, few of these properties are performing as they should.”

The nationwide leaky home problem was the catalyst for HOBANZ’s creation. The not for profit organisation provides education, advocacy, independent guidance, support during mediation and litigation and assist homeowners through the repair process.

1. Ground clearance: Inadequate cladding clearance to ground, paving or decks or insufficient fall away from building perimeter. Clearance to solid ground (concrete, asphalt, paving, decking timber) should be 150mm; clearance to soil 225mm.

2. Cracking: Look for hairline cracks in the cladding, typically found close to windows and doors or discolouration of cladding around these areas.

3. Joinery: Check for cracks along the joinery seals which can allow water ingress.

4. Penetrations: Check all penetrations in the cladding, for example around pipes, vents and meter boxes, for gaps and lack of sealant. Also check to ensure meter boxes are flashed correctly - the lack of flashing or reliance on sealant may allow water to penetrate.

While it is likely we will never know the true cost of the crisis, the 2009 PwC report concluded up to 42,000 homes could be at risk with a combined repair bill of $11.3 billion – a figure widely suspected to be at the conservative end.

According to Home Owners and Buyers Association (HOBANZ) chief executive, Roger Levie, the problems go well beyond building failure.

Features of a leaky building

5. Pergolas: Pergola frame penetrating the cladding or direct fixed through the cladding may result in water ingress.

And, although the leaky homes crisis was thought to be restricted to homes built from 1992 to 2005, the same weather tightness issues exist in hundreds of schools and commercial buildings.

Traditionally there have been three main routes to compensation for owners who take action in time. The most well-known is the Weathertight Homes Tribunal. Set up in 2002 the tribunal’s aim is to spare leaky homeowners the stress and cost of the higher courts.

Many claims taken to the High Court are ended by settlement and secrecy shrouds their outcomes. For those where the tribunal or the higher courts are not viable, the Government created the Financial Assistance Package (FAP) in 2011, under which qualifying homeowners can receive a 25 percent Government contribution to repairs and often 25 percent from a culpable local council.

There are many organisations and individuals offering help and assistance with leaky homes, but many have self-interest at the heart of that service. HOBANZ has trusted providers with proven success in assisting leaky home owners, either by remediating a home, or litigating through the tribunal or High Court.

With no financial links to any of these providers, the organisation’s support is completely independent.

“What we would like to see is people picking up the phone and talking to us as soon in the process as possible. It’s frustrating often being the last port of call, seeing people waste money on targeted repairs, going down legal paths which have little opportunity for success; they’re spending a lot of money and getting nowhere.”

Contact HOBANZ for a free consultation to discuss your options, (09) 360 8083 or email info@hobanz.org.nz.

6. Windows: Check window flashings to ensure they are correctly installed. Round shaped or corner windows are difficult to flash, increasing the risk of water ingress.

Check for staining below the window.

7. Enclosed Balcony / Cantilever Deck: Enclosed balconies and cantilever decks can result in a multitude of risks. (a) A lack of fall on the balustrade, (b) Handrailings attached through the plaster cladding, (c) Poorly applied waterproof membrane, (d) Insufficient drainage holes allowing water to pool after rain, (e) Lack of clearance between the cladding and the balcony floor - all are signs that water may be penetrating the building’s exterior.

8. Interior Signs: These can include swollen or cracked skirting boards or architraves; mould on the inside of curtains and window liners; floor coverings showing signs of water damage; and swelling, cracking and popping of wall liners.

The clock is ticking – but help is available The period for leaky home construction peaked just prior to 2004, so many damp homes are now approaching the 10 year liability limit.

Sarah Wroe

While many homeowners are coming to terms with the prospect of having no right of redress for the cost of leaky home repairs, there may still be steps which can be taken toward recompense, Martelli McKegg construction disputes and litigation associate Sarah Wroe says.

A house which was physically built outside the 10 year period, but issued a Code Compliance Certificate within the last 10 years, will have no claim in the Weathertight Homes Tribunal (WHT) and will not qualify for the financial assistance package (FAP).

“Many people seem to know about the 10 year limitation period,” she says. “But most don’t realise that even if it is 10 years since hammer and nails were used on the property, there may still be relevant steps taken by parties, such as the council, in undertaking a final inspection or issuing a Code Compliance Certificate long after the practical building work which may bring a claim inside the 10 year period.”

However, these homeowners may be able to bring a claim against the council which can be pursued in the High Court.

42 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

“There are also other parties whose involvement typically falls within limitation periods, such as pre-purchase inspectors, real estate agents or vendors if they have unfairly represented the condition of the house when you bought it,” Wroe says.

“If a vendor had building work done on the house, they may also be liable under vendor’s warranties in the sale and purchase agreement.”

says the firm can manage claims in a way where necessary legal and expert costs are not incurred and costs do not unduly eat into compensation.

Many homeowners are put off the litigation process by the belief that if a developer and builder has gone bust, then there is nobody left to sue, she says.

As more and more people who own leaky buildings fall off the 10 year cliff, Martelli McKegg is providing assistance in relation to managing the repair process and conducting a review of construction contracts. “A robust contractual scheme must be put in place to protect owners from any liability for failed repairs,” Wroe says.

“This is not always the case and a careful examination of the property file can be conducted at a relatively low cost to identify any other potentially liable parties, including the Council or individual directors of companies.”

The FAP remains available for homes built within the last 10 years. However, it has not been taken up as widely as the government may have hoped.

Wroe says while this may prove a good option for some, it still means home owners have to find a substantial amount of money themselves, although sometimes negotiation with other potentially liable companies can help meet that shortfall.

Martelli McKegg Lawyers provides a free one hour consultation to discuss concerns over the quality of a home’s construction. Wroe

“We can work alongside body corporate committees to ensure that they are not exposed to any liability in respect of their management of the claim process. We provide an independent assessment of governance structures and when occasion demands, application to the court for court approved remediation schemes.”

If you would like to know more about leaky buildings or whether litigation is the right course for you, contact Sarah Wroe, construction disputes and litigation associate at Martelli McKegg on (09) 379 7333 or by email sew@martellimckegg.co.nz.

BEFORE

LOOK FORWARD TO COMING HOME AGAIN! Reliant Residential have been specialising in the repair and recladding of leaky and plaster homes for well over 10 years. With over 100 residential recladding projects completed they really are the experts in this truly specialised field.

BEFORE

R

eliant provide you with a completely cost and obligation free consultation, which includes advice on ALL the options available to you and your situation they can give you a breakdown of all the costs associated with each option.

If your home is 10 years old or younger, you could be eligible to claim the cost of repairs through the WHRS (Weathertight Homes Resolution Service) or the FAP (Financial Assistance Package).

AFTER

Reliant will guide you through this process and even submit the claim on your behalf to save you time and additional stress.

Reliant ensures your home receives the highest quality workmanship and the utmost care throughout the whole reinstatement process.

All projects are completely shrinkwrapped to protect your home from the elements and dust is kept to a minimum. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absolutely no down time during the project due to weather conditions!

So if you need your home repaired or reclad Reliant guarantee you the best service, the best advice, the best price, and most importantly - a completely weathertight home with a restored or higher value!

CALL THE TEAM AT RELIANT NOW ON 537 1018 OR CALL CRAIG SHORROCK, DIRECTOR ON 0800 FIX LEAKY (0800 34 95 3259).

WWW.RELIANTGROUP.CO.NZ AFTER

Property & Construction | Leaky Buildings/HOBANZ

Leaky homes are a symptom of larger failings According to Home Owners and Buyers Association (HOBANZ) chief executive, Roger Levie, leaky homes is just a symptom of a greater crisis and New Zealand risks being hit with another round of litigation.

“These issues are much broader than just issues of leaky buildings. We’re dealing with building defects in general, which includes structural problems and fire hazards in relation to residential multi-unit complexes,” he explains.

“There is a wide range of residential properties which fall into the category of multi-unit and that will only increase with Auckland’s intention for high density housing.

There are various concerns within that environment that purchasers and owners need to become aware of.”

Potential buyers of multi-unit housing need to understand their liability in terms of the requirements under the Unit Titles Act. “There is now a long term maintenance plan required for every multi unit property and many which have had limited maintenance in the past.

“Many of these body corporates are way behind in terms of building up their funds to be able to sufficiently maintain these buildings and we end up with situations where previous owners have done no maintenance, then new owners move in and find out they have a significant bill to foot.”

Although he says this is a legal requirement, many of the body corporates are developing

the maintenance plans themselves, without a full understanding of their liability.

“Most owners simply don’t have the knowledge and experience to be able to develop these long term maintenance plans which need to allow for the proper maintenance and at times replacement of exterior claddings, fire systems and other critical building elements.

“We expect there is going to be another round of litigation arising from people buying into a complex, relying on an inadequate long term maintenance plan, and ending up with significant unforeseen costs to maintain building elements that have not been properly allowed for.”

Before

Steps to remediating a leaky home The words ‘leaky home’ may send chills up your spine, but HOBANZ makes the process straightforward and easy to follow.

According to Roger it’s a litigious area which we are unfamiliar with in New Zealand and we have a lot to learn.

Step 1 Call HOBANZ for independent advice and to discuss the options that are available to you.

“People really don’t see the risk that’s behind purchasing into that environment.

There’s a big push for buying high density housing in the city and, with many of these properties not being well maintained, a lot of people are going to get caught out.

Step 2 HOBANZ will provide an initial consultation where they will review any available reports.

In partnership with you, they will develop a tailored solution that meets your specific needs and circumstances. If required they can introduce legal experts for an overview of the likely success of any claim.

“Buildings which leak are only a symptom of a greater problem.”

After

Step 3 Engage HOBANZ to put together a team of experienced independent professionals.

HOBANZ has a proven track record in creating successful solutions for leaky home owners, key to which is the organisation’s ability to link trusted professionals to form one cohesive unit.

Step 4 HOBANZ will guide and support you through the journey. The organisation’s indepth knowledge of the issues leaky home owners face and its experience in resolving these issues means they will be on-hand to work in partnership with the professionals you engage, answer all your questions and keep things on track and moving to a successful and cost effective conclusion.

Leaky Home Repair Specialists Professional Advice – Professional Service

Recladding Leaky Homes | Exterior Plaster Systems | Exterior & Interior Painting | Building Maintenance Programmes

“Thank you for the wonderful job you have done on our house. It looks great. We found your team to be very friendly and helpful and we are very pleased with the result. Thanks again.”

- Rochelle Carson Auckland Wide, 19A Triton Drive, Albany Phone: 09 479 8901 or go to www.alliedexteriors.co.nz 44 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

IS THIS THE BEST AND MOST COST EFFECTIVE PET FOOD AVAILABLE IN NZ? We are certain it is and here’s why Not all dog foods are equal – in many respects Firstly not all bags of dog food are the same size, making it hard to compare costs. But most people can soon work out what the cost is per kilo.

However what most people don’t have time to calculate is what it costs to feed their dog per meal, as some require a lot of food to meet the correct daily requirements, and others, not so much.

The reason for this is that quality foods generally require less as they have less fillers such as corn, soy, grain etc. And it’s these fillers that are the main reason for allergies. Which can be costly if you need to visit the vet. And of course if the dog is eating less and able to digest more of the human grade ingredients

(as in Canidae) then it means there’s less “excess” on the lawn.

Below is a comparison between some of the “premium” brands available in NZ. This is based on a 10kg dog, so if you have a large dog the savings will be multiplied.

These guideline amounts are based on the recommended feeding requirements per day as stated by the manufacturer.

They are a starting point and your dog may need more or less food depending upon age, breed, activity and climate. In order to reach optimal body condition, you may need to adjust food intake.

Grams required Cost per feed Cost per Kg

CANIDAE 96gms $1.12

Orijen 150gms $1.72

$11.73 $11.50

Nutrience

180gms

$1.43

$7.97

Purina

158gms

$1.36

$8.62

Eukanuba

140gms

$1.24

$8.88

Hills Science Diet

181gms

$1.81

$10.00

SAVE UP TO 38%

on other “leading” brands with Canidae These calculations are based on a 10kg dog. These figures are correct as at 18/2/13.

We assumed an active dog, older than 1 year, that is exercised. Based on buying 15kg bags or the nearest the manufacturer had.

Goes beyond just feeding your pet The Confidential Dog Food report recently assessed over 2000 dog foods, including all the brands you’re familiar with that have huge marketing budgets and selected the best nine in the world.

Canidae was one. The others aren’t available in New Zealand.

Each year the Whole Dog Journal, one of the most respected dog journals in the world, generates a list of approximately 25 ‘Approved Foods’ from around the world. Once again Canidae is on this list and has been for many years. In fact here’s a quote from their publication “I’d like to quickly dismiss the idea that any of the giants – Iams and Eukanuba, Purina, Science Diet, et. al. - could possibly make dry foods that are as good as the foods that have a regular presence on WDJ’s ‘approved foods list’. The fact is, though, of course they could; they have all the resources needed to do so.

They could bury most of the competition in the “natural and holistic” niche... if they followed through and used only the same high quality ingredients typically used by the smaller boutique brands. But they generally stop short – perhaps because they are unaccustomed to paying a lot for their raw materials, or marketing the products at a correspondingly high sales price?”

Call now for a

Both of the independent studies above look at the ingredients, the manufacturing plant and most importantly the nutritional benefits to the dog. They aren’t swayed by marketing hype.

At Canidae Pet Foods we are committed to providing you, our valued customer and your pets, the highest standard of excellence in product quality and customer satisfaction. If you are not completely satisfied with any of our products, please call our team for a no questions asked refund. In fact if you don’t become a raving fan of Canidae/Felidae by the end of your first bag I would personally like to know about it.

Kind regards, Gary Collins - Managing Director

FREE SAMPLE and info pack ph 0800 101 729 or www.canidae.co.nz

Goods & Services | Nortech Plastics

Creating exactly what clients want Plastic is one of the great innovations of our time and can be made into just about anything. And turning plastic into pretty much anything is exactly what Nortech Plastics in Onehunga is all about.

The company is a custom plastic injection moulder which designs and manufactures total solutions for clients.

Quality plastic injection moulding

Important supplier relationships Nortech Plastics only deals with the best suppliers, ensuring quality and reliability at every stage of every job.

Owner Craig Norton says Machinetech Limited is his preferred supplier of plastics and ancillary gear, while EG Whiter Limited is his choice of toolmaker.

The business was formed by owners Craig and Nicki Norton in 2003, with a wealth of industry experience backing up quality workmanship.

“EG Whiter has been in business for 60 years. That’s where I did my apprenticeship and I’ve been dealing with them since I was 16 years old.”

Staff have the ability to take your plastic project from start to completion, providing a total range of services in the development of a successful plastic product.

Tool making and design

Nortech Plastics can mould from 15 tonne up to 228 tonne, with a shot weight of 0.1gms up to 450gms.

“Being a tool maker does help when it comes to designing a part,” Norton says.

Craig Norton says they can manufacture small multiple components up to large single components, using cost-effective or high-grade resins for precise engineering parts.

Quality is a huge focus for Nortech Plastics.

“We’re very fussy; if it’s not right it doesn’t go out,” Norton says.

“We don’t get our product returning. I would rather throw it away and start again, than have it come back and then have to make it again anyway. We never have product returning.”

Norton is a tool maker by trade and can offer expert advice on what is best for your product or design.

“I can tell people that if we do it a certain way, it will be cheaper and easier. I have design knowledge and knowledge in all aspects of the job. I know what works and what doesn’t.”

Using the latest 3D technology, including Solid Works, Unigraphics and Pro Engineer, the team at Nortech Plastics can develop your product to the highest possible standard.

Customers are provided with progressive photos and emails so they can track the progress of their project, along with regular updates to ensure deadlines are met.

Nortech Plastics has the machinery and skills to create a huge range of plastic injection moulded products

<

“Our client base is growing and we work for some pretty big companies. We make everything from phone jacks that are plugged into the wall, to components for the dairy and building industries; there’s a lot of plastic inside buildings these days. We also make things for the $2 Shop.”

Nortech Plastics specialises in the contract moulding of engineering resins

<

Nortech Plastics specialises in the contract moulding of engineering resins, offering outstanding quality at competitive prices.

The company does not make any of its own product lines, but instead manufactures exactly what its customers want.

There are many benefits to choosing Nortech Plastics for your custom plastic injection moulding project, including: • Quality New Zealand craftsmanship

“We’re big enough to handle the capabilities that everyone wants, but we’re small enough that you can ring us and talk to the person you need to talk to,” he says.

• Design and manufacture capabilities

“People can talk to the guy who can solve their problem directly.”

• Fast turnaround times.

• Superior quality materials • Competitive pricing

Nortech Plastics Limited PO Box 112264 Penrose Auckland T (09) 622 0825 E info@npl.co.nz www.npl.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 47

Container Logistics | Conlinxx

Total freight efficiency New Zealanders now spend a staggering 101 hours annually in peak hour traffic; at its worst, Auckland drivers are stuck in traffic for an average of 47 minutes for every hour driven.

Container transport management company allows the company to offer a suite of CONLINXX has developed a proactive approach comprehensive container transport and towards reducing traffic congestion for our storage services, such as the following… biggest city.

Full service offering By utilising the best mix of road, dedicated rail transport services and a geographically well positioned multi-modal freight hub, CONLINXX ensures that importers, exporters, freight forwarders and trucking companies are receiving the most efficient container transport service, hence helping in removing waste from this particular part of the supply chain.

The multi-modal freight hub at Wiri was established as a true one stop environment which offers at the moment: • FCL container exchange and storage • Reefer plugs • Empty container depot

CONLINXX will manage the movement of containers to and from the seaport to your facility.

This service offering is tailored to your operation. CONLINXX will establish the most efficient and cost effective service solution for you, either by rail or truck as well as either via the hub or directly.

Standard “to door” solution CONLINXX offers a transport solution direct to your facility from the seaport, and vice versa by best mode available.

Shuttle only

“

By adopting a greener approach to container transport, those in the transport and logistics industries are able to be more creative, bringing about increased efficiencies.

”

CONLINXX will transport your container to and from the seaport to the Wiri Inland • Export acceptance point for shipping offering Port, whether by rail or truck. the same cut off as at Ports of Auckland.

CONLINXX phase two CONLINXX’s operational set up is bundled Presently there are number of projects in with a comprehensive IT solution which encompasses many different aspects such as: work with the clear intention to expand the services offered in conjunction with • Real time milestone capturing the Wiri Multi Modal Hub. These expected expansions are including: • Equipment performance measuring.

• Cross dock facility – stage 1

• Modern cross dock facilities for rapid This allows CONLINXX to share quality packing and unpacking of containers and information with its customers and suppliers exchange of goods of all kind timely via either EDI, web portal or automated reports.

• Linehaul rail connectivity for container and multimodal units; full Based on this leading set up CONLINXX is well and partial loads. positioned to introduce a step-change in how containers are moved to and from the seaport Furthermore CONLINXX is a leading by providing multi-modal transport options. company in container triangulation which further supports its desire to eliminate This not only brings the country’s largest unnecessary truck kilometres. container port to your doorstep, but also

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48 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Container Logistics | Conlinxx

All in all…

In summary CONLINXX’s multi-modal transport options offer a wide range of benefits: • Reduce carbon emissions • Avoid peak traffic congestion • Contribute in creating a robust, secure end to end supply chain • Importers can collect containers directly from the Wiri Inland Port • Exporters can deliver containers to the Wiri Inland Port at the same cut off as the sea port – CONLINXX will manage the shuttle to the port in time for the vessel • Take advantage of flexible storage options • Eliminate demurrage • Stage and manage the container flow efficiently • Remove waste in empty running and empty container equipment positioning • Speed to market.

CONLINNX started operations in February 2010 and during the last four years the company has developed strong relationships with importers and exporters, freight forwarding businesses, 3PL and other transport companies.

Greening the business landscape Aucklanders are the guardians of a unique environment, from the internationally recognised native forests of the Waitakere and Hunua Ranges to the Hauraki Gulf Islands, extensive coastline, streams, lakes and volcanoes.

It is also the fastest growing region in Australasia, home to more than 1.4 million people - more than a third of New Zealand’s total population. Currently, 85 percent of trips in Auckland are made are by private car, and around 15,000 extra cars join the city’s roads every year.

Did you know that motor vehicles create a nitrogen oxide commonly called NO 2?

adopt smarter ways of working, such as using CONLINXX or working from home.

Once these alternative solutions become even more popular, things will start to get better.

But just how long does it have to take? The choice really is up to those who live and work in Auckland.

By adopting a greener approach to container transport, those in the transport and logistics industries are able to be more creative, bringing about increased efficiencies.

By tailoring the full supply chain service to provide the complete one stop shop container services package, from container transport to container storage, everyone benefits.

When it comes to making the environment we live in cleaner, greener and easier to live in, it is everyone’s responsibility.

Sometimes it is just a mindset that needs changing and those who make the decision to use CONLINXX for container transport and container services can be assured they are not only taking a more efficient approach to container transport, they are also taking a greener approach to transport.

NO 2 can irritate lungs, which can cause asthma. With one in six adult New Zealanders and 27 percent of 6 – 7 year olds suffering with asthma, we need to reduce the amount of NO 2 in our atmosphere.

How do we do that?

It can be quite simple, reduce the amount of traffic on the roads.

However, Auckland’s population continues to increase and people continue to jump into their cars. But the positive news on the street is that businesses are beginning to

CONLINXX 18 Ash Road Wiri, Manukau Auckland T (09) 926 8600 E custserve@conlinxx.co.nz www.conlinxx.co.nz

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P. 09 279 2905 E. prestigeinternational@xtra.co.nz www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 49

Transport & Motoring | Multi Freight

Your logical logistics choice Logistics as a business concept evolved in the 1950s due to the increasing complexity of supplying businesses with materials and shipping out products in an increasingly globalised supply chain.

Today, the business sector uses this term to describe the efficient flow and storage of goods from point of origin to the point of consumption. And, let’s face it, when you’re in business, little is more important than getting your product from A to B. Logistics is a competitive space as Multi Freight general manager Chris Shaw explains, but for local SMEs, Multi Freight Ltd offers a strong, personalised logistics service, getting your product around the world both quickly and efficiently.

“We provide the total international logistics solution,” Chris says.

“Basically this involves getting product from the overseas door to the New Zealand door and vice versa. We have comprehensive expertise in import, export, air freight and sea freight, with customs bonded warehouse and storage facilities including customs clearance services.

“We are well placed to look after SMEs which like to deal with a strong hands-on service provider.”

For small to medium companies looking for a distribution warehousing environment and solution, Multi Freight is based just minutes from Auckland’s largest courier depots, making its services both ideal and convenient. But as Chris explains, the key to the company’s success is in its approach.

“Our strength is based on the relationships we form with the customer to identify and help them with the logistics solutions for their particular business needs. A lot of logistics business these days is done simply through an Internet portal.

If you’re contracting out all your services, your flexibility stops at your contractors’ flexibility and you don’t have any control over that process,” Chris says.

“We wanted to maintain that control for the benefit of our customers.”

With a long standing team, Multi Freight is also able to maintain control over customer relationships. “Our clients appreciate not having new staff to deal with and having to explain to them their business needs over and over. This gives us a stability which our customers really appreciate.

“All our staff are of an intermediate to senior level and highly experienced.”

This stability is also evident in every aspect of the company. Multi Freight is dependable and reliable, operating with a high degree of integrity. Quite simply, if it operated in any other way, Multi Freight couldn’t lay claim to being in business for almost 30 years.

“We’ve never tried to grow at break neck pace,” Chris says. “The industry has had its ups and downs, but with our conservative approach, when the boom and bust comes we haven’t been hit with the extremes of the cycle.

“We work to our own strengths. We would only ever bring on new customers if we were completely confident we could provide them with excellent service. We stand behind our service and our product 100 percent.”

Multi Freight would like to extend its thanks to the companies it has formed

productive relationships with - namely E-Freight and Securo.

Another product which Multi Freight stands behind, both figuratively and literally, is innovative Kiwi company Blunt Umbrellas.

“This is a classic Kiwi story of ingenuity, where they have essentially re-invented the umbrella,” Chris explains.

The company needed help taking their distribution to the next level and were at a stage in the business cycle where they needed a lot of hands on help, which is where Multi Freight stepped in.

“We’ve more or less held their hand through the business start-up period and now all their product runs through our warehouse.”

One of New Zealand’s high-tech companies was beginning the process of moving expensive product throughout the world. Multi Freight was brought on board to organise the logistics of moving that product into the highly regulated US market.

“We’re hands-on, personalised, we don’t mind talking on the phone and we certainly don’t mind face to face. We’re all about bringing back the service to customer service.”

With flexible systems in place, Multi Freight can tailor make solutions which suit the customer and, to maintain control over that flexibility, the company has made a conscious decision to operate its own equipment, warehouse, an MPI accredited customs brokerage facility, delivery vehicles and drivers.

“The customer doesn’t have to fit into our system - we do what we can to fit into theirs.

M

Auckland Container Cartage 09 414 7777

Email: dispatch@e-freight.co.nz or admin@e-freight.co.nz

“ P R O U D T O S U P P O R T M U LT I F R E I G H T ”

MULTI FREIGHT LIMITED

Unit 3 / 197 Montgomerie Road, Mangere, Auckland www.multifreight.co.nz | 0800 555006 50 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Tokoroa Logging Phone: 07 886 7009

“We began working with them when they first started developing contracts in that market,” Chris says.

“We worked out a strong logistics strategy which allowed them to smoothly develop their business within the US market and now their business is booming.”

Multi Freight Ltd 3/197 Montgomerie Road Mangere Auckland T (09) 275 0454 www.multifreight.co.nz — Advertising Feature

WORKPLACE SAFETY Does your current Health & Safety System meet the requirements for the new legislation?

To discuss, phone 0800 55 33 44 or visit www.securo.co.nz

partners in safety solutions

Extending Trade Lanes to Expand Your Business Air freight Sea Freight Road and Courier Customs Clearance Warehousing and Distribution Contact us for a custom quote for your next shipment

Heating Systems | Heat Pump Guys

Upgrade for winter Is your heating and cooling system outdated, noisy and costing you too much to run?

Well there’s new technology to help solve these problems.

Heat pump/air conditioners are well established in the work environment and a ‘must have’ for most businesses. Major technological advances in these systems during the last few years however, means that most older units are considerably less efficient when compared with the new breed of systems using inverter technology and modern gases.

Since heating and cooling is a major expense for most businesses it would be financially beneficial to upgrade to the more efficient technology if it were possible.

Unfortunately, since the different refrigerant gases are incompatible and work at different pressures, upgrading has also meant replacing the gas pipes that link the indoor and outdoor units. Obviously this can be a major expense, especially if the indoor and outdoor units are far apart or involve complex/difficult pipe runs through walls and ceiling spaces. As a consequence the capital outlay for making these improvements has, more often than not, outweighed the cost-saving benefits.

The solution Mitsubishi Electric has developed a unique and patented technology which allows the replacement of outdated and poor performing heat pumps/air conditioners (even other manufacturer’s products) with modern and highly efficient equipment utilising the existing R22 and R407 refrigerant gas piping, thereby vastly reducing the cost.

“

For most businesses it would be financially beneficial to upgrade to the more efficient technology if it were possible.

”

How does it work?

• Slimmer and more aesthetic designs

Previously it would be impossible to swap out units because the different gases, pipe-lines and parts used are incompatible.

Older gases, traditionally work at lower pressures and many have external copper piping with reduced wall thicknesses which are unsuitable for the higher pressure modern gas (R410A).

• Lower noise levels

Mitsubishi Electric patented technologies have overcome these hurdles. Through a combination of an automatic pipe cleaning process and the use of specialist coatings within the compressor to reduce friction and temperatures (that would normally destroy the lubrication properties of the oil), it is now possible for costeffective installation of modern and efficient Mitsubishi Electric units in place of outdated equipment.

With the adoption of the Montreal Protocol

by New Zealand and the implementation of the Ozone Layer Protection Act 1996 it is now illegal to import HCFC’s such as R22.

This is already causing a shortage of the gas for older systems thereby affecting the ability to service these units. Eventually it will become impossible and new systems will be required anyway.

Why upgrade?

Modern inverter heat pumps running on R410A gas can have efficiencies (COPs) up to 4.78, giving vast running cost savings when compared to equivalent older fixed speed models, running on R22. Current Mitsubishi Electric high wall heat pump models all qualify for the Energy Star mark.

Although energy efficiency and performance are the main reasons for upgrading, other advancements and improvements can also be enjoyed:

• Increased control • Improved air quality • Better temperature management • Reduction in draughts.

Future proofing

Case study Mr Wilson had two old air conditioners of different sizes and brands installed in different rooms that he wished to upgrade.

Since the pipe work was concealed in the walls and under external concrete when the property was built, it would have been, ordinarily, impossible to replace these units in their existing locations.

Using the ‘replace and reuse’ technology, two new Mitsubishi Electric units were installed quickly, painlessly, cost-effectively and with no mess.

When?

Another major benefit of this replacement technology is that because only the indoor and the outdoor units are required to be changed, and not the pipe work, the upgrading process has minimal impact or inconvenience during normal working hours.

Who can benefit?

This technology allows for upgrade from simple single room systems right through to large, complex multi room workplace and office systems.

To have your current system assessed for upgrade suitability call your local Renew and Reuse program partner, Heat Pump Guys on 0800 47 48 97 or visit www.heatpumpguys.co.nz

Heat Pump Guys T 0800 47 48 97 E info@heatpumpguys.co.nz www.heatpumpguys.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Find out if you can upgrade your current heating and cooling system call your local Replace & Reuse program partner

Replace & Resuse

www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 51

Focus | Rampworx and AMW Fabrication

Sheetmetal made to measure AMW Fabrication in Auckland is firmly establishing itself as a leader in sheetmetal design, fabrication and repair.

Owners John and Dianne Bloemendal operate AMW Fabrication alongside its sister company, Rampworx, from their production facility in Ranui.

AMW Fabrication has the capabilities to design, build and repair almost any item made out of stainless steel, aluminium, galvanised steel and mild steel, undertaking a range of jobs in fabrication and light engineering.

John Bloemendal says AMW can produce anything from one-off custom projects and prototyping through to industrial and commercial fabrication.

“We do a variety of work, including design and fabrication, welding, repairs, cutting and folding, machining, prototypes, race car preparation, and large or small one-off or repeat jobs,” he says.

AMW Fabrication has been left to focus on metal fabrication and has been working hard to grow its local West Auckland customer base, now counting among its customers are well-known businesses such as Ritchies Buses, Future Cuisine and McCallum Industries.

“We’ve been getting more work in the food industry. We’ve only been doing sheetmetal for the past six years and it takes a while to break into the industry,” Bloemendal says.

AMW Fabrication offers a range of quality sheetmetal engineering and fabrication services, with light engineering and small production runs and prototypes its main specialty.

Its services include MiG, TiG and arc welding, machining and lathe work, marine and food-grade fabrication, pipe work, handrails, maintenance and repairs on or off site. It can also assist with polishing, powder coating, galvanising and anodising.

AMW can cut and fold flashings, panels and benches for commercial and residential buildings, as well as undertaking repairs and maintenance.

The company’s experienced staff can help with design and choosing the best materials and finishing processes to ensure customers get the look and quality of product they’re after.

Another area of specialty for AMW Fabrication is in vehicle repairs and modifications, which is one of Bloemendal’s particular interests.

The business can repair and maintain trailers, motorcycles, boats and caravans, including panels, chassis, exhaust work or welding.

“Some of the work we’ve done includes making storage boxes on vehicles, motorcycle fittings, fabricating new boat and trailer parts and rust removal,” he says.

“We manufacture race car components and can assist with set-up, as well as panel fabrication and repairs.”

GWS are proud to support AMW Fabrication and Rampworx with the supply of quality machinery, consumables and exceptional after sales service

AMW Fabrication and Rampworx owners John and Dianne Bloemendal

<

“AMW started out in 2000 making aluminium ramps under the name Alloy Metalworx, but in 2012 we formed Rampworx as a separate company, which now takes care of all our ramp and access solution work. We bought another sheetmetal engineering company in 2008 and absorbed it into our business.”

Sheetmetal services

Extensive industry knowledge AMW Fabrication and Rampworx owners John and Dianne Bloemendal have extensive experience within the sheetmetal and ramp building industries.

John has trade and advanced trade qualifications in sheetmetal engineering and is renowned for being a perfectionist on all jobs.

He has more than 30 years’ experience in the trade, including management positions with responsibilities in human resources, health and safety, and quality control. He worked for Mercer Stainless and Alloy Yachts before starting his own business.

Fabrication of prototypes, rotational moulds and one-off projects is a specialty of AMW Fabrication

<

John is now focussed on growing AMW Fabrication’s business, while his wife Dianne takes care of the financial and marketing aspects of the two businesses.

Her background is in administration and banking, having worked for a large homecare provider before joining John full time in the business.

HOW THE WEST WAS ONE

Safe Access Solutions

www.rampworx.co.nz 52 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Working together to provide quality products and service in West Auckland and nationwide

09 832 3727

Metal Matters

www.amwfab.co.nz

Focus | Rampworx and AMW Fabrication

Innovative access options Rampworx is renowned for designing and building its own high quality aluminium ramps, which customers can be assured provide the highest level of safety, and also provides other safe access solutions for homes and businesses. Much of its business is for clients of ACC and Ministry of Health.

Rampworx was officially formed in 2012, but has been designing and building ramps under the Alloy Metalworx name since July 2000.

John Bloemendal says the company offers a range of patented ramps and access solutions, made out of aluminium, timber and rubber.

<

Rampworx’s Gripsert was used to replace the deteriorating ramp surface at the Arataki Visitors Centre in the Waitakere Ranges

Their modular design makes them easy to install and remove, and they’re ideal for rental housing or temporary use.

“The systems are totally designed by me and quite a number of them are patented,” he says. “They’re modular and can be reused and recycled.”

Patented ramp systems Rampworx offers its own Gripsert brand of timber and aluminium planks, which are used for building permanent timber ramps and steps.

The aluminium strips improve grip on timber surfaces, reducing the risk of slipping and falling in wet or icy conditions.

The company also offers a Gripsert timber and aluminium combination ramp, which is a cost-effective long term option.

<

Gripsert was chosen by the Port of Marlborough to resurface the Picton Coathanger Bridge. It was recommended by Opus as a safe option for the steep gradient of the bridge

The system features Gripsert’s aluminium strips on timber planks built within an aluminium ramp frame. It is available in 1m or 1.2m width, with 75mm frames and handrails.

Gripsert has been used extensively by the Auckland City Council, Ministry of Education, ACC and Ministry of Health. A significant job

Rampworx also offers Retrogrip safety tread, which involves aluminium strips fitted between existing slippery timber planks, boardwalks and steps, and is fastened with stainless steel nails. Tread is cut to length and is easy to install.

Rampworx also manufactures aluminium or rubber threshold ramps for internal and external use for low steps, decks, doorways and ranch sliders.

Its new products still under development include anti-slip, glow-in-the-dark stair nosing, and a digger ramp prototype.

Bloemendal says while recent years have been difficult due to the economic recession, the 2014 financial year was the best year to date, with AMW Fabrication and Rampworx experiencing a 30 percent growth.

“Separating the two companies has made them both work better. We’ve been able to run with less staff, as we can switch them from one company to the other as we need them.”

Safety is number one

The Rampworx modular aluminium ramp system, designed and manufactured in New Zealand, was the starting point for John and Dianne Bloemendal’s successful business in 2000

<

Rampworx designs and builds residential aluminium ramping systems for people with illnesses or disabilities who use wheelchairs, walking frames and scooters.

was using Gripsert for the resurfacing of the Picton Marina ‘Coathanger’ Bridge several years ago.

Rampworx’s range of safe access solutions for the home or business includes: • Aluminium wheelchair ramps for temporary or long term use

Rampworx customers can be assured their aluminium or timber ramp is built to the highest possible safety standards.

• Doorway threshold ramps in rubber or aluminium

John Bloemendal says he and his wife Dianne are focussed on providing safe products to people with permanent or temporary disabilities.

• Retrogrip safety tread for existing ramps that are slippery

All of Rampworx’s ramp systems are load tested and slip tested according to New Zealand standards.

“They’re made from high quality marinegrade aluminium, quality stainless steel and New Zealand timber. Our ramps meet all requirements for width, height and handrails; they are safe,” he says.

“They’re built out of good quality materials and they last a long time.”

• Rental service nationwide

• Gripsert timber planks to build timber ramps, steps and boardwalks.

Rampworx and AMW Fabrication 30 Airdrie Road Ranui Auckland T (09) 832 3727 E admin@amwfab.co.nz www.rampworx.co.nz www.amwfab.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Revolutionising the aluminium industry Products for marine, industrial, commercial, domestic and designer applications

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Supporting Auckland Businesses since 1999. www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 53

Focus | Allwin Steel Enterprises

Steel measures up to modern designs Residential housing is big business with some 20,000 new homes constructed nationwide in the last 12 months alone.

While timber has traditionally played a strong part in the new home market, steel is playing an increasingly important role, predominantly where timber beams, frames, posts and trusses have not been structurally strong enough for the design.

Allwin Steel director Gareth Warner explains.

“Over the years the spans across rooms and openings have increased, houses have become far more open plan, creating far greater spans than traditional timber beams or supports can manage,” he says.

“Steel allows for greater spans using a section size of much less depth, allowing designers to really push their designs to the limit.”

By enabling greater spans with less depth in the section sizes, steel beams can be more easily concealed than timber, although the industrial look of exposed steel is a popular trend.

“When you require reasonably long posts, trying to find timber posts these days that are not twisted or bowed is near on impossible.

The chances are though if you find some that are straight, by the time you get to the end of the build they will already have bowed or twisted,” Gareth says.

“With steel you don’t have the warping, twisting, bowing, splitting or movement that you have with timber. Steel tends to remain relatively straight. Beams don’t slowly sag or bow over time as traditional timber beams often do.”

VULCAN

W W W. T S V CO N S U LT I N G . CO. N Z

STEEL

“Where the load coming down onto a wall is too large for traditional timber under studs or posts the engineer would probably design and specify a steel post, these are more commonly used under, the ends of some of the larger steel beams.”

Steel beams are also commonly used in roofs, as ridge beams for a raftered roof or as a straight beam supporting a truss, and occasionally they are designed cranked to fit within the roof space.

“Another use that is becoming more and more common is portal frames being used for bracing. As the spans become bigger and the designs become more open plan with more windows, there is less and less wall space to achieve the bracing elements required with a design. Portal frames enable engineers to get a high bracing element with limited wall areas.”

Ph: 09 274 4942 www.itm.co.nz/smithtimber E: mail@smithtimber.co.nz

Allwin Steel Enterprises on its 25 years in business VULCAN STEEL DISTRIBUTION SHEET AND COIL PROCESSING PLATE PROCESSING 0800 885 226

At Allwin Steel Enterprises we specialise in Residential and Commercial Structural Steelwork. Working closely with Engineers and Architects, we have the experience and expertise necessary to be able to undertake your structural steelwork requirements with the least possible hassle.

54 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

“In your typical house Allwin Steel can fabricate mid-floor beams, which tend to split spans where the spans are too big for timber floor joists to span the full distance, or work as supporting beams for upstairs walls,” Gareth says.

VULCAN STEEL CONGRATULATES

ALLWIN STEEL ENTERPRISES

P (09) 274 0464 F (09) 274 4762 E sales@allwin.co.nz

According to the National Association of Steel Framed Housing (NASH), steel framing has been used in New Zealand for more than 50 years and, with housing demand in Auckland tipped to need 400,000 new houses over the next 30 years, there is certainly plenty of scope for residential steel framing and componentry to increase even further.

Focus | Allwin Steel Enterprises

Business background Working closely with engineers and architects, Allwin Steel has the experience and expertise necessary to be able to undertake your structural steelwork requirements with the least possible hassle.

“We take an active role in making sure that all the projects that we are involved in run as smoothly as possible,” Gareth says. “We are constantly looking ahead to see what might cause complications and what might not work, which we have found is surprisingly common in our industry.”

Once a quote has been accepted, Allwin becomes fully involved in the project by contacting timber pre-cutters, draughtsman, builders, engineers and architects with advice to ensure that all goes to plan through the detailing of Steelwork and meets the scheduled pre-arranged delivery.

had a line drawn on his plan of where a beam needed to go and what size it needed to be,” Gareth says.

“My father had a building background and together working with Damian they came up with some suggestions and solutions for the builders, and before they knew it they couldn’t keep up with the demand.

“I joined them a year or so after they got started, to try to help them handle the demand. I had been working as a carpenter at the time. I knew nothing about steel, but my understanding of timber frame housing, along with my father’s, turned out to be one of our strong points because at an early stage we understood exactly what the builders were trying to achieve.

“It wasn’t long before North Park and Dannemora subdivisions were littered with Allwin Steel blue beams.”

“It’s a service which takes the trouble factor out of building with steel,” he says.

Commercial capabilities

“Service has always been our driving point. If you can keep customers happy, then there should be no reason why they wouldn’t be back.”

Although a residential specialist, Allwin Steel can comfortably manage larger commercial warehouse style buildings, through to apartment blocks.

Established in 1992 by Gareth’s brother and father, Damian and Dennis Warner, the company’s focus is, and always has been, on building relationships with customers.

“We have developed a method over the years where 99 percent of our jobs are fabricated at our workshop and arrive onsite ready to be placed into position a little bit like a Meccano set,” Gareth explains.

“A company philosophy has developed over the years that I feel we can be very proud of, the entire Allwin team has a natural tendency to really go out of their way to give our customers the best service they can, not because it’s company policy, but because they want to.”

Damian was working on his apprenticeship as a fitter welder when he became aware of the frustration of the company he worked for at having builders asking them to fabricate beams for the houses they were building.

At the time, steel beams were a relatively new concept and there were no companies specialising in this work.

“Very little information was provided by the architect or the engineer, basically the builder

“This speeds up our time onsite and enables the builder to get on and use our steel sooner with us out of his way.

“It also means that we can have his steel ready the same time as his timber frames so that there is no delay having to wait to measure his frames before we can manufacture the steel. He can pretty much arrange to have his steel delivered as soon as he has his frames stood standing.”

Allwin Steel recently completed the Nikau Court Apartments on Stancombe Road, Flatbush. A multi-levelled project with tilt panel and concrete rib floor construction with steel beams and steel purlins for the roof, the project involved working floor by floor

installing steel support beams and angles, keeping ahead of the tilt panel and concrete rib floor contractors, and then moving in behind them preparing for the next level.

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“In the initial stages the challenge was trying to establish some understanding and gaining some clarity as the design had not quite been finalised,” Gareth explains.

“Once we started shop drawings and started communicating with the engineer the job went well as the floor levels were mostly repetitive. The roof steel was a little more complex, but again going through the process of shop drawings and communicating with the engineer everything went well.”

As with many of the company’s projects, it involved flexibility around other contractors.

“We had to be available to start our work as soon as the contractors before us were finished and the site was ready for our next stage. We then had to ensure that we had completed our work in line with the programme so that the contractors following on behind us were not held up by us.

“A project of this size is constantly hitting snags and the dates change. It is then up to all of the contractors involved to try their best to get the programme back on line.

“All the contractors on this project worked well together. The building is just having its finishing touches done; we are in fact just installing some additional steel that was required and as far as I am aware, I believe that the project has gone well for the developers.”

Specialists in mobile crane hire for the last 25 years we are available to serve you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We also offer U-Drive crane hire, manlifts and mancages.

We pride ourselves in offering more service for your money and all our cranes are well maintained and fully equipped with all the appropriate lifting gear.

The Auckland based fleet consists of mobile hydraulic truck cranes ranging from 1 tonne to 130 tonne, U-Drive cranes to 20 metres and manlifts, truck mounted to 20 metres and steel tracked to 18 metres.

Allwin Steel Enterprises 56 Cryers Road East Tamaki Auckland T (09) 274 0464 E sales@allwin.co.nz www.allwinsteel.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Unit H 1 Highbrook Drive, East Tamaki info@weldingtechnology.co.nz

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On Call Cranes Limited 6 Alfred Street Onehunga Auckland New Zealand P. 09 636 7589 F. 09 634 9327 E. oncallcranes@ihug.co.nz www.oncallcranes.co.nz www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 55

Focus | DCN Drilling

Digging in the dirt

By Peter Loakman

It would be fair to say it is wise to be sure of one’s footing prior to embarking upon a long journey.

“

Conditions underfoot will dictate what sort of experience you are about to endure and similarly when beginning a large engineering contract, it pays to study and analyse underground conditions, before building or working on top of the ground.

By keeping our overheads low we are always able to provide a competitive quotation for work, plus the fact that we are extremely good at what we do.

What lies underneath can provide a few nasty and expensive surprises. This is where DCN Drilling comes into its own, applying nearly 20 years of experience in drilling and engineering research services and projects.

“We are able to answer most briefs,” says DCN Drilling general manager David Penney. “Drilling, whether the need be for geo-technical, geo-thermal, anchor, wire line, auger or barge drilling - we have the capability and experience to do them all.”

DCN is rightly recognised within the New Zealand drilling industry for its calm, professional approach, quiet expertise and economically efficient methods. David and his team are known for their straight talking and no nonsense approach.

“If we are not equipped to do the job we won’t take it on,” explains David. “For example we don’t get involved in directional drilling for cabling such as urban projects for ultra fast broadband connectivity… but pretty much all other forms of drilling we can handle with a quick turnaround and at a competitive price.”

Construction sector demand has grown hugely due to the Christchurch earthquakes; hundreds of building demolitions are occurring and the consequent surge in rebuilding and ground preparation of

- GENERAL MANAGER , DAVID PENNEY

”

Christchurch, as it begins the rebuilding stage to a higher code and safety specification, means demand for geo-technical types of site investigations, for foundation evaluations, slope stability investigations, retaining systems, irrigation schemes and landfill planning are increasing.

This means more players have and are entering the fray. “Sure we have seen new companies enter the market,” explains David, “but there is a lot of work to go around, competition is greater and inevitably margins will get tighter. But quality and experience count for a lot and we have both of these qualities in abundance at DCN Drilling.”

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56 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Focus | DCN Drilling

DCN in numbers • 27 years’ service • Nine drilling rigs • Maximum drill depth 900 metres • Twelve permanent staff • More than 500 bore-holes drilled.

DCN services • Geo-technical drilling • Geo-thermal drilling • Soakage drilling • Wire line drilling • Environmental drilling • Soil nailing • Diamond coring • Auger drilling • Anchor drilling • Barge drilling • Down hole hammers • Piezometer installations • Helicopter/Flying rigs • Member of NZ Drillers Federation Inc • Member of Australian Drilling Industry Association.

While 2013 provided a record year for DCN there was opportunity to upgrade and replace some capital equipment with the purchase of a new YDX 3L drilling rig.

This new rig will increase efficiency in the specialised area of wire line drilling and allow for speedier drilling to depths of up to 900 metres. The new rig has also been used for geo-technical specialist areas such as stability and soil erosion issues for foundation investigations.

”By keeping our overheads low we are always able to provide a competitive quotation for work, plus the fact that we are extremely good at what we do,” he reveals with a hint of modesty.

In fact the order book was so full in 2013 that the company decided to focus entirely on the domestic New Zealand market, which was relatively easy to service, as opposed to the logistical headaches of servicing contracts in the Pacific Islands or elsewhere overseas where DCN has successfully operated in the past.

The successful management of all health and safety issues is of paramount concern to David and his fellow management,

so that his staff and contractors work in a controlled and safe environment which is as free from accident risk as is humanly possible.

with a safe, secure, clean and healthy working environment, but it means the most favourable and safest overall environment in which to operate.

This means careful maintenance and compliant operation of all plant and machinery which has been maintained and serviced to the highest standards of safety at all times.

Minimum risk of pollution and contamination to air, ground and water is the stated objective and the goal to aspire to. Regular health and safety training programmes for all staff are mandatory, as is the responsible stocking of adequate machine and rig spare parts to minimise mechanical down time and subsequent further risk to the environment.

In order to keep expensive and nonproductive down time to a minimum, it is critical to ensure regular preventative service intervals are followed to allow for optimum performance levels.

Adherence to a proper health and safety code not only ensures staff are presented

This responsible approach to the key issues of health, safety and the environment guarantees that DCN is well thought of among its peers and remains an attractive proposition as a responsible employer.

Thus the remainder of 2014 and immediate future for DCN does indeed look bright.

A healthy list of current work and future projects in the pipeline means planning ahead is made that much easier. Goals have been identified and targeted, and don’t expect Dave Penney and his team to be scrambling aimlessly around in the dirt in the vague hope of meeting them.

If the construction sector occupies a growing share of the DCN work load, it is the bread and butter of regular agricultural and irrigational bore hole drilling and frequent mineral exploration projects that keep David and his crew busy for most periods of the year.

As always with DCN there will be a clear route and an accurate and precision driven plan as to how to reach that end goal on time and on budget.

The down to earth and no nonsense approach to business is what keeps customers coming back to utilise DCN. Repeat custom from some business clients for more than twenty years in some cases is testament the DCN philosophy of putting customers first… every time.

DCN Drilling Limited 2148 State Highway 2 Maramarua Waikato Region 2471 T 027 473 -5011 E dave@dcndrilling.co.nz www.dcndrilling.co.nz

“By doing this we keep our order books filled with quality customers and our chances of obtaining repeat business is substantially higher,” explains David.

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 57

Focus | Mt Albert Aquatic Centre

Water world The Mt Albert Aquatic Centre is a water park haven in the middle of the city, with very few pools for miles around.

The centre has been servicing locals since 1998 with a strong focus on teaching both the young and old how to swim. The facility manager, Grant Mortensen, and the team at Mt Albert Aquatic Centre have a strong social conscience and are involved with a number of programmes that benefit the wider community.

Swim school The large Swim Magic Swim School makes up a majority of the centres visitors with up to 1500 students taking part each school term.

The school caterers for six month olds through to 12 year olds, as well as a very busy adult learn to swim programme Grant says.

“Once we’ve taught them to swim and if the kids show some interest and promise, they can move onto the Magic NZ Swimming Academy which is the competitive part of the programme, coached by Paul Kent, former Olympian and world champion,” he says.

The academy offers fitness and training for teenagers, adults and multisport competitors.

“

Swimming is an essential life skill that everybody should have in New Zealand because we are surrounded by coast line, rivers and lakes. Children should at least know how to take care of themselves in the water.

- MANAGER, GRANT MORTENSEN

0274112274

0800 101 969

• Attendance to the centre in the last financial year was 343,000.

The Mt Albert Aquatic Centre is selflessly involved in a number of programmes.

GAAAP “We are involved with the Greater Auckland Aquatic Action Plan (GAAAP). With the help of GAAAP funding we provide learn to swim and survive lessons on or off site to local primary schools, and special needs organisations.”

• Spa pools • Teaching pool • Toddlers pool • Water play features • Wave pool • Sauna • Steam room.

Green Prescription “Doctors can issue patients with green cards that entitles them to discounts at physical activity centres, including our pool. It targets people who are inactive and might be suffering from health problems.”

Whanau Nui

Matt Carroll - 021434284 mattyraycarroll@hotmail.com

The babies and toddlers swim classes are the most popular thanks to a 50 percent discount offered to new members of Plunket.

“Our goal for this year is to encourage more non users and inactive people into the centre, get involved with programmes and enjoying being active,” Grant says.

“We introduced Whanau Nui this summer and had over 60 parents and children come in for a week of free swim and water safety lessons. This programme targets the demographic that makes up the majority of our drowning statistics.

Pool to Surf “We run the Pool to Surf programme which targets at risk demographics such as immigrants and provides basic learn to swim skills for high risk groups in our community.”

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Facilities include: Heated Indoor 25m Competition Pool Wave Pool Lazy River Spa & Sauna Aqua Aerobics Classes Lane Swimming and more

58 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

• Hydro slide

• The centre employs 30 swim teachers qualified through Skillsactive and they hold a National Certificate in Recreation and Sport (Aquatics) Swim Education

Community involvement

Karin Wilson - Flick Anticimex, NZ

• 25m competition pool

”

“Swimming is an essential life skill that everybody should have in New Zealand because we are surrounded by coast line, rivers and lakes. Children should at least know how to take care of themselves in the water,” Grant says.

We are proud to support Philips Aquatic Pools and Recreation in providing excellence in hygiene and washroom services and pest control.

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Facilities include:

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Mt Albert Aquatic Centre 38 Alberton Avenue Mt Albert Auckland T (09) 815 7005 E mtalbertaquatics@clmnz.co.nz www.clmnz.co.nz — Advertising Feature

MagicNZ Swimming Academy for competitive and non-competitive swimming SwimMagic Swim School for swimming lessons for babies through to adults

Fishing, Boating & Marine | Top Catch Glen Innes

Catch of the day Usually, when we have a secret fishing spot, we hold it close to our chest not wanting to let the nugget of knowledge be made public. Top Catch Glen Innes disagree; they are the eastern suburbs best kept secret fishing spot for retail, bait, tackle and advice, the proverbial ‘spot X’ for local fishermen.

Location, location, location

Knowledge is power

When Craig and Sonya Robinson teamed up with the Top Catch brand, they recognised location and convenience were paramount when opening a bait and tackle outlet in the Eastern suburbs, as many customers would be visiting the store with boat and trailer-in-tow, stopping by en-route to the launching ramps.

Craig Robinson often uses a golfing analogy to emphasise the importance of having the right tackle for the right job. “You need to have the correct club for the next shot; it’s very hard to play a successful round of golf armed with only a pitching wedge.”

Craig Robinson says customer convenience played a massive role in choosing the spot.

“To meet the needs of our customers we identified a North-facing location on the left side of the road with drive-through access, because the last thing you want to be doing before a relaxing day’s fishing is negotiating your way through heavy traffic with a boat and trailer hitched on the back.

“Nosh supermarkets chose Apirana Ave, Glen Innes, so we began door-knocking down the same street to find our perfect premises.”

A huge amount of forward planning has helped the Glen Innes store become more convenient for its customer base. The location was ideal for a fishing shop; opposite a service station for fuel, facing the boat ramps and within a close vicinity to the local supermarket. The fisherman’s El Dorado stocks 44 different types of bait and berley options, including their exclusive red plate pilchards, big snapper bullet tuna, pre-cut pilchards and the tougher option of skip-jack belly flaps, the list goes on.

True it may be, but Top Catch Glen Innes want its customers to be more than just equipped, they want successful fishing trips for all.

The Top Catch staff are all fishing experts willing to share their localised knowledge with customers, from the ideal bait to use in the Kaipara Harbour to the best lure for the Gulf snapper, ask and they shall share.

“We want our customers to have a successful fishing experience, ensuring their boat is set-up safely and fishing tackle tuned, ready to catch,” Robinson says.

on valuable advice, techniques and the fish are taking the bait. They also stock a huge range of fishing tackle to put their advice to the test, so why not drop them a line if you’re on the east side of Auckland, you may just get hooked.

Top Catch Glen Innes 227 Apirana Avenue Glen Innes Auckland T (09) 521 5732 E gi@topcatch.co.nz www.topcatch.co.nz — Advertising Feature

“The delight on a customer’s face when they retell their successful fishing tale of their first attempt soft-baiting or inchiku fishing is priceless. That is a thrill the bigbox retailers or online retailers must never experience, but we pride ourselves on pleasing our customers.”

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 59

Hospitality | Albert’s Kitchen Pukekohe

The business of baking Our first breads were developed when humans took wild grass grains, soaked them in water and mashed it into a broth to bake on hot rocks.

While our baked goods have come a long way since those early days, those first cooking methods formed the basis of what we enjoy in the modern day.

Using traditional, time honoured methods, with some modern day flair and innovation, Albert’s Kitchen is redefining what bread is.

And the result is, well, it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Albert Psaros first entered the commercial playing field six years ago with a popular line of dips and hummus, sold at local farmers’ markets. But the recession saw business slow and his familial background saw him move into the bakery business.

From Greek heritage, Albert had baking in his blood. “Food is big in Greek families,” he laughs. “Everything revolves around food.”

His dad had owned a couple of bakeries himself which Albert had also worked in and, after travelling and a stint in IT, it felt like a natural move, well, as natural as a career move he knew nothing about!

“I didn’t know a thing about baking,” Albert laughs. “I bought an oven, a couple of books, spent an evening with a baker in Hamilton and started baking!”

“It was the recession that really kicked in that passion.”

He began baking 16-18 hours a day, that went on for some two years before he was completely confident in his ability and felt ready to “kick it up a notch”, opening Albert’s Kitchen in 2012.

This somewhat unconventional introduction to the business of baking has proved a recipe to success, with Albert’s Kitchen quickly becoming a successful artisan bakery in its own right. It’s even listed on the New Zealand Herald’s list of 50 foodie things to do before you die.

While the bakery is certainly a success, it didn’t happen overnight. With no capital behind them, Albert and his Dutch wife Adrianna had to scratch together to get all the equipment necessary. “There’s a surprising amount of equipment needed to run a bakery, and run it efficiently,” Albert says.

“We worked really hard to get our production up to the place we are at now.”

But the challenge honed the ability to keep mixing it up. “When you don’t have the money to keep purchasing more stock, you need to develop the ability to keep producing interesting products, to keep pulling people in,” he says.

“It pushes you creatively and your focus on processes, on becoming more efficient; there’s no resting on laurels around here,”

he laughs. “We have to keep on our toes at all times.”

The bakery began specialising in the popular sourdough, before moving into pastries, and soon after, French desserts. “Then the lunch trade really started taking off and we expanded into everything.”

Today the business is moving rapidly into wholesale orders, they have reintroduced their line of hummus, also available wholesale and the latest and greatest – par-baked breads, available in focaccia and sourdough.

“We fully cook the breads, without browning the loaves, so the customer finishes off the last five percent of the cooking process from home, giving them the highest bakery quality freshly baked bread.”

And, let’s face it, nothing quite beats the smell of that wafting through the house!

The farmers’ markets formed strong relationships with local food producers and today Albert supplies a great range of local produce.

Albert’s vanilla slice is one of the bakery’s best sellers, flying off the shelves just as fast

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509 Buckland Road, Pukekohe Ph 09 238 2387 Email: roadt@ihug.co.nz 60 April/May 2014 www.aucklandtoday.net.nz

Hospitality | Albert’s Kitchen Pukekohe

“

This isn’t just a business to us. We have poured every part of ourselves into this. We didn’t copy anyone, we went out on our own to create something new which is unique to us.

”

as Albert can bake it. “Everything we make is created from scratch,” he explains.

“The custard we create for the vanilla slice is just phenomenal.”

The company’s sourdoughs are fermented for two days to develop the best flavour and, alongside the German seek loaf, is something which sees people travel the length of the city to get a taste of.

“We’re a niche market,” Albert says. “What we do is something very unique to the sliced white bread you purchase from the supermarket. While it’s a growing market, the only part of the industry which is growing, true artisan breads take time and patience.”

Albert’s bread is made by hand in a process which is a million miles, or at least as many hours, from the bread maker job at home.

The bread has no sugar, no preservatives and no additives of any kind.

A natural yeast culture is used and the bread is left to leaven for six hours and then cooled for 40 hours to bring out the flavour. The taste and texture is a step above standard store-bought bread and has to be tried to be believed.

As the wholesale division continues to expand rapidly, Albert and Adrianna are eyeing up potential expansion plans, when the time is right. “We have a decent sized

bakery, we are certainly in a position to be able to supply more than one store, we would maintain control over the production,” Albert says.

“This isn’t just a business to us. We have poured every part of ourselves into this.

We didn’t copy anyone, we went out on our own to create something new which is unique to us.

“Albert’s Kitchen really is an extension of ourselves.”

There’s no better way than to discover this hidden Pukekohe gem for yourself, so call in from Monday to Saturday from 8:15 am - 4:30 pm, or check out what you’ve been missing,

and the great specials and offers on the company’s Facebook page.

Regular events such as jazz nights and bread making classes are a great drawcard for the bakery and the early starting time ensures you can get in for your morning caffeine fix on the way to work.

Albert’s Kitchen 3A West Street Pukekohe East Auckland T (09) 238 1225 E albert_psaros@yahoo.com — Advertising Feature

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www.aucklandtoday.net.nz April/May 2014 61