Central Today Magazine 77

WALKING TALL Advice for new managers How to avoid becoming another bad stat

Cool, comfy and socially conscious - Tim Brown’s Allbirds find the right fit

6

START-UP SECRETS

Emma Lovell’s tips for SME success

THE ACCIDENTAL

COMEDIAN Rhys Darby’s road to success was no laughing matter

Feeding our own demise Food waste costs… and we’re all paying the price

Eastern etiquette The subtle art of doing business in China

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Equipment to make any kitchen sing E X C I T I N G E X PA N S I O N S O N T H E H O R I Z O N

New staff and new locations mark a new direction for long-established suppliers of A-grade commercial kitchen equipment, Burns & Ferrall.

Since its establishment some 69 years ago, and in response to demand and market trends, Burns & Ferrall have recently refocused its capabilities and now specialise in the design, manufacture and sale of commercial and domestic kitchen equipment, along with an extensive range of tapware, glassware and tabletop products.

While its client base is largely comprised of its primary market – those in commercial hospitality – a growing majority are homeowners who simply want the very best in their kitchens.

Modernisation completed in owner’s honour Bob Paton, Chairman and owner of Burns & Ferrall, was admired by his peers and colleagues.

Before his recent passing he set in motion the modernisation of the company – accompanied by an echoing proclamation to “make Burns & Ferrall great”.

Chief Executive Tony Broome and General Manager of Sales Paul Boia are overseeing this transformation and, leading by example, it’s immediately evident that Burns & Ferrall staff possess a genuine desire to achieve Mr Paton’s goal.

The resulting modernisation of attitude, product and processes has allowed Burns & Ferrall to be more agile and therefore more responsive than its competitors – the proof of which is in its expanding clientele.

The adoption of advanced technologies allows for superior manufacturing capabilities as well as research into and maintenance of equipment.

This mechanisation allows the company to be more in tune with the market, able to react more quickly and therefore enabling it to import what’s on trend right now.

Local roots, global ambition Burns & Ferrall stocks product from over 60 leading brands worldwide.

The company also enjoys close working relationships with many respected brands worldwide who provide Burns & Ferrall the access to cutting-edge products as soon as they enter the global market. Two of those brands are RATIONAL and Trenton: RATIONAL AG is a global market and technology leader, with over 750,000 RATIONAL appliances on the market, all of which are exclusively produced at their site in Landsberg am Lech in the heart of Bavaria, South East Germany.

What you will find at Burns & Ferrall Burns & Ferrall stocks product from over 60 leading brands worldwide. Its range of commercial and domestic kitchen equipment, and further products and services, include: • Bakery equipment • Commercial kitchen equipment • Household kitchen, bathroom and laundry equipment • Stainless steel fabrication • Washroom systems • Chemicals

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18

Viewpoints CENTRAL TODAY | ISSUE 77 JULY/AUGUST 2017 HEAD OFFICE

2 Ivan Jamieson Place Christchurch Airport Christchurch 8053

AUCKLAND OFFICE Level 6 10 Scotia Place Auckland

MANAGING DIRECTOR Gary Collins

GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Kylie Palermo

NATIONAL SALES & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Clive Greenwood

ADMINISTRATION

6: The risk of bad management John Shingleton on why middle management is so vital to your company’s success 6: Safe as houses Traditionally, investing in bricks and mortar has been a low risk investment, but Martz Witty asks if that’s still so 7: Being better than good Daniel Nixon on why simply being good at what you do doesn’t cut it

Louise Keates Angela Barltrop Laura McLoed Mellisa Smith Lyn Wright Jo Pritchard

Phone: (03) 961 5050 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: admin@academygroup.co.nz

7: Channelling your inner teenager If you want to know how to connect with any audience, Michelle Hider suggests you look no further than social media aware teenagers

SALES & ADVERTISING Grant Williams Maxine Stewart Monice Kruger Helena Watson Melissa Sinclair

MEDIA CONSULTANTS

Keith Laidlaw William Stock

Phone: (03) 961 5176 Email: sales@academygroup.co.nz

NEWSROOM Jonathon Taylor EDITOR Lydia Truesdale JOURNALISTS Natalia Rietveld Marie Sherry Phone: (03) 961 5098 Email: editor@academygroup.co.nz

7: The age of leadership Debra Buckley says the retirement age is worth considering within the context of leadership 8: Is your workplace wellness up to par?

Jane Cowan-Harris on why it pays to have an ergonomics programme

Phone: (03) 961 5077 | 0800 555 097 Email: production@academygroup.co.nz

Scan this QR code to check us out at:

www.centraltoday.co.nz

Features

Pages 10-20

Pages 21-29

10: Advice for new managers

Forty percent of new managers don’t

last 18 months – here’s how to avoid

being another bad stat 11: Hiring 101

If you’ve ever fretted about the hiring

process, you’re not alone. Thankfully,

there are simple steps to smooth

the process 12: Keeping culture alive

The correlation between employee happiness and productivity is tangible… and manageable

13: Six start-up secrets

Emma Lovell’s six tips for small

business success 14: Through the looking glass

What shape will our future workforce take?

15: Feeding our own demise

Food waste costs… and we’re

all paying the price 16: Eastern etiquette

The subtle art of forging successful

business relationships in China 17: Lifestyles

Selected items of desire to add a little style to your life

8: Stress management Mary Casey talks about navigating your way through emotional minefields

18: Walking tall

Cool, comfy and socially conscious…

Tim Brown’s Allbird’s really are a

product for the people

8: Events diary This is where you find out what’s on near you

20: The accidental comedian

Why Rhys Darby’s road to success

was no laughing matter

PRODUCTION Jarred Shakespeare ART DIRECTOR Carolynne Brown PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATORS Sophie McGinn Sarah Betman DESIGNERS Sam Stuart Kate Johnstone

Management

Pages 6-8 6: Making time Kevin Vincent’s top time management techniques

30

FOR ALL ADVERTISING ENQUIRERS

21: Focus

Atawhai Industries celebrates 30 years of creating employment opportunities and access to the community for people with disabilities, and how Phoenix Shipping Agencies delivers specialised port logistic services

24: Hospitality

Both the quality and the quantity of the prime New Zealand beef used in Oxford Pies have been significant contributors to the longevity of the company, which now celebrates 40 years in business

26: Transport & Motoring

Based in Te Awamutu in the Waikato and Mount Maunganui, Dibble Transport is celebrating 20 years of operation under its current structure, although its origins date back to the 1950s

29: Property & Construction

As development on the Kapiti Coast takes off, Multibuild Schwass is playing its part in the region’s development.

The Waikato and BoP Architecture Awards feature the stunning University of Waikato Faculty of Law conceived by Opus Architecture and the Kinloch Golf Club’s ‘castle at Kinloch’ on the shores of Lake Taupo designed by Patterson Associates, and ASAP Contracting’s perfect home renovations

Contact the sales team on (03) 961 5176 | sales@academygroup.co.nz

Disclaimer This publication is provided on the basis that A-Mark Publishing is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services. A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication.

Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice. Contents Copyright 2013 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

Competition guidelines

19,360 ABC circulation as at 30/03/17

ISSN 1174-9520 (Print) | ISSN 2230-4991 (Online)

Conditions of entry: One entry only per person and must be sent on the official entry form or as otherwise stated. Entry is free and open to all residents of New Zealand. All entrants must be over the age of 18, proof of identity and date of birth may be requested. Employees and their immediate families of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication are ineligible to enter. Winner(s) will be notified by email/phone. The judges’ decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into. No responsibility is accepted for late, lost or misdirected mail. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained, during the course of prize winning travel or in connection with any other prizes won. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication accept no responsibility for health, luggage, insurances, travel, personal expenses and transfers other than specified. Entries remain the property of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication and cannot be returned. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication reserves the right to photograph and publish winners. Entries may be used for further marketing purposes by Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication but are not made available to any third party.

4 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

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ACCESSMAN IS COMING TO YOU! At long last, the South Island’s specialist provider of access equipment and operator training is bringing its services to the North Island.

With over 20 years’ experience in the access industry Accessman has cultivated exclusive knowledge and skills, an arsenal that has catered to the trickiest requests across many different markets, and it continues to evolve with the times to predict and cater for the developments of the future.

Accessman’s distinguished franchise system has enabled it to become the mainland’s largest provider of access equipment, with six branches plotted throughout the South Island and generally still able to supply to those areas where there isn’t a branch, depending on term hire.

The franchise system puts potential franchisees through their paces – and they must pass a selection process prior to being eligible to join the Accessman family.

“Our business is first and foremost about ‘our people’, both internally and externally. Without the right ‘team’, we can’t provide the service that we’re renowned for,” Accessman general manager Lena Harrington says.

There are a number of regions of interest in the North Island that Accessman intends to enter. The North Island franchises will be offered the same comprehensive support the South Island branches have been receiving for the past two decades.

“The process of transitioning into new markets has been refined with the knowledge that no two markets are the same, and that there is little room for complacency.”

Lena notes that the strength of the brand speaks for itself. She says Accessman has been instrumental in leading the access industry as

Accessman is not a general hire company – it specialises in access equipment and operator training.

It has over 650 machines throughout the South Island that fall under the categories of scissor lifts, cherry pickers and knuckle booms, providing crucial safe access at height.

Accessman offers two specialised training programmes nationwide: • Silver Card – HIANZ’s new EQP Silver Card programme was developed to meet the requirements of the Best Practice Guidelines for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (August 2014) and to meet the criteria of NZQA Unit Standards. The card is valid for three years.

• IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) – Over 100,000 operators are trained worldwide each year and training is certified

by TÜV as conforming to the international standard ISO 18878. The PAL (Powered Access Licence) card is valid for three years in New Zealand and five years internationally.

www.accessman.co.nz

technology has changed – and this swift introduction of new models and upgrades, combined with excellent service and high quality equipment, has solidified the brand at the forefront of the market.

Bringing the IPAF training programme to New Zealand is a real credit to Accessman and proves the extent to which the company inherently practices its belief of “safety first”.

“As general manager of the group, I believe it’s time our industry was provided with a choice when it comes to operator training. We now have two options that meet Best Practice and we provide training for both – the locally recognised Silver Card (HIANZ/NZQA), and IPAF which is recognised both locally and internationally, as well as being ISO accredited.

“Competition is fierce, and only the best operators will succeed.”

North Islanders don’t delay, enquire today about becoming part of this valued brand, where you can run your own business with the complete confidence that you are privy to the ongoing support Accessman extends to all its franchises.

Management | Viewpoints

Kevin Vincent

John Shingleton

Martz Witty

Managing director of Vincent Consulting www.vincentconsulting.co.nz

Director of Onlinelawyers www.onlinelawyer.co.nz

Head of the Martz Group www.martz.co.nz

Making time

The risk of bad management

Safe as houses

Time management for your business can be described metaphorically as the good oil of your business.

No doubt some of you spent part of your holiday, that is if you took one, reflecting on how you can manage your business differently, if not better in the future.

A number of our clients have rental properties and many use these as a way of saving for retirement. Traditionally bricks and mortar types of investments have been seen as a low risk investment, but are they safe?

Oil is the essential life blood that runs through the arteries of cars and mechanical operations and without which, these machines would undoubtedly soon come to a grinding halt and fail.

Applied time management is the “good oil” that prevents the squeaking, creaking and tweaking that frequently arises during our often chaotic day to day existence.

By applying time management skills you can optimise your effort to ensure that you concentrate as much of your time and energy as possible on the high payoff tasks. This ensures that you achieve the greatest benefit possible with the limited amount of time available to you.

Here are some tips to assist you apply the “good oil” of time management.

Set goals To start managing time effectively, you need to set goals.

People tend to neglect goal setting because it requires time and effort. What they fail to consider is that a little time and effort put in now saves an enormous amount of time, effort and frustration in the future.

Plan your day Prioritising what needs to be done is especially important.

Without it, you may work very hard, but you won’t be achieving the results you desire because what you are working on is not of strategic importance.

Delegate Delegation extends the results from what you can do, to what you can control. It frees time for more important tasks, allows you to plan more effectively, and helps relieve the pressure of too many jobs, too many deadlines, and too little time. Not only that, but it is one of the most effective ways of developing your staff. Improper delegation, however, is worse than no delegation at all.

Handle interruptions Some jobs need you to be available for people when they need help – interruption is a natural and necessary part of life. In these cases, do what you sensibly can to minimise it, but make sure you don’t scare people away from interrupting you when they should.

Don’t procrastinate To deal with procrastination, focus on the result of the task, not on the process. Tackle the most unpleasant job at the beginning of your working day and break down large tasks or projects into manageable chunks. Schedule each phase with both a start time and a finish time, and tick chunks off on completion.

One decision you ought to consider is keeping a focus on employee health and wellbeing. Not only does the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 create a legal obligation to monitor and manage employee health, but a happy workforce means less sickness, higher productivity and better retention.

A key component of a successful wellness strategy is employing line managers with insight and empathy. Line managers are those people in your organisation who have the day to day contact with, and supervision of your workers.

This can be a supervisor, head teacher, partner in a law or accountancy firm or a foreman.

A recent survey in England found that for over 70 percent of those workers who were questioned, the moment they least looked forward to in their working day was interacting with their line manager.

I suspect it will be the same here. What an appalling statistic!

Shouldn’t it be that over 70 percent looked forward to interacting with their manager. After all, aren’t managers hired to inspire, encourage, support, nurture and grow the workforce?

This is where it is important to reflect on the personality types of your line managers. Have they got that necessary insight and empathy with others? Do they get along with people? Do they take the time to understand what makes their workers tick? Or do they hide behind processes? Are they perfectionists? Do they belittle people? Do they micromanage? Do they cause conflict? Are they a bully?

There is a lot of literature out there regarding the sort of personality traits you would want to avoid like the plague.

But, in the end, isn’t the ideal manager a person who can get alongside other people.

So, from a practical point of view, what can you do?

First, make sure you have a clear understanding of your manager’s personality traits.

Secondly, if the traits are those of a well-liked, respected, empathetic and insightful individual, express your appreciation and support.

But if the manager is a psycho, or as Michael Hempseed of Employee Solutions Service Ltd puts it, a toxic individual, then it’s time to help that manager along with another career choice.

Earthquakes aside, we have recently been made aware that there are even more insurance issues to be aware of that may affect investment property owners.

Some insurance companies are now reviewing whether the landlord has taken sufficient steps to protect their investment when determining if they will accept a damage claim.

Take the scenario of a couple who are looking for a new tenant for their empty rental property.

A prospective tenant agrees to pay the full rental amount and even offers to pay six months’ rent in advance to secure the property.

The tenant moves in and a few months later the police advise that they have found a methamphetamine lab at the property.

Decontamination costs amount to over $100,000. This should be covered by your rental property insurance, shouldn’t it?

In a case we are aware of, the insurance company declined the claim on the basis that the owners could not prove that they had taken any steps to vet the tenant or do regular property inspections which may have limited the damage to the property.

In an article on Stuff recently, it was advised that Airbnb owners may not be insured if a guest damages property or steals contents from the property.

So what is the answer?

The first step is to ensure you have adequate insurance cover for your requirements.

Secondly, know the fine print of what your insurance company requires from you as the property owner to mitigate any damage to ensure a successful claim if the need arises.

If you are using a property management company to manage your property, you also need to make sure that they are aware of the insurance company’s requirements.

Thank you to David Hopkins from Rent Right Property Management for his assistance in compiling this article.

If you do not, then it is inevitable that this individual will negatively affect the workforce’s wellness and well-being resulting in employee unhappiness, a high level of sick leave and staff turnover and the potential for a claim of bullying or constructive dismissal.

MEDIA CONSULTANT/SALESPERSON We are one of the largest privately owned publishing companies in New Zealand and we need 2 dynamic sales people.

Academy Group produces a wide range of products, including business magazines and niche market magazines.

This is your opportunity to join a business that has vast experience in the publishing sector and has achieved success in the marketplace since 1980.

Various remuneration packages are available comprising of retainer plus commission and bonuses.

Contact: Clive Greenwood on: (03) 961 5176 or email clive@academy.net.nz | www.magazinestoday.co.nz 6 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Part of the

Management | Viewpoints

Daniel Nixon

Michele Hider

Debra Buckley

Managing director of Foundation One www.foundationone.co.nz

Director of Priority Communications www.prioritycomms.co.nz

CEO of the New Zealand Institute of Management and Leadership www.nzimleadership.co.nz

Being better than good

Channelling your inner teenager

The age of leadership

Here’s a deceptively simple question: How does your company provide value?

By the time they are 20, any social mediaaware teenager will have practiced one of the most important aspects of public relations thousands of times.

The recent debate about the retirement age in New Zealand is certainly something to think about, including within a leadership context.

If you answered with some version of “by doing x and doing it well,” let me suggest you’re missing a key point.

Doing your core business well is vital – but clients are unlikely to see that as adding value. For them, that’s simply what’s expected of you.

For example, our company maintains commercial buildings. If you watched our team, you’d see them checking, maintaining and fixing the things that keep buildings operating.

It’s important, necessary work. And we strive to do it well.

But from our clients’ perspective, the kind of value that gets them excited only shows up when they can see that what we’re doing enables them to achieve their business goals.

Unless you provide that kind of strategic value, you’ll struggle to differentiate yourself from your competition.

Most of our clients are commercial property managers. Their main concern is enabling their clients to gain maximum value from their buildings over time without undue worry about compliance, health and safety, cash flow, or any of the other issues that come with owning a commercial building.

We’ve made it our business to enable our clients to deliver value to their clients.

Now here’s the key point. With that in mind, we’re clear that we’re not in the business of doing things. We’re in the business of delivering outcomes.

If you want to be a strategic asset, you have to be clear on the outcomes you’re delivering, and own them like your life depends on it.

It’s not as complicated as it might sound. We still repair, maintain, install, refurbish, reinstate and build. But always with the intention of helping our clients better deliver on their promises to their clients.

That means we also anticipate issues and talk to clients about them before they blow up. We seek opportunities to do things more efficiently, or defer costs to facilitate cash flow.

We hire not just for technical competence, but also for strong communication skills and a great customer service attitude. We stand behind all our work, fixing things quickly when they go wrong and ensuring our quality standards are high enough that things rarely do go wrong.

We hire people who can deliver on those promises and give them autonomy to solve problems without deferring to a more senior person.

Every time they post on Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook, they are thinking about their audience. Who’s going to like this post; will they like, love it, share it; and sometimes, is it appropriate for Mum and Dad to see? Perhaps I should unfriend Granny?

If they take a wrong steer and think Granny is going to enjoy a picture of them and their friends semi-naked after a hard night’s drinking, it is unlikely to be career limiting, but may give them enough of a wake-up call, from one upset elderly relative, to think about it next time.

For us of more senior years, and I mean anyone 35 plus, we didn’t get this early training. Unless you work in public relations or marketing, in-depth thought about your audience is probably not ingrained and in this fast-paced online world the opportunities to misfire are ever increasing.

If I had only one piece of PR advice to give, it would be to know your audience and keep them top of mind, from the minute you start planning your communications and marketing, to every comment and post you make.

Knowing who you want to engage with and why they might want to engage with you is the key to all great communication, whether you are wanting to attract more customers to your business, involve people in an important community conversation, become a thought leader, or simply get your views across in a time of crisis.

In public relations, it goes well beyond data gathering. It’s often a case of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.

How would I feel if I was them and received that news, heard that message, was called at 6pm while I was trying to make dinner for the kids?

For example, when you want people to help with important decisions in your community, you need to think about who your issue is going to e ffect; where the most central place is for them to meet; should they meet at all or talk online; what meeting time will best suit the age and stage of the people that need to attend? And all of this before you consider how you are going to engage them in your issue.

If you want to do a detailed analysis of your target audience and what communications would work best for them and you, I recommend using a public relations professional. In the meantime, before you post or comment, stop, think and channel your inner teenager.

For instance, does it follow that if ‘50 was the new 40’... it will now be replaced with ‘50 being the new 60'?

Initially I thought that extending tenure in a leadership role by a further two years could feel like a long haul, especially if you acquired this responsibility at age 25, as is often the case now.

It is probably a reflection of my own age/generation that I had acquired much more experience before the word ‘leadership’ surfaced in my own career ambitions.

This year, two members of my team have celebrated as their own children take a leap into the world of adulthood and personal leadership. One is embarking on a career as a nurse and the other shifting cities and diving head-first into university.

Allowing for three years of further study and another three years to develop their trade, if they are in a leadership role at age 24 and retire at 67 years of age, they will have had 43 years in a leadership capacity. If that had been me, knowing this, would I have signed up? I am not certain.

One impressive attribute I have noticed in young leaders in 2017 could be described as an evolution in their readiness to contribute in meaningful ways.

In a recent Emerging Leaders programme, I was astonished by how ‘connected’ these young leaders are in their thinking.

They are conscious that the role of a leader impacts not only business, it extends to family, society as well as politics.

One of their first programme tasks was to craft for themselves a defining ‘leadership quote’ and one of these particularly resonated with me: “Leadership is a state of mind whereby we influence ourselves and others to achieve a shared goal”.

Reflecting upon our discussions and thinking about my own contribution to the development of the next generation of leaders, I saw a correlation to the wider debate about the age of retirement.

My conclusion is that two more years may not make much difference at all. The retirement age set by our political leaders is more about finance than it is about wider contribution or leadership maturity.

My greater pre-occupation is that in the final years of my career I am still a leader who will be able to contribute and make a difference – by then, in even more ways than I do today.

Real success comes from going beyond the doing, and putting your attention on delivering outcomes that your clients regard as offering real value.

Do that, and success will not be far behind.

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 7

Management | Viewpoints

EVENTS DIARY Jane Cowan-Harris

Dr Mary Casey

Head of WorkSpace IQ www.workspaceiq.co.nz

Founder and CEO of the Casey Centre www.caseycentre.com.au

What’s happening on the business and entertainment front

TUESDAY, JULY 25

Stress management

Is your workplace wellness up to par?

Reflecting back on the past 12 months, it’s been great to see workplace wellness continuing to gain a higher profile in our business communities.

As well as this growth in awareness, I’ve also noticed a bit of a buzz starting to build around the term ‘ergonomics programmes’. Naturally this is a welcome topic of conversation for me, but it’s encouraging to hear that more organisations (maybe spurred on by the recent changes in health & safety legislation) are not only talking about well and accessible workplaces, but are starting to create them.

Stress is our brain and body’s way of responding to any kind of pressure such as challenging or even dangerous situations.

Depending on the person’s perception, these situations are perceived as either good or bad, and therefore, even though the stress response is similar, it can be seen as either good stress or bad stress.

When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood (“fight-or-flight” hormones amongst other things).

Creating opportunities; why it pays to have an ergonomics programme

These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which is a good thing if their stress is caused by a situation that requires extra energy and strength. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is caused by a situation that does not offer an outlet for this extra energy and strength.

More than a feel good, tick box exercise, studies undertaken indicate that there is a significant increase in productivity, staff satisfaction and retention when there is an ergonomics programme in place.

Many of your body’s negative responses to stress can be offset with positive responses from relaxation. While the most effective way to fight stress will vary for each individual, here are things to try:

A research paper put out by Humantech in the States in 2014 clearly recommended the benefits and return on investment, citing that the ROI can exceed three times the investment and that use of the simple ROI formula allows managers to measure and demonstrate the value of a programme to tie in with their organisation’s bottom line.

Look after yourself A healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced, healthy diet will help your body to cope with stressful situations.

Currently most of us do not have these figures readily available to allow us to calculate this, but implementation of a programme creates an opportunity and becomes a worthwhile investment.

A healthy investment with measurable benefits Hearing the chatter is somewhat helpful, but what actually is an ergonomics programme? And why would your workplace even need one?

If you intend on implementing a programme, I recommend that you start by running through a quick checklist to give you a snapshot of your current position and a reference point from which you can measure the improvements your organisation makes as your programme progresses.

Remember every business is different, but regardless of the type of work you do, the checks need not be complicated.

If your approach is proactive, you might involve new staff/induction training in workstation set up, safe work practices and healthy work habits. Perhaps you could also run occasional refresher courses, group training or train the trainer sessions. If fitness is important to you, you might organise a corporate exercise challenge, or offer workplace pilates or yoga classes.

Manage your time Set realistic goals and deadlines and plan projects in advance.

Make lists and priorities, and schedule all the important aspects of your life, such as health, relationships and family.

Talk over your concerns with your employer or human resources manager.

Find what relaxes you physically Choose activities that help you to feel good, such as massage, yoga, swimming, spa baths, social sports, even sex.

Find what relaxes you mentally Choose activities that help you to unwind and forget about your worries, such as reading, meditation, listening to music, relaxation techniques, going to the movies or taking a holiday.

Maintain good social relationships Work on your ties with both family and friends. Spend time and laugh with the people whose company you enjoy, and who you can confide in when needed.

If work-related stress continues to be a problem, despite your efforts, you may need to consider another job or else a career change.

If a person needs extra support, talking to a mental health, occupational stress or psychological specialist or a professional counsellor may help. Some workplaces also have an employee assistance program or counsellor, which are useful sources of support.

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REFUGEES WELCOME! TALK ON REFUGEES & THE ELECTION Refugee campaigner Murdoch Stephens discusses where the refugee crisis has gone in the last year, what New Zealand’s policies are – including the new community sponsorship model – and how local communities can get involved. The evening will be hosted by a local MC followed by a bite to eat and group discussions. The event will be held in numerous places around the North Island.

For more information, go to: www.doingyourbit.co.nz

FRIDAY, JULY 28 SOCIAL IMPROV CLASS If confidence is what you’re lacking or you are looking for an excuse to have a good laugh and make some friends, then the Social Improv Class is for you. Hosted by qualified actor Brendan ‘Monty’ West who says the class is “designed to address problems with fear, and develop a community esprit de corps”. An opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and develop yourself further.

For more information, go to: www.healium.co.nz

MONDAY, AUGUST 7 THE ALPHA GENERATOR – TRADING COURSE FOR BEGINNERS Learn the art of online trading and how to counteract a down in the market. This course is limited to only five spaces so make sure to get in quick. You will cover the basics of online trading and minimising risk. The Alpha Generator wants to build a strong trading community so ongong support is guaranteed.

For more information, go to: www.alphagenerate.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 21 WOMEN IN EMERGENCY, ENFORCEMENT AND DEFENCE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Though more and more women are entering into this line of work, the top tier is generally very male-dominated. These roles target a very unique kind of person, someone who is proactive and reactive with the right balance of empathy and detachment.

People in these roles present leadership skills and an awareness of not only how to deal with a situation, but how to ensure the safety and well-being of their team. Hear from women who are in the thick of it while they talk you through how to thrive as a leader in this environment.

For more information, go to: www.liquidlearning.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23 CERTIFICATE IN FUNDRAISING This full day course is ideal for those new to the fundraising scene, but is also a great opportunity to develop your skills further and find the best fundraising possibilities for your organisation. The course is delivered in an interactive and practical format and you can earn CFRE Points by attending this event.

For more information, go to: www.finz.org.nz

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TO FUNCTION At the heart of great design is exceptional functionality. As famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright put it, “form and function are one”. While their products are often out of site and focus on safety, specialist Monkey Toe Group often work with award winning architects do deliver fully compliant yet highly functional height safety solutions.

Monkey Toe recently provided RTA Studio with an access solution on their award winning Mackelvie St office project. A platform adjacent to a hatch allows service personal to step straight onto a service area without having to walk on the roof.

“Our design and engineering expertise aim to provide functionality while meeting or exceeding safety standards - giving you the best solution for access at heights,” says marketing manager, Jeff Poole.

Monkey Toe’s New Zealand made products include skeletal and mesh plant platforms, roof boardwalk and walkway systems, condenser mounts and supports, guardrail and handrail systems, safety barriers, and glass balustrades.

Providing handrails to walkways and platforms immediately creates a safe environment. This means no special inductions are required, no safety equipment is needed and access is immediate. Instead of arresting a fall, handrails prevent one from happening.

A permanent handrail solution from Monkey Toe also saves costs and downtime, as clients don’t need to invest in height safety training and refresher courses each year to enable their staff to access the roof.

“We recently visited a site where close to 50 staff had to be trained on

TR US T

IT

safety lines before they could access the roof. As well as being costly, it was difficult for the company to schedule time to undertake the training,” Jeff Poole went on to say.

As well as the general improvement in safety through fall prevention, another benefit of handrails is the ability for people to ‘go it alone’ on the roof (as safety lines require working in pairs in case of a fall) without the need to gear-up in special safety wear. This is particularly advantageous for tradesmen carrying tools and equipment.

While often hidden from site on roofs, in ceiling cavities or other inconspicuous locations, engineering and design are still very much important considerations. Starting from the bottom up, it begins with their unique fixing system that puts the weight back on to the building structure, not the roof. Monkey Toe have a series of fixing systems that will suit most applications.

Products are made of marine grade aluminium, which weigh a fraction of steel but is just as strong. This is particularly beneficial when it comes to plant platforms, as they save a lot of weight being loaded onto roof structures.

Established in 2006, Monkey Toe Group is a family owned and operated company, with its directors having more than 30 years’ experience in the construction and engineering industries.

The company’s head office is in Taranaki, with branches in Auckland and Christchurch, allowing it to service a wide range of commercial and industrial clients nationwide.

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Management | Ideas

Advice for new managers

By Stephen Lynch

Are you a new manager, or hoping to be one soon?

Unfortunately, most new managers are left to sink or swim when they get promoted into a leadership role. The data is concerning: 40 percent of new managers don’t last 18 months.

Why do so many companies tolerate the lost time, lost opportunities, lost money, and of course the inevitable heartache that comes with dealing with a new manager who does not perform (or who was not given the proper support they needed to succeed)?

Hopefully your company has appointed you a mentor, or has a formal training program in place to succeed in your new role. But if not, here are some suggestions to help you make a successful transition to a management role, inspired by the book The Next Level, by Scott Eblin.

Change your mindset You probably got promoted because you have a reputation for being a go-to person; a person who works hard and gets things done in your functional area.

However, if you want to be an effective manager, you must stop being so self-reliant and instead focus your attention on building a team of go-to people. You don’t “do the work” anymore, rather you need to “get things done through others”.

You must make the mental transition from using your functional skills, to coaching and supporting your team members to use theirs.

I think of the manager’s role as being like a football coach.

You may have been the star player once, but now you have

been appointed as coach. You don’t play the game on the field anymore. Now your role is to recruit, train and coach a team of players to perform well in their respective positions, and to play well as a team in order to win the game.

Do what only you can do

With each promotion the scope of your work expands. Instead of owning a small handful of personal goals, you are now expected to coach each of your direct reports to achieve their goals and to get their projects and tasks done on time. As a manager, you only win when your team wins.

The most important use of your time is meeting one-on-one with your people each week to discuss their performance and coach them to realise their full potential.

Focus on ‘what and why’, not ‘how’ Provide clear directions. Put checklists and systems in place.

Set Key Performance Indicators for each role. Delegate a manageable number of projects and tasks. Now, step back and let your team figure out how to do it. They’ll develop faster and you’ll get more done.

Yes, you are accountable for the results of your team’s work, but don’t micro-manage them by trying to control everything that happens. You may think your way is the right way, but it’s not the only right way.

Communicate ‘what’ needs to be done, and give them the context for ‘why’ it is important. Then give people the freedom and autonomy to figure out ‘how’.

Look at the bigger picture Don’t get stuck in your own functional silo. Recognise that other managers have their goals too. Ask other managers what success looks like for them in their functional area. Ask them

what is working and what is not working for them currently and what your team can do to help them succeed.

Learn to say ‘no’ Set clear boundaries on your time and availability. Build some healthy routines that give you a chance to renew so you show up physically and mentally at your best.

If you keep adding more things on your plate, and over-commit yourself, you will crash and burn. Ask your boss what is truly important to them and focus on delivering just that. Learn to say ‘no’ to everything else!

Stephen Lynch is the Head of Strategy & Consulting at RESULTS.com. Information kindly provided by www.results.com

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Management | Tools

Hiring 101

By Lydia Truesdale

If you’ve ever fretted about the hiring process, you’re not alone.

Finding the candidate that will best thrive in the role, as well as affirm with company culture, is not a task to be underestimated.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to smooth the hiring process. Before you even advertise the position, the Ministry of Business suggests you take the time to consider the following: • Which type of employee you should get, e.g., permanent or casual • What kind of skills your business needs to expand or diversify • How many hours a week it would take to do the required tasks • How much responsibility you’re willing to delegate • Whether you are willing to train someone to get them up to speed, or you need someone who can hit the ground running • The candidate’s likely salary expectations • What resources you will need in place, e.g., wages, insurance, tax levies, computers etc.

Considering these points gives you a clear idea of the position, and this is a helpful foundation when considering the resumes before you and who to hire.

Reviewing resumes Here’s where things get complicated. Traditionally the most preferable candidates are scholarly or well-educated, have shown drive and focus through commitment to extra-curricular interests or activities, and have proven themselves working in both group and independent scenarios.

Undoubtedly this is a reliable set of skills, and by picking someone with this arsenal you’re likely to get an employee who will do the job well.

However many companies today are breaking traditions in many a way, and the mold of what a potentially ideal candidate looks like is just one of them.

In her Ted Talk, ‘Why the best hire might not have the perfect resume’, human resources executive Regina Hartley makes a convincing case for why you should hire the “scrapper”.

With a 25year long career in human resources, Regina has arguably seen it all and she believes it is the candidates who have shone in the face of adversity who are the best hire.

When considering the qualified candidates, “Choose the underestimated contender, whose secret weapons are passion and purpose,” she says.

Regina speaks of two distinct categories of candidate: A and B. Candidate A, the ‘silver spoon’, is the person who clearly had advantages and were destined for success, and Candidate B, the ‘scrapper’, the one who had to fight against tremendous odds to get to the same point.

A resume certainly tells a story, and while a series of odd jobs may indicate a lack of focus, commitment, and unpredictability,

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it could also signal “a committed struggle against obstacles.

At the very least they deserve an interview.”

And she has a point – those who have faced adversity and reached the same point are likely better prepared to deal with the tough times than those whose whole life has been engineered for success.

Whichever approach you choose, the resume should be studied thoroughly. Researching a potential candidate is perhaps the most important thing you can do during the hiring process.

The interview Interviewing - it’s not easy to learn what you need to know about someone from such an encounter.

While there’s many questions you should ask, Forbes contributor Louis Efron says the key to hiring the right person lies in finding their purpose, and this comes through asking “Why?” Asking “why?” will determine whether what the candidate is driven by aligns with the beliefs and vision your company needs to drive it forward.

If the two are naturally aligned, you’re likely to get more from your employee, be it understanding, productivity, satisfaction or loyalty.

Companies today don’t feel confined to following established molds and this is a good thing. It inspires innovation, it commands new ideas and ideologies, and it's the best catalyst for greatness. It can only be good, then, if the same philosophy is applied to the process that determines who makes up your company.

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 11

Management | Working life

Keeping culture alive

By Lydia Truesdale

About 920,000 New Zealanders are unhappy in their job, research conducted by Seek found in 2014.

That’s roughly 40 percent of the country’s workforce, and probably 40 percent too many, because no matter how great your idea or business model it’s people who bring your company to life.

There’s much to be said about the correlation between employee happiness and productivity.

The majority of research suggests that the most likely way to prevent your employees from experiencing dissatisfaction in their roles and falling behind schedule is by keeping your company’s workplace culture in check.

What effective workplace culture looks like Workplace culture can be defined as the “personality of your organisation”. It’s the values, attitudes, traditions and behaviours upheld by your company, and how they apply to and influence employees.

Google is a company that is seen to have exemplary workplace culture – creativityenhancing and productivity-inducing. It’s believed their staff perks include free massages, gym memberships and gourmet food, as well as liberal use of pool tables and bowling alleys, among other things.

Of course Google is worth about US$498 billion, so they’re able to be a little more lavish

in their approach and application, but that’s not to say you can’t get creative at your own company to keep your employees stimulated and satisfied in their roles.

In fact there are many cost-effective ways to keep workplace culture alive and keep staff happy: 1. Employee recognition According to the American Time Use Survey 2014 [Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics], people spend more than half their lives at work, so it’s understandable they feel the need to be recognised for their time and efforts.

The rewards for recognition of employee effort are commonly offered in the form of the seasonal staff party, casual Fridays, free parking, extended lunch breaks or early sign outs, ‘thank you’ notes, vouchers, friendly office competitions and even work phones and company cars in certain roles.

Forbes’ list of 25 Low-Cost Ways to Reward Employees offers some more unique suggestions, such as, “pick an unusual or funny object and place it on their [employee’s] desk for a week”, “throw a pizza party”, and “buy a dozen donuts”.

There’s no template for how often to reward your employees, as obviously this is dependent upon each employee, but offering regular office-wide perks is a good incentive to remind employees that they are valued and encourage them to keep striving in their roles.

What positive workplace culture results in: • Attracting and retaining top talent • Employee loyalty • Improved engagement and performance • Improved office morale • Measureable business results • The ability to manage people better.

2. No official work hours Many employers today allow staff to choose their start and finish times providing it’s between sensible hours. Letting employees complete their nine hours within a time frame that both suits their lifestyle and allows sufficient time in-house training and development. Keeping for contacting people during standard business staff up to date with the processes around hours works in the best interests of the company. them is a good way to improve efficiency, measure performance, and encourage positive Netflix has another approach. The entertainment relationships within the workplace. giant measures activity instead of hours, so employees are only required to be at work for as Skills that can be enhanced are split into two long as it takes to get their work done. categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills impact work productivity directly, for example 3. Training and development being up to date with new technology systems, Given the amount that technology is advancing, while soft skills are the interpersonal skills that it’s seems unwise to overlook the necessity for influence office morale.

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Management | The entrepreneur

6 start-up secrets CoziGo creator Emma Lovell’s light bulb moment was the outcome of flying and using an in-flight bassinet with a very distracted and overtired baby. She used masking tape and a sheet to try and create an in-flight canopy for her baby.

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Emma also grew frustrated when the blanket covering her daughter’s pram would fly off, fall off or get pulled off. CoziGo – Sleep on the Go, was her solution to both of these problems and in 2014 she launched her universal stroller and airline bassinet sleep cover.

Emma appeared on Shark Tank and courageously won over investor Janine Allis from Boost Juice, and she openly admits the journey has been a rollercoaster of a ride from day one.

Here she shares her six top tips for small business success:

4. “Build it and they will come.” Yeah right - you need to market your business

1. Got an idea? Research the heck out of it

So many start-ups make the mistake of ploughing everything they have in to getting off the ground and then have no funds to get the word out there.

So many people come up with great ideas and for most of them it will just stay that way – an idea!

You may have the best website around, but if there’s no one visiting, the cash register won’t be saying ca-ching!

The brave part is actually doing something to create that idea in to something real.

Ensuring you have great SEO is a great first step, but even then it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll make it to page one on Google, especially if you’re in a competitive market.

And even if you do, you often have to wait for six months for the search engines to crawl your site – who can afford to wait six months?

Be careful though, the world is a big place with many bright minds, so the first step is to make sure that it hasn’t already been thought of and isn't already out in the market.

If your idea already exists, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dead in the water – you may just have to simply work out how to do it better than your competitors.

It’s absolutely imperative that people know about your great product or service so ensure you spend time and allocate funds to executing a kick-ass marketing plan.

2. So you’ve decided to have a crack.

Do you have the money?

5. Pitching – make it relevant and valuable to your audience

You need to bear in mind that most startups don’t turn a profit for the first three years, so you need to work out a budget and see if you can afford to launch.

When you’re creating your pitch – remember it’s not about you. A great pitch thinks about your audience and concentrates solely on their needs and requirements.

A lot of entrepreneurs continue to work in their full or part time job until they start to see income from their business.

Carefully research all the set-up costs that are ahead of you – and be prepared to double it - there’s almost always something you forget!

3. Are there grants or loans that you can take advantage of?

There are many grants and loans that small businesses may qualify for. The deadlines and conditions are strict and if you get it wrong, you may be missing out on tens of thousands of dollars.

If you do this, then you are more likely to resonate with them and spark their interest.

If you are product based and pitching for wholesale purposes, make sure you have thoroughly researched the market and you know the relevant margins and mark-ups that is expected in your industry or you might just blow your first impressions and lose your one opportunity.

Also – learn to be brave! Don’t be afraid to keep sending your pitch over and over, they may be interested, but just way too busy to reply. For this reason, it’s good to research potential buyer’s cycles so you can hit them with your pitch at the right time of year!

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If you find yourself in overwhelm mode – write a list of everything that has to be actioned and only concentrate on one thing at a time. Sometimes looking at the big picture can be just too much and to get yourself started again, you need to do some micro tasks!

Isolation can be another problem of the ‘solo-preneur’. Combat loneliness by joining business groups, relevant Facebook groups and perhaps finding a friend that also does it alone and agree to meet for lunch once a week. If you don’t have time for that, make it a meeting and help brainstorm each other’s issues to justify the time out.

Either way – you need to give yourself space to breath and think outside the box (sometimes, your box is quite literal – my first office had no window, no natural light and started to send me quite batty at times!)

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 13

Management | Cover story

Through the looking glass What shape will our workforce of the future take?

By Lydia Truesdale

Opposition Labour Party finance spokesman, Grant Robertson, said in a recent press release that Kiwis are working harder than ever before and getting less and less for their hard work.

He’s right in that the New Zealand labour force is not the prettiest of pictures right now:

The pros and cons of a volatile workforce: Pros: • Economic opportunity: a revival of entrepreneurs who, instead of trying to find an existing position, create one for themselves

• The rate of unemployment increased to 5.7 percent from the previous quarter’s 5.4 percent

• A competitive work force drives betterment at an individual level and in turn employees are more productive and motivated, and better rewarded.

• The working-age population grew 0.5 percent to 3.76 million; The participation rate was an all-time high of 70.5 per cent

Cons: • Unemployment creates a dissatisfied and non-contributing society

• Labour productivity fell 0.7 per cent in the year to March 2016 bolstered by the strong labour market as waves of migrants look for work; Productivity is key to New Zealand’s standard of living as growth in productivity results in more output from the same amount of input

• Low rates of unemployment over an increased period of time lead to economic instability and as a result poverty and poor health. This in turn is a strain on government resources, among other things.

• Annual net migration rose to a record 71,333 in the 12 months ended February 28, up from 67,391 in the same period a year earlier

Questions we need to ask ourselves: • Is the employment-to-population ratio balanced?

How will this ratio affect the economy and how do we manage this?

• By 2031, New Zealand will be home to more than one million people aged 65+, or one in every five people (McPherson 2012); There will be an increasing need for welfare benefits, pensions and public healthcare for New Zealand’s older citizens • Wage inflation remains subdued, up just 0.4 percent across all sectors for the last quarter or 1.6 percent from last year.

According to the most recent Labour Market Statistics from the March 2016 quarter, New Zealand’s labour force grew 1.5 percent, the largest quarterly growth since December 2004.

“The total labour force increased by 38,000 people in the March 2016 quarter,” labour market and households statistics senior manager Jason Attewell said. “This resulted in more New Zealanders in unemployment and employment than three months ago.”

• How many people are leaving versus arriving in NZ for work? What is the predicted long-term equation?

• Where are the opportunities for expansion, development, restraint, investment etc?

• Do we need to better consider government policies that are accepting of valuable migrant skills in the workforce, yet prioritise employment for residents?

The Future of Work Commission was announced by Labour leader Andrew Little in 2014. It aims to “develop the vision, direction, and policies for an economic and social programme that will enable New Zealanders to confidently face the changing nature of work and have sustainable, fulfilling and well-paid employment in the coming decades.”

It covers six work streams: Income and employment security, technology and its impact, education and training, economic development and sustainability, Maori, and finally, Pasifika.

Labour has already announced some policies based on the work of the Commission: • Working Futures Plan to provide three years of free post-secondary school training and education

Whether a business owner, employee or business person, the volatility of the workforce affects us all. So what does our future workforce look like and what is being done to specifically monitor and manage it?

14 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

• Young Entrepreneurs Programme to give 100 young New Zealanders the support to take their business ideas forward with a grant equivalent to the three years free, and the support of business mentors

“The total labour force increased by 38,000 people in the March 2016 quarter,” labour market and households statistics senior manager Jason Attewell said. “This resulted in more New Zealanders in unemployment and employment than three months ago.”

• Professionalised careers advice integrated into learning: every school resourced to have highly trained careers-advice staff and every student will develop a personalised career plan.

The big picture | Food waste

Feeding our own demise

By Lydia Truesdale

Food waste is a global economic issue right now. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), roughly one third of food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted.

Bringing those statistics closer to home, the average New Zealand household in 2015 lost around $563 through food waste (Household Expenditure Statistics: Year ended June 2016, Statistics New Zealand).

The economic disadvantages of food waste don’t just occur within households at the consumer level; they effect businesses and the environment, says Love Food Hate Waste New Zealand spokesperson, Jenny Marshall.

“Wasting food not only wastes people’s money, it also waste people time and energy. Every time we throw away our leftovers we then need to cook another meal from scratch, which involves more time shopping, cooking and washing dishes.

“For businesses, there is the cost of producing the food, the cost of disposing of the unsold food and the opportunity cost of loss of revenue from sales.

“For the environment, increased CO2 emissions.

Household food waste alone creates more than 325,975 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum.

That’s the equivalent of taking 118,000 cars off the road each year, or planting 130,970 trees per year,” Jenny says.

Continuing on an economic perspective there is huge commercial opportunity in the mitigation of food waste. Asides from fiscally the most beneficial flow-on effects of this are less strain on our resources and on the environment.

“A just released study from the World Resources Institute shows that for every $1 companies invested to reduce food loss and waste, they saved $14 in operating costs.

“For food manufacturers donating food to food rescue groups for example, saves them the cost of rubbish disposal, but also allows them to quantify just how much avoidable food waste they are creating, allowing companies to identify on areas for improvement e.g. improving inventory management in warehouses.

“A ranking of 27 possible food waste remedies by ReFED, a consortium of businesses, NGOs and others fighting food waste, named standardising date labels as the most effective money saver for both businesses and consumers.

“Many countries have now formulated national food waste strategies to enable business government and NGOs to work together to identify opportunities and solutions. Australia is looking at developing a national food waste strategy.

“But it is also important to raise awareness of the issue at a consumer level, as regardless of what changes occur higher up the supply chain to minimise food waste, if the food that is eventually purchased by households is then thrown away uneaten, all those other efforts have been wasted.”

If every individual adopted a conscious approach to food waste, it would be a case of small, collective changes creating big impact.

Efforts to combat the aggressive rate of food production and food waste can certainly be implemented at every stage of the process, from planting and harvest to retail and consumerism.

According to FAO, “In developing countries food waste and losses occur mainly at early stages of the food value chain and can be traced back to financial, managerial and technical constraints in harvesting techniques, as well as storage and cooling facilities.

“Strengthening the supply chain through the direct support of farmers and investments in infrastructure, transportation, as well as in an expansion of the food and packaging industry, could help to reduce the amount of food loss and waste.

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Key facts you need to know about food waste:

• At retail level, large quantities of food are wasted due to quality standards that overemphasize appearance

• Food losses and waste amounts to roughly US $680 billion in industrialized countries and US $310 billion in developing countries

• Food loss and waste also amount to a major squandering of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital and needlessly produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change

• Fruits and vegetables, plus roots and tubers have the highest wastage rates of any food • Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes) • The amount of food lost or wasted every year is equivalent to more than half of the world’s annual cereals crop (2.3 billion tonnes in 2009/2010) • In developing countries 40% of losses occur at post-harvest and processing levels while in industrialised countries more than 40% of losses happen at retail and consumer levels “In medium and high-income countries, food is wasted and lost mainly at later stages in the supply chain. Differing from the situation in developing countries, the behaviour of consumers plays a huge part in industrialised countries.”

The study identified a lack of coordination between actors in the supply chain as a

• The food currently lost or wasted in Latin America could feed 300 million people • The food currently wasted in Europe could feed 200 million people • The food currently lost in Africa could feed 300 million people • Even if just one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world • Food losses during harvest and in storage translate into lost income for small farmers and into higher prices for poor consumers. contributing factor. Farmer-buyer agreements can be helpful to increase the level of co-ordination.

“Additionally, raising awareness among industries, retailers and consumers, as well as finding beneficial use for food that is presently thrown away, are useful measures to decrease the amount of losses and waste.”

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Management | International

Eastern etiquette

“You certainly shouldn’t get discouraged by such a reaction. You need a thick skin and Chinese businesspeople respect those who show they have one.”

Annie says as someone who often plays translator on company business trips, she often finds herself in the middle and playing the negotiator to identify the outstanding issues and to land on some middle ground acceptable to both parties.

Doing business in China is about relationships and subtleties

New Zealand company director Annie Govan says two things are absolutely essential to doing business in China – building relationships and understanding the many subtleties that come with the Chinese culture.

Actively involved in several business streams with China, a few years ago she and husband Bert Govan founded Challenge Steel – a company which has quickly risen to become one of New Zealand’s largest importers of fabricated structural steel.

As the company’s international director the Chinese-born mother of two says Challenge Steel’s success can be more attributed to building on its strong relationships in China than breaking into the New Zealand construction market.

“Bert has been doing business in China for about 20 years and I was brought up there, so we inherently understand and respect the business environment – an environment that has many potential pitfalls for those who don’t do their homework,” she says.

Challenge Steel had its genesis in the Christchurch earthquakes, when the Canterburybased Govans flew to China in the search for emergency housing alternatives.

What they returned with was a budding relationship with the Shangdong Iron & Steel Group (Shan Steel) – a wholly state-owned steel conglomerate and one of China’s largest steel makers and fabricators.

As international director, Annie Govan has since been assigned the task of maintaining that all-important supplier relationship for Challenge Steel.

“As you can imagine, Shan Steel is a massive entity with staff coming and going all the time. I am constantly reaching out to them, networking and building, and maintaining the trust. It’s also important to keep pushing up that ladder of management hierarchy - to engage with the most senior people possible.”

Annie says while in New Zealand a lot of the inter-business relationships are relatively low

Annie Govan

maintenance, but doing business in China puts the relationship at centre stage.

“In New Zealand business you can probably get away with not knowing much about the other person’s background and personal circumstances, but in China it pays to understand, even study up on, who exactly you’re doing business with.”

She says getting the translation right is critical, as is the translator themselves.

“You could bring in a professor of languages to translate Mandarin and English word for word, but you’d miss many of the cultural subtleties along the way.

“A translator must also reflect and filter a Chinese person’s upbringing, education, political beliefs, social and professional status.

It’s a minefield but if you don’t get it right, it can cause misunderstanding and even conflict.

“In China it’s not about a literal translation, it’s a cultural transfer of information, so a translator with good local knowledge and emotional intelligence is essential.”

Annie says for most New Zealand businesspeople a contract is everything, but in China that is only part of the deal.

“They have to trust you and like to deal with you.

In China you can’t just walk in off the street and have them sign a contract. Nor do they want bullet points emailed to them. They do things face to face. It’s about establishing a solid relationship-based foundation before the building blocks of business can be added.

“You have to gradually work your way into people’s wider circle of influence, perhaps by knowing people they know, and then work on building a relationship and the elements of trust.

It’s been that way for 1,000 years and it’s not changing any time soon!

“I suppose the New Zealand term is probably ‘reference’ but the Chinese take this to the next level. References are never given lightly, but are carefully considered and reflect one’s business track-record and reputation.

“If you give a reference, you’re like a matchmaker, so you’ll always remain somewhat part of the newly established relationship going forward. Being effectively ‘bonded’ acts almost as an insurance for the other Chinese business person embarking on the new relationship that you helped establish.”

She says Kiwis often make the mistake of thinking one visit will do it, but adds that securing an enduring business relationship in China typically takes repeated visits with demonstrable commitment, so people should be prepared to invest a lot of time and personal energy upfront.

In China, business negotiations are ongoing and a deal can never be viewed as totally done.

“Today’s Chinese businessperson is of course keen to do business, but you need to be prepared for them to at some stage diminish you or your product somewhat. Here in New Zealand we’d probably view any such resistance or negativity as disinterest or even disrespect.

“However, in China such a reaction is a purely cultural thing and more often than not they actually do want to do business, but they want to also get the best deal so it’s all about dominating the flow of discussions.

Every year Montana Catering proides more than $150,000 worth of support to Hamilton’s community groups and organisations.

16 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

She says as well as making sure you know and understand who you are doing business with, making a genuine effort to understand and embrace the Chinese culture and taking a personal interest in people will help to create the correct impression.

“Chinese really appreciate it when asked after the likes of their health or family. Gifts are also essential, especially when they can see you’ve put in a lot of thought and taken the time to select the most appropriate ones.

It’s great when you can tell them a story about the gift, where it’s come from, and what makes it special.

“When abroad it is also important to invite Chinese businesspeople to visit New Zealand, not only as a courtesy, but to provide an opportunity for them to observe you conducting business with your own networks in your own country.”

One protocol, she says Kiwis are getting better at is around the presenting and receiving of business cards.

“You always give and receive it with both hands and you certainly don’t put it straight into your back pocket. One thing I then do is lay out that card in front of me to mirror where people are sitting around the table.

“It’s important during the meeting that you also take the time to study the cards, then look at the person, and refer back to the cards.

It shows people you’re engaged and are interested in them.”

While a lot of Chinese traditions and protocols remain resolute, she observes that a younger generation of Chinese businesspeople are now very technology led, more willing to take risks, more au fait with Western culture, and generally demand quicker results.

“Having said that, when you’re doing business in China or with the Chinese, it will always stand you in good stead if you understand and exercise all the protocols as best you can. Chinese young and old will always appreciate that, and that’s only going to be good for business.”

Management | Life and style

Lifestyles

1.

By Lydia Truesdale

1. Flyte Lyfe Planter The ‘Jetson’ lifestyle might be further behind than pop culture predicted, but it doesn’t have to feel so if you surround yourself with intelligent, inspired products like this levitating plant by Flyte. Flyte is a team of creatives who met in Sweden and whose products are wowing the world. Its collection also includes levitating light bulbs and the latest: a levitating time piece which you can pre-order now for delivery in November. Be inspired and in turn inspire.

RRP: From $249 www.flyte.se

2.

2. Cirque Bluetooth Mirror

3.

Start your day your way. Combining form with function, the Cirque bathroom mirror allows for a morning routine like no other. It boasts a sleek, contemporary design where the frame functions dually as a shelf, and it comes complete with LED backlights, an in-built demister and Bluetooth functionality that allows you to play any media on your chosen device through the mirror speakers. Better yet, it’s available in five sizes to suit all bathrooms and available at all major plumbing and bathroom stores nationwide.

RRP: From $899 www.plumbline.co.nz

3. UNICEF Kid Power Band

UNICEF’s wearable fitness technology, Kid Power Band, aims to combat two powerful, global issues: encouraging kids to be physically active – with the help of videos from stars like Pink and Alex Morgan, no less – and helping provide food for malnourished children across the globe. Its corresponding mobile app allows users to establish step goals which are rewarded with points once met, and these points translate to real food packages that UNICEF distributes.

RRP: From $40 www.unicefkidpower.org/store/

5.

4. Wynd Personal Air Purifier

With winter well and truly upon us it’s a good time to keep track of our health, and while there are many ways to do this, perhaps the most effortless of them all is with a personal air purifier.

Wynd’s Personal Air Purifier is marketed as the smartest air purifier for your personal space and it works to create a bubble of clean air around you by filtering out dust, allergens, smoke and pollution. It’s compact which means it’s portable and easy to use anywhere – in offices, hotels, cars, public transportation and more. The corresponding Wynd Air Quality Tracker monitors the air around you and alerts you when it’s at an unhealthy level.

4.

RRP: From $199 www.shop.hellowynd.com

5. Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator They say the kitchen is the heart of the home and where we spend a large majority of our time, so imagine being able to order your groceries, connect with your family and entertain – yourself or your guests – like never before, all through your fridge; because now you can. Samsung’s Family Hub™ refrigerator has a WiFi-enabled touch screen designed to keep up with your family and make life that little bit easier and more enjoyable. It’s available in New Zealand through Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming.

RRP: From $9999 www.samsung.com/nz www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 17

Management | Cover story

WALKING TALL

By Lydia Truesdale

From kicking goals for the All Whites to designing footwear that Time Magazine called “the world’s most comfortable shoe”, Tim Brown is a man of many talents.

18 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Management | Cover story It was here he met, through a friend of a friend, Joey Zwillinger, who displayed an “incredibly complimentary set of skills to help build the business” and has proved an “incredible addition to the story of what is now Allbirds”.

Tim adds Joey has been influential in attracting crucial capital funding and helping the company gain global traction after the decision was made to base themselves in San Francisco.

Since officially launching in 2016 with a team of six people and just one shoe – the Wool Runner – for sale in the US and NZ, Allbirds has enjoyed an incredible first year by any definition.

“We are now a team of over 30; we just launched our second shoe – the Wool Lounger – a few weeks ago and are very excited about what we can achieve in the future.”

What exactly that may be is tightly under wraps but Tim promises “lots of exciting things”.

Wellingtonian Tim Brown burst onto the international sporting scene as a young, rambunctious midfielder for the NZ U-20 and U-23 teams, before debuting for the All Whites against the Solomon Islands in 2004.

He went on to become vice-captain of the Wellington Phoenix and one of seven foundation players signed in 2007 for its inaugural season in the A-League.

He was an influential member of the All Whites; he had a stint as captain and proudly vicecaptained New Zealand at only its second FIFA World Cup appearance, in 2010 in South Africa, before retiring from professional sport in 2012.

Now, like a fine display of Darwinism, Tim’s foray into entrepreneurialism is proving equally as lively as his football career.

The woollen footwear company he founded, Allbirds, has introduced to the market a whole new category of casual designs for the suave and socially conscious, inspired by natural materials, and the world just can’t seem to get enough of the brand being dubbed the new Converse.

Launched in March 2016, Allbirds is evolving at light speed. It’s already popular with celebrities like Hollywood actress Jenna Dewan Tatum – best known for her leading role in blockbuster film Step Up, or for being Channing Tatum’s wife, depending on who you ask.

In May, Dewan Tatum shared a photo with her 746,000 Instagram followers of herself rocking a pair of Allbirds, and in September Allbirds received a $9 million boost from Maveron, the private equity fund established by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz.

But though his business may be going global at haste, Tim is vocal and appreciative of the fact that Kiwi influencers bind it.

Allbirds takes flight When Tim announced his retirement from professional football in 2012 he had a clear plan to head to the UK to complete a post-graduate degree in business.

“Every single person involved in business today should be thinking about social and environmental impact and not just because it helps the brand but because it’s the right thing to do.”

- Tim Brown

He’d been accepted into the London School of Economics and while he had some sense of wanting to start his own business, his first goal was to simply not get kicked out.

Perhaps underrating himself ever so slightly, not only did he graduate but while completing his studies he turned an epiphany he’d experienced years earlier into the beginnings of a very prosperous business venture.

“It all started back in 2009 with a few core insights. One, that there was a need for a beautiful, simple sneaker devoid of logos. Two, the footwear industry, as I started to understand it, is extraordinarily old fashioned and there was an opportunity to question and rethink aspects of the way it did things, namely materials and its focus on synthetics and leathers,” Tim says.

“This led me to thinking about wool, and finally, the most important reason why people buy shoes is comfort and this is very rarely paired with insight one, aesthetics.”

Upon finishing business school Tim launched a Kickstarter campaign for his first prototype, the Wool Runner, and remained in London for one year developing the Allbirds brand with a team of experts.

Not just a pretty shoe Why wool? And not just any wool. Allbirds collaborated with one of the world’s great Italian textile mills to create an innovative new fabric: 17.5-micron superfine merino grown by farmers in the South Island of New Zealand.

As far back as 10,000 BC woollen cloth was being spun and woven by the tribes of northern Europe. Wool put New Zealand on the world trade map and Kiwis have enjoyed an affinity with it ever since. Tim considers it the super fibre du jour to trump all other textiles.

It’s natural, it’s easy care, it’s durable and it’s elastic. It is grown, not made, using less energy than man-made fibres during manufacture and it’s biodegradable, taking only a few years to decompose, and with a high nitrogen content it can even double as fertiliser.

“Those guys [the farmers down in the South Island] are the ones doing the real work and we are lucky enough to be telling their story.”

Life after sport While it may seem like Tim slipped into his new calling like a pair of old shoes, he says until finding his place the transition to life after sport “sucked”, but in hindsight, it was pivotal to where he finds himself now.

“It was a complete loss of identity and status.

Fortunately, I wanted both of those things, but it didn’t make it any easier… and moving to the other side of the world… it was a hugely challenging time,” Tim says.

Used in footwear, wool minimizes odour, regulates temperature and wicks moisture, making for a comfortable experience, as well as a One thing that did make it easier, he noted, morally enlightened one. was the serendipitous realisation that being a It can also be bent 20,000 times without breaking professional athlete and the head of a company is not all that dissimilar. “The parallels are and still have the ability to recover and return to its natural shape, meaning it looks and functions enormous in terms of team building and culture, better for longer, again solidifying its prominence leadership, and executing under pressure. as a supreme material for footwear.

“I think all sports people have certain qualities that have enabled them to be successful in sport Not only is all of this important for physical that are absolutely applicable to business, but the consumer comfort but because corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are trick is finding an environment in which they can be applied. significant players in business today.

In the eyes of the modern consumer it’s not good enough to just be offered a cool product or service – it has to be cool and socially conscious, and that’s where Tim’s humble Kiwi roots come in especially handy.

“For me, it took some time after retiring from football to work out where to deploy my experience. Fortunately the process of building a company has been really a perfect postsporting step for me.”

“Every single person involved in business today should be thinking about social and environmental impact and not just because it helps the brand, but because it’s the right thing to do,” Tim says.

Tim is immensely grateful to have received influential support from friends and family both within the industry and outside of it, including cousin and former All Blacks captain Anton Oliver, who followed a similar path years’ previously.

“There is a movement around business at the moment where very shortly this type of behaviour will be non-negotiable in the eyes of the consumer.”

Allbirds is a certified B Corporation, having met rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

Its merino is ZQ-certified and requires approximately 60 percent less energy to produce than the synthetic materials typically used in footwear. Even its packaging – a patent-pending shipping shoebox – uses 40 percent less materials than traditional shoe packaging.

Additionally, though Soles4Souls, Allbirds is committed to giving its used shoes new life by donating them to communities in need.

More broadly, however, he thinks we could be doing a lot more to support Kiwi athletes with this transition.

‘Life after sports’ is a common theme in New Zealand. As Kiwis we are known for our ingenuity almost as famously as we are our sporting prowess, and many professional sportspersons move into a career in business post retirement from sport.

Tim’s advice for those who do? Prepare, prepare, prepare.

“Sportspeople have so many transferable skills to business but they first have to work out how those skills can be polished and refined to be attractive to an employer.

“The truth is the shoes we make are really just “That will most likely involve some period of reset conduits for experiencing the magic of this very and training. The sooner you start the better.” CNT special fibre. www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 19

Management | Interview “The UK had so much of their own talent. I got the feeling that they were all like ‘you’re from over there (New Zealand) - we will laugh at you, but we won’t give you job’.”

THE ACCIDENTAL

COMEDIAN

By Natalia Rietveld

- Rhys Darby

He has this natural way of being a little bit odd, that works in his favour – most wouldn’t be able to pull it off.

Throughout his career, Rhys has remained Rhys.

His voice is one that can’t be disguised and the way he portrays himself on stage and on screen has remained timeless and distinctive.

He says his original plan of making it big in the UK was a struggle and America had been put in the ‘too hard basket’.

“The UK had so much of their own talent, I got the feeling that they were all like ‘you’re from over there (New Zealand) - we will laugh at you, but we won’t give you job’.”

Rhys Darby: well-known soldier, sports fanatic and budding journalist – wait, what?

You’d think for someone as naturally gifted in the comedy department as Rhys Darby, performing would have been something that he’d planned all along, but having a hit TV series, sought after stand-up acts and starring in many a movie was never in the pipelines.

In fact, as a child his mother’s main concern was to keep him out of trouble. Rhys says growing up he had no time to think of anything other than school and sport, let alone becoming, arguably, one of New Zealand’s favorite actors.

“I was too busy being a boy to think of acting,” Rhys explains.

“My mother had me involved in a bit of everything, I was in soccer teams, I was a cyclist, I was in the school athletics team, I even played tennis and as a teenager I was in the Air Training Corps and the Army Cadets. I think her

main aim, looking back, was to keep me off the streets or from falling in with the wrong crowd.”

Being the epitome of energy, it was probably more to tire him out.

After finishing high school, Rhys joined the New Zealand Army and became a soldier. Now if you’ve ever seen how Rhys portrays his time in the army, you’ll know that this wasn’t his calling.

If one was to try and make sense of it, it would be the equivalent of trying to turn a block of jelly into a brick. Suppressing his theatrical nature would be a daunting task – even for the army.

“It was really a destiny that I didn’t know was meant to be, until it squarely knocked me on the head.”

- Rhys Darby

“It took a while for me to grow up and realise what I was supposed to do. In the army I enjoyed doing all the physical stuff but I realised ‘I don’t want to be doing this forever’ and I left after about four years because it didn’t suit me,” he says.

His time in the army clearly wasn’t lost on him, and like all great comedians, he took his experience and turned it into some hilarious gags.

His live performance of Imagine That referenced his time as a soldier and when released on DVD went platinum here in New Zealand.

After the army Rhys went on to study at the University of Canterbury where he aspired to be a journalist. “I was always quite good with my English skills so that was the plan there.”

The six o’ clock news would be far different to what we see today if he’d stayed on that path.

But thankfully he “fell” into comedy.

Realising his calling Rhys says “it was really a destiny that I didn’t know was meant to be, until it squarely knocked me on the head.”

20 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

He admits, looking back over his life, one thing that remained consistent was his “crazy sense of humor”.

Rhys planned on heading home after season one of Flight of the Conchords (FOTC), in which Rhys played the character of Murray Hewitt the band manager.

Practically on arrival at university, Rhys signed up But the universe had other ideas. to The Comedy Club as a bit of fun.

“It was really just a bunch of like-minded guys meeting once a week, writing sketches and stuff, then I got a part-time job at a restaurant and met the chef there (Grant Lobban) and we created a comedy duo.”

America opened its doors to season two and Rhys was offered a role in the hit movie Yes Man, so instead of heading home, Rhys took a slight detour.

the words we all like to hear, but it couldn’t work better for him.

He’s taken by surprise when he’s known by these ‘famous actors’ because though, in his own words, he hasn’t done much, the things he has done have been really well-received.

Something that had originally been placed At the time, stand-up comedy wasn’t a thing in the ‘too hard basket’ was now the more in New Zealand, so the idea had never crossed viable option.

Rhys’ mind and if he was to be honest, he wasn’t Throughout the years, Rhys has appeared in really interested in it either. many sitcoms, TV adverts, movies, cartoons and “The thought of someone standing up behind a comedy festivals. mic seemed really boring to me.”

Currently living in LA with his family, Rhys is run And to this day, even when doing stand-up, he off his feet with several projects including filming has never been one to just ‘stand up behind his part in the sequel of Jumanji which is set to a mic’ and that is what got him noticed. He is animated and often described as ‘different’ - not be released in December this year.

Initially inspired by Monty Python and Rowan Atkinson, he thought “maybe I could do something like that”, but living in New Zealand that would never be possible.

It is so easy to plant a seed of doubt in your mind and give up before even starting. While Rhys, like most, was guilty of this in his earlier days, as he got a bit older, he realised that life wasn’t just about making money and he certainly didn’t want to wait to be comfortable before starting his comedy career, it just took a slight mindset adjustment.

Rhys says, what started purely as a hobby with a bunch of mates just having a laugh, has been forged into a lifelong career.

“Even Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson comes up to me on set and makes me be in his videos for his friends.

“I’ll be thinking, ‘really? Okay, I mean he’s The Rock - but sure, I’ll be in a little video for your friends’,” he laughs. “You get over the star-struck feeling pretty quickly - now we can all enjoy a sandwich together.”

Although he’s enjoying his time in LA and the opportunities that have come from it, New Zealand is still home. We may not have Dwayne Johnson here, but Rhys still misses us and squeezes New Zealand into his schedule every now and then.

It was when he began his solo act in Auckland that he began getting noticed. Naturally Rhys got excited and decided to give the Edinburgh His show Mystic Time Bird will be touring NZ Fringe Festival a go and from there it all happened from July 9 through to August 15 this year. in a very linear way, everything just began falling Tickets are still available but selling out quick. into place.

Rhys may not have made the best soldier, Making America great again sports star or journalist, but when he’s on the It’s hard to imagine Rhys as anything other than international stage representing New Zealand, an actor or a comedian. he’s giving us a pretty good name.

Focus | Atawhai Industries

The opportunity openers Atawhai Industries of New Plymouth is celebrating 30 years of creating employment opportunities and access to the community for people with disabilities.

“The fact that the average tenure of our staff is some 17 years has been crucial to our longevity and success,” says Steve Hales, general manager of Atawahi Industries for the past 20 years.

“Add to that our very talented and businessoriented board of trustees, and that we have stayed true to our original core focus and objective.”

That core focus is seeking independence for people with intellectual disabilities through the medium of employment.

Atawhai Industries provide vocational training, employment within their own business enterprises, supported employment in the wider community and community participation and employment-focused personal development training.

Atawhai Industries has a number of business divisions employing clients/staff members with disabilities – horticulture and tree services, packaging, light engineering, landscaping and farm services and forestry, although they are looking to wind down the forestry operation.

Indeed, the last 68 hectare block in the Uruti Valley is up for sale. “We could certainly use any money from a sale to create other employment opportunities for our clients, because just like most businesses with an eye to the future, we are always looking for what I refer to as ‘another widget machine’ to generate income.”

Beside their own business enterprises, Atawhai Industries has a contract with the Ministry of Social Development to support clients into work in the wider community.

One of the programmes is called Stepping Stones Employment Services. “We have found that these two strands of our work fit together like a hand and a glove, each complementing the other.

“Every time we place a client, we not only enhance their lives by getting them out of their homes and into the community, but we also help them to gain independence.”

- Steve Hales

“We have had a number of clients who have progressed through our in-house business units, gaining many work-related attributes along the way, who have then been transitioned into open paid employment. It gives us huge satisfaction to see this development.”

The work attained by Atawhai Industries’ clients can be anything from pushing supermarket trolleys to being employed full-time on a dairy farm – it’s a really broad spectrum.

From the left are: Paul Anderson (Trustee), Noel Titchener (Trustee), Netta Burnside (Deputy Chairperson), Clive Pryme (Trustee), Gary Brown (Chairman), Peter Ertel (Trustee).

“Every time we place a client, we not only enhance their lives by getting them out of their homes and into the community, but we also help them to gain independence.”

When clients come to Atawhai Industries, staff don’t see their disability and what they can’t do, but rather what they can do.

“That’s why this is such a wonderful field to work in. We’re very proud of the huge shift in the balance between the number of paid staff and clients.

“In 1997 we had 21 paid staff members and 42 clients. Today we have nine non-disabled staff and 150 clients. It’s a fantastic feeling to see people develop transferable skills which lead on to more financial income and quality of life.”

organisation, but there are times when work has declined and they need other programmes to keep clients engaged.

“There is a good future for an organisation such as ours that is run on sound business practices and that is financially sound. Here’s to the next 30 years!” CNT Atawhai Industries Inc PO Box 3013 New Plymouth 4341 (06) 758 0397 gm@atawhai.co.nz www.atawhai.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

When their contract work is completed on any given day, then Atawhai Industries’ policy is to move people out into the community, participating in activities of their choice.

This is the third major aspect of Atawhai Industries' work and each person has an individualised plan for what they want to do. Employment is the main focus of the

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Focus | Phoenix Shipping Agencies

Specialised port services How does a man who was a butcher by trade become involved in shipping?

According to Billy Preston, managing director of Phoenix Shipping Agencies, it was all because a friend asked him to team up on a contract.

“I had no idea about shipping,” Billy says, “but at that time I was looking for a change in career.

My friend believed in me and the rest as they say is history. It was definitely a bit of a baptism by fire.”

Following his initial introduction to the industry, Billy has had various roles in shipping over some 30 years. He worked as a general hand at Port Taranaki during the early 1980s where one of his first jobs was helping make the huge, heavy multi-tonne concrete block structures, called akmons, that still adorn the port’s Main and Lee breakwaters.

Billy stayed at Port Taranaki for several years, working on a dredge among other things, before leaving to work for a local marine company involved in the second-stage development of the offshore Taranaki Maui B gas field during the early to mid-1990s. As offshore operations manager this was his first real taste of shipping and the offshore support sector.

Billy was then approached to run another shipping company in New Plymouth. “It was during this time that I met some amazing people with whom I developed relationships that have stood me in good stead over many years and that certainly facilitated my setting up my own company some years later.”

Indeed, it was in 1997 that Billy set up Phoenix Shipping Agencies – 20 years ago – and he

Partnering Billy Preston & Phoenix Shipping

remains as enamoured as ever with all things maritime. “I love the sights, sounds and smell of the sea and there would not be many days of the year that I do not like coming to work.”

At first Billy operated from a spare bedroom at home, but later established Phoenix House in the seaside suburb of Moturoa, around a kilometre from the port. The stained glass front windows of the building featuring Taranaki’s mountain, port scenes, flora and tankers were a great head turner.

“The windows certainly helped to cement the Phoenix name as one of only three surviving shipping agencies in Taranaki.”

Billy has since brought another commercial property in the CBD of New Plymouth from where he now operates.

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22 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Focus | Phoenix Shipping Agencies But it’s not only the shipping industry that Billy loves. He’s also rugby mad.

“Billy is my nickname. From an early age I was a great fan of Billy Bush, the All Black who played for New Zealand for six years during the 1970s.

He was something of a ‘go-to’ man, the one who got things done - an enforcer.

“I’ve got a reputation for being somewhat similar. People say if you want something done ask Billy Preston. It’s a name I’m very proud to claim as my own.”

Getting things done is the essential aspect of running a shipping agency.

Billy’s company’s job is to handle shipments and cargo worldwide at different ports and harbours for the shipping companies that hire its services.

It takes care of things such as ensuring space for the incoming ship, organising customs documentation, waste declarations, essential supplies, crew transfers and seeing that everything is arranged with the port authorities in time so that work can be delivered as per commitment.

“It’s a vast logistics exercise. We are the eyes and ears for the ships on shore and we free up ship owners of all the details that need to be processed every time a ship makes port.”

Billy puts the longevity and success of his company down to the fact that he never leaves the office even when he is at home.

Phoenix Shipping Agencies’ services include: • Offshore logistics • Port agency representation • Vessel owner's representation • Crew repatriation • Cargo handling • Project management • Clearance and delivery of ships’ spare parts.

“The other side of the world comes on line when New Zealand goes to sleep. I won’t keep people waiting, so I am always available through my laptop computer, mobile phone and internet access.

“As the owner of my business I am driven, but I would not be where I am today without the support of my principals.”

Billy says that the shipping industry is always changing and it is necessary to be flexible and adaptable and able to move with the times.

“I’m not sure what the future will hold for this industry. It has become highly regulated and that may make it tougher for people to import and export to and from this country, but having said that I can’t think of anything better to be in than shipping.” CNT

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 23

Hospitality | Oxford Pies

The art and craft of the pie Oxford Pies’ motto is “it’s called a meat pie for a reason”.

Now, some 15 years later, John and Robyn’s daughter Amy Milina and her husband Tim are the owners of Oxford Pies.

That really says it all and both the quality and the quantity of the prime New Zealand beef used in Oxford Pies have been significant contributors to the longevity of the company.

“I grew up with it and have certainly sampled a few of our pies over the years. I can definitely vouch for the fact that they have real meat in them with rich and tasty gravy.”

Oxford Pies is now celebrating 40 years in business – that is a truly impressive achievement.

The first pies produced by the company were Kiwi favourites – mince and cheese and steak and cheese. “These are still by far our most popular fillings although we have expanded our product range considerably.

Oxford Pies was established in 1977 in Oxford Street, Hamilton. The company’s reputation for baking scrummy meat pies grew quickly, and in 1982 they moved to larger premises in Vickery Street, Te Rapa where they stayed until 2002.

That year owners John and Robyn Newell took a courageous plunge and designed a purpose-built factory in Maui Street to accommodate the everexpanding company.

“It was a natural progression that I should take over the business from my parents,” says Amy.

“We now have fillings such as butter chicken, creamy mushroom and bacon, lamb and mint, creamy vegetable, nacho beef and cheese, peppered steak and smoked fish – and there is a whole range of fruit pies as well.

“The fruit pies are sold chilled and are very popular in the summer months. Only premium fruit filling from Barkers goes into them.”

John Newell is the creative product developer.

He loves nothing more than playing with flavour combinations in his home kitchen to see what might work and become the next “must-eat” pie.

But whatever the filling may be, Oxford Pies’ customers know that they will be getting quality and good value for money.

All the products are produced on site at the factory using only the best of ingredients.

The pie crust pastry made using Bakels ingredients and high-grade flour from Sherratt Ingredients is deliciously flaky, crisp and light and is then hand-filled.

The cheese used is grated cheese – exactly as in home baking. “Consistency of product is the key.

All our 25 staff are focussed on quality control and maintaining our very high standards. That’s what our customers buy and why they continue to be loyal.”

It’s also why Oxford Pies has won many awards in the Bakels Supreme Pie Awards – golds, silvers and bronzes, especially for their mince and cheese.

“We win these awards because our pies are made with love. The pies we enter into the competition are exactly the same as the pies customers purchase and the pie they eat today will be exactly the same as the one they enjoy tomorrow.”

- John Newell

“We win these awards because our pies are made with love. The pies we enter into the competition are exactly the same as the pies customers purchase and the pie they eat today will be exactly the same as the one they enjoy tomorrow,” John says.

Oxford Pies supply to a variety of dairies, lunch bars, service stations, canteens and education facilities throughout the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Auckland and Taranaki with some products also reaching Whangarei.

“Our aim in the future is to supply the whole of New Zealand. Who knows what the next 40 years may bring after that. One thing is for sure though – our pies will continue to be the best tasting pies you’ll ever get your teeth into.” CNT Oxford Pies 142 Maui Street Te Rapa Hamilton (07) 849 7516 sales@oxfordpies.co.nz www.oxfordpies.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

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Transport & Motoring | Dibble Transport

The bulk haulage specialists Dibble Transport (1997) Limited is a specialist bulk haulage operator, running a fleet of modern trucks throughout the upper North Island and providing an invaluable service to its clients.

Based in Te Awamutu in the Waikato and Mount Maunganui, the company is celebrating 20 years of operation under its current structure, although its origins date back to the 1950s.

Dibble Transport services the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Auckland regions, delivering bulk goods primarily to the rural industry.

It also delivers lime to Northland when the demand is there.

The Dibble Transport (1997) Limited fleet

workshop before buying the business from his father.

“We concentrate on bulk haulage and that’s been our focus from day one,” Mitchell says.

The company runs 14 truck and trailer units, which are mainly Macks and Kenworths, carrying fertiliser, lime and metal products in trucks with four and five-axle trailers.

“Our busy seasons are spring and autumn for the farmers, delivering fertiliser, lime, metal and palm kernel. We do the same in the off seasons but not as much, as work slows down during the winter. We also do some bulk haulage of metal for farmers and for roading.”

Mitchell Stamp owns the bulk truck-and-trailer transport business and workshop and is the son of previous owner Barry Stamp. He grew up in Dibble Transport and managed the

Dibble Transport would like to thank its customers and suppliers for their longstanding support and has enjoyed a long and successful association with them.

- A Dibble truck and trailer being loaded up

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Transport & Motoring | Dibble Transport Top level of service The transport industry is notoriously tough to compete in, but Dibble Transport has ridden the highs and lows and continued to thrive.

Dibble works hard to fill the gaps in the bulk transport industry, providing a reliable service to its customers.

General manager Nod Chandler began working for the business in 1972, when he started driving a spreader for the company.

He subsequently purchased a spreader and continued working with the business until he moved to another transport company, returning to Dibble in 1989.

He says the company has a long history of servicing its clients to a high standard.

“We have some very long-term clients, some of whom have been with us since I’ve been here,” he says.

“They don’t tend to change transport providers a lot, as long as you provide a good, fair service.”

Colleen Gordon has been with the company since 1989, providing a great service to customers and staff as their head senior accounts clerk.

Nod says the Waikato is a strong region for transport work, with clients not necessarily expecting the cheapest price, but instead demanding a high level of service.

At its peak, Dibble Bros was running 52 vehicles and employed more than 70 staff, but through changes over the years, Dibble Transport now has 14 bulk trucks and around 20 staff in the transport and related businesses operated by the company.

“Dibble has been a progressive company and, even through some very tough times in the national economy, has remained a stable operation."

General manager Nod Chandler

- Dibble Transport (1997) Ltd is celebrating 20 years of operation

“We run a fleet of modern trucks with bulk bins and trailers,” Nod says.

“We have a couple of new trucks coming in this year. We turn them over every 1,000,000kms, which is every seven or eight years. We run a modern fleet of trucks and do our own repairs and maintenance in our own workshop.”

Dibble Transport employs two fulltime mechanics in its Te Awamutu workshop to keep the trucks in peak running condition.

“Dibble has been a progressive company and, even through some very tough times in the national economy, has remained a stable operation,” Nod says.

“Our efficiency is your economy.”

>

- The origins of Dibble Transport dates back to the 1950s

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 27

Transport & Motoring | Dibble Transport

Dibble Transport runs 14 truck-and-trailer units

A history of success in transport Dibble Transport (1997) Limited has a long history in Te Awamutu, dating back to 1953 when brothers Eric and Collin Dibble began fertiliser spreading.

Prior to then, all fertiliser spreading done on Waikato farms was carried out by farmers working from bags emptied into drills and

towed behind their tractors. The bags were transported from Auckland on general flat-deck trucks and loaded and unloaded by hand.

When Eric and Colin Dibble decided bulk spreading could be done quicker and cheaper, there wasn’t a bulk spreader anywhere in New Zealand. The brothers built their own design and set up an operation at Te Mawhai, south of Te Awamutu.

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Eric and Colin continued looking for better performing trucks to cope with difficulties in the paddock, and began designing and manufacturing specialist spreading trucks.

For the next 20 years, Dibble Bros Ltd continued to haul and spread bulk fertiliser throughout the central Waikato.

The business grew considerably and in 1963 moved its depot to Te Awamutu. The next step was the shift to running bulk truck-and-trailer units hauling other bulk products.

In 1979, Dibble Bros sold the spreading side of its business to concentrate on bulk hauling, running an increasing fleet of mainly Macks until 1980, when Eric and Colin decided to move onto other things.

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In 1980 Dibble Bros sold the bulk trucks and the company was renamed Dibble Independent Transport.

Shareholders Barry Stamp, Geoff Dibble and Derek Smith brought out the other two shareholders in 1997 and acquired the business, buildings and property which had been acquired by the company over the years.

The business was renamed Dibble Transport (1997) Ltd, with Barry taking over sole ownership in 2005. His son Mitchell Stamp purchased the company three years ago. Barry has since moved onto owning and running a fleet of cement tankers. CNT

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28 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Property & Construction | Multibuild Schwass

Residential, commercial and industrial construction As development on the Kapiti Coast takes off, Multibuild Schwass is committed to the development of the region’s commercial sector.

The innovative construction company is focused on building high-quality commercial projects throughout the greater Wellington region.

The company was formed in 2011 through the merger of two building companies, Multibuild 2009 Ltd and Schwass Construction Ltd, and is today owned by directors Tim Evison and Craig Reilly.

Kapiti Coast projects Multibuild is based on the Kapiti Coast and has a number of major projects on the go within the region.

Tim says the completion of the 18km, four-lane MacKays to Peka Peka expressway on the Kapiti Coast has resulted in growth in commercial construction projects in the region.

Multibuild has done a significant amount of work for Kapiti Coast Airport Holdings Ltd, which owns the Kapiti Landing business park.

“We built a 530 square metre commercial building for them, which is now tenanted by Liquor King and Burger Fuel,” Tim says.

“We also built a 2,600 square metre building for Placemakers, and as a spinoff of that project they had to decommission the old Kapiti Airport control tower. We’re now in the process of building a new 10 metre control tower.”

The largest project Multibuild currently has on is the new Kapiti Performing Arts Centre at Kapiti College.

“We’ve been working on it for three years, doing estimates and working with the design team,” Tim says.

“We’re now building the foundations and floor slabs. It’s a 1,500 square metre building that will include a theatre and performing arts and teaching spaces.”

Multibuild worked closely with McKenzie Higham Architects to secure the project and is now employed as the main contractor.

“There’s no other performing arts centre like it in the area and it’s a really good project for Kapiti. It will take at least 18 months to complete.”

Focus on commercial construction While Multibuild has completed many architectural residential builds over the years, the company is now focusing primarily on the commercial market.

“We’ve shifted more away from high-end residential builds and renovations and school work, to the commercial work, which has been a pretty easy transition for us to make,” Tim says.

“The business is going really well and the new expressway is making a big difference.

We don’t need to chase the residential work now, but we still do some education projects. We have good relationships with many schools in the area, having done a lot of those projects over the years.”

Multibuild will continue to supplement its commercial work with projects in the education section, including classroom modernisation projects, halls, gymnasiums, administration buildings and other niche projects.

The company has recently built the foundations, decks and canopies for prefab classrooms delivered from Christchurch.

- Multibuild has completed many architectural residential builds over the years, although is more focused on the commercial sector today

Quality assurance Multibuild’s excellent reputation is due to its high standard of workmanship and commitment to meeting clients’ requirements, on time and on budget.

The company has systems in place which allow for regular and thorough reporting and inspection, ensuring the highest quality of workmanship, while staff attend regular courses to ensure they remain fully conversant with changes to legislation and brand-specific trade practice. CNT Multibuild Schwass Ltd PO Box 431 Paraparaumu 5254 (04) 902 9677 tim@multibuildschwass.co.nz www.multibuildschwass.co.nz

- The new Burger Fuel built by Multibuild on the Kapiti Coast

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 29

Property & Construction | Waikato & Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards

Creating spaces for future generations The University of Waikato engaged Opus Architecture to design the new “Te Piringa – Faculty of Law”, an iconic landmark building for Waikato University.

The new building provides high quality teaching spaces and faculty accommodation with cutting edge technology, optimum connectivity and adaptability.

Conceived as a new gateway into the existing campus, the design utilises a challenging sloping site to create dynamic circulation patterns and spaces where users can socialise and relax.

The journey through the building offers a discovery of space, light and connection.

The law is an important cornerstone of civilised society and this philosophy was a strong driver influencing the choice of materials.

The predominant monolithic concrete palette expresses solidarity and provides longevity and low maintenance, steel represents strength, glass achieves a high degree of transparency and wood was incorporated for its organic relationship.

for the visitor to enjoy the illustrated 50-year history of the University of Waikato. Another feature, the Moot Court, is a fully functional courtroom with demountable fittings, enabling the majority of space to be used for other purposes when not set up as a courtroom.

The Moot Court is a classic example of innovation using the latest AVL technology that allows linkage anywhere in the world – this has amazing potential for distance learning and for international connections, lectures, case discussions and research meetings.

Opus has gained invaluable experience in this field when it was the first to introduce these systems in New Zealand for the Ministry of Justice.

A green roof links the three buildings together, creating an outside space where the students can circulate and relax. A central sunken courtyard gives users of the lower levels a connection with the external world.

The office tower is naturally ventilated and has an external structure allowing each floor to be Through this design, Opus has used architecture subdivided in various ways without restriction.

Flexibility is the key which allows shared teaching as an expression of the way we learn and the way we relate to our environment - creating spaces to be used for more than one purpose. areas that facilitate the educational process.

The design also references the rectilinear nature The end result is a modern tertiary education of both the Student Centre and the Performing facility which integrates cultural aspects Arts Centre, thereby helping to create a timeless and acknowledges the contribution of Maori vernacular across the campus.

Pedagogy (Akonga Maori), and also the An outstanding architectural feature is the contribution of the University of Waikato in areas ceremonial staircase, which creates a journey of Maori law and business.

Opus Architecture is a leading team of building design professionals - architects, space planners and interior designers operating within many sectors, including institutional, government, commercial, retail, health, leisure, residential and educational sectors.

Opus Architecture is part of Opus International Consultants, a long established, global multi-

Proud to be associated with Opus Architecture and the winning Law and Management Building at University of Waikato.

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The project has been awarded the Waikato – Bay of Plenty NZIA Education Award. CNT Opus Architecture Stefan Geelen (09) 356 1182 www.opus.co.nz

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Property & Construction | Waikato & Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards

The castle at Kinloch By combining the luxury and magnificence of a castle with 21st century design, architects at Patterson Associates have created a wonderful welcoming lodge at the Kinloch Golf Club on the shores of Lake Taupo.

Winner of the hospitality and retail award in the recent 2017 Waikato-Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards, the building “reflects the design team’s commitment to creating environments that are dramatic yet comfortable, lavish yet not ostentatious, and that yield spaces with a human quality and sense of welcome,� awards convener and Hamilton-based architect, Steven Chambers, says.

The lodge continues the investment in quality architecture in the town of Kinloch and at the Kinloch Club golf course, which was designed by golfing great Jack Nicklaus and opened in March 2007.

Lead architect Andrew Patterson says the firm relished the challenge of creating a building in keeping with its rugged surrounding. “But this castle is defending against the weather rather than human attack.�

Like the castles of Scotland, the lodge stands proud above the golf course on an exposed rocky escarpment. Constructed largely of bagged stone on block, it features turret-like chimneys and enormous framed viewing windows.

hole, 254-hectare links golf course, one of New Zealand’s finest, the magnificent Lake Taupo and the central volcanic plateau.

Patterson Associates has designed many wellknown buildings, including the Len Lye Centre, the Christchurch Botanic Garden Centre and the Michael Hill golf clubhouse.

As well as civic projects, the firm generates designs for residential and commercial clients.

The majestic feeling of a European castle is recreated with a commanding gangway entrance, leading to a lush central courtyard and big spacious battlement-like terraces with outdoor fireplaces and reflecting pools.

Inside there is a spa, two bars, lounges and a dining room, most with huge fireplaces and comfortable nooks and crannies to relax in. The soft interior fit-out was designed by Virginia Fisher, to complement the architect’s design.

A masculine and luxurious effect has been created in the Great Room with the use of textures such as velvet, fox fur, brass and copper. The dining room is a bold but modern , light and airy room, with seating of banquettes and lush sofas.

The bar harks back to a time of leather and rock surfaces, cowhide, goat fur and burnt wood flooring, and is masculine and intense. For private dinners or meetings, The Den is regal – soft and warm with silver and golds, slate floors and lush New Zealand designed wool rugs.

The lodge also makes full use of the dramatic landscape, with sensational views of the 18-

In May of 2012, Andrew was named by the world’s most searched architectural journal, London-based World Architectural News, as one of 21 architects “whose directional ideas are helping to shape the future of world architecture�.

This achievement is unprecedented in New Zealand’s creative community. During his career, he has won New Zealand’s national awards for architecture five times.

Andrew was received as an Auckland University distinguished alumni in 2013 and he is a guest professor at Unitec. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects (FNZIA).

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Property & Construction | ASAP Contracting

Picture perfect home renovations “Our speciality is restoring character buildings to their original state,” says Kain Dunn, general manager of ASAP Contracting, confirming that the company was established five years ago to cater to the niche market for reinstatement.

“If a property sustains damage we can restore it so it mirrors the way it was before. This is ‘like for like’ reinstatement and is what many homeowners are looking for.”

ASAP Contracting has a dedicated team of carpenters, painters and plasterers all trained to the highest level.

“Our staff derive a great deal of satisfaction from working on character homes. It gives them the opportunity to employ really old-school craftsmen’s skills.

“With most of our carpenters having been in the industry for quite a number of years, they have developed the knowledge and skills to bring to this type of work. What they can do with timber is magic to see and it is a wonderful learning opportunity for our apprentices.”

ASAP Contracting's services include: • Property reinstatement • Renovations and alterations • New builds • Building maintenance – residential, commercial and rural • Hard and soft landscaping.

Kain says that sourcing the right materials for each individual job is a huge exercise in itself and the company has a staff member dedicated to seeking out timber from all over the country.

Property reinstatement may be ASAP’s speciality, but the company also undertakes renovations and extensions, as well as a few new builds and some commercial projects.

“We are fortunate to have a large yard to store all this treasure ready for when it will be needed.”

“Renovations and extensions would be about 20 percent of our business. For a small job, our in-house estimator may draft the design, but normally we work with various architects over the plan.”

A recent project on a damaged 1960s villa required 1,200mm-high panelling of native timbers to match it back to the original appearance. “There were mantelpieces and cornices to restore and you now simply can’t tell the difference from the original.”

Kain explains that to be regarded as a “character” home, a house does not have to have been built early to mid-20th century.

“A character home might be an architectural design from the 1970s or 80s. For us, a character home is one that is something a bit out of the ordinary. There are many such houses in the Waikato and we have the skills to be able to work on any of these builds.”

COLOURPLUS HAMILTON is proud to be associated with ASAP Contracting

With some 3,000 clients on its books, many of whom are repeat customers who have experienced ASAP’s skilled workmanship on a restoration or a renovation project, the company does receive requests to build new homes.

“It’s not our main focus, but if asked we are happy to apply our specialist knowledge and depth of experience to a wide range of residential building options.

“The same goes for commercial work.

Whether it’s a new shed, an extra office inside a warehouse or a complete shop fit-out, our

71 Higgins Road, Hamilton Phone: 07-846 0026

• Kitchens • Vanities • Timber Joinery • Doors • Windows • Stairs

“If a property sustains damage we can restore it so it mirrors the way it was before. This is ‘like for like’ reinstatement and is what many homeowners are looking for.”

- Kain Dunn

commercial builders can ensure clients’ needs and requirements are met.”

Building fences, decking and retaining walls and laying paths is yet another aspect of this versatile company’s portfolio.

“Landscaping adds value and beauty to a home through cultivating indoor-outdoor flow, creating functional living spaces and emphasising nature’s attractiveness.

A.S.A.P PLUMBING SERVICES LTD

83 Tristram Street, Hamilton, Phone 07 838 0811 Email hamilton@colourplus.co.nz curtains | blinds | wallpaper | paint

cs autotech ltd

Ph: 07 847 9090

www.csautotech.co.nz

Ross Hill • Mobile: 027 239 9006 Email: Ross@asapplumbingservices.co.nz A.S.A.P Plumbing Services Ltd P.O. Box 28, Ngaruawahia

FLOORING RESTORATION

Proud to support ASAP Contracting

Call : 027 965 5187 | 027 422 2103 Email: office@riversideplumbingandgas.co.nz 32 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

• Hardwood / Ceramic Tile / Linoleum • Restoring wooden floors • Use of waterbourne polyurethane systems • Floorsanding and finishing • Timber floor preparation • Preparing floors for carpet and vinyl • Concrete grinding and finishing

TRUSTED FLOOR SANDING SPECIALISTS We provide residential and commercial clients with all their sanding needs, regardless of the size and industry.

Phone: 027 496 4775 Email: mwalkers@xtra.co.nz www.walkersfloorsanding.co.nz

Property & Construction | ASAP Contracting

WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE SAFETY OF YOUR STAFF, CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC. With more than 50 years’ experience in the construction sector we are well aware of the needs of the industry. This means we realise how important the safety of your best asset – your staff – is to you and your company’s future.

So, as a local company servicing New Zealanders in the construction industry, we are committed to the safety of your staff.

And when you deal with us you’re dealing with the owner, which means you receive a superior and speedy service – every time.

Our extensive construction knowledge ensures we understand local compliance issues and we realise how critical your deadlines are and we guarantee to be on time – check out our Secureguarantee.

Secureguarantee • We guarantee to beat any written quote by 10% • We guarantee to return all quotes within 48 hours otherwise you will receive the first week rental FREE of charge!

Securescaffold covers all NEW WorkSafe working height requirements providing fall protection for builders, painters, home handyman and roofers on new and existing home constructions. * Terms and conditions apply to the Secureguarantee

ASAP Contracting is a Licensed Building Practitioner. The team pride themselves on providing an estimator to quote on a project a week after initial contact is made.

“

Then most jobs can be booked in by three weeks after an estimate.

“We are equipped to undertake any size job.” CNT

“

“We have a full-time landscaper in our company who would love to discuss clients’ visions and how they can add more value, creativity and life to their properties through landscaping. This part of our business began with hard landscaping, but now we are also involved with planting selection and plans.”

Ask your builder if he’s using Securefence and scaffold – it will save you money.

ASAP Contracting 24 Grasslands Place Frankton Hamilton 3204 (07) 847 4117 office@asapcontracting.co.nz www.asapcontracting.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

• Free Measure and Quote • 12 Months interest Free with your Forlongs Card • 18 Months interest Free with your Qcard Ph 07 847 9089 Ext 3 | E sales@floorsinc.co.nz Rawhiti Street, Frankton, HAMILTON www.floorsinc.co.nz

Part of the

P: 0800 66 00 22 www.securefence.co.nz www.securescaffold.co.nz

336 Te Ngae Road, Rotorua 3010 | Level 6, 10 Scotia Place, Auckland, 1010 49 Montgomery Crescent, Upper Hutt, Wellington 2 Ivan Jamieson Place, Christchurch Airport, Christchurch 8053, NZ

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2017 | 33

w e f a n a th e r o m s e k It ta weeks to build a brand We’ve all heard that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and growing your brand won’t happen overnight either. By repeating your message every week in Coffee News, you are constantly reminding potential customers of who you are, where you are, and what you can do for them – they may not want your product or service today, but you are more likely to be ‘top of mind’ when they do need it.

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For further information On how to contact your local Coffee News Publisher, please refer to our website: www.coffeenews.co.nz or email helen@coffeenews.co.nz

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34 |July/August 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE SAFETY OF YOUR STAFF, CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC. With more than 50 years’ experience in the construction sector we are well aware of the needs of the industry. This means we realise how important the safety of your best asset – your staff – is to you and your company’s future.

So, as a national company servicing New Zealanders in the construction industry, we are committed to the safety of your staff.

And when you deal with us you’re dealing with the owner, which means you receive a superior and speedy service – every time.

Our extensive construction knowledge ensures we understand local compliance issues and we realise how critical your deadlines are and we guarantee to be on time – check out our Secureguarantee.

Part of the

• We guarantee to beat any written quote by 10% • We guarantee to return all quotes within 48 hours otherwise you will receive the first week rental FREE of charge! * Terms and conditions apply to the Secureguarantee

By using Securefence and scaffold you can rest assured that your objectives of safety, cost and meeting deadlines are of paramount importance.

All our equipment is rigorously tested to the highest of standards.

Our scaffolding covers all NEW WorkSafe working height requirements providing fall protection for builders, painters, home handyman and roofers on new and existing home constructions.

Ask your builder if he’s using Securefence and scaffold – it will save you money.

“

“

Secureguarantee

0800 66 00 22 www.securefence.co.nz | www.securescaffold.co.nz 336 Te Ngae Road, Rotorua 3010 | Level 6, 10 Scotia Place, Auckland, 1010

49 Montgomery Crescent, Upper Hutt, Wellington | 2 Ivan Jamieson Place, Christchurch Airport, Christchurch 8053, NZ

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