Canterbury Today Magazine 131

Issue 131 | April 2015

An open book Lianne Dalziel talks openly about balancing Christchurch’s books How much work is too much work?

The 50 hour turning point

Money savers

Ten easy ways to save your business a buck

What’s hot in 2015 Trends to expect this year

Get organised

Getting it together and keeping it that way

SAFETY & TRADE SUPPLEMENT INSIDE ISSN 0113-8340 | News | Initiatives | Interviews | Personalities | Success | Profiles | Finance | Property | Sustainability | Export | Transport | Retail | Solutions

WE ARE MOVING! From 1st April 2015 to

72 TREFFERS ROAD, WIGRAM • Fixed & Mobile Scaffolding • Scissor Lifts • Temporary Fencing • Builders Props • Edge Protection • Ladders, Trestles & Order Pickers • Fall Protection Equipment • Concrete Cutting, Drilling & Grinding • Oztec Concrete Vibration Equipment • Compaction Equipment • Concrete & Mortar Mixers • Airless Paint Sprayers • Gib Sanders & Lifters • Waterblasters and more!

HIRE OR BUY UNDER ONE ROOF!

Freephone 0508 447 348 Until the 1st April we are still at 59 Orbell Street, Sydenham dean@rstradehire.co.nz • www.rstradehire.co.nz scott@totalsite.co.nz • www.totalsitesupplies.co.nz

Issue 131 April 2015

In this issue...

Viewpoints

News

6 The PM’s desk John Key outlines initiatives to maintain momentum in the rebuild

10 Trial consenting process gets the thumbs up Pilot consenting process sees PwC Centre get building consent in 10 days

6 Brainstorming basics Business consultant Kevin Vincent on brainstorming do’s and don’ts Canterbury Today

Issue 131

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MEDIA CONSULTANTS

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EDITOR JOURNALISTS

6 There’s more to vehicle safety than meets the eye Gordon Shaw from VINZ on the ins and outs of keeping our street fleets safe

12 Keeping the staff you have Too many Kiwi businesses focus solely on external ‘royalty’ and then wonder why the ‘peasants’ eventually revolt 12 How much work is too much work?

Working more than 50 hours a week is literally a ‘no brainer’

8 Measure what you can change Dave Sewell explains what you need to take notice of and why

13 What’s hot in 2015 We cast a sideways glance into our crystal ball to see what trends are on the horizon

8 Factoring people into the design equation Jane Cowan-Harris on fitting people into the workplace design equation

15 Getting organised and staying organised Getting it together at the workplace means you need to start organising everything from work, play, a hobby or the kids

9 Is cash tight?

Martz Witty outlines on smartening up your cash management 9 Why mobile-friendly websites matter Website specialist Suzanne Carter on getting your site moving 9 Events diary This is where you find out what’s on near you

13

PRODUCTION

Phone: Fax: Email:

10 Smartphone makes farming simple The cloud-based farm management software system taking the sector by storm

8 Returns could be harder to come by in 2015 Martin Fraser-Allen outlines economic themes that might make an impact in 2015

(03) 961 5098 0800 555 054 editor@academy.net.nz

Caroline Duke Carolynne Brown Sarah Betman Alyssa Watson Jarred Shakespeare

In Business

PRODUCTION MANAGER

15 Money savers Ten easy ways to save your business a buck 16 Lifestyles Everything from gadgets and gizmos to hat stands and baubles

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ISSN 0113-8340 (Print) | ISSN 2230-6331 (Online)

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4 | April 2015

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28 45 Electrical Despite being a DIY nation, we can’t do everything ourselves and Mister Sparky is one of those experts you can trust 46 Focus GreenWood, the Waimari Beach Golf Club’s new shape, Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors, Galbraith Group and The Malthouse 52 Transport & Motoring How Gold Band Taxis is keeping visitors and locals on the move, and Mark’s Automotive really is a labour of automotive love

55

20 Inside hi-spec construction Less than a year after opening its new Christchurch office, Babbage is expanding 24 An open book Lianne Dalziel talks openly about balancing Christchurch’s books

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28 Property & Construction Sinclair Builders, Keystone Construction, JCL Asphalt, Form Builders, The Cylinder Guy, Clyne & Bennie Plumbing, Plastercraft Southern, GRS Excavations, Country Style Homes and Artworks Landscape

17 Talking the talk Getting your message heard in the age of information overload

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26 Finance Using your customers to fund your business growth – debtor financing explained

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56 Food & Distribution If you’re in the food service or hospitality industry, then Service Foods is a name you need to know about 58 Goods & Services Step inside Geddes Manufacturing who offer a diverse range of custom joinery and cabinets

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Investment

- changing the way we invest in property

Now he and his team are travelling the country to explain the concept behind his new service to property investors, and potential property investors New Zealand-wide.

In March, his team is in Canterbury giving presentations and meeting clients in a jam packed schedule.

He makes the important point that in the USA, you wouldn’t buy a house without a good buyer’s agent to represent you. That same sentiment is also making its way into countries like Australia and England.

Now property expert Martin Dunn has developed and fine tuned the Buyer Agent model for Kiwis investing in Auckland housing.

If there’s one thing that Martin Dunn believes, it’s that New Zealanders need to do more to prepare for their futures. Once bitten by the sharemarket and untrusting of finance houses, he believes that investing in Auckland housing is the way to do it.

“

As long as we have more house buyers than houses, Auckland houseprices won’t stop growing.

“

- Martin Dunn

“As long as we have more house buyers than houses, Auckland house prices won’t stop growing, so if people my age are finding it hard to buy a house - spare a thought for their kids.”

And the house buyers keep on coming, already passing the 1.5 million mark, Auckland was said last year to be adding to its population every 19 minutes. As for the houses themselves, Auckland planners estimated a further 400,000 dwellings will be required over the next 30 years – a challenging task with Auckland’s Unitary Plan demanding most development take place within the green belt.

It’s this kind of culture change paired with infrastructure change which City Sales Investment uses to select its investment properties. Intimate Auckland suburb knowledge and performance research is also relied on, as is a specific filtration system which excludes several Auckland suburbs and house types, including anything built post 1990.

“The Auckland council has got it right with this one.

They say we won’t extend Auckland up to Warkworth and down to Hamilton, creating a sprawling traffic jam with huge limitations on what kind of infrastructure we can build. Auckland will progress as most great cities do – upwards rather than outwards with intensification.

This allows brilliant advances in infrastructure and brings a culture change to many Auckland suburbs.

“The City Sales Investment target purchase has doubled in value each 8-9 years since 1982 and we expect this growth to continue.”

“Cantabrian investors will quite rightly invest in property in Christchurch, being one of only five growth areas of New Zealand. However, the geographic limitation, immigration demand and shortage of land in Auckland present a different opportunity entirely,” he says.

“I’m telling investors they should have an exposure to the Auckland market, but investing in a city which you haven’t studied and analysed, or grown up in, can be problematic.”

Dunn says Auckland’s unique situation brings an unprecedented opportunity with housing investment.

“When I was growing up, Parnell was a dump. But there aren’t many Aucklanders who could buy a house in Parnell today. I once had a young couple call me complaining that they couldn’t buy a house in Ellerslie… I didn’t have much sympathy. The couple should be buying in Mangere, and holding on to the house – ideally passing it on to their kids.”

“

“I once had a young couple call me, complaining that they couldn’t buy a house in Ellerslie… I didn’t have much sympathy.”

- Martin Dunn

“

Martin Dunn knows a thing or two about Auckland property, after more than 30 years in the business.

Dunn says his clients are mostly Auckland professionals who are fed up with spending their weekends at auctions and open homes, and investors who live outside of Auckland and so struggle with area knowledge, inspections, values etc.

“If property investment was easy, everyone would be doing it. There comes a time in life where you deserve a couple of weekends off!” he laughs. “My team uses state of the art technology to cover the research and selection, they analyse things like suburbs, egress systems, culture, schools, planned infrastructure, aesthetics… there are many, many filters.

“When we find an investment property our client is happy with, we negotiate the purchase price on their behalf. As professional negotiators, it’s here that we aim to minimise, if not negate our modest fee.”

Though some ‘CSI’ clients like to be involved with the process, Dunn says most like to have the whole process carried out for them on their behalf. “I’m going to change the way people buy investment properties,” he says.

“I’ve been involved in Auckland real estate for 30 years now, so people tend to know me. The agents certainly do and I can speak to them on a different level to what a layman can. This has helped us to start off strong as clients trust my knowledge and experience and know that I’ll be acting in their best possible interest.”

City Sales Investment will be giving presentations and speaking with clients in the Christchurch region this coming March. Get in touch for more information.

A typical investment house

invest@citysales.co.nz | (09) 3030 601

www.citysales.co.nz

News | Viewpoints

Building for the future

By Rt Hon John Key, Prime Minister

In February, we marked the fourth anniversary of the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquake. As well as a time to remember those lives that were lost, it’s also an opportunity to take stock of the progress that’s been made in the rebuild.

Christchurch’s first anchor project to be completed, the Cricket Oval in Hagley Park, was on the global stage during the ICC 2015 Cricket World Cup opening ceremony, and the pool matches that were played in the city.

This was an occasion for Christchurch to show how far it has come since the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, and proved to be highly successful. This year will continue to be a busy one for events in Christchurch, as well as for the rebuild.

Later this year, Christchurch will be hosting several matches in another major world sporting event – the FIFA U20 World Cup – as well as hosting the only All Blacks test match this year on 17 July. In the next few months the Bus Interchange will open and the Margaret Mahy Family Playground is also set to open for the community to enjoy.

A decision on the preferred design for the Canterbury Earthquake Memorial is expected to be made in the next few months. This memorial will be an important legacy for Cantabrians and I look forward to seeing it completed next year.

One area we are concentrating our efforts on is housing, particularly increasing the supply of affordable housing for people to buy. We are focussed on helping more young New Zealanders and families into home ownership and encouraging the building of more affordable new homes. That’s why we’ve introduced our $218 million HomeStart package, which starts on April 1 this year. It will help about 90,000 lower and middle income first home buyers get the deposit together to buy their first house over the next five years.

The package is also aimed at increasing the supply of new housing, and encouraging companies to build affordable houses for first home buyers. In addition to HomeStart, earlier this year Dr Nick Smith outlined significant changes to the Resource Management Act to improve the supply and affordability of housing.

Earlier this year, I announced our social housing reform programme that will see low-income and vulnerable New Zealanders receiving housing support that better meets their needs. We’ve committed to increasing the number of social housing places - where tenants receive an income-related rent subsidy from the Government – in New Zealand by 3,000 to 65,000.

The National-led Government continues to stand-by and support the people of Canterbury and we are determined to keep driving momentum on the rebuild.

6 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

Brainstorming basics

Kevin Vincent is managing director of Vincent Consulting Limited. www.vincentconsulting.co.nz

Wikipedia states “Brainstorming” is a technique used to gather a large quantity of ideas. The ideas generated are geared towards solving a specific problem.

Highly efficient, simply structured brainstorming by staff is essential for floating good ideas, like cream, to the top. Listening to each other’s ideas fuels rapid development of innovative solutions, builds team trust, awareness and motivation.

Brainstorming is one of the creativity tools that elicit answers when they cannot be easily identified or found. It is a group activity where staff are lead by a facilitator, and if the facilitator does a good job, success and innovation are most likely to be achieved.

So here are some activities that either trainers or teachers can use to help led their participants in more productive brainstorming sessions.

To deliver an effective brainstorming session, rather than running laissez-faire sessions on the one hand, or heavily scripted meetings on the other, build the following “dos” and “don’ts” into an otherwise no-holds-barred process.

Brainstorming do’s: • Start a brainstorming session with a short written question narrowly defining the problem to be worked on. In formulating this question don’t assume too much about how the problem is going to be solved • On a large sign in the brainstorming room post a rule prohibiting “critiquing and debating” during brainstorming.

This allows a way to gently remind participants to reward rather than discourage each others’ thinking • Have only one conversation at a time • Write out ideas and put a sequential number next to each.

Numbering helps participants understand how productively their brainstorming is going, and helps people keep track when jumping back and forth between ideas • The brainstorming session facilitators should sometimes encourage additional comments.

Brainstorming don'ts: • Don’t let the boss speak first • Don’t insist that everyone take a turn • Don’t limit the discussion to the opinions of “experts” on any subject • Don’t brainstorm only during off-site retreats: effective brainstorming should become natural at work!

• Don’t outlaw silly ideas or penalise the people who bring them up • Don’t try to write everything down.

There's more to vechicle safety than meets the eye Gordon Shaw is the CEO of Vehicle Inspection New Zealand. www.vinz.co.nz

Did you know that the vehicle you drive on the road in New Zealand is supported by a massive regulatory process that ensures your safety?

Most drivers and owners of vehicles have no idea that vehicles in New Zealand are subject to strict safety and inspection standards before they enter the NZ vehicle fleet and while they are operated on our roads.

For example, a used car imported from Japan is inspected in Japan (Biosecurity and Safety) before export, inspected and complied by approved service providers before the vehicle is able to be entered into the New Zealand vehicle fleet - and that’s before the vehicle is inspected for its Warrant of Fitness or Certificate of Fitness.

Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ) is a Key Service Delivery Partner for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and we are specialists in vehicle inspections and provide a wide range of services across the country.

Recently a change in Government policy has made changes to the period for vehicle warrants of fitness. The Vehicle Licensing Reform has impacted on the period of a warrant of fitness. From July 1, 2014 the new rules are that any vehicle first registered on or after January 1, 2000 gets a 12 month WoF and if the vehicle was first registered before January 1, 2000 the vehicle gets a six month WoF. New cars initially get a three year WoF. The rules state if a WoF is issued within two years of first registration, WoF expires on the 3rd anniversary of first registration.

If you have any questions about your WoF, pop in to one of our testing stations and they can answer your questions.

While you are there we can add your vehicle details to our WoF reminder system.

At VINZ we can process your motor vehicle relicensing transactions and we recommend that you review your registration period, as the ACC levy component of the licensing fee is set to reduce. On July 1, 2015 the ACC levy portion of your vehicle licensing fee (rego) is going down by an average of 41 percent depending on your type of vehicle.

We suggest that you may want to consider opting for a shorter licensing renewal period, for example three or six months. That way you’ll be ready to take full advantage of the new lower price when your vehicle licence comes up for renewal after July 2015.

News | Viewpoints

Returns could be harder to come by in 2015

By Martin Fraser-Allen, adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. www.craigsip.com

There are a number of economic themes that we think will impact markets in 2015.

Economic growth is diverging, with the US leading the charge on the growth front. The UK looks stable, while Europe and Japan face low growth, high debt levels and risks of deflation.

China is moving into a more moderate period of growth in a six to seven percent range compared with the 10 percent plus growth rate of last decade.

Australia’s mining sector will continue to feel the brunt of this moderation, although a more sustainable growth rate in China will set the scene for much needed structural reforms. New Zealand is better placed than most with a stable government, falling unemployment, a strong construction sector and surging migration.

Inflation remains low and will probably fall even further, with lower oil prices likely to put further downward pressure on consumer prices during 2015. This should see the New Zealand’s OCR remain unchanged until sometime next year, while in Australia we could see some interest rate cuts needed to keep growth intact. Companies that pay high, sustainable dividends could remain in vogue for the foreseeable future in this environment.

Currencies - The resurgent US dollar should continue to gain momentum, which should keep the NZ dollar on a steady downward trend against the greenback. To a lesser degree, we see a similar path for our currency against the British Pound. But against the Euro and the Japanese Yen, the NZ dollar will probably rise even further from current levels.

We could also see the NZ dollar remain strong against the Australian dollar.

Interest rates and fixed interest - Given the outlook for global growth and inflation, we don’t see the prospect for any rise in interest rates in 2015. However, the pipeline for new issues looks substantially better than it has for some time.

Equity markets - Heading into 2015, we see a backdrop of modest economic growth, persistently low inflation, lower interest rates than many economic forecasts suggest, full (but not excessive) valuations and modest earnings growth.

Equities could remain the asset class of choice for many, which could see markets grind higher for a little longer yet.

For Investment Advice please contact Martin Fraser Allen, Investment Adviser at Craigs Investment Partners Christchurch branch, by phoning 03 964 3246 or visit www.craigsip.com for more information. Mark Lister is Head of Private Wealth Research at Craigs Investment Partners.

His disclosure statement is available free of charge under his profile on www.craigsip.com. This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as specific investment advice.

Measure what you can change

Factoring people into the design equation

By Dave Sewell, one of only two Gazelles International coaches in New Zealand. www.davesewell.co.nz

When you drive your car, do you spend most of the time looking in the rear view mirror?

Here’s hoping not. You look forward, so you can take corrective action and control the course of your vehicle.

This same concept needs to be applied to your business - you need to be looking at the leading indicators - these are the things you can easily alter to change the outcome of a project or activity in the business.

Studying the numbers is critical to understanding why you do or don’t make money. The metrics (or numbers) you choose to look at can be divided into two categories - leading and lagging.

Here’s an example: you are a builder and have a job that was priced on 100 man-hours. A quarter of the way into the job, you study the numbers and find you have spent 40 percent of your man-hours.

Continue on this path and you will have a budget blowout. This is a leading indicator and there is time to take corrective action and change the outcome of the project.

If you wait until the project is complete and find it took 140 man-hours - this is a lagging indicator. It’s useful for back costing and planning for the next project, but has no bearing on the project which has just lost you money.

Do keep in mind that the man-hours in this scenario is only one of the indicators you need to study.

Budget and timelines will also be important. Balance is critical when looking at metrics and it’s a matter of looking at the big picture and identifying which numbers you need to watch and the relevance of each to the desired outcome.

Understanding the metrics and measuring them, in small increments to allow change, is one of the factors that contribute to your company’s economic engine. At Gazelles, the world’s leading business gurus have broken every aspect of business in to four categories: people, strategy, execution and cash.

Using metrics to help your business function better falls in the execution camp.

Last year Verne Harnish released a business strategy book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits 2.0: Scaling Up which has shot to a number one best seller - it’s a great resource for any business and a book I highly recommend - and it’s easy to read and understand.

Jane Cowan-Harris is a registered occupational therapist from Workspace IQ. www.workspaceiq.co.nz

A few years ago The NZ Ergonomics Society rebranded itself, adding ‘Human Factors’ to its name to become the Human Factors Ergonomics Society. As an occupational therapist by profession, for me those two additional words were music to my ears.

Why? Well, I saw it as a very positive, concerted push to get you, me and the rest of us, up front and centre, into the minds of those creating our furniture, equipment and overall work space environment.

Despite the term ‘ergonomics’ being about ‘fitting the task to the person’, despite the best intentions, people tasked with designing offices or buying equipment often leave people outside of their workplace design equation.

That term ‘human factors’ serves as a reminder that you, the individual, must figure in there too!

Same, same, different Surely the most incredible thing about people is our individuality.

We are not clones. As well as being different personalities, we are (obviously) each different in terms of size, shape, mobility, vision, hearing, the way we work best (more extrovert or introvert) or the way we learn best. Yet, despite all the obvious differences, we often expect people to fit into a set type of workplace with little choice in seat size, desk height, workbench height or lighting.

Getting the right furniture presents a challenge not only for the staff, but also for the organisations concerned. It’s quite unrealistic to expect them to buy lots of different furniture choices to suit every individual however, there are solutions if you can find flexible options, for example chairs with sliding seats to adjust depth, or additional shafts to adjust height.

People and stuff Ergonomics isn’t all about furniture either. Next time you walk through the doors of your workplace, take a look around with people in mind. Consider the space. Does it really work well for you, your colleagues and visitors?

Talk to people before you buy Remember too when planning to buy new items, re-design the office or even build a new premises, as well as doing your product research, talk to the people who will be working there before you buy.

Find out what they think is important for them. They may tell you about things you’ve never even thought about before, such as shower facilities or better lighting in particular areas, or comfy seats in the lunchroom.

All these types of suggestions contribute to making a workplace more usable for everyone in it.

GOLDEN DRAGON We offer flexibility in Welding

Make & Repair Gates & Fences We also Custom Make & Repair Trailers, Trolleys, Cray Pots etc.

Mention this advert for a 5% discount for April & May 2015

Gary Phone: 03 381 4988 or Mobile: 027 394 2369 Email: golden.dragonnz@xtra.co.nz NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL

8 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

Mandarin also available Text Carol: 0211523652 Mandarin & English

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News | Viewpoints

Is cash tight?

Why mobile-friendly websites matter

EVENTS DIARY

What’s happening on the business and entertainment front

THURSDAY, APRIL 9

By Martz Witty, head of the Martz Group, aligning chartered accountancy with the creativity of business development. www.martz.co.nz

Suzanne Carter is a specialist for website development company Limelight Online. www.limelightonline.co.nz

Elite6 Business Networking Get involved with the Elite6 Tower Junction Group at Spectators Bar and Bistro every Thursday night to meet like minded SME business owners, form working relationships and promote your business. To register, visit: www.elite6.co.nz

TUESDAY, APRIL 14 - 15

So it begs the question, why is 2015 more stressful than other years? What has happened this year to make things even more exacerbated than usual?

So amplified has been the enquiry rate we went on a bit of an expedition to try and find the root cause. And what did we find?

Well actually five eighths of nothing, other than cash seems tight the world over.

Gone are the excuses of Canterbury earthquakes. Oh yes, some can still claim an after effect, but in the scheme of things not so many really.

What this is highlighting is an even greater need for managers and business owners to carefully consider their business in light of its cash inflows and outflows. Greater leaning on banks or creditors is proving eminent and that isn’t really sustainable in the medium to long term.

It’s almost as though someone has changed the shape of the ball in game play… mid game! And that’s just how it is. No amount of pity party tactics or blaming will alter it. It is what it is. So it’s time to pull up our big boy and big girl pants and play the game with a new shaped ball and new rules. Unfortunately many of the rules still aren’t written yet.

So where can the cash management be stepped up in your business? Well of course it starts with scheduling the regular expenses, the must pay ones. Like wages, rent, power, phone, tax, GST and so on. That’s easy enough. Best guessing when the money is coming in gets a little more difficult.

That said though when’s the last time you had your terms of trade reviewed professionally. Do you have a formal debtor’s collection procedure? Is someone in charge of managing them?

It’s more than just being the squeaky wheel – it’s about really understanding your debtor’s issues and then overlaying that understanding across your own needs and projections.

By doing this you will achieve a “no surprises” approach to cash management. The fundamental rule of what we can measure we can manage is true here – and it does take some serious management.

Too many people mistake cash flow and profitability. Yes they are related, but more as cousins that direct siblings. Each has an impact on the other but both need to be planned, measured and managed independently. And there is no better time that right now. Today!

Helping you paddle in more of what you want

New Zealand businesses need to start taking things seriously when it comes to providing an optimal experience for customers viewing or using their website on a smartphone or tablet.

The whole raison d’être for most websites is to ensure that your customers or potential customers take the action you want them to take. This could be submitting an enquiry, purchasing a product or making a booking.

If the website is being accessed on a smartphone or tablet it isn’t good enough that you only have a desktop version of your site. Sometimes a desktop version won’t function properly on a mobile device! It is very frustrating trying to find the information you need whilst using your phone if the website you are looking at isn’t playing ball.

Risk Management The Risk Management workshop run by the Organisation Development Institute aims to introduce risk management principles and skills to managers, engineers and supervisors.

By the end of the course you will be able to apply proven risk management plans and techniques to suit your environment, application and size of operation.

To register, visit: shortcourses.development.org.nz

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 Rumble in the Rubble Rumble in the Rubble is a Christchurch City open-air boxing fight night event held in Cathedral Square. Contenders are from 16 different companies, who are all contributing to the Christchurch rebuild.

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

What does mobile-friendly mean?

This means your website uses responsive web design techniques so it recognises the device being used and sizes itself accordingly for optimal viewing. For example, a website will become one column on your mobile phone and if you have a large photo banner on your desktop, this will be removed on the mobile version or at least minimised so it takes up less space.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21 – 21

Depending on your mobile target market and your industry you may actually need a dedicated mobile website or a mobile app. Nine times out of 10 you will need a responsive website, but if you are not sure which option is right for you just have a chat to your website developer and they will be able to guide you.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28

Content on a mobile should be readable without the need to zoom. All photos and images and even forms need to resize to fit the screen.

My target market is not mobile phone users This is something I hear very often. It doesn’t actually matter if you are targeting mobile users or not. They are targeting you. Give people what they need and they will come.

All the statistics show that there has been a significant uptake of mobile use in New Zealand and the trend is only going to continue. This means that mobile is a game changer for all businesses.

Now is the time to invest in your website and make sure you are ahead of the game. Change is inevitable.

Grow your Financial Skills This two day workshop focusses on how to improve business profitability and financial position by financial forecasting. You will learn how to read and understand accounting reports, create and manage profit plans and more.

To register, go to: www.theicehouse.co.nz

Residential Rental Property Seminars This seminar is for people who already have, or who are planning to purchase, a residential rental property. It covers income, deductible expenses, depreciation, record keeping, filing and more. To register, go to: www.ird.govt.nz

THURSDAY, APRIL 30 Report Writing Skill This interactive half-day workshop will focus on the key components of effective report writing. It covers writing in a way that connects with your target audience, expressing information in a clear and coherent way and structuring content so that the report fulfils its purpose. To register, go to: www.cecc.org.nz

FRIDAY, MAY 8 – 10 Startup Weekend Christchurch 2015 Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior education for entrepreneurs. The course is centred around action, innovation, and education with a focus on brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation. Startup Weekends are the perfect environment to test your idea, get feedback and take the first steps towards launching your own business.

To register, go to: www.eventbrite.com

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As business advisors, 2015 has seen a marked increase in the number of enquiries from clients (and from prospects) about what they’re doing wrong in respect of managing cash flow. It seems this year has seen an enormous increase in the stresses around cash flow.

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April 2015 | 9

News | Local moves

Trial consenting process gets the thumbs up The PwC Centre received building consent in 10 days thanks to a Christchurch City Council pilot consenting process.

The council are piloting a new scheme that aims to reduce the current delays commonly experienced under the existing process. Under the existing consenting process consenting could take anywhere up to six months.

The scheme has been greeted with the thumbs-up by the centre’s builders, Armitage Williams Construction. Director Ben Harrow says the pilot provided a streamlined, efficient process which will ensure that construction of the PwC Centre can get underway as scheduled.

“We have been particularly impressed at the speed of consenting under the pilot. A 10 day turnaround is amazing. It will give us a greater level of certainty to our clients around timelines,” he says.

Armitage Williams Construction senior project manager, Graeme Jones is overseeing the PwC Centre and says it has encouraged greater collaboration between the Council consent team and design team to achieve both parties’ requirements.

“The process also ensured a more complete and thorough level of documentation for purposes of tendering.”

The PwC Centre, on 56-64 Cashel Street, is expected to be completed by mid-2016. The structure, designed by Warren and Mahoney, will be to 130 percent of the current building code (IL3) utilising a structural steel frame with an eye catching façade providing truly “A” grade office accommodation.

Smartphone makes farming simple Old Macdonald has a farm… and on that farm, he has a smartphone.

and records any information against it, be it fertiliser application, stock mobs, irrigation, soil testing, animal health, seeding or cropping.

In fact any job that happens on the farm, at any time, from anywhere, on any device.

And, he’s not alone. A recent Nielsen Rural Survey shows that 53 percent of all farmers own a smartphone, compared to only 16 percent in 2012’s survey. As expected, Internet and device usage is most prevalent among younger farmers with dairy farmers being the most connected, but sheep and beef farmers are catching up as on-farm technology drives connectivity and data usage.

Matt Macdonald is one of these farmers and while professing to being “old school” when it comes to technology, agri360 has simplified life on his 956 hectare farm.

Seventy nine percent of young farmers are using smartphones, and one of the on-farm technologies taking the sector by storm is the software as a service application, agri360.

Agrimap, the small Canterbury company behind the simple yet exceptionally powerful app, has developed a cloud-based farm management software, focussed on record keeping and communication.

While it can be accessed from any device or PC, it’s primarily used on a smartphone.

Agri360 uses a detailed satellite farm map with every paddock detailed, the user taps on a field

“It’s just so bloody simple. I used to have three or four notebooks floating around, a blackboard in the woolshed and when I needed information, I would run around looking for it.”

Matt now uses agri360, on his phone every day. “When I drench I pull out my phone make a note, photograph the batch number from the chemical and attach it to the record. The same applies with fertiliser, dipping and every other task I do.”

Finding information is then so simple. When audited, or sending stock to the works, a quick search in agri360 and he can print off every report required. “I’ve got every bit of information I will ever need about my farm with me all the time, so if the bank manager needs something or the fertiliser consultant calls - it’s all at my fingertips no matter where I am.”

Released onto the market last November, the development and testing has been done with the help of a group of South Island farmers.

And, in its short time on the market, agri360 not only has a loyal rural following, it has already received a national award.

A sophisticated permissions function means multiple users can access the application with only the relevant information being available to them, be it the farm workers, advisers, consultants, contractors or overseas shareholders and farm owners.

The small, privately owned business was the first runner up in the NZ Spatial Excellence Awards late last year. It lost out to conglomerate Downers and was up against universities, local and central government entities and corporations like Opus, SCRIT and New Zealand Post.

The cloud-based platform balances people and process, meaning it treats management as a whole, not a segment. The ‘ordinary’ way farmers use management software is to address one very particular problem. While this one thing is done very well with the help of technology, it neglects the bigger picture.

It’s real Being map-based brings the component of absolute reality, says Agrimap CEO Andy Lowe. “Farmers feel comfortable with this - it’s recognisable because it’s their farm and it all makes sense. And, any other person who has a working interest in the farm can log on and retrieve or add to the information in real time, from anywhere, on any device.

Lowe recognises there is plenty of farming software on the market, but nothing with the simplicity of agri360.

It does not tell the farmer how to keep records it allows them to do it in a way that suits - again a unique aspect of the software that was entirely driven by the requests of farmers. www.agrimap.com

“In a rapidly increasing regulatory environment, the introduction of stricter compliance and record keeping means farmers, by necessity, will be looking for simple, effective ways to manage data collection,” Lowe says.

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10 | April 2015

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Member

Mult strut - supporting your industry

While for most industries, when something stands out, it means job well done; for Multistrut Industries Ltd, it’s when the job’s done well that it’s at its most inconspicuous.

USL Multistrut Industries manufactures and distributes a wide range of products used to support the services used in buildings from its workshop in Moncur Place, Middleton.

It has a number of roll formed products that, with brackets and specially designed fittings, are able to fit exactly so as to position and support electrical, mechanical, fire, air conditioning and other services.

Established in 1998 to complement parent company Rollformers 2000 Ltd, Multistrut Industries is the only fully integrated company of its nature in New Zealand, with plant and tooling available to manufacture a comprehensive range of about 2000 items.

“Our staff have the knowledge and technical experience to provide solutions,” Multistrut’s Paul Girl explains.

“We have a very stable staff and as a result, have a large amount of industry knowledge. Our strengths are our people, our knowledge and our ability to fabricate solutions.”

Multistrut Industries provides an end to end service – from an empty building requiring electrical cabling, pipe work for fire sprinkler systems and water supply systems, the firm can provide a comprehensive range that covers all pipe support applications and materials, with products ranging from cable trays, cable ladders and mounting systems, to trunking, and pipe and tubing supports.

“With modern buildings increasingly architecturally designed, we are now powder coating a large percentage of our products,” Paul says.

“We have our own powder coating line at manufacture and the ability to powder coat locally is a big plus for us.”

In today’s post-quake environment, seismic requirements are also of increasing importance. Much of Multistrut’s product has been specifically designed to handle the unique seismic requirements needed for supporting building services in New Zealand buildings, with engineering design criteria to ensure products are suitable for the application.

“What was previously a month of stock can walk out the door in a day. But with our nationwide presence, we can supply product from our Wellington and Auckland branches to meet our needs.”

Multistrut Christchurch also supplies the services support needs of Nelson, Invercargill, Timaru, Queenstown and Otago. “Christchurch has always been a big market, we’ve been strong investors in the local market since 1998 when the company was first established here and we will continue to support the needs of the local market throughout the rebuild and beyond,” Paul says.

From a strong manufacturing base, Multistrut is able to do a lot of things competitors can’t, including custom making products to meet your unique needs. “If it’s an unusual size or requirement, we can find a solution to meet your requirements.”

It’s an increasingly competitive environment, but Paul says the company’s experience has developed a loyal customer base. “We are proud to remain family owned and the founder is still in every day. Although we’ve moved premises a few times throughout the years, we’re very comfortable where we are and hope the factory is large enough to meet our growing needs for some time to come.”

With the longevity of staff, the chance of Multistrut receiving a request for something they haven’t come across is quite slim, Paul says. “We manufacture or remanufacture all of our products and provide a wide range in a number of finishes, including zinc powder coating and we can meet all facets of electrical and mechanical support needs in a building.

“Multistrut Industries is extremely proud to be a family owned business, which boosts New Zealand made products. It’s a great achievement for our company to have embraced the changes within the market post-quake and we look forward to continuing to play an important role in the local rebuild.”

Multistrut Christchurch 3 Moncur Place Middleton Christchurch T (03) 377 2800 F (03) 377 7344

Multistrut Wellington 32 Sydney St Petone Wellington Ph: 04 576 0087 Fax: 04 576 0097

Multistrut Auckland 118 Penrose Rd Penrose Auckland Ph: 09 582 0258 Fax: 09 579 1610

“The demand on stock is almost impossible to predict post-quake,” Paul explains.

03 377 2800 | www.multistrut.co.nz

News | Business tips

Keeping the staff you have

By Eugene De Villiers

We’ve all had drummed into us that the customer is king, but too many Kiwi businesses focus solely on their external ‘royalty’ and then wonder why the ‘peasants’ eventually revolt!

The average wallet is bursting with loyalty cards designed to lure customers back who may have little or no impact on their overall business success. Some of those same businesses put no effort whatsoever into getting their staff to return to work year after year.

It’s a simple equation – invest in keeping the decent staff you already have, so they stay put and not only will you save money on recruitment, but increased productivity levels will boost your bottom line.

Employers are sadly mistaken if they think staff will be motivated and engaged by simply receiving the pay cheque they feel entitled to. So it makes sense that if you want staff to perform better then more money is not always the best way to achieve this:

• Pay is a contractual deal - purely functional • Why limit everyone to the lowest common denominator rather than the highest?

• When staff are engaged, appreciated and rewarded, why would they leave?

• Incentive programmes help a company identify their best people and encourages others to strive to be like them.

What to look for in an incentive programme for your business: • Does the programme bring to life your core organisation values?

• Who is the programme aimed at and why?

Is this clearly identified?

• Can participants easily track their own progress?

• Are the rewards meaningful and relevant to the participants?

• Are key businesses issues addressed by the programme e.g.: reduction of old stock, debtors improvement; brand positioning, and/ or market share?

• Is it self-liquidating? Yes there will be set up costs but those should be cited up front and well and truly covered by the increased productivity gains expected for your business • Are there clear and realistic corporate goals for the programme and effective measurement and evaluation tools?

A professional incentive company can help you identify which rewards will be most meaningful to your staff. In our experience, travel is usually the reward that delivers exceptional results. Because it’s not an affordable option for many people, it becomes an attractive incentive.

The only drawback of using an incentive progamme is not using an incentive programme. Many businesses think they can do it themselves, and during the years I have seen many try and fail. It is a very specialised area and requires knowledge and expertise to deliver the best return for your business.

Successful incentives are all about engagement. Many of our clients see immediate returns upon implementation.

The biggest challenge is how you launch/ communicate the incentive programme to the target market.

If you do this well you gain traction faster and it is much easier; a good incentive programme provides a fully engaged audience in 24 hours.

If you do it on the cheap, it becomes difficult and can take months to get to that same level of engagement. If you are going to do it, get the best advice and do it right.

If your prospective programme ticks all of the boxes in this article then you’re on the right track to treating all of your customers like royalty - but don’t get me started on those damn loyalty cards – that’s for my next editorial outpour!

Eugene De Villiers is the managing director of the Extra Mile Company, specialising in creating cost effective behavioural change programmes that utilise a range of awards including travel, merchandise, recognition and branded cash. For more information contact Eugene@extramilecompany.com

How much work is too much work?

By Stephen Lynch

Researchers started studying the relationship between worker hours and productivity during WW2 when Britain was trying to maximise the efficiency and output of munitions plants in order to quickly supply weapons to the troops on the front lines.

Factories pushed their workers to the limit in an effort to maximise wartime production.

55 down to 50 hours a week, had only small effects on output too.

As you can probably imagine, the workers had a stronger core purpose (to win the war) than most of us could ever expect to invoke in our organisations, and as a result the workers were probably as highly motivated as you could ever expect people to be.

Interestingly, 50 hours per week seems to be the ceiling at which you start experiencing diminishing returns once you start working longer.

What the researchers found however, is that once people start working more than 50 hours per week, their output per hour (productivity) starts to fall. As workers toil away for longer and longer hours, they lose energy and enthusiasm, which makes them less productive.

Recent studies documented in The Economist have shown the same correlation.

Up to 49 hours, productivity is proportional to hours worked, but once you exceed 50 hours, output starts to diminish. According to John Hicks, a British economist, “It probably has never entered the heads of most employers… that hours could be shortened and output maintained”.

Amazingly, the output of workers putting in 70 hours of work differed little from output of those working only 56 hours. In other words, working an extra 14 hours per week turned out to be a complete waste of time.

Reducing their weekly hours still further from

Sure, there might be the occasional week where you need to burn the midnight oil to complete an important project, but on a long term basis if you are consistently working more than 50 hours per week, the research suggests you not actually being any more productive.

Quality and efficiency of effort is obviously important. In spite of their economic woes, it seems the Greeks are some of the most hardworking people in the OECD, putting in more than 2,000 hours a year of work on average. Germans, on the other hand, are comparative slackers, working only 1,400 hours each year. But German worker productivity is about 70 percent higher. You see, productivity is about working smart, not working long.

Research also finds that the absence of a rest day from work once per week negatively impacts a person’s productivity, so make sure you take at least one day per week completely off work. This is hard for many of us to do in the modern era with 24/7 mobile communications (I personally struggle with this one), but do try.

You might think you are being a hero putting in long hours, but in terms of measurable productivity you are probably kidding yourself.

That extra time would be better spent investing in your personal renewal and close relationships. So switch off, go home, and get a life.

How many hours do you work per week on average?

Are you able to completely switch off from work for one day per week?

How well have you optimised the productivity of the hours you do spend working?

Stephen Lynch, chief operating officer of Global Operations at RESULTS.com Information kindly provided by RESULTS.com: www.results.com

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News | Trends

What’s hot in 2015

By Davina Richards

You’ve probably already looked back on 2014 and thought long and hard about which areas of your business need to be worked on.

Since life’s one constant is change, we’ve cast a sideways glance into our crystal ball to see what trends are on the horizon.

Social shifts are taking place and consumer behaviour is changing. So in 2015 we’ll be seeing acceleration in trends which already gained some traction last year.

The mobile takeover If your business is not up to date with mobile it will feel like you’re being shoved out of society. With more people owning smart phones or touch pads to access the online world, businesses need to take advantage of the rapidly growing active web audience.

with images get 94 percent more total views.

Businesses are exploring image-based content to provoke ideas and emotions around certain products or services to reinforce a sell.

On another note, small businesses have done well in 2014 to use social media to connect with their customers in an engaging way, as well as communicating with other small businesses.

SMEs are taking the time to give a shout out to other businesses on social media, website and blogs. Staying actively connected reminds customers you’re still here.

Sharing Whether it’s Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook, sharing content has never been so important, or easy. People are more than happy to click the “share” button if they deem content to be share-worthy. Not only is this a great way of marketing, but it also influences buying habits and drive sales.

Have you noticed how often you see a notification on Facebook telling you which friend has ‘liked’ or ‘shared’ content? Do you find yourself clicking on it? I certainly have. Sharing breeds awareness.

Social media advertising

Traditional ways of marketing have become a thing of the past; social media Mobile-friendly content should be integrated into platforms are where it’s at. Www.jeffbullas.com a business from the very beginning. Those in reports that more than 1.28 billion people and the know understand that if you have a website, 30 million brands use Facebook each quarter. you create a mobile version of it and design That’s a hell of a lot of people to engage. it specifically for smaller screens; this means compacting relevant information which can be Think beyond profit easily navigated by the user.

Making a positive impact on the world is Information and measurement company nielsen. becoming a priority for many businesses that com has found that 1.9 million New Zealanders wish to make a profit alongside social and shop online – that’s 56 percent of the total environmental responsibility. This has revealed population. According to localvox.com one half that some people are happy to part with more of of all local searches are performed on mobile their money. devices and 51 percent of consumers more likely to purchase from a mobile optimised site. Flexing freelance muscles

Content Info graphics have made headway and it looks as though it’s going to continue into 2015 and beyond. Www.jeffbullas.com says articles

Freelance job site Elance reports that in 2013 there was a 46 percent increase in the number of businesses hiring freelancers online. With a steadily increasing freelance workforce, flexible work will become favourable and

“

With more people owning smart phones or touch pads to access the online world, businesses need to take advantage of the rapidly growing active web audience.

businesses may struggle to keep hold of good employees. SMEs will have a competitive edge if operating with no physical address and outsource employees who work remotely.

Crowdfunding There’s been a boom in crowdfunding in the last few years for small businesses and you can see why. Crowdfunding is the favoured alternative to traditional finance borrowing, i.e. from the bank and friends and family.

”

SMEs now have a finance opportunity which keeps on giving (depending on how good you’re campaign is). Expect crowdfunding to get bigger in 2015.

The Cloud More businesses are choosing to use the Cloud for a range of benefits. Not only is it great for storing data in a safe and private way, but employers and employees can access business information from any device, anywhere, anytime.

BUSINESS UC Business and Economics programmes delve into real business issues that impact us locally and globally. Whether you’re looking for part-time study or professional development, we have a range of courses and qualifications to get you where you’re headed.

“UC gave me the technical grounding and understanding of business processes to progress my career.”

Hadley Trounson – BCom graduate

• Accounting • Business Economics • Economics • Finance • Human Resource Management • Information Systems • International Business • Management • Marketing • Operations & Supply Chain Management • Strategy & Entrepreneurship • Taxation & Accounting

www.canterbury.ac.nz/bus

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April 2015 | 13

News | Business Tips

Are you overworked and overwhelmed?

By Stephen Lynch

A 2013 study found that the average business leader is connected to their work 72 hours a week. There are only 168 hours in a week, so if the leader is spending 72 of them working and let’s say eight hours a day (56 hours a week) on sleeping, eating and bathing, that only leaves 40 hours a week to do everything else they need or want to do.

The new book, Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative by Scott Eblin deals with our “do more with less” culture and the 24/7 smartphone addicted environment that leaves many people teetering on the brink of a caffeine addicted, sleep deprived, stressed-out existence.

I was interested to read about an ongoing a study at Google that is looking to determine the factors that make employees feel energised or de-energised. One of the big findings is that their workers fall into two groups: • 31 percent are segmenters who work when they’re at work and ignore it when they’re away from work • 69 percent are integrators who are “always on” and check in on their work at any time, regardless of where they are.

Here’s what’s interesting. The integrators say they’re burned out, whereas the segmenters are able to remain energised by work.

By being “always on call and always working” we may be able to eek out some additional productivity in the short term, but the impact of this way of life comes at the cost of our long

End of financial year help

term productivity and motivation, and can be devastating to our happiness and physical well being.

Hit the brakes We’ve all heard of the fight or flight response, but few of us have heard of the rest and digest response.

Think of fight or flight, which is controlled by your body’s sympathetic nervous system, as the gas pedal that helps you get things done – especially in crisis situations.

Think of rest and digest, which is controlled by your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, as the brakes which keep you from spinning out of control and crashing. Just like you’d never drive a car and only use the gas pedal, you shouldn’t live your life without using the brakes.

Sayers, who leads the firm’s Asia Business team in New Zealand, says Kiwi companies have made big strides in recent years however, there was a lot of room for improvement.

“The Asian region is playing an increasingly important role in our economy, accounting for six of our current top 10 trading partners.

PwC private business partner, Scott Kerse says it’s a good time for businesses to consider their year-end tax positions and all options available to them, as well as their 2016 provisional tax obligations.

“Planning for year-end can be a daunting task for business owners so we’ve aimed to simplify the process and provide them with all the elements they should be considering, current taxation rates and information on provisional tax obligations for easy reference.”

Some items of particular importance for businesses are: • Identifying accrued and/or prepaid expenditure that may not be deductible for tax purposes in the current year 14 | April 2015

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• Ensuring you are maximising the depreciation available on your fixed assets, and making sure your tax fixed asset register is accurate and, where relevant, writing off assets that have been disposed of • Consideration of whether debts have gone bad and writing these off prior to year-end • Consideration of intercompany loan balances and whether appropriate interest has been charged • Monitoring shareholder accounts to ensure they are not overdrawn at year-end • Considering whether losses can be carried forward from past years or offset between group entities.

“Our checklist may also help businesses identify areas in which they need further professional assistance such as tax fixed asset register reviews, a GST or fringe benefit tax review or assistance with transfer pricing documentation,” he says.

Take a break. Give yourself a night, a day, or a weekend away from email and work. Better yet, take a whole week off and go somewhere so remote that you cannot be contacted or interrupted by work or emails.

After you’ve gotten a little rest and digest going, take some time for self-reflection by asking yourself two questions: What am I really trying to achieve? Who do I need to ‘be’ and how do I need to show up to do that?

The answers might surprise you, but will certainly help you reconnect with the deeper purpose of your work.

Stephen Lynch, chief operating officer of Global Operations at RESULTS.com Information kindly provided by RESULTS.com: www.results.com

Ten tips for doing business in Asia New Zealand businesses still have a lot to learn if they want to succeed in lucrative Asian markets, according to Crowe Horwarth managing principal and current president of the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association, Andrew Sayers.

With the end of the 2015 financial year now approaching for many businesses, PwC has released a tax planning checklist to assist with preparations for year-end as at 31 March 2015.

What if you are totally burned out?

“There are still significant trade and investment opportunities that have yet to be explored but New Zealand businesses need to put greater effort into understanding and engaging with their Asian counterparts.

“Cultural and values differences continue to present challenges for doing business in Asia, and can often be the tipping point when it comes to getting something off the ground locally or offshore. If done well, the benefits of improving business relationships between New Zealand and Asia are numerous, from job creation to joint ventures.”

So here are Crowe Horwarth’s guidelines to fostering success business relationships in the region.

1. Always partner with locals, don’t try to do everything yourself.

3. When it comes to business, kiwis can often be transparent revealing too much upfront.

As the saying goes, ‘play your cards close to your chest’ and don’t giveaway everything at once.

4. Asian business people will generally look to bargain with you. This approach is not a typical part of the kiwi culture. Most New Zealanders will usually put their best deal on the table straight away which will often work against them.

5. Keep communicating via emails, telephone calls, WeChat and face to face meetings.

Most Asian investors will have forgotten you a year later after meeting, but if general communication is consistently maintained you will become a familiar contact.

6. Do not expect to sign deals during the first visit. You’ve done well if you work out who the real boss is on the fifth visit and quite often he or she won’t be the one dressed in a suit with two assistants at their side.

7. Ask for introductions. Remember that access to senior business people is 10 times harder to achieve in Asia than it is in New Zealand.

8. Focus on building deep connections with a small circle of contacts, rather than getting to know a large group of business people.

9. Be adaptable and open to changing your plans. Business in Asia is extremely fluid and very frustrating, as things will often not go your way. Keep in mind that the only constant is change. If you don’t like surprises, Asia may not be the business ground for you.

2. Get good advice from people who have 10. Go hard or go home! Asian workers done it before. Beware of so called ‘experts’ typically don’t go to bed at 10 p.m. and who say that they know everything and neither should you, if you want to do everyone but are as clueless as you about business with them. what locals are talking about. Adopt a proactive rather than reactive approach to doing business in Asia and you are sure to For further information email: meet with success. andrew.sayers@crowehorwath.co.nz

News | Tactics

Getting organised and staying organised

By Davina Richards

We’re all guilty of consumerism. We love ‘stuff’ and can never seem to get enough of it. Stuff is the gift that keeps on giving! Except that it turns us into terrible hoarders and creates an unattractive swell of mess.

anything you don’t want, need or have a place for and only keep it if you use it regularly or can’t bear to part with. Simplify before you can begin to organise properly. If it helps, have a box or container labelled ‘maybe’ and put it into storage, if in six months or a year’s time you still haven’t used any of it, throw it out.

Back to basics

Organise your thoughts, ideas and eureka moments by jotting them all down on paper.

A clear mind is a clear conscience – so when you feel it’s time to go back to those ideas in however many days, weeks or months, you Do you know where everything is? Do you know can refer back to it. This way you can define the points you’ve made and put them in your what you need to do today? If the answer is no diary or to-do list and then take action. There’s then it looks like you’ve got a bad habit to kick and a good habit to kick start. Getting organised something satisfying about crossing things off applies to everything from work, life, to a hobby your list. or the kids.

We’re not all perfect and some of us don’t aim to be, but we can all make an effort in our own little way.

Getting organised Reduce ‘stuff’ There are only so many folders and boxes your home can take before it starts vomiting all over itself. Just because you hide them in the wardrobe or attic doesn’t mean it’s all vanished into Narnia. Nip it in the bud and throw out

Clean as you go

Being organised is a habit – so this means getting it together at home as well as the work place. It’s too easy to walk through the front door and drop the post, wallet/handbag, phone and car keys on the table or floor. Put it in its home immediately, don’t think about it just do it.

Work in stages Don’t overwhelm yourself by organising everything all at once. This isn’t an all-you-caneat buffet where you force yourself to shove as

much food into your belly until you feel sick.

Break it all down into sections and work your way through each area.

You’re organising is so bloody good that it should be added to your CV as a ‘skill’. That’s never going to happen. But what is going to happen is that you’re going to fine tune your habit until you’re an organising pro on steroids.

Techy Take advantage of technology. Use your smart All or nothing phone to organise your to-do list and calendar.

Set up automatic direct debits so you don’t have Moping around, avoidance and procrastination to worry about paying that bill on time. are all great ways of staying organised… said no one, ever. Identify your behaviour and ensure Looking ahead you don’t let yourself slip. And not to make you Meeting someone for a coffee and a catch up? sound like some sort of fluffy house pet, but Is there a romantic dinner or luxury getaway when you notice yourself doing a good job, well, you’re looking forward to? Well, don’t mess it go on then, treat yourself. up – book in advance to make sure these things Involve people happen. Reduce your stress and you could potentially save money at the same time.

Mostly I’m referring to, well you know, the kids The night before Many of us admit that we’re not morning people.

Early mornings mean we’re susceptible to mood swings, coffee throwing and growling if things don’t go right. So do yourself a favour and sort your clothes, lunch and whatever else you need the night before.

Staying organised

– both the ones at work and especially those at home. A little commitment from those around you can do wonders for your home, working life and mental strength. Be a good role model and show them how it’s done. Teach them to pick up after themselves and persist that it must be done as often as possible until it becomes normal routine. And remember to acknowledge the kids’ good behaviour.

Commitment Yes, that’s right. It sounds a little like religion and a lot like a marriage. Scared yet? Okay, so you’re all organised, fluffy and doing a victory dance because you know you’ve GOT THIS.

Walk away

reduce the cost of the item. You could also consider teaming up with other businesses in your industry who need the same supplies to really take advantage of buying in bulk.

Hire interns

We’re all bargain hunters at heart, but try not to give in so easily. Think carefully about what you buy and if there’s a purpose for it in your home.

Don’t undo all that hard work!

Money savers

By Laura Baker

It has always been a lot easier to save a dollar than it is to make a dollar. So why not make a greater effort to hold onto your hard earned cash?

Up skill

Rather than paying a professional to update your website, write a press release, or do your accounting, hire them for a couple of hours to teach you how to do the task. Next time you need the job done you will have the skills and knowledge to do it yourself.

Price hunting

As an entrepreneur money is always tight which is why it really pays to save. By incorporating saving techniques into the day to day running of your business you’ll find a few little savings can add up to a lot. Here’s 10 easy ways to save your business a buck.

Temp staff Temporary staff is the ideal solution for SMEs which have an unpredictable work flow.

Shopping around for work purchases can really pay off, even on small items. Ask at least three suppliers to quote you in writing. If you quote a competitor’s lower price to a supplier they will often match it or beat that price.

Be your own courier Courier charges can add up, wipe the delivery cost by picking up items from suppliers yourself. Remember this will only save you money if you are located close to your supplier or if you are passing by them on your way to another job.

Temporary staff can be hired in peak seasons to handle the surge and let go when demand Bulk buy slows. Having staff sit around when work is quiet is a massive money sucking trap you don’t Bulk buy wherever possible. Buying office supplies in large qualities is guaranteed to want to let your business succumb to.

day 0 2 1 k money bac e

guarante

Online action Selling your products online can seem like an expensive, daunting task, but there are cheap alternatives. If you are just starting out why not try selling your products through online auction sites such as Trade Me, they cost next to nothing and already have a large captive audience. When you are ready to create a professional website there are plenty of companies which design sites for a low monthly cost.

Pricy premises The cost of establishing a permanent retail location or office premises is pricey and can be a huge commitment to a new business.

Rather than tying yourself down to an expensive commitment consider more affordable, flexible options such as working from home, small shopping mall kiosks or sharing office space with other SMEs.

High school students and young people looking for experience and internships are great for low cost help. It is a win, win hiring young people. You receive an enthusiastic employee at low cost and they get valuable work experience.

Exchange goods Swap your product or service in exchange for another. It is a good way to get what you need without off loading any cash.

Actively advertise Be your own best advocate and don’t be afraid to advertise your business at every opportunity you get. Include advertising material in invoices, emails and business cards. Make the most of customers who make a purchase by tucking promotional fliers, discount cards or vouchers into their bag to encourage them to return. All of these advertising options are low cost and potentially have big results.

Our websites start from $1997+gst for a standard business website or full e-commerce site, which means your business can sell products 24/7. gary@fatweb.co.nz | 0800 444 090 | www.fatweb.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 15

News | Lifestyles

Beach-ready The “Roundie”

Sometimes you just want to be a little different than the crowd or, at least, be seen. So go against tradition and grab yourself this oversized round Aztec beach towel affectionately dubbed the “Roundie”.

Make sure your friends can find you among the masses on the beach.

Lifestyles

RRP: $140 Available from: www.republichome.com

By Davina Richards

Cup this

Cool breeze

Bicycle coffee cup and holder

Dyson fan

I want one of these and I don’t even own a bicycle. Mount this coffee cup holder onto your handlebars, fill your coffee cup and away you go. Whether you’re cycling to work, town, the milking shed or just popping over to a friend’s house, your journey will not only be quick, but you’ll be kept warm too! They make a perfect gift for your coffee-loving friends. Bells and Whistles also sell a bicycle six pack holder…

Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

It’s not particularly nice when your throat becomes dry and trying to sleep in the heat is near impossible. Tropical weather can be frustrating, but not any more with the newest Dyson cool bladeless fan range which is up to 75 percent quieter and maintains powerful airflow. Equipped with a remote control and a sleep timer, the fans offer 10 airflow settings so you can go to sleep without panting.

RRP: Bicycle coffee cup + holder $42/ cup holder $29 Available from: www.bellsandwhistles.co.nz

RRP: desk fan $529/ tower fan $749/ pedestal fan $749 Available from: www.dyson.co.nz and leading electrical retailers

Pyramid of light

Fashion fit

Tipi lamp

Satchel We’re actually made of star stuff… and lo and behold our lives are filled with stuff too.

Let’s face it: We need stuff… we love stuff… stuff makes us happy! These beautiful handmade satchel bags are no exception.

They’re 100 percent leather, very trendy and modernised to snugly fit your laptop, iPad or A4 folder.

What I love about minimal design pieces is that no matter how simple they are they ooze both casualness and sophistication. The Tipi lamp features Tasmanian oak tripod base, navy blue cord, metal fixtures and magnetic attach legs. This refined nomadic design will become a central focus in the modern home.

Available in two sizes they look great together or stand alone piece.

RRP: 13’’ $229/ 15’’ $259

RRP: $411 (small) $514 (large)

Available from: www.thickasthieves.co.nz

Available from: www.pagethirtythree.com

Open Days 2015 A history of success, a future of opportunities.

COME AND DISCOVER ST ANDREW’S COLLEGE AT OUR 2015 OPEN DAYS See how our students access quality staff, exceptional facilities and a culture of excellence to achieve their best.

Tuesday 31 March

3.30pm – 4.00pm

Tour Boarding Houses

Tuesday 31 March

4.00pm – 6.00pm

Secondary School Open Day

Wednesday 1 April

11.00am – 12.30pm

Preparatory School and Pre-school Open Day

For further information please contact Registrar Lynn Smith on 03 940 2016, email enrol@stac.school.nz or visit www.stac.school.nz.

347 Papanui Road, Strowan, Christchurch.

16 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

News | Communications

Talking the talk Reaching the people that matter to your business has always been challenging, but in our age of ‘info-besity’ and escalating digital noise, storytelling will continue to grow as a strategy, not just for being noticed, but also for nurturing and growing enthusiastic and engaged communities.

Good writing is like an iceberg – you use your best words to convey depth under the surface.

Every word needs to be chosen well, have a purpose and you must write with economy and in a style that engages with the identified and researched end reader.

We went online and looked at what some of the world’s leading marketers and business writers are predicting for 2015, there is some great advice here; tips that will help you better present your companies story.

Ann Handley - chief content officer, MarketingProfs “Everybody writes, and that’s true whether you are the chief content officer, marketing VP, or the mar-com manager. Our words are our currency – they tell the world who we are. They can make us look smart or they can make us look stupid – and so being able to communicate well in writing isn’t just nice; it’s necessity. Are you thinking writing doesn’t matter in our video/podcast/Instagram world? Actually, it matters more.”

DJ Waldow - digital marketing evangelist, Marketo “2015 will be the year of ‘human’. Gone are the days of corporate-speak messaging and dull, boring campaigns. Instead, we’ll begin to see more marketers incorporate humanspeak into their messaging – videos, pictures, humour, and human!”

Mike Stelzner - CEO, Social Media Examiner “Major change in digital marketing: Those that pitch are becoming ignored. A little bit of selling here and there is great, but those marketers who do nothing but sell, sell, sell, are gonna get ignored, dismissed and overlooked by consumers and prospects.

Get cracking folks - it’s time to actually care.

That means dedicating more resources to things that are harder to track, like answering customer questions and providing more value online.”

What story are you telling in 2015?

Telling stories is a powerful and proven way to grow your business. Told in the right way, for the right reasons and distributed through the right channels, stories help the reader understand a message, and better remember it. A well told story can also change the way someone thinks, acts and feels, is this not what marketers have been trying to do for years? How are you telling your story?

Article supplied courtesy of Your Story Communications - a Christchurch based, boutique PR and marketing agency that takes your story, in a meaningful way, to the people who matter to you. www.yourstory.co.nz

We cook Indian food according to individual choice and all the mains are gluten free (except malai kofta, samosa and naan bread)

Traditional charcoal ovens cook our naan breads & meats to divulge true Indian flavours.

Shop 7 /101 Main North Road Papanui, Christchurch

www.indianpearlrestaurant.co.nz

Contact us: Phone - 033 546 593 Mobile - 0220487497 www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 17

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News | In Construction

Inside hi-spec construction Less than a year after opening its new Christchurch office, Babbage has expanded its operation further with the appointment of senior mechanical engineer Alan Cooke to the office.

Alan has worked in Canterbury and Otago for 33 years both as engineer and consultant, and has a strong history in the healthcare sector where he has worked on a range of specialist healthcare service and aged-care facilities, as well as retail, education and commercial properties.

Described by one happy customer as “the Dan Carter of building services” because of his work on the iconic Riverstone Castle project.

His credentials round out the expertise of the Babbage building services team, and their strong focus on healthcare. Alan says aged-care facilities and medical speciality suites, which have their own unique requirements, such as Linac Bunkers that house the Linear Accelerator used for radiation treatment.

“Typically they need metre-thick concrete walls and you have to pay attention to things like pipework – there shouldn’t be too many straight lines. You build in as many steps as possible so radiation is absorbed rather than allowed to pass through to other parts of the facility.

certain characteristics that mean the buildings they go in to have to be carefully designed,” he says.

Before joining Babbage, Alan spent seven years running his own consulting service and prior to that was managing director at Atmos Engineering, growing the company from its start, up to employing more than 50 staff.

Babbage Building Services is currently undertaking work on a retirement village in Wanaka, and is looking to broaden its offer to clients nationally. Aged-care facilities are a strong area of growth for Babbage but also for the construction industry in general.

“This is a fast growing area of the market as the population ages, and with the increased demand for aged-care facilities comes a growing awareness of the issues faced by an ageing population. We have to carefully consider all aspects of our design work, from obvious issues like mobility access to the more recent demands, like good Internet connectivity.

“CT scanner suites, MRI suites, endoscopy units, “We operate a multi-disciplinary business, with operating theatres, isolation rooms, all have structural, civil, geotechnical, environmental,

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Riverstone Castle in Oamaru

mechanical and building-services engineers, together with electrical and hydraulic services, architects, building surveyors, land surveyors, planners and project managers.

The Riverstone Castle project was one of the more unusual requests of his career, Alan says.

a dairy farm outside Oamaru. However, the lake proved to be the jewel in the crown. It acts as the heat store from which, by use of a geothermal heat pump, we can extract heat efficiently enough to inexpensively heat the castle using underfloor heating and a few radiators.

“How do you efficiently heat a castle made of 20,000 concrete blocks laid on 540cu metres of concrete?” says Alan.

“Geothermal heat is usually expensive to install due to the cost of excavation, but when that’s already done, you just need to take advantage of it.”

If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, the castle in question sits in the middle of an artificial lake on

Alan will be growing the building-services practice from the Christchurch office.

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HOME RETOUCHING CENTRE Unit 1 | 155 Blenheim Road | Riccarton | Christchurch

www.RENO4U.co.nz

20 | April 2015

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Phone 03 423 9067

been seen

Images taken and supplied

by Lynne Puddy-Greenwood If you have an event that you’d like covered, email Lynne (Canterbury’s been seen representative) on: lynne.p@academy.net.nz

The people, their faces and all the right places - Canterbury

The John Britten Memorial Superbike Event was held at Ruapuna Raceway.

The BEARS Britten V1000, owned by Kevin Grant of Auckland was ridden by Andrew Stroud in some demo laps.

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1. Dave Cole 2. Bruce Verdon (TT Industries), Ken McIntosh (McIntosh Racing) 3. Bob Robbins, Sam Britten, Andrew Shroud 4. Swiss Nicderberger (Canada Britten) 5. Stephen Briggs, Andrew Stroud.

The Store at Tai Tapu, invted clients to special evening to present new product ranges.

1. Jude Jordan, Janice Porter-Hoare, Karen Wenn.

2. Lisa Banks, Melissa Shearer.

3. Carolyn & Tonia.

4. Sophine & Gay Chambers (Cossars Wine Bar).

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Nicky Wagner hosted Birds’ Eye View meeting for Women in The Rebuild at Bayleys office, with presentation from both Brianne West of Sorbet and Chloe Dear of CCC Events Team.

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Glitz, glamour, glory... women’s golf had it all! when The ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open was held at Clearwater recently and attracting the best players from around the world, which draw large local crowds. Lydia Ko, the world no one, won the open and had a record breaking round of 61 on the Saturday.

1. Ali Brunel (TenantsProtection), Sue Verrall, Glenda McLaughlin, Brianne West (Sorbet) 2. Maree Bryant (Potential Unlimited), Michele Moore (Lincoln University), Anne Cherry, Helen McLeod 3. Polly Chen (KPMG),Nicky Wagner, Michelle MacWilliam ( Women in the Rebuild) 4. Val Willams, Helen Gatonyi (Tenants Protection), Agnes White (Agnes White & Associates), Annita Anderson.

1. Karin Hubber, Lynne Puddy-Greenwood, Tania Crowther.

2. Anthony Gough, Jay Fry (Christchurch Adventure Park) 3. Jeremy Smith, Chris Allenye (Orion) 4. Lydia Ko, Graham Hewer (Global Group).

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The Summer concert series held their final show at Gibston Winery by Queenstown.

A GREAT afternoon of artists this year featured Three Dog Night, Foreigner and Heart.

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Lydia Harrex, Stephanie Seyh Mike & Melissa Flint Saskai & Stu (Media Works) Suzanne,Watts, Debbie Hartshorne (Hilton Queenstown), Clive Greenwood, (Academy Publishing).

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Marcia Butterfield hosted a party to launch the Neat Place website and App..

1. Paul Dawson & Jonny Gutsell (Allpress), Vanessa Puddy (Creative Agent) 2. Steven Carpinter, Karyn McLeod, Zak Cassels (Tannery) 3. Kathryn Leah Payne (Cloak & Dagger), Hera (Fledge) 4. Marcia Butterfield (Neat Places), Diana.

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www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 21

Allpress Espresso opened their Christchurch branch in an old steelworks warehouse in Montreal St. It features unique design details seen in their Tokyo and Melbourne Roasterys with a spacious and light-filled interior filled for a great night of fine food, drinks and excellent music.

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1. Dean & Steve Keega (Gayelords) 2. Alana Hawkins, Vanessa Puddy.

3. Ash Cook (RNP Homes), Frith Joiner (Allpress) 4. Nicola Fox (Allpress), Justine Jenkins 5. Mike Taylor, Dan Brown, Johnny Gibson (Neat Places) 6. Michael Allpress (Allpress Auck), Paul Marriott & Richard Preston (RNP Homes).

7. Ash,Richard, Jerome, Hamish, Warren (RNP Homes) 8. John Ferris (GM Allpress), Michelle & Chris (Vudu Queenston).

There was a huge turnout to the new Electric Avenue festival with two stages which featured an awesome international and local line-up of 20 acts over 12 hours.

Hagley Park was transformed by a massive light show, giant video walls, themed bars, carnival rides, roaming performers and heaps more crazy stuff!

1. Jenny and Rachel (ZM Girls) 2. Kayte Johnston (Fairfax), Justin Smith (Rydges Latimer) 3. Andrew Foote & Danielle 4. Julia O’Malley (NZME), Jude Moriarty, GregCassidy (NZME), Libby Aberhart (McKenzie & Wilis) 5. Kelly Gallop (NZME) 6. Alice Harris, Amanda Cassidy, Gina Dymand 7. Emma & Kelsey 8. Heidi & Bill Jang (HepC Foundation), Clive Greenwood (Media Sales Group).

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The Bright Enterprise South Island Polo Tournament finals were held in front of a record crowd, and was an amazing fun event.

The teams come from the North Island and South Island, and some of the players are amongst the highest rated players in New Zealand and overseas.

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1. Matt Mark (CEO Ronald McDonald House), Sueils Mark, Philip Wright (Shipleys), Tim Dyer 2. Dave Nixon, Claire Laredo, Laura Stone 3. Nick Cowdy (Cowdy & Co), Sam Hooper (Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar), Niki Mills (ChCh European) 4. Sophie Leckey (Leighs Construction), Nicola Grigg (NZME) Rebecca Saunders (Lane Neave) 5. Maxine Douch, Paul Lysaght, Kris & Georgina Inglis.

6. Steve Murray (BA Murray Ltd), Graeme Odell (Odell Contracting), John Murgatroyd (Drummond & Etheridge) 7. Richard Ineson, Noel Gilman, Maria Roe, Richard Austin 8. Noel MacDonald (Smiths City), Tim Dy Christchurch’s new cricket facility er (NZME), Steve Salmon (Smiths City).

Canterbury Chamber of Commerce held their Christmas networking evening with a presentation from both Lee Germon and the chairman of the Canterbury Cricket Trust, Lee Robinson about Christchurch’s new cricket facility the Hagley Oval Pavillion.

1. Michael Maclachlan, Jude Ryan Odea, Lee Robinson, Peter Townsend, Lee Germon, Leeann Watson 2. Lance Dawber-Ashley (Gareth Morgan Investment), Jo Moore (NZ Post), Richard Breitmeyer (Sharp Corporation) 3. Colin Abernethy (Harmans), Nicky O’Rouke, Chris Simpson (Harmans) 4. Dan Cooper (Zeald), Brendan Alcock (Orix), Isaac Savage (Cera), Kevin Greene (Team Hutchison Ford) 5. Jeanette Beatty (Advanced Personnel), Karen Starr (Blue South) 6. Martin Fraser-Allen (Craigs Investment Partner), Simon Fraser-Allen (Westpac) 7. Mark Godentio (Simply & Amplify), Peter Sheldon (Industrial Coatings & Equipment) 8. Geoff Carston (Gtech NZ), Julie Carston (MSD).

22 | April 2015

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been seen

Images taken and supplied

by Lynne Puddy-Greenwood If you have an event that you’d like covered, email Lynne (Canterbury’s been seen representative) on: lynne.p@academy.net.nz

The people, their faces and all the right places - Canterbury

Cassels & Sons’ Brewery was the venue for a new special beer launch to invite guests.

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Zak Cassels and Michael Bayley Michelle Blair and Nigel Dixon Chris and Erin Topp, Tim Powell Ali and Mark Butterfield.

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Merryn Corcoran returned from Menton in the south of France to launch her second novel at Paperplus Merivale.

The event was a huge success that saw the largest number of books sold for any book launch the shop had ever had.

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1. Ladene, Merryn Corcoran, Lynne Puddy-Greenwood 2. Lynda Collins, Peter & Elizabeth Fry 3. Barbara, Ken Matheson, Lizzie O’Sullivan 4. Maureen Nicholas, Leslie & Aussie Brown 5. Barbara & William Lee 6. Simon Rennie, David & Betsy Tipple 7. Sharon, Debbie, Sue, Betsy, Julie, Lynda, Jillayne, The Girlfriends 8. Kim Anderson-Smith, Michelle Wistuba, Lucy Rennie, Shelly Kennedy.

Ilex Café & Events centre is nestled in the heart of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and provided a picture perfect location to host a truly remarkable event for the New Zealand Brain Research Institute.

1. Caroline Wagteveld, Mckenzie (Brain Research), Bert Goran (Deputy Chair) 2. John Pickering, Margreet Vissers, Kate Russell (NZ Medical Brain Research) 3. Richard Burtt, Ross Hutton 4. Michael MacAskill, Ivan Donaldson.

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Sips held a get together meeting of members and associates at Cortado, they enjoyed tapas and fine wines and networking.

1. Jan Marie Jenkins, Mary Connerly, Angela Bellaney 2. Jane Mckenzie, Rod Gibson.

3. Anne Sanders, Suzie Howden, Caroline Pickett, Geoff Reeve 4. Kerrie Jacobs, Jake, Carl Wilson.

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Kidds Cakes hosted the book launch of Elly McGuinness book The Natural Balance Guide to Burning Fat for Good.

1. Karen Degen (Set Free With EFT), Tom Downs (Corporate Wellness Solutions), Pascale Hennessey (Rainmaker Coaching) 2. Martin & Jann Meehan (Kidds Cakes) 3. Colin & Ayla Clapp, Elly McGuinness Authur) 4. Hugo & Liz McGuinness.

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More than 200 signatories attended the December 2014 quarterly safety charter event on Safety and Gender in Construction. Dr Dean Laplonge, from Factive in Australia, a leading researcher on gender in male-dominated industries, was the keynote speaker.

1. Kate Wright (Worksafe), Graham Darlow (Fletcher Building) 2. Terry Welch (TWC Construction), Dr Dean Laplonge (Factive), Glenn Murdoch (Vicus Design Group) 3. Tom Southen & Pat McCarthy (FarmBuild), Rob Sloan (Jennian Homes) 4. Mike Barnett (Fletcher Construction), Justine Ward (Coverstaff) 5. Leon Frapwell (Safe Rebuild), Nick Pfahlert (SARNZ),Graham Burke, Andre Beukes (Safe Reuild) 6. Clive Greenwood (the Rebuild), Richard Graham (Cardno), Glen Murdoch 7. Brett Russell (Russell Property Group), Robert Stell & Robert Gibbes (Dominion Construction) 8. Karl Allen, Jake Abbot, Brendan Lindsay, Grant Thomas.

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April 2015 | 23

News | Cover story

An open book Lianne Dalziel talks openly about balancing Christchurch’s books

By Laura Baker

24 | April 2015 www.canterburytoday.co.nz

News | Cover story

Walking into the mayoral office at the Christchurch City Council, Lianne Dalziel looks relaxed and fresh from the summer holidays.

She greets me with a smile and enthusiastically shows me photos of her summer holiday in the Coromandel.

“I’m feeling very positive about this year,” she cheerfully says as we sit down for the interview. It’s definitely a good thing the mayor is feeling so chipper because she has a full-on year ahead and the council has some tough decisions to make, including the potential sale of council owned assets and rate rises.

Baptism of fire Lianne’s appointment to the council came during a time when there were many people in the city crying out for a change in leadership.

She answered the call successfully winning the Opening the books position of Christchurch mayor in the October In the first week of her appointment Lianne 2013 local body elections. faced the daunting, but extremely necessary, task of opening the council books and Her initiation into the council was a baptism discovering the true state of the city’s finances. of fire. The council she inherited was facing a number of mammoth challenges. It had been A report from Cameron Partners in August stripped of its accreditation rights to issue last year revealed the council’s debt stood at building consents and its budget was facing $900 million. But the potential deficit has since significant shortfalls. But piece by piece she is soared to an estimated $1.2 billion. The mayor tackling these challenges head-on and the city says the shortfall is partly due to the fact is beginning to see some progress. insurers are unlikely to pay the full settlement.

Now a year and a half into the job she has “One of the biggest problems the budget faces a firm footing in the position and has built a is the insurance recoveries. We’ve got no collaborative team with the councillors. But guarantee around when we are going to settle she says it has taken some getting used to as with our insurers and how much we’ll get. parts of the job are not what she anticipated.

“I want to be able to tell the people of “In many respects it’s quite different from what Christchurch what needs to be done, when it I expected.” She says the mayor is just one can be done and how it can be paid for; I feel vote around the table that holds 14 votes. So like that’s my responsibility, but at the moment she has learnt it is necessary to compromise.

I still don’t know.”

“We don’t agree on everything but we She says one of the reasons the figure has understand how important it is that the council increased dramatically is because the council is united around the issues that are important now has more information than when earlier for the city, which is quite different to how the estimates were done. She says the council is council was before.” working through every single claim individually and doing detailed analysis of the true cost of Back in control repairs or replacement.

The former council was stripped of its rights to issue building consents in July 2013.

Assets face the chop The act signalled the final nail in the coffin The term ‘asset sales’ often creates strongly for the outgoing council and many long hours divided opinions within government and the work to re-establish its accreditation rights general public, and it is always a source of for the new council. controversy when a state owned asset faces Under Lianne’s watch the council won back the chopping block. its accreditation rights in December last year, Lianne can relate to these feelings herself, marking one of the biggest achievements in traditionally opposing the idea in her former council to date. role as an MP. But with the title of mayor “It is extraordinary that a council facing the comes the task to lead the city in a financially biggest rebuild ever could lose its accreditation sustainable direction and the responsibility to and no one noticed it happening. It was a make hard decisions for the greater good. failure of governance and management and was a debacle of the highest order; heads had Bearing this in mind Lianne has changed her tune about asset sales, making it no secret to roll because it was so serious. she is strongly in favour of the sale of assets “It was a huge confidence boost winning back owned by its commercial arm, Christchurch the rights. The confidence boost was felt right City Holdings Ltd. throughout the council building. It really meant Late last year the council agreed to the a lot to the whole council and we felt like we proposal to release $551 million in capital could hold our head up again.” through the sale of assets, including at least And she is reassured the strong structure of 34 percent of Lyttelton Port Company and nine both management and governance over the percent of Christchurch International Airport.

Regulations and Consents Committee will But it left the door open for further release of ensure such a huge council failure won’t slip past anyone’s notice a second time; not under capital if necessary and has now approved the option of releasing up to $750 million in her watch she says confidently.

“

I want to be able to tell the people of Christchurch what needs to be done, when it can be done and how it can be paid for, I feel like that’s my responsibility, but at the moment I still don’t know.

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capital from CCHL in order to reduce debt and increase funds to meet the cost of rebuilding the city’s earthquake damaged infrastructure.

almost just as quickly because there isn’t a clear channel to assist in bringing their plans to fruition.

“I understand people generally have a ‘thing’ about asset sales. They say we’ve built up these assets, they are the reason why our city is strong and why our rates are lower than other parts of the country, and that is normally where I come from myself.”

“What’s happening at the moment is investors come to us with a good idea and we say ‘wow, that’s a great idea’ and then they go to see CERA and they say ‘wow, that’s a great idea’, but nothing happens.”

But she says if the council does not sell shares in some of its assets, the alternative is unprecedented double figure rate rises to cover the shortfall. The latest draft of the Financial Strategy contains proposed rate increases of 8.75 percent, 8.5 percent and 8.5 percent during the next three years.

“The Financial Strategy is a delicate balancing act and we will make every effort to reduce the burden on ratepayers while still meeting our share of the cost of the earthquake rebuild.

“We need to look at our sea port and airport as strategic assets for the region. We are looking at selling shares in these assets to a strategic external partner who is interested in growing these assets and increasing their worth. So, while our share in those two assets may decrease, their rate of return and the dollar amount that we receive might actually increase.

A final decision on asset sales will be made in June after public hearings.

She says these local and international investors need to be made to feel welcome and connected to the rebuild, and an independent Development Authority would serve this purpose.

The proposed Development Authority would be separate from government, with the final sign off going through council. The authority would have the ability to analyse proposals, consider costs and benefits and develop a business plan.

She admits the council would normally be capable of undertaking these functions, but the scale of the job makes it nearly impossible, “there is plenty of work to justify the establishment of an agency”.

A Development Authority should have been established long before her appointment she says. But it’s better late than never because without an agency of this nature the city will continue to miss out on critical investment from developers, stifling its rebuild progress.

Time will tell

At the top of Lianne’s personal goals for 2015 is the creation of a Development Authority an objective she can’t emphasis enough is critically important.

Lianne has stepped up to the plate in her role as mayor and shown she is capable of moving the council forward in a positive, inclusive direction. But she has also shown she is capable of making the hard decisions, which not everyone will agree with.

She says developers are flocking to the city in droves with exciting plans for investment and construction in the city, but they are leaving

It is clear her intentions are good, but only time will tell if the tough decisions she is making are the right ones.

Investors welcome

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 25

Finance | Debtor Finance

Use your customers to fund your business growth – debtor financing explained One of the reasons businesses run out of cash – and generally go broke – is that they grow too fast.

David Thorpe, executive officer of the Debtor and Invoice Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, takes a look at how smart companies use their customers to fund their business growth.

Debtor financing is particularly popular with small business owners as it allows them to sign new supply contracts without having to wait for the bank to agree to expand their overdraft funding option.

Small businesses faced with cashflow difficulties no longer have to rely on standard bank loans, often required to be secured by real estate, to fund their growth, they have a range of options to meet their financial needs, one of those is debtor financing.

About debtor finance In the past there has been an element of confusion surrounding what debtor finance is and how it works. This confusion stems partly from the fact that debtor finance goes

by a number of names, including factoring, discounting, receivables finance, invoice financing, cashflow finance, the list goes on.

All these terms are correct. Regardless of the name ascribed, debtor finance is a simple and straightforward finance facility.

Factoring and Discounting are two options for businesses to improve their cashflow by accelerating the cash cycle. Both of these financial arrangements are primarily secured against the unpaid invoices of a supplier of goods or services. Under both facilities the supplier enters into an arrangement with a debtor finance provider and sells its unpaid invoices on an ongoing basis for access to cash within a few days instead of waiting the typical 30-60 days.

The benefits Many SMEs lament that they are profitable on paper but suffer from poor cashflow positions, which often stymies their growth aspirations. Debtor finance provides a solution to this problem. While it’s true that debtor finance is at times viewed as a tool to merely overcome short term cashflow constraints, there are a growing number of New Zealand businesses engaging it more strategically to grow their business.

The enhanced cashflow position of a company can be used to employ more staff, purchase additional stock, pay suppliers in return for an early payment discount, or to take advantage of new business acquisition opportunities.

Conversely, smaller organisations often prefer a Factoring arrangement as they are alleviated of the responsibility of managing receivables collections, allowing management to concentrate on other business functions.

How it works

One of the attractions of both Discounting and Factoring is that they are self-liquidating facilities, meaning that a business isn’t taking on additional debt per se, but rather accessing money that is already owed to it.

The goods or services have already been provided, and while the facility needs to be repaid, this should take care of itself as a matter of course as the company’s debtors settle their invoices over time.

Factoring and Discounting are two options for businesses to improve their cashflow by accelerating the cash cycle.

1. Under a Factoring arrangement the provider additionally manages its client’s sales ledger and collection of accounts. Therefore, under a Factoring arrangement the debtor is aware of the arrangement and makes payments directly to the provider.

2. Under Discounting, which is an undisclosed facility, the debtor is unaware of the arrangement and makes payments to the client, as per usual, but as the debt is owned by the provider, the client manages the collection process and then passes the revenue collected to the provider.

Generally, a Discounting arrangement would be utilised by larger businesses as they have in place the in-house resources to manage receivables collections and the reporting requirements of a provider.

In summary if your company is in a growth period and you are being restricted by cashflow shortfall, then perhaps a member of the DIFA will be able to partner you in your growth.

The Debtor and Invoice Finance Association represents the major providers of the fast growing debtor finance market in Australia and New Zealand. Members’ details and more information is at www.difa.asn.au

Looking to grow your business?

The New Year provides businesses of all sizes the opportunity to assess ways to increase their rate of growth. Debtor financing is one of those opportunities.

2. Then the facility allows for immediate access to cash against a growing receivables ledger once a sale has been made / invoice issued. This speeds up the client’s access to cash so they can continue to fund the growth of their business – without additional security being provided.

1. An initial release of additional funds from the client’s receivables ledger that a client can use to pay pressing creditors (even the IRD), bring in additional stock for sale.

The business being relatively new had low equity. They were experiencing growing pains and slow cashflow, so found themselves getting behind with some key creditors.

Debtor financing provides two key benefits which most businesses are looking for.

26 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

1) Catch up with these key creditors as the facility we provided them with was a significantly larger facility than their bank was providing.

2) Ensure that as they grow they invoice more and we can provide weekly cash to keep pace with their growth.

Just think - no property security required even as your business working capital requirements grow, access to new cash weekly, 100 percent New Zealand owned and operated and with a Debtor Finance Facility, your debtors don’t need to know we are involved.

Craig Brown, General Manager Lending for Lock Finance

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These are:

An example of this is a new client of ours in the business services industry. They had only been trading for a couple of years and due to the industry they are in, they hold no stock and minimal fixed assets, therefore their bankers would only provide a minimal overdraft.

The business was profitable but needed to continually reinvest into the business. Our Debtor Finance Facility allowed them the freedom to:

Why invoice financing makes sense The idea of a five percent discount on your invoices to receive your money in 10 days is seductive however, when you calculate the actual cost, it becomes less attractive.

A five percent discount on a $10,000 invoice costs $500. Offer this on each $10,000 monthly invoice over the course of a year and you will have paid $6,000 for the privilege of receiving your money 20 days early.

Client testimonials Gildan Activewear “Three years ago our company was growing at a pace that required working capital that was more than our bank securities would allow. Faced with a decision to either consolidate and slow our growth, or to expand as rapidly as possible, the directors decided to pursue other avenues of finance and go with maximum growth.”

- Managing Director, Andrew Donald

Mainland Fasteners Mainland Fasteners Ltd approached Pacific Invoice Finance Ltd for credit facilities as we were experiencing difficulties with the limitations of our bank overdraft. Since that date our business has grown approximately 60 percent which quite frankly would have been impossible

to sustain without the financing of our ledger.

During this period Pacific Invoice Finance Ltd acceded our requirements with alacrity, and a great deal of patience when considering the huge volume of transactions we imposed on their system daily.”

- Director, B S (Syd) Kennedy

Concrete Reinforcing Limited “Pacific Invoice Finance has provided Concrete Reinforcing Ltd with a sales-linked finance facility which has given us the ability to really drive our business forward without worrying about working capital. The facility enables us to run our sales ledger and maintain direct contact with our customers.

I cannot imagine any other source of finance that would have kept pace with our growth whilst leaving us in control of our business.”

- Director, Stephen Burns

Furthermore many customers will not pay within the 10 day period, but will still take the discount. This can lead to a great deal of difficulty in obtaining payment of the withheld discount, especially when these are often your largest customers!

At this cost, obtaining a working capital facility that can be drawn and repaid as your cash-flow allows is looking more appealing, which is where Pacific Invoice Finance can help.

Under an invoice finance facility, as soon as the customer pays the invoice, interest stops being charged, and if you have no requirement for funding in any month, you have the option not to draw against any further invoices, therefore eliminating interest costs in that month.

Conversely, if you offer a prompt payment discount you are obliged to honour that full arrangement on each invoice, regardless of your cash-flow position.

Is it time to reconsider offering a prompt payment discount in favour of a more cost effective and flexible solution?

Why choose Pacific Invoice Finance Invoice financing is a very easy process to implement and maintain. Pacific Invoice Finance undertake a due diligence process and once approved, they then offer you a facility. Because they are not constrained by a bank’s rigid risk policy and rulebook, this approval process usually takes no more than 24 hours.

Once approved your ledger is then duplicated on their system. They call this process creating a Shadow Ledger. This process is done electronically and usually takes about 30 minutes, depending on the configuration of the information on your computer system. This process is not system dependent, so it does not matter if your computer operates using Windows, Mac, Unix or DB2.

This means that you can draw funds from Pacific Invoice Finance within 24 hours of completion of the due diligence process. Imagine that, you now have access to cash from your invoices as you continue to make sales.

On an on-going basis you forward invoices on a daily bases via a Ledger Manager electronically. This automates the process and allows a seamless transfer of data from you to Pacific Invoice Finance.

It’s simple and easy to implement. No wonder it’s the fastest growing form of debtor finance in Australasia.

PFA0065 Xero Ad Auck-Cant-Today_385x275_FA_PTHS.indd 1

4/02/15 11:18 am

Property & Construction | Sinclair Builders

Setting the standard There’s a popular expression that you’re only as good as your last job and, when it comes to the competitive post-quake construction market, no other saying could be more apt.

Perhaps that’s why Sinclair Builders has such an impressive portfolio. Or perhaps that impressive portfolio is the result of a company which always strives to be the very best it can be.

Whatever the cause, Sinclair Builders is leaving a trail of happy customers across the city and, although a couple of clicks into the website’s gallery will visually illustrate the ‘why’, the real story is in the ‘how’.

Chris Sinclair has always been passionate about building and enjoys all the challenges and

satisfaction the trade brings. Not only will he work alongside you to make sure everything you expect is to your satisfaction, but every job, regardless of cost, size or difficulty is finished to his own high standards.

It’s taken him to Australia and it’s brought him back again, and now, as a member of the Certified Builders Association of New Zealand and a licensed building practitioner, his passion and dedication for what he does is helping turn dreams into physical realities.

Sinclair Builders specialises in all aspects of residential building, from alterations, decks and patios to new architectural homes. “That’s the best part,” Chris explains.

“For the average person, you’re dealing with what will be one of the biggest investments of their lives. What could be more fulfilling than turning a plot of dirt into a client’s dreams?”

So how does a company of such high regard succeed in such a competitive market?

“Communication is a massive thing,” Chris says.

SERVICE .

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03 373 6049 info@dyersroaditm.co.nz Get hold of us for your free quote today W: www.simnz.co.nz E: simelectricalnz@gmail.com P: 0800 746 353

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Look no further than S.I.M Electrical we know all the in’s and out’s when it comes to heating and cooling your place with the best heat pumps on the market for New Zealand conditions.

Or maybe you need some wiring done whether it be tv, phone or electrical, we have it all covered and with very competitive rates.

Call Ralph Godwin 0274 328 04 E: heatdynamics@gmail.com Heat Pumps | Hot Water Heating | Heat Recovery Ventilation | IQP Registered FG1785

28 | April 2015

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Property & Construction | Sinclair Builders

“

It’s about keeping people informed of where their project is at, at all times. With a lot of companies out there, you’re dealing with salesmen, who potentially don’t have that level of industry experience. With us you’re dealing with me as a builder.

- CHRIS SINCLAIR

”

BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE Proud to Support Sinclair Builders - Long Run and Pressed Metal Tile Roofing - Butynol Roofing - Re-Roofs - Fascia, Spouting & Downpipes Contact Us: quotes@residentialroofing.co.nz Phone: 03 365 9808 Mobile: 027 55 33 025 Contact us on: (03) 961 5087

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Let us bring your home to life with our FREE design service at Lightingplus Hornby.

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PROUD TO WORK WITH SINCLAIR BUILDERS Whether you are building, repairing or simply re-cladding your home, Celcrete are the preferred choice of many designers, builders and homeowners in Canterbury and have been now for over 10 years

Call Mark Bryant, Managing Director on 021 290 0102 today www.celcretecladding.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 29

Property & Construction | Sinclair Builders

“It’s about keeping people informed of where their project is at, at all times. With a lot of companies out there, you’re dealing with salesmen, who potentially don’t have that level of industry experience. With us you’re dealing with me as a builder.”

So what about plans for the future? “I’m really happy with where we are now,” Chris says.

“New homes will be a real push for us this year and we’re looking into some new and innovative green building methods.

“The local industry is so busy that even simple things, like returning phone calls, just isn’t happening. We pride ourselves on communication and service, so we’re looking forward to this area being an increasing area of focus moving forward.”

Successful sub-trades Chris has developed strong relationships with a number of local subcontractors who he trusts to deliver the highest quality on his jobs.

When he returned from Australia, he was a one man band. “A lot of places wouldn’t give me the time of day,” he says.

Electrical and heat pump specialists SIM Electrical are a large and reliable team which Chris says can handle a lot of work at any one time, which is extremely handy. Despite many firms tightening up on workloads because they’re so busy, the Heat Dynamics team is reliable with realistic prices, Chris says.

“They’re a great bunch of guys to work with.”

“Dyers Road ITM gave us a rep straight off the bat. I was a small fish in a big ocean and they looked after me. So when the earthquake happened and production ramped up I stuck with them and they’re great to work with.”

One of the first contractors Sinclair Builders took on when Chris came back to New Zealand was Residential Roofing. “They’re a smaller team and great to deal with. They turn up when they’re supposed to and get the job done.”

Family owned plumbing firm R&J Shivas Plumbers is always reliable and cost competitive, Chris says. “They have always been there for us with anything we’ve needed.”

Lighting Plus is a great help for the firm’s new builds. “We can send clients down to the Lighting Plus rep and with their expertise, they’ll work with the plans to provide the best options.”

Scaffolding firm Structural Support and Panels New Zealand (SSPNZ) is a more recent supplier, but Chris says they’re big enough to be able to handle anything the company throws at them.

• Full plan take off and quote • Full plan take off and quote • Frame • Frameand andTruss Truss • Fascia, roof u • Fascia,getter getter and and roof • Aluminium • Aluminiumjoinery joinery • Interiorlinings linings • Interior • Kitchenand andBathroom Bathroom • Kitchen • All building supplies • All building supplies 370 Main South Road 8497 370Phone: Main 349 South Road

Phone: 349 8497 30 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

“They’ve got a great turnaround and that makes all the difference to a project.”

Local firm Plaster Master started out carrying out small jobs for Chris. “Now we don’t use anyone else. They’re reliable, do a great job with a nice finish.”

Licensed distributor of Celcrete exterior cladding products in Canterbury, Celcrete Cladding is reliable, with great service and a great product. Mitre 10 is always there with great service and variety, while market leader in aluminium joinery Nulook Enterprise provides unsurpassed quality, range and design performance with impeccable service. CT Sinclair Builders 33 Coleridge Street Sydenham Christchurch T (03) 943 3979 www.sinclairbuilders.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Property & Construction | Keystone Construction

Homes that stand out from the crowd Want a home that will stand out from the crowd? Keystone Construction’s attention to detail and high standard of finish holds the golden key to your stunning home.

Keystone Construction is a licensed building practitioner servicing Christchurch City and the Canterbury region, specialising in residential builds targeting the architectural market.

The company can take on complex projects, from excavations to completion, and offer project management and strong communication with clients throughout the building process.

The company was established in February last year by Tim Nugteren and it was a step forward after several years of trading as Tim Nugteren Builders. It started out as a two man company and has risen to four employees, which means this small but experienced team offers a personal service. The team strive to achieve results by going the extra mile in both the building process and for its clients.

“Our key to success is that we never cut corners, never take short cuts. Our emphasis is quality and we will never sacrifice this to achieve quantity. We care about our clients and we care about the end result. We’re not just her to make a buck, we’re here to bring our clients vision to reality,” Tim says.

external cedar walls, bespoke recessed ceilings and colonial trims and covings, along with a designer kitchen and joinery.

Keystone Construction NZ Limited 310A Lake Terrace Road Shirley Christchurch T (03) 550 4450 www.keystoneconstructionnz.com

“The biggest challenge with this job was the finishing details; colonial trims take a lot of precision and finesse to perfect, as opposed to more modern looking trims which are generally a lot squarer in profile.”

— Advertising Feature

Tim says they have a strong network of sub trades they trust and work closely with to overcome challenges during the building process.

Are you ready to start work on your bespoke architectural home? Keystone Construction is the obvious choice. CT

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Keystone Construction recently completed a new four bedroom double storey home in the Waitikiri sub division, which boasted a number of key architectural features that make it stand out among its neighbours, including full height

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From residential to commercial, kitchens and bathrooms to staircases and more, we’ve got you covered.

With such a full range of joinery services available we are virtually a one-stop-shop whatever your needs.

Our joinery services include: • Entry doors, exterior doors & windows • Interior doors • Stairs & hand rails • Wardrobes & shelving • Bathroom vanities • Kitchens & laundries • Lounge entertainment units • Commercial & shopfitting • Solid timber joinery. t. (03) 343 0360 m. 027 239 5934 www.mhj.co.nz

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 31

Property & Construction | JCL Asphalt

The asphalt specialists JCL Asphalt offers a complete spectrum of asphalt and surface repair services. This covers everything from subdivision roading and driveways to tennis courts – basically if it includes asphalt, then JCL Asphalt are the people to see.

A decade of success Last September the company celebrated 10 years of successful business and James Craw says it has been quite an adventure.

“It is amazing where we have come from.

Back in 2004, when it all kicked off, we had a steady run with constant growth for the first six years in which we traded through the GFC and made it out the other side. From there we experienced the Christchurch earthquakes at which stage we had 12 keen staff. Following

this we have had massive growth and four years on we now have 60 staff.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole team, without everyone’s commitment to the company we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

This commitment has been officially recognised with JCL Asphalt winning two recent awards.

At the Canterbury Civil Contractors NZ Awards, the company won the Outstanding Service Award and the Company Image Award.

High quality work The team at JCL Asphalt work with a variety of clients and maintain a high standard of workmanship on all jobs. “I personally have very high standards in workmanship, and as the business owner, I encourage our teams along the exact same lines,” James says.

Five compelling reasons why you should choose JCL Asphalt: 1. We work with many different clients – from large companies to individuals and we deliver our promises to them every time.

2. High standards - you’ll get a very high standard of workmanship to ensure the job is done right first time.

“We always look for the best way to make the job happen and are innovative in overcoming any obstacles that may be put in front of us.”

3. Innovation - we always look for the best approach and are innovative in overcoming obstacles thrown in our path.

The company’s fleet of trucks and machinery are all painted blue in the company colours, which customers and the public can clearly identify. “We have a good image around town.

When you’re on a big site our machinery definitely stands out.”

4. Your home or business will look great first impressions count, JCL asphalting work is tidy and professional.

one recent development is JCL recently purchasing the largest set of extensions for their paver in the South Island.

5. No hassles – the JCL Asphalt team is courteous and respect your property and time. You’ll experience a professional approach that will make you happy with your investment.

JCL ASPHALT JAMES CRAW LIMITED

DRIVEWAYS – TENNIS COURTS CAR PARKS – SUBDIVISIONS

0800 JCL NOW

www.jclasphalt.co.nz 32 | April 2015

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Property & Construction | JCL Asphalt

YOU’VE ALREADY HEARD OF THE DANGERS OF DRINKING OUT OF PLASTIC

“

I personally have very high standards in workmanship, and as the business owner, I encourage our teams along the exact same lines.

”

Not only is the Vogele Super 1603-3 the first of its type in New Zealand, JCL also bought new extensions “which takes our paving width from 5m maximum up to 7.5m maximum,” James says.

What this means is the ability to lay larger areas more quickly. With the new Vogele machine up and running, JCL Asphalt recently paved a private racetrack in north Canterbury, paving 18,000sqm in three days.

James says the company is now placing a significant amount of emphasis on health and safety, and quality. With new health and safety legislation taking effect he says such a focus “really is the way of the future and in this regard, we’re up there with the best of them”. CT

JCL Asphalt PO Box 37 275 Halswell Christchurch T (03) 981 0496 M 021 999 457 0800 JCL NOW (0800 525 669) E james@jclasphalt.co.nz www.jclasphalt.co.nz

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Proudly supplying JCL with our locally made vibrating pedestrian rollers since 2003 www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 33

Property & Construction | Form Builders

Delivering quality craftsmanship Construction inhabits a unique space; it’s not about just creating functional structures, but creating structures with both form and function.

Despite its moniker giving credence only to the building’s form, it goes without saying that Form Builders is creating buildings which meet the defining characteristics of both terms.

Form’s framework includes architectural housing, earthquake remediations, extensions and alterations, and they’ve also touched on the light commercial front.

The proof is in their portfolio, which is complete with design and management.

When Matt Stevenson established the Form brand eight years ago, it quickly developed a reputation for high quality craftsmanship in the competitive market.

But it was after the earthquakes that Matt, working closely with Graeme of Darby Decorators Ltd, ramped up production to meet the local demand.

Our Services

Sanding and Polyurethaning Waterbased & Solvent based Polyurethane Oil & Wax finish Preparation for Carpet & Vinyl Solid Timber Installation Free Quotes and Advice

P

027 4334 550

www.sutherlandfloorsanding.co.nz

5 Penguin Street South Shore, Christchurch sutherlandwhanau@clear.net.nz

If you want advice on how to create that great kitchen, bathroom or laundry in your home – Edward Gibbon Ltd are the people to see.

Edward Gibbon are Form Builders preferred bathroom supplier.

56 HODGSONS ROAD RD2, RANGIORA

PHONE: 027 435 8105 MANAJOBE@XTRA.CO.NZ

293 Cranford St ┃75 Kingsley Street ┃ T (03) 366 7137 ┃ E showch@edwardgibbon.co.nz ┃ edwardgibbon.co.nz

Darby Decorators Ltd. Covering all your painting & plastering needs Darby Decorators are proud to work closely with and support Matt and the Form Builders crew 34 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

office@darbydecorators.co.nz

Property & Construction | Form Builders

Form Builders, now with a crew of 12, has defined what it does best - creating dream homes. A core aspect of Form’s success lies within their employee culture.

Matt sets a high standard that each individual employee strives to, to obtain their trademark finish. Matt recognises and appreciates this work ethic of his staff and is proud to be their employer.

It was Form Builders that Maurice Mahoney – co-founder of leading architectural design firm Warren and Mahoney – selected to rebuild his own home, damaged in the earthquakes. The Form crew believe it is an honour to be a part of this complex build.

The company has also built a striking new home on a lifestyle block in Swannanoa, a new home in Strowan, and foundation replacement, house lift and shift on a glass clad house in Opawa. Form Builders also works with project management company Stream Group, repairing over-cap claims. >

Proudly supporting Phone: 021 2216117

FORM BUILDERS

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Window and Door specialists.

Design Windows are one of New Zealand’s leading aluminium window systems manufacturers.

We manufacture one of the most respected brands in the building industry, Altherm Window Systems.

We also have other brands from Architectural Profiles Limited, New Zealand’s largest aluminium windows supplier, including Smartwood & Thermal Heart Series. www.designwindows.co.nz P: 0800 332 259 E: info@designwindows.co.nz

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April 2015 | 35

Property & Construction | Form Builders

“

What works for us as a main contractor, is our long standing relationships with our main subcontractors and suppliers. It is great to be surrounded by likeminded and focussed companies to provide a united service to our clients.

”

Local Specialists, Local Advice RANGIORA | KAIKOURA

Matt says this is fulfilling work that often involves repairing character homes which come out the other end, better than ever.

“As the age old saying goes, you are only as good as your last job – I pride Form on this,” he says.

“What works for us as a main contractor, is our long standing relationships with our main subcontractors and suppliers,” Matt explains. “It is great to be surrounded by likeminded and focussed companies to provide a united service to our clients.”

A commitment to create and an ability to produce client’s dreams are key attributes

of Form, as well as being recognised as a Registered Master Builder.

Not only do these attributes contribute to their credibility, they also characterise Form Builders’ sustainability in this ever-changing industry. CT

Form Builders 5/680 Barbadoes Street T (03) 386 3109 E office@formbuilders.co.nz www.formbuilders.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Property & Construction | The Cylinder Guy

Cutting down your hot water costs Replacing your hot water cylinder can make a world of difference to your home or workplace, which is why The Cylinder Guy has made it their priority to advise you on the best option to suit your requirements.

The Cylinder Guy is meeting the growing demand for cost-efficient hot water cylinders due to rising power costs in New Zealand. And with everything that has happened in Christchurch in the last four years, the team is working its way through the city to improve people’s homes and quality of living.

The company stocks a comprehensive range of stainless mains pressure hot water cylinders as well as gas water heating, outdoor hot water cylinders, solar hot water heating and wetback hot water cylinders options. Stocking leading brands including HJ Cooper, Rheem and Peter Cocks, the right hot water cylinder is waiting.

Gas water heating is a popular solution for Kiwi homes and if space is important, you might want to consider replacing your old hot water cylinder with an outdoor model. New generation outdoor cylinders are generally very efficient and can free up a lot of extra room.

The Cylinder Guy believes in the future of solar/heat pump hot water heating which is why most of its range of hot water cylinders are solar-ready or ‘future-proofed’.

Replacing your cylinder improves efficiency and substantially cuts your water usage down, all the while saving money on your power bill. Not only this, but it increases shower pressure, especially in upstairs bathrooms, and there’s less wait time for your shower, bath or taps to heat up.

The Cylinder Guy 313 Keyes Road New Brighton Christchurch T 0800 234 800 E chris@thecylinderguy.co.nz www.cylinderguy.co.nz

Are you ready to make a change and save a few dollars? The Cylinder Guy is waiting for your call. CT

- Mains, medium and low pressure options - Lightweight, easy installation - Dairy - Custom made

— Advertising Feature

- Stainless steel - High grade swagged copper - Solar & wetback options - Future-proofed

www.petercocks.co.nz

03 384 1360 | 08000 555 048

Plumbing Concrete Cutting & Core Drilling Roofing Spouting Drainlaying Excavation Suction Truck CCTV inspections & Drain Clearing

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April 2015 | 37

Property & Construction | Clyne & Bennie Plumbing

Creating more energy efficient homes Homes are becoming increasingly more energy efficient and eco-friendly as the awareness and importance of sustainable living grows.

heating systems, home heating, design and installation plumbing packages and sheet metal or gas fitting.

The number of products on the market designed to create sustainable homes is also increasing.

This year marks the celebration of 25 years in business, under its current ownership structure, for Clyne & Bennie.

It can take on any plumbing job thanks to its diverse, skilled team which is made up of certified plumbers, gasfitters, and drainlayers.

Plus it has the innovative technology and resources to provide you with the highest quality service.

Exceeding 25 years in business

Clyne & Bennie Plumbing understand the importance of building eco-friendly homes that will benefit the owners and the environment for years to come, which is why it now offers smart, modern plumbing techniques.

The Clyne & Bennie Plumbing managing director, Martin de Gouw says “To most people plumbing is about clearing blocked toilets and waste pipes, but that’s one of the smallest parts of our industry.” The truth is the trade is far more diverse and in-depth than many imagine.

In fact the Christchurch Master Plumber offers a wide number of services including general plumbing, installation of hot water

The local company has been providing quality service to the Canterbury region since the 1950s.

It began as a partnership between Matt Bennie and Dave Clyne and was sold in the late 60s to two plumbers.

While is has changed hands a number of times over the years Martin explains the Clyne & Bennie name had developed such a strong following it was kept.

Today it is in the capable hands of Martin de Gouw, James Cowles and David McPherson, all experienced plumbers, gas fitters and/or drainlayers.

They are complemented by a large team of dedicated staff providing an efficient and reliable plumbing service for repairs and maintenance, residential and commercial alterations.

“We have these capabilities now. Yes, it’s more expensive to install initially, but the long term benefits to the household and society is too important to ignore.”

Sustainable plumbing

Clyne & Bennie Plumbing can offer sales and installation of a range of solar hot water or heat pump water heating systems, as well as other environmentally friendly plumbing and gas fitting products, such as the water efficient urinal flush system, or the latest condensing gas boilers.

Solutions to create more sustainable, energy efficient homes are widely available from double glazing, LED lighting and thermal insulation. Now eco-plumbing techniques can join the ranks of modern innovations capable of saving energy in the home.

The principles behind eco-plumbing is to use methods and create systems which are energy and water efficient, minimise resource use, make use of sustainable and/or renewable materials and have minimal impact on the environment.

“Using the technology available allows us to build better houses than we have ever been able to before,” Martin says.

“We also have the ability to control water flow, so your modern shower doesn’t become wasteful, and we can recycle greywater so your bath and shower water can be reused to flush toilets, water the gardens etc, and with some treatment, rain water can be used for irrigation and washing clothes.

for all your energy requirements Including: Solar Power; PV

Hydraulic lift

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Energy Audit Electrical

Proud to support Clyne & Bennie Plumbing Your first choice for electrical services in Canterbury

Significant projects Clyne and Bennie were given the job of re-plumbing the Theatre Royal during the rebuild of the historic building; having done it previously prior to the earthquakes. The company was proud to be a part of such a significant project for the city. Martin says “It was an honour to be involved again in a challenging project delivered on time, because as the saying goes ‘the show must go on’.”

It has also installed a complete plumbing system with solar hot water at the new Longhurst Medical Centre in Halswell, which is a significant local investment for the community.

is proud to support

Clyne & Bennie Plumbing

Residential and commercial wiring Security systems Heat pump installations Repairs and maintenance

Phone Kevin for more information.

Proud to be associated with Clyne and Bennie

Ph 379 4832

37b Carlyle Street, Sydenham sales@beattiegroup.co.nz | www.beattiegroup.co.nz

38 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

163 Montreal Street, Christchurch 03-366 2464

Property & Construction | Clyne & Bennie Plumbing

Working relationships

Mico Plumbing

Running a company well is often part of a wider effort with key business partners. Clyne & Bennie value the strong working relationships it has with a number of local supporting businesses. Here are a few that help Clyne & Bennie do its job so well.

Mico Plumbing is Clyne & Bennie’s preferred suppliers of all plumbing material and has a supply store within its building solely for the use of its plumbers.

Summit Fleet Servicing Alistair and the team at Summit Fleet Servicing keep Clyne & Bennie’s fleet of over 40 vehicles moving in good working order to ensure they get to their jobs on time.

AC Connections Ltd The team at AC Connections provide Clyne & Bennie with electrical service for gas water heating conversion and cylinder replacements.

It offers a complete selection of electrical services in Canterbury.

Beattie Group Clyne & Bennie team up with the Beattie Group for the supply of its solar water heating and also when clients want a combined mechanical and plumbing package for new builds.

Saunders & Co Lawyers Michael Kirkland and his team at Saunders & Co Lawyers provide Clyne & Bennie with the legal support a company of 50 plus staff require from updating employment contracts, conditions of sale, to buy sell agreements and much more.

“

It can take on any plumbing job thanks to its diverse, skilled team which is made up of certified plumbers, gasfitters, and drainlayers. Plus it has the innovative technology and resources to provide you with the highest quality service.

”

Cope Shearing Chartered Accountants Dave Cope has been Clyne & Bennie’s accountant for more than 20 years and provides it with financial support and monthly accounts to keep the company on track for the long term.

Barrett Contractors Limited Barrett Contactors support Clyne & Bennie with drainage connection requirements to the local authority network. It specialises in commercial drainage with experience in council authorised drainage and offers drainage consultancy for both the residential and commercial sectors. >

68 Mandeville Street, Christchurch Phone 03 943 0111 info@copeshearing.co.nz Accounting Services, Business Advice, Taxation Advice, Cashflows, Budgeting, Trusts, All Tax Returns.

Proud to be associated with Clyne & Bennie Plumbing

• BACKFLOW PREVENTION • DESIGN BUILD SOLUTIONS • DRAIN CLEANING - CCTV

Master Plumber of the year 2010

• PLUMBERS • GAS FITTERS • DRAIN LAYERS

Locally owned and operated for over 60 years

Phone 0800 374 737 (dripfree) Email plumbers@clyne-bennie.co.nz Web www.clyne-bennie.co.nz 112 Buchan Street, ChCh (Head office) & 331-C Flaxton Road, Rangiora

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 39

Property & Construction | Clyne & Bennie Plumbing

Property & Construction | Plastercraft Southern

High quality plaster products

The system also provides a multitude of ways to improve business efficiency and optimisation, including more accurate job reporting, savings in fuel use, and the ability to track the maintenance needs of the fleet.

Fix it now Remember “Don’t sleep with a drip!” call Clyne & Bennie for your routine maintenance and emergency repairs! Or make Clyne & Bennie your preferred one stop shop for all plumbing drainage and gas fitting projects. CT

Because plaster can be shaped into any form it means it can create a range of styles and features to suit the client.

The Christchurch company, celebrating 53 years in business, offers a wide range of high quality plaster products. The staff are all experts in their field, really know what they’re talking about and count the Isaac Theatre Royal as one of their portfolio feats.

Plastercraft Southern Limited 447 St Asaph Street Christchurch T (03) 381 0005 E office@plastercraft.co.nz — Advertising Feature www.plastercraft.co.nz

So whether you’re after a fire surround, cornice, a house lot of Wetherslate roofing tiles or just a single light centre, it can all be found here at Plastercraft. CT

CONGRATULATIONS TO PLASTERCRAFT SOUTHERN & PLASTER SERVICES ON THEIR SUCCESS TO DATE.

Navman Wireless How do you stay at the forefront for 25 years? One of the reasons for Clyne & Bennie Plumbing’s success is it doesn’t stand still. Clyne & Bennie adopted Navman Wireless GPS fleet tracking technology to improve job dispatching and speed up responses to customer queries.

If there’s anyone who has ornate plaster solutions it’s Plastercraft Southern Ltd who have been at the forefront of fibrous plaster manufacturing since 1951.

Clyne & Bennie Plumbing 112 Buchan Street Sydenham Christchurch T (03) 366 3058 Clyne & Bennie North Canterbury 331-B Flaxton Road Rangiora T 0800374737 (0800 dripfree) www.clyne-bennie.co.nz www.plumbingshoponline.co.nz

Productive.

Responsive.

Profitable.

0800 100 442 www.gib.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Service Professionals who use Navman Wireless to manage their vehicles are able to increase productivity, achieve cost savings and provide market-leading customer service.

Property & Construction | GRS Excavations

Creating foundations for success GRS Excavations Ltd’s small business focus means you get personal service and every earthmoving project is completed on time by a small and capable group of professionals.

GRS Excavations offers a vast range of excavation services, from new house foundations to residential and commercial demolition, as well as general contracting.

“We've definitely seen savings in fuel use and now have better control over the use of vehicles and equipment. The efficiencies have also increased. We can let customers know when our team members are due to turn up or inform them if we're delayed in getting there. It's sped up the conversations with the customers.”

Martin de Gouw, Managing Director, Clyne and Bennie Plumbing

General engineering On site mobile welding Certified truck repairs Bucket repairs & hardfacing Repairs & maintenance

The family-run earthmoving company located in Rangiora was established in 2000 and has clients ranging from individuals looking for a quick but considerate service for horse burials through to large projects for housing groups and construction project management companies.

The business has considerable experience of complex hill excavations and has also worked on multi-faceted demolition projects throughout Canterbury. One such project GRS Excavations has been involved in is the deconstruction and site works at the historic Isaac Theatre Royal.

This project involved having to carefully demolish the building around the original façade and marble staircase so that they could be retained for the new structure that stands today.

The business employs highly skilled Site Safe trained staff who take pride in their work.

Owner Gavin Storer works hard to ensure all jobs are completed to satisfaction, achieved by high standards and attention to detail and he believes this is why many of the people that he first did work for are still valued clients today. CT

Full machine shop facilities Trailer repairs.

Proud to be a part of the success of Clyne & Bennie Plumbing.

Congratulations on your 25th 0800 447 735 www.navmanwireless.co.nzz anniversary.

Navman Wireless_Service_NZ_Clyne_Bennie_quarter.indd 1

40 | April 2015

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4/12/2014 2:58:25 PM

13 Railway Road, Rangiora

03 31 3 4748

www.engineeringnorthcanterbury.co.nz

GRS Excavations Ltd PO BOX 181 Rangiora Christchurch T (03) 313 2104 M 027 487 6689 E gav.renee@scorch.co.nz www.grsexcavations.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Property & Construction | Country Style Homes

Great living ideas and design Country Style Homes in Christchurch is celebrating more than 10 years of building beautiful, strong homes throughout Canterbury.

Country Style Homes offers a full design-and-build service

The company’s focus is on delivering quality new homes and renovations to discerning customers who share their passion for good design and detail.

Country Style Homes offers a full design and build service and follows through with exceptional craftsmanship, enthusiasm and a professional, friendly service.

The Country Style Homes team is continuously working on drafting innovative design ideas. Customers can choose from one of the company’s own plans, which range from small cottages through to large executive homes.

The design team can also design the perfect home to suit your needs, and can work with you on your house plans.

“We work closely with you and bring you through our process to ensure you receive the finest outcome and exact results you want,” director Ashley De Wys says.

“We’ll project-manage your entire build, from the initial concept design stage through to completion, ensuring your building process runs smoothly.”

Country Style Homes has significant experience within the Canterbury building industry, and its established relationships with renowned local businesses and services mean clients can be assured that only the highest quality subcontractors will work alongside its dedicated qualified building team.

HAVE YOU LOOKED US UP ONLINE?

The company offers a Master Builders 10 year guarantee on all its homes.

Country Style Homes is a division of AD Building Solutions Ltd, a Canterbury building firm that has been trading since 2004 and has established a reputation for excellence.

Ashley De Wys has more than 17 years of building industry experience and is a tradequalified Registered Master Builder.

A beautiful kitchen by Country Style Homes

During the past 10 years AD Building Solutions has completed a diverse range of building and design work, including new homes, renovations, extensions and alterations, multilevel apartments, farm sheds, office fit-outs, and light commercial structures.

Ashley and his partner Hailee founded Country Style Homes in order to share their passion for unique and beautiful housing that offers classical styling in concert with superb liveability.

“We share our family values and work with our clients personally to create an enjoyable and fun experience when building our homes.” CT Country Style Homes PO Box 76153 Northwood Central Christchurch T (03) 929 0973 M 021 284 5323 E countrystylehomes@gmail.com www.countrystylehomes.co.nz

Servicing Heating & Cooling Ventilation Electrical Solar

03 327 2558

For all your Longrun Roofing Products Contact Roofline Products

Proud to support Country Style Homes Ph: 03 349 8439 info@roofline.co.nz www.roofline.co.nz

southernheating.co.nz

info@southernheating.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Proud to support

Country Style Homes for a free measure and quote phone BRENT

03 388 3461 / 021 184 3672 email brent@eastcoastkitchens.co.nz

www.eastcoastkitchens.co.nz

Proud to support Countrystyle Homes We are a local company with 15 years experience in Canterbury doing interior and exterior, residential and commercial, new and old.

Covering all aspects of the trade from plastering to wallpapering and spraying.

Adam Cliff

Contact us on: (03) 961 5087

DESIGN

BUILD

027 347 5311 Ph/fax: 03 385 1779

email: revive_painting@yahoo.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 41

Property & Construction | Artworks Landscape

Integrated landscape designs While the award-winning show garden at 404 Prestons Road is a visual representation of the high quality outdoor spaces Artworks Landscape has been producing for more than 25 years, add the company’s more recent accomplishments and it’s clear Artworks is still at the top of its game.

Not only did the local landscaping firm take out two national gold awards at the 2014 Landscape New Zealand Awards, in both the landscape construction and horticulture (for commercial property) categories, but one of their talented foremen – NicMuir – won the Young Landscaper of the Year award for 2014.

Almost three decades after Ross Marriott established the company, it’s clear he’s just as passionate about what he does since Artworks Landscape started in 1987. There were some important changes towards the end of last year and Ross, along with wife Jayne, who plays an

equally important role within the company, are clearly excited about what the future holds.

Not only is Jayne running the newly developed marketing department, she is hands-on managing the company’s HR and health & safety operations, as well as a number of other integral roles. “Jayne is inspiring to work with and I admire her tenacity,” Ross says.

“She has previously worked in an environment which was constantly changing and evolving and, as a result, adapts quickly and efficiently to change.”

Bluestone Natural Stone Paving Urns and Spheres

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03 3598625 | www.urbanpaving.co.nz Proud to support Artworks Landscape

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www.jclasphalt.co.nz 42 | April 2015

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Property & Construction | Artworks Landscape

It’s clear they work well as a team and enjoy what they do as they reflect on the growth of the company and the exciting new landscaping concepts which have developed, particularly in the last four years. “We love a challenge,” Jayne explains.

“It’s imperative to be constantly improving.

In the environment Canterbury as a whole is experiencing, you have to keep refining your internal systems, streamlining and embracing new concepts to improve services to your clients.”

With local building escalating, the company is heavily involved in new landscape design and construction, and believes a superior finished product can be achieved when integrated during the design and build process.

Able to turn its hand to both commercial and residential applications, the Artworks team can create custom landscapes for new homes and businesses, transform existing gardens into modern, functional spaces and manage the maintenance of established gardens.

“We are extremely busy and continually growing,” Ross says. “There’s a host of fresh blood in our crews, which is complimented by many longstanding, clever landscapers.

“They are an extremely talented bunch of guys,” Jayne agrees. “As they say, you are only as good as your staff, so building our team with the right people has always been a key focus for us.” >

Congratulations to Artworks Landscape Ltd on serving the greater Canterbury area for over 30 years P O Box 21169, Edgeware, Christchurch

(021) 844-842 info@powerworks.org.nz

www.powerworks.org.nz

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 43

Property & Construction | Artworks Landscape

With dynamics always changing, it’s integral for staff – particularly those in upper management – to take command of their roles, embrace new systems and implement them with 100 percent positivity, Ross explains. “In recognition of this, we encourage teaching and learning from each other within the crews. Our three project managers have worked their way up the ranks and have collectively been with Artworks for a few years now.”

Preserving a great culture and growth is important to the couple, who have maintained a busy balance of design work, rebuild work and general creative outdoor space work.

“The challenges all businesses face will always be there,” they both agree. “But we are embracing what we’re doing and enjoying creating outdoor spaces that our clients are proud of and can enjoy all year round. That’s what’s fulfilling about what we do.

“We are a progressive couple, in a progressive time,” Ross adds. “But we like to enjoy ourselves as well. It’s energising and inspiring to see what is happening around Christchurch and a privilege to be playing a role in the city at a time like this.”

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Located at 404 Prestons Road, Artworks Landscape’s award winning show garden is open to the public for viewing any time from Monday to Friday. CT

Artworks Landscape 404 Prestons Road Marshland Christchurch T (03) 387 0673 www.artworkslandscape.co.nz

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More detailed information available visit www.canidae.co.nz or freephone 0800 101 729.

Electrical | Mister Sparky

For comprehensive electrial services New Zealand is a DIY nation, but lets face it we can’t do everything ourselves. When faced with a DIY job, particularly when it's electrical, make the smart choice and call in the experts.

Mister Sparky is one of those experts that you can trust to give expert advice and to do the job once and do it right.

Master electrician and owner/operator of Mister Sparky, Marco Bosgra is a trusted local electrician who has the skills to carry out a wide range of electrical services in both residential and commercial buildings.

When you deal with Mister Sparky you deal with Marco and his small, but extremely knowledgeable team. He puts customer satisfaction at the forefront of his work and provides great service for all of his customers.

He says his customers particularly appreciate his honest, helpful advice which enables them to make the best decisions for their electrical needs. “We don’t aim for the best sale item for us, we aim for the best solution to suit our customers’ requirements or desires,” he says.

With a flood of new LED lighting on the market it can be hard to select the right product for your needs, but Mister Sparky is happy to assist with expert advice so you get the right product.

Marco says he enjoys working with his great team and giving customers exceptional results.

“Whether we’re designing and installing a lighting layout for residential customers or finding a solution for an industrial customer, we aim to add value to all of our jobs.”

Small beginnings Marco single handedly established the business in 2007. As just one man working from a van he steadily built up the business and its clientele, becoming the go-to electrician for many building companies in town.

The business has continued to grow in Christchurch through the recession and

the earthquakes and has established a strong presence.

Today Mister Sparky has administration staff, two fully qualified tradesmen, an apprentice and is currently looking for another tradesman to join its team.

Domestic

ON CALL Mister Sparky is on call 24hrs for a reliable breakdown and emergency service.

A steady and safe electricity supply in the home is an absolute must. Whether wiring a new plug to designing and installing the electrical system in your new home, Mister Sparky is focussed on making your system both completely safe and absolutely reliable.

Residential services include: • New house wiring • Old house rewiring • Electrical design • Lighting design and installations • Heating and cooling solutions • Heat pumps and air conditioning installation and servicing • Home automation.

Commercial No commercial job is too big or small for Mister Sparky. It is experienced in providing electrical services to commercial customers in a variety of industries, including a number of building companies specialising in architectural homes.

Marco and his team are experienced at working on single level to multi-level corporate buildings, single unit business', banks, warehouses, hotels, restaurants and more. Whatever your businesses electrical needs, Mister Sparky can meet your demands tailor-made to your request.

Commercial Services include: • New project work • Preventative and scheduled maintenance • Emergency service, fault finding and repairs • Lighting design, exit and emergency lighting • Thermal graphic scanning • RCD testing, safety switches, testing and tagging • Data and communication, audio and visual. CT

Mister Sparky PO Box 5688 Papanui Christchurch T 0800 842 248 E marco@mistersparky.co.nz www.mistersparky.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Your number one choice for architectural homes and earthquake repairs Proud to be associated with Mister Sparky

PO Box 12253, Christchurch | Phone: 027 227 4423 | martin@ultimatehomes.co.nz | www.ultimatehomes.co.nz

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 45

Focus | GreenWood

A GreenWood building under construction

Creating working spaces In 2012 GreenWood purchased the Steel Sheds (Canterbury) business then rebranded it as GreenWood Commercial (GreenWood).

<

The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavy portal bracket designs can allow for clearspans over 32m

Dimond and Taurean Garage Doors proudly support GreenWood and congratulate them on their 10 year anniversary.

Proud to support GreenWood & Congratulate them on 10 years in business

When you want bolts, nuts, hinges, screws or fasteners fast.

Call us and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be with you in a flash.

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46 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

www.taureandoors.co.nz

www.fortressfasteners.co.nz

Focus | GreenWood

Focus | Waimairi Beach Golf Club

Game on at the brand new Waimairi Beach

<

With their in-house engineers and detailers GreenWood can quote, design and engineer a building swiftly and cost-effectively

GreenWood refocussed the business on larger, industrial and commercial buildings. These buildings are typically large warehouses or factory buildings with large concrete pads, offices and site development and landscaping as required.

Whether it’s for manufacturing, storing, or a rural enterprise, or just because you want a large warehouse, GreenWood has the design and engineering capability to create the best space for your needs.

GreenWood is 100 percent Canterbury owned. Within the partnership with the Donovan Group, GreenWood has access to several in-house engineers and seven detailers.

The buildings are engineered and designed quickly, professionally and cost effectively, so you have the comfort and security of purchasing from experienced people.

The company’s heavy portal bracket designs can allow for clearspans in excess of 32m without the need for unwanted props and supports, giving greater clearspans and more headroom inside the building.

This also means clean and uncluttered interior framework.

GreenWood customers get unbeatable value for money; combining superior strength, design and function has enabled it to provide high quality, very cost competitive building solutions.

GreenWood has the design flexibility and engineering capability to deliver virtually any size, any shape, anywhere, whatever the need.

All its buildings come with extensive warranties and the reassurance of local back up. CT

GreenWood T (03) 347 2599 T 0800 347259 E info@greenwoodinfo.co.nz www.greenwoodinfo.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

“A proud supplier from day one”

WESTIMBER LTD. CHRISTCHURCH BRANCH 15 Broughs Rd, Harewood P.O. Box 5015, Papanui Phone (03) 360 2100 Fax (03) 360 2101 christchurch@westimber.co.nz

Grab your golf clubs and head on down to the Waimairi Beach Golf Club to christen one of the newest courses in town and enjoy a challenging yet enjoyable round of golf.

The newly revamped club boasts a larger re-routed course to allow for 13 new golf holes, a driving range, two practice putting greens and a brand new clubhouse. >

Proud to support Waimairi Beach Golf Club Inc.

Sandy Sladen Phone: 03-3594370 Fax: 03-3594372 Mobile: 027-5394190

Smart People. Smart Products.

Smart Solutions.

At Prebbles Turf World we pride ourselves on being able to offer great products at really great prices.

Couple this with our great promotions and it really does prove Smart People, Smart Products, Smart Solutions.

Proud to support Waimairi Beach Golf Club inc WESTCOAST SAWMILL Ngahere NZ

Phone (03) 732 4894 Fax (03) 732 4892 ngahere@westimber.co.nz

www.turfworld.co.nz P. 03 349 7295 | F. 03 349 7290 E. prebchch@prebbleseeds.co.nz P.O. Box 11186, Christchurch 8443 A. 305 Marshs Road, Prebbleton.

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03 338 1299 Proud sponsors of Waimairi Beach Golf Club would like to congratulate the team at GreenWood Rural, on their milestone of reaching 10 years in business. We wish you all the very best for the future.

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Disclosure Statements are available free of charge upon request. www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 47

Focus | Waimairi Beach Golf Club

Any avid golfer in Canterbury is bound to have played a few rounds on this renowned course.

It has been a part of the Canterbury golfing landscape for more than 80 years and proudly claims one of the largest memberships in the region with between 140 and 150 rounds being played on an average Saturday.

The 18-hole golf course was severely hit in the Canterbury earthquakes and was forced to close nine holes for major remodelling. The golf club embraced the disaster as an opportunity to revamp the club, giving it a new lease of life.

Club president Jon Sladen says the biggest challenge the club has faced since 1932 was the earthquakes of 2010-2012. “The clubhouse was severely damaged and unsafe for use, needing to be demolished and the course was a sea of liquefaction and unplayable.

“With great commitment by committee, greens staff and volunteers we managed to get a selection of holes open within six months. This gave us limited golf whilst we redeveloped and repaired the course with a dramatically new links course designed by Kura Designs Limited.”

The course changes meant the clubhouse was re-located to a more favourable position which takes advantage of the sun and blocks the north-easterly Canterbury winds.

He says the course is challenging yet enjoyable for all level of players with its wetlands and strategically placed hazards and bunkers.

“The fairways are defined by waste bunkers and feature lightning fast greens which are a tough test,” Jon says.

Waimairi Beach Golf Club enjoys a strong reputation as a professional, friendly club welcoming all players of any ability. Members and visitors to the club take advantage of extremely competitive rates, a great course and modern facilities.

Set on approximately 44 hectares, the course is relatively short compared to modern standards however, at par 72, it is well thought out with a variation in the length of holes and diverse new obstacles. “The increased challenges and strategy of the new course is proving popular with members and visitors alike.”

Waimairi Beach Golf Club members and the general public can relax in the modern clubhouse and enjoy a barista made coffee and a bite to eat at the clubhouse café. All while overlooking the fantastic views of the course from the large glass windows. Plus the clubhouse is wheel chair friendly.

Facilities

The club professional, James Oh, operates a great pro shop on-site which offers a wide range of golf gear for sale and hire as well as individual or group coaching sessions. James is happy to share his knowledge providing professional, friendly advice.

So if you are in the East of Christchurch and want to play a round of golf, enjoy a meal or drink in a picturesque surrounding, or looking for a venue for your next function or meeting, head to Waimairi Beach Golf Club. CT Waimairi Beach Golf Club 460 Bower Ave Parklands Christchurch T (03) 383 0307 E office@waimairibeach.co.nz www.waimairibeachgolf.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Peter Davidson &

A S S O C I AT E S

C H A RT E R E D AC C O U N TA N T S

Auditors to the Waimairi Beach Golf Club since 2002.

We also assist with the presentation of the end of year financial reports.

We provide Audit and Accounting services to a number of other sports clubs and community service organisations. We are happy to provide your organisation or business with a fee estimate that will not be exceeded.

P: 03 384 6020 | F: 03 384 8060 | A/H: 03 384 4223 | E: peter@pdca.co.nz 25A Horotane Valley Road, Heathcote, Christchurch 8022

LAMB & HAYWARD F U N E R A L

D I R E C T O R S

Remaining Canterbury’s most trusted funeral home, and proudly supporting Waimairi Beach Golf Club.

Canterbury owned since 1923; it makes a difference.

BURNSIDE

48 | April 2015

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LINWOOD RANGIORA Ph (03) 359 9018 www.lambandhayward.co.nz

Focus | Galbraith Group

Master plasterers Half a century in business is truly a massive achievement and it’s a milestone the Galbraith Group is thrilled to be celebrating this year.

The Galbraith Group, who are masters of all types plastering work and painting, is proud to have had been operating the Nelson region for the last 50 years and are very much an integral part of the community.

The company has built a solid client base in the district thanks to its strong reputation for service and workmanship that is second to none.

A family affair The success of the Galbraith Group can be attributed to the father and son who have been devoted to running the business over the many decades.

Galbraith Plasterers Limited was established

by Barry Galbraith Senior in 1965. During the following 34 years Barry Snr and his staff plastered thousands of homes and commercial buildings around the top of the South Island.

Barry’s son, Barry Galbraith Junior and his wife Nicky purchased the business in 1999.

Barry Junior continued on his father’s success expanding the business into a number of relevant industries enabling it to offer a total package from plastering right through to the finished painted exterior.

In July 2003 Barry started Galbraith Painting Limited. Galbraith Painting has 11 trade qualified and experienced painters specialising in both interior and exterior painting. Its exterior painting comes with a Weatherproof Warranty.

In 2004 nine tradesmen and brick/block layers were recruited to give clients a wider range of

cladding and fencing options. More recently in August 2006 the company purchased a Sandblasting, Industrial Coatings and Powdercoating business.

Barry has built the success of his business group on a foundation of personal attention and a sleeves-rolled-up attitude. He is hands-on and makes regular job site visits to ensure work is progressing as planned; putting customer satisfaction at the forefront.

Today Galbraith Group is one of the largest plastering companies in the South Island and is the preferred applicator of plastering systems for many major building companies.

Services Galbraith’s offer a range of expert services delivered by experienced tradesmen backed by a second generation family business.

They can re-clad your existing home or building with any plaster system.

Sills & Plaster

• Historic houses and chimneys • Painting interior and exteriors • Mining infrastructure.

Galbraith’s service area is generally within the top of the South Island, but they can travel. So please give the team a call to discuss your requirements. CT

Galbraith Group 80 Beatty Street Annesbrook Nelson T (03) 547 7500 E galbraithgroup@xtra.co.nz www.galbraithgroup.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Its highly trained staff can provide: • Solid plaster systems • Modified plaster systems • Block laying • Brick laying • Stonework • Painting • Sandblasting, Industrial Coatings and Powdercoating.

Recent projects Galbraith Group has worked on many award winning projects and a wide range of jobs, including: • High quality residential homes • Multi-dwelling retirement villages • Commercial properties • Sports facilities

Congratulations Galbraith Group

on your 50 anniversary th

Working together to create innovative coating solutions

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 49

Focus | Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors

125 years and counting Celebrating its 125th anniversary, Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors is excited to announce the move to new premises on 367 High Street, Rangiora.

Reaching 125 years is a monumental feat for this locally owned and operated Canterbury company, which has its roots firmly placed in the community and looks forward to another century of success.

The friendly and caring staff has been looking after Canterbury families since 1890.

Gulliver and Tyler carry the names of two of Rangiora’s early businessmen, Herbert Gulliver, and one of the town’s longest serving mayors, Charles Tyler, who served as mayor from 1939 to 1961.

In 1960 the company built and opened premises in Albert Street, providing Rangiora with its first funeral chapel for interdenominational services. In 1992, Ian and Philip Seal purchased Gulliver & Tyler, carrying on the long tradition of both local and family ownership.

During this time, North Canterbury Cremations at Flaxton Park, (on the corner of Lineside and Youngs Roads), was developed providing cremation facilities.

At the end of December 2009, Gulliver & Tyler, with Richard and Dawn Spark, started construction of Northbrook Chapel at Rossburn Receptions. The chapel is in keeping with the rural theme, seating 170 persons with overflow capacity of 150, as well as car parking for 140 cars.

The team at Gulliver & Tyler understands how important it is to give your beloved a loving funeral and offer a well-planned and personalised service to do as much or as little as you wish.

From peaceful locations, casket options and burial and cremation arrangements, to memorial plaques and catering services, Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors has got everything covered so you don’t have to do the hard work.

New staff member Heather Fuller has joined the team and alongside Wendi Keown is FDANZ qualified.

Northbrook Chapel

“

Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors are committed to the tradition and history of the company by providing exceptional service and to help you and your family remember the passing of your loved one in tasteful surroundings.

”

Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors are committed to the tradition and history of the company by providing exceptional service and to help you and your family remember the passing of your loved one in tasteful surroundings. CT Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors PO Box 35 Rangiora T (03) 313 8222 E admin@gulliver-tyler.co.nz www.gulliver-tyler.co.nz

Flaxton Park

— Advertising Feature

Richard & Dawn Spark are proud to support Gulliver and Tyler Funeral Directors sparkfarm@xtra.co.nz

www.rossburnreceptions.co.nz

03 313 7427

CANTERBURY’S LEADING MONUMENTAL MASONS • Master Craftsmen and Tradesmen • All Cemeteries, Town and Country • Free Quotes • Workmanship Guaranteed • Pre-arranged Memorials • Friendly personal attention at our showroom or your home.

0800 33 66 11 Fax 365 6497 info@decraart.co.nz www.decraart.co.nz 36 Battersea Street, Sydenham, Christchurch 50 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

Focus | The Malthouse

The Malthouse - open for business Heritage buildings have become scarce in Christchurch, which is all the more reason to value the iconic buildings we have remaining and show our support for the businesses who occupy these treasured sites.

Malthouse Costumes is one business which calls a heritage listed building home. It occupies the Malthouse at 71 Colombo Street and despite the extensive earthquake repairs which are currently under way, remains open.

Proud past The Malthouse is a unique part of Christchurch’s history. It is a three storied industrial stone building, constructed in 1867 to process barley for a local brewery in Sydenham.

In 1952 Neta Neale, M.B.E., whose dream was to present quality theatre for children, performed by adults, established Canterbury Children’s Theatre.

In 1965 The Malthouse was purchased by the Canterbury Children’s Theatre and became its permanent home.

the building. The Charitable Trust was formed in 1998 to oversee the administration of the organisation’s assets, including the building.

Extensive earthquake strengthening of the Malthouse was completed in 2008, thankfully enabling the historic part of The Malthouse to survive all of the seismic events.

Earthquake repairs Despite this strengthening, some parts of The Malthouse were badly damaged in the earthquakes, needing repairs estimated at $2.5 million. Fortunately the building was fully covered by insurance.

The repairs include the rebuild of the amenities block (a newer part of the building which During the past 50 years the theatre company detached during the February earthquake), has lovingly looked after the historic site and in excavation of the basement for a new concrete the mid 1980s, Malthouse Costumes was formed raft to be laid for the whole building to sit on, and to help with the increasing costs of maintaining the rebuild of an original stone wall on the north

side which had not been strengthened and was badly damaged.

This is a huge undertaking, but will ensure the building is fully compliant when completed.

Work got underway in October last year and is expected to be completed in August this year.

The repairs may be a huge commitment, but considering The Malthouse is one of the few original heritage buildings remaining in the city, the Trust says it is determined to keep the historical site a part of Christchurch’s heritage landscape for years to come.

Malthouse Costumes Malthouse Costumes is the best costume hire business in town, offering high quality, unique costumes unlike anything else available. And better still it has remained open while earthquake repairs are ongoing, thanks to the efforts and cooperation of contractors HRS Construction.

Malthouse Costumes is pivotal to the daily running of The Malthouse and ensuring its ongoing viability. The annual operation costs and maintenance of The Malthouse are funded through any profit generated by the business.

Canterbury Children’s Theatre is looking forward to getting back onstage once repairs are complete with the Cushion Theatre returning to the Malthouse later in the year and, we hope, this will continue for many years to come. CT The Malthouse 71 Colombo Street Beckenham Christchurch Malthouse Costumes T (03) 332 3278 E info@malthousecostumes.co.nz www.malthousecostumes.co.nz — Advertising Feature

STONELAY STONEMASONS | Ph 021-368-666

The Malthouse Theatre Trust D R A I N A G E S PE C I A L I S T S erti ed rainla ers o ercial rainage rainage onsultanc uthorised to ro ide ser ices to

Proud to support HRS Construction with the remedial work on The Malthouse

03 385 6972 www.quickskips.co.nz

SPECIALISTS IN ALL TYPES OF STONEWORK AND STONE. E: stonelay@yahoo.com www.stonelay-dingoservices.com

Proud to support The Malthouse Theatre Trust

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 51

Transport & Motoring | Gold Band Taxis

Keeping Christchurch on the move New Zealand is known for its innovations. Gold Band Taxis is the lead innovator in the taxi field, having headed the way with a long series of ‘firsts’ ever since its start in 1929 when horse drawn carriages were the order of the day!

With an automated voice-prompt phone booking system, launched in the late 1990s, Gold Band Taxis next implemented Christchurch’s first real-time, online booking system in 2004. Initially targeted at hotel and motel customers, it was rapidly adopted by a host of users, jumping at the chance to book swiftly, efficiently and accurately.

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Transport & Motoring | Gold Band Taxis

Quickly on the heels of this, Gold Band launched Christchurch’s first real-time, GPS-capable booking ‘app’, to complement its suite of automated booking systems. ’Real time’ means that there’s no human intervention between the time you make the booking and the dispatch of your cab – in fact you become your own taxi dispatcher!” says Gold Band’s general manager Peter Lawry.

“And ‘GPS-capable’ means that you can watch the cab on the online map as it makes its way to your door.

“That’s the biggest part of the Gold Band story – we’re an innovative, local company continually looking for points of difference to improve the experience of, and increase the value for, our passengers.”

But of course, if you want the personal service of a call centre staff member, this is also still available through its booking number 3795 795.

“Gold Band Taxis is all about service. Right from the very beginning attention was focussed on provision of service,” Peter explains.

“Because our members all own a share of the company, each taxi owner has a vested interest to meet the needs of our customers to the highest possible standards.”

In February this year Gold Band Taxis raised its flag yet again and rebranded its cabs with what

is arguably the most exciting taxi imagery ever to be seen in New Zealand. “We’re unique in this country,” Peter says.

“Our new branding, with routes and arrows, destinations and icons, speaks of direction, momentum, innovation, service and broadscale coverage – all coupled with a little element of fun, whilst still representing the serious side of the business as well.

“We actually say it on our cabs: ‘We’re going places’ – and we mean it,” he states.

“We felt that our ‘new’ city needed a new approach to service – a reminder of excellence, the ‘old fashioned way’. Our rebrand is a visible way of Gold Band saying to its customers, ‘we’re willing to stand up and be counted; we’re putting our hands up to attract attention; we’re committed to offering you the very best that we can’,” Peter says.

People quickly find that the ‘Gold’ in this taxi company’s name represents a gold standard of service.

One of Gold Band’s innovations, unveiled as part of its rebrand project, is a bold decision to support growing Christchurch businesses.

The taxi company has introduced a unique, back-lit, fully-serviced, high-visibility, ‘transit advertising’ sign light. >

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AWARD PLASTICS & DISPLAYS ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT GOLD BAND TAXIS www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 53

Transport & Motoring | Gold Band Taxis

“

Our new, high profile, sign-lights are fully illuminated, to offer 24/7 advertising opportunities to any business wishing to ‘step up’ their own presence in Christchurch in a high profile way, at significantly lower costs than either bus-back or billboard advertising.

Never before has the Christchurch business community had such an opportunity to be so visible, right across the city, all hours of the day and night. “Our new, high profile, sign-lights are fully illuminated, to offer 24/7 advertising opportunities to any business wishing to ‘step up’ their own presence in Christchurch in a high profile way, at significantly lower costs than either bus-back or billboard advertising,” Peter says.

In the course of any month, taxis travel just about everywhere throughout the city, offering a 24/7 profile – so taxi sign-light advertising isn’t limited in the way that many static forms of advertising are. “This was another way for us to say we’re willing to support Christchurch businesses and the Christchurch rebuild,” he says.

What about special requirements? Gold Band Taxis has an arrangement with Ecan to offer subsidies through the Total Mobility Scheme, with an electronic card programme to facilitate the discounted fares for passengers supported by one of Christchurch’s largest fleets of mobility vehicles.

And if a ‘green‘ approach is important to you, close to 70 percent of Gold Band’s fleet run either on LPG or on a ‘hybrid’ petrol/electric basis.

”

All vehicles must meet stringent criteria, ensuring they conform to and exceed industry norms for safety standards and emission levels. “No vehicle is allowed to produce more than 250 grams carbon per kilometre,” Peter says.

“We’re looking to lift our game every step of the way. As technology improves, so do we.

“We are prepared continually to innovate, adopt new systems as they become available and push ourselves to improve the customer experience,” Peter continues.

“Our future goals are aligned with customer service and continuing to provide the best possible experience for our customers.” CT

Gold Band Taxis 31A Mandeville Street Riccarton Christchurch T (03) 3795 795 E bookings@goldbandtaxis.co.nz www.goldbandtaxis.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Mount Campbell Mount Campbell Mount Campbell Canterbury Limited

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6A Michelle Road Christchurch 8042 Tel 03 341 3520

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We Make Mobile Radio Communications Happen

info@mountcampbell.co.nz 54 | April 2015

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0800 22 33 60

Transport & Motoring | Mark's Automotive

A labour of automotive love The husband and wife team at Mark’s Automotive have put a lot of care, many long hours and a tremendous amount of effort into establishing the business.

Now, co-directors Mark and Leona Nicholas are celebrating 10 strong years in business.

loyal customer even comes from the West Coast for his services.

Mark’s Automotive’s fully trained mechanics can take on any challenge big or small. They service, warrant and repair all makes and models of vehicles, plus they sell a variety of tyre brands and have just become the major dealer in Kumho Tyres in the Selwyn area.

“My Mum and Dad, Barbara and Rex, were an amazing help. Mum looked after the kids and cracked on with the housework and Dad helped us paint the workshop and built the counter, cupboards and doors.”

Meet the team

Building the business It was a lifelong dream of Mark’s to run his own mechanics workshop. In 2004 Mark’s father-in-law, the late Rex Crafts, made it his personal mission to help his daughter and son-in-law start up their own business. The family team set about turning the dream into a reality, taking over the Springs Road workshop in November 2004 and worked to quickly become an MTA member.

Leona explains the first year in business was full on. “Mark and I did everything and this was made even busier with two children under four. We walked the streets with the double pushchair, after work and in the weekends, putting out thousands upon thousands of vouchers to get people in the door.”

She says she knew once people came through the door for the first time, met Mark and saw his capabilities they would stay, so it was really just a matter of getting people in. “We now have customers from all over Christchurch, from Mount Pleasant to Redwood and one

The team at Mark’s Automotive has grown during its decade in business and is now backed up by five staff. The team includes two apprentices, Will, who has almost finished his training and Isaac, two fully qualified technicians Sam and Adrian, plus Daryl who works on the front desk and is second in charge. Mark, who has 30 years experience in the trade and Leona continue to play a major role in their business.

Anniversary celebrations Leona and Mark are extremely proud to be celebrating 10 years in business and have become an important part of the Prebbleton community.

Leona says the key to their businesses longevity and success is honesty. “Mark is a very honest person; he and I always wanted to go into business to be able to repair vehicles as required, not ‘fix’ stuff that isn’t broken.”

Award winners Mark, Leona and the team are very proud recipients of the Prebbleton Enviro Village Responsible Business Trophy, which they have won two years running.

Services • Full mechanical repairs • WOF • Safety inspections • Servicing • Warranty servicing • Tyres • Four loan vehicles available to keep you moving when your car isn’t.

Mark's Automotive Ltd 559 Springs Road Prebbleton Christchurch, 7604 T (03) 349 3344 E marksautomotive@xtra.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Pop in and have a chat with the team for some frank advice and expert repairs. CT

Medicines Photography Passport Photos L Oreal Cosmetics

Gifts Toiletries Perfume

Mark’s Automotive Ask Mark and the team about Kumho EECA Approved Tyres

Phone us on 325 2666 Visit us at 8 Gerald St

veenuzindiandzire Ethnic Indian Cuisine

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Proud Insurance Brokers for Mark’s Automotive To contact us please phone 03 3667536 or visit our website www.abbottgroup.co.nz

“

“

Risk Management is our Business

Proud to support Mark’s

AUTOMOTIVE

575 Springs Road, Prebbleton, New Zealand

03 3445554

Hornby Accounting Ltd

Chartered Accountants

A: 7 Goulding Avenue, Christchurch P: 03 3499 572 E: office@hornbyaccounting.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 55

Food & Distribution | Service Foods

Fresh produce delivered daily If you’re in the food service or hospitality industry, then Service Foods is a name you need to know about.

As one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned and operated food service distribution businesses, Service Foods supplies a wide range of customers including hotels, QSRs, restaurants, cafés and manufacturers.

Its range of products includes dry, frozen, chilled, fresh seafood, imported foods, with fresh produce and butchery being the latest addition to the range.

The extent to which Service Foods has been working to expand its reach across New Zealand from its two locations, in Auckland and Christchurch, is evident in three company milestones occurring this year: 2015 marks 35 years of general operations in the industry, 21 years of operation under the Service Foods Ltd

Proud to support Service Foods P: (3) 366 2375 345 Colombo St. Sydenham,Christchurch www.harmanmotors.co.nz

brand and five years of sustained and substantial growth in the Auckland market.

Service Foods has progressively built its operational strength and with this, its reputation, acquiring businesses in recent years and with no intention of slowing down, it has acquisitions planned for the future.

Director Aneil Balar says Service Foods’ proactive and competitive operation has ensured its success will be ongoing, with the company covering Auckland, the Waikato and Canterbury by truck and other regions by freight.

Fresh foods division broadens product range This ongoing success has been realised with the company’s new fresh foods division, opened last December, to provide customers with an even greater range of product choices.

The division is the latest development within Service Foods, involving the construction of a new 3,000 sqm building adjacent to its existing 5,000 sqm chilled/frozen/ambient premises in Otahuhu.

“

Being successful in business is all about communication and with this, establishing and maintaining working relationships with both suppliers and clients alike.

Aneil says while Service Foods has experienced huge growth during the past 10 years, the new fresh foods division is one of its biggest developments.

It includes its own butchery where fresh meat will be cut to order from the carcass daily. It also contains a custom built fresh produce operation which sources and supplies a wide range of fruit and vegetables. Fresh fish is also caught and processed daily.

”

“By processing in-house we can customise requirements for our clients and ensure we deliver the freshest quality possible.”

Aneil says the produce division will increase Service Foods’ capacity considerably and provide a one stop shop solution to its clients.

“The whole team is service orientated; we go out of our way for our customers to source products that others give up on.”

24B Acheron Drive, Riccarton | PO Box 80079, Christchurch Phone: 03 343 3025 | Email: info@mefco.co.nz

Coming Soon! www.mefco.co.nz

A very special welcome to all lovers of real Mediterranean Cuisine. A surprise to those who haven’t experienced the delight of this internationally acclaimed food.

Come try our freshly baked Lebanese pita bread and famous range of Mediterranean dips including our authentic hummus and babaganoush. The Butchery includes a wide range of quality Halal beef, lamb and chicken cuts, in addition to a variety of specialty meats made on site. Our mouth watering gluten free sausages and beef patties keep our customers’ barbecues on fire all year round and the salami and pastrami for those who enjoy the real taste of meat. The tubs of feta and other specialty cheeses imported from around the world come highly recommended. Come in, we PROMISE you won’t be disappointed!

OPEN DAY 4th April, 2015 For any wholesale inquiries please contact us

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MEDIUM LEBANESE BREAD (5pcs) on any purchase above

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*Deals valid until 31 July 2015 56 | April 2015

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

Food & Distribution | Service Foods

At a glance | Kiwi Tipi Rentals

Tipis for any occasion Forging professional relationships Being successful in business is all about communication and with this, establishing and maintaining working relationships with both suppliers and clients alike.

So Service Foods would like to thank all its clients, suppliers and partners. With this in mind, it thanks those companies who have supported the company on these pages: Middle Eastern Food Company, Dairyworks, Visa Global Logistics Group, Makikihi Fries and Harman Motors. CT Service Foods Limited 220 Cumnor Terrace Woolston Christchurch T (03) 389 9909 www.servicefoods.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Makers of Fine French Fries The Home of Golden Fries

Proud to be supplying Service Foods Ph – 03 689 5879 www.makikihifries.co.nz

It looks like an image taken in a distant magical land and probably straight off a Pinterest page, but you only have to look to local Christchurch company Kiwi Tipi Rentals to hire these stunning Nordic tipis for special events.

Hayden Doel knew he had something special to offer Kiwis, other than his plumbing skills, which would change the landscape, quite literally, for any special event. With a passion for camping, tramping and all things outdoors, he established Kiwi Tipi Rentals in mid 2013, and hosts tipi events across the South Island from weddings, festivals and corporate events.

The Nordic tipis are visually stunning and create a warm atmosphere and a place to party long after the sun goes down. They look

84 Gasson Street Sydenham,Christchurch www.cateringdept.co.nz

sensational inside with personal touches left up to the client, and with the light filtered through the canvas it appears magical during the night.

They can be set up on any patch of grass with enough space – a farm, park or even your back yard, you name it, Kiwi Tipi will do it.

You only have to peruse the business’ online gallery or its Pinterest page to be convinced of the tipi concept; they’re every bit a bride’s dream and a normal marquee alternative for all types of function.

Let the tipi experience begin! CT Kiwi Tipi Rentals PO Box 16588 Hornby Christchurch, 8441 T 021 0283 1428 E info@kiwitipi.co.nz www.kiwitipi.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

03 365 2837 info@cateringdept.co.nz

TAKE THAT NEXT STEP AND ADVERTISE! CONTACT US TODAY!

Contact us on: (03) 961 5087

www.canterburytoday.co.nz

April 2015 | 57

Goods & Services | Geddes Manufacturing

Custom joinery and TV cabinets The ability to diversify a business' offerings in order to respond to market demand is a unique quality.

Geddes Manufacturing is one of the few companies to possess this rare trait, demonstrating its worth in a changing and growing market.

Geddes Manufacturing originally started out in 1996 manufacturing a high volume of flat pack television cabinets for Panasonic, Sharp and Samsung. However, when the market developed into flat panel TVs the cabinet market changed.

Geddes Manufacturing responded to the change adjusting its business model to supply

direct to large retail stores such as Noel Leeming and Smiths City, Harvey Norman and independents.

Now the business is reacting to market demands again and is entering a new era.

The company has indentified a need in the growing commercial and private sectors for interior fit-outs and is positioning itself to serve this demand.

Its new focus will concentrate on specialising in joinery work, building custom made architecturally designed interiors for bars, cafes, kitchens, offices and retail shop fit-outs. But its buyers can be assured it will continue to supply quality New Zealand made TV cabinets.

Geddes Manufacturing is fully equipped to deliver outstanding custom made shop fittings, counters, display units, kitchens, cabinetry, office furniture and shelving.

It works with its customers throughout the entire process from design, build and installation to ensure the tailor-made interior fit-out is personalised to exact specifications.

Its joinery and painting services are available to the commercial and residential sector. Quotes are free, so get in contact. CT

It can customise and colour match cabinets especially to customer requirements and has automated painting equipment that allows it to paint and lacquer large or small quantities to individual specifications. It also offers polishing/finishing, bulk cutting, bulk painting and production runs.

Geddes Manufacturing 40 Connal Street Woolston Christchurch T (03) 376 4400 E geddesmanufacturing@paradise.net.nz geddesmanufacturing.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Proud suppliers of Pink Batts products’ Gib Board & Leading MDF distributors.

Wishing Geddes Manufacturing all the very best in their future endeavours.

PO Box 5316, Papanui, Christchurch Phone: 03 327 7609 | Fax: 03 327 7608

It is our vision to continue being the world’s leading coatings and specialty products and services company, serving customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets.

PROUD TO SUPPORT GEDDES MANUFACTURING

PPG Industrial Coatings Bringing innovation to the surface.

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58 | April 2015

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