Wellington Today issue 75

Issue 75 | July/August 2011

Creative CEO Steve O’Connor on the art and craft of accelerating business growth Can our cup runneth over?

Martin Snedden speaks frankly about his RWC hosting hopes and fears

Products 4U

Tools for keeping in touch

Number crunching

The number one secret to making money

Online

What’s wrong with your website?

News | Initiatives | Interviews | Personalities | Information | Success | Profiles | Finance | Property | Sustainability | Export | Transport | Retail | Solutions | ISSN 1173-1524

The effects of plastic on the environment are already well documented...but what about the effects of plastic on our bodies?

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 3

Issue 75 | July/August

News

2011

6 Local matters

Creative

• Grow Wellington’s new leadership, free Wi-Fi for the CBD and the price of parking

the CEO Steve O’Connor on ing art and craft of accelerat business growth

7 Commerce

eth over?

Can our cup runnfrankly about Martin Snedden speaks and fears his RWC hosting hopes

• The number one secret to making money

Products 4U

Tools for keeping in touch

g Number crunchin to making money The number one secret

Online

What’s wrong with your

• Our economy — steady as she goes, for now

website?

8 Legal issues • Compliance breaches that can cripple businesses

1173-1524 | Solutions | ISSN | Transport | Retail | Sustainability | Export | Finance | Property Success | Profiles ies | Information | | Interviews | Personalit News | Initiatives

Wellington Today

• Employment case sets a new benchmark

Is-

10,464 sue 75

9 Property

ABC circulation as at 30/06/10

• Wellington market bucks the national trend

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz Head office Academy House 47B Birmingham Drive PO Box 1879 Christchurch

10 Technology • What’s wrong with your website?

• Employers and the new NZ Copyright Act

managing director Gary Collins

11 Events diary

General manager Rebecca Harris

• Courses, events and seminars near you

administration Kylie Moore admin manager Kelly Clarke Rebecca McQueen Kimberley Wells Judy Slater

Features 12 Cover story

sales & advertising Robert Cochrane Graeme Tall John Somerville Jane Watson Janet Campbell Miranda Hearn

• Creative HQ CEO Steve O’Connor on the art and craft of accelerating business growth

sales executives

14 Can our cup runneth over?

newsroom Jonathon Taylor Marie Sherry Bridget Gourlay

• Martin Snedden speaks frankly about his hopes, fears, the logistics and legacy of hosting the RWC editor

16 Products 4U • Tools for keeping in touch

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

production Carolynne Brown Melanie Stanbury CJ McKay Hayley Brocket Ian Knott Kirsty Opie Jarred Shakespeare

18 Lifestyles • Where to go, what to wear and drink while you’re there

26 Property & Construction • Naylor Love’s work on the most ambitious project in Wellington Zoo’s history • Holmes Construction is on track with the new Carterton Events Centre

31 Transport & Motoring assistants designers

Business 20 Interior initiatives • Office upgrades done with Precision

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

• Inside design with Cemac Commercial Interiors

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

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

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

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

• Eurocell Wellington is processing wood with the environment in mind

* CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: One entry only per person and must be sent on the official entry form or as otherwise stated. Entry is free and open to all residents of New Zealand. All entrants must be over the age of 18, proof of identity and date of birth may be requested.

Employees and their immediate families of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication are ineligible to enter. Winner(s) will be notified by e-mail/phone. The judges’ decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into. No responsibility is accepted for late, lost or misdirected mail. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained, during the course of prize winning travel or in connection with any other prizes won. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication accept no responsibility for health, luggage, insurances, travel, personal expenses and transfers other than specified. Entries remain the property of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication and cannot be returned. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication reserves the right to photograph and publish winners. Entries may be used for further marketing purposes by Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication but are not made available to any third party.

4 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

• City Chrysler City Nissan’s mission is to ensure customers’ roll out the door with something suited to them

32 Manufacturing • No matter how big or small, Tanker Solutions can provide quality cost effective solutions to fuel and dry bulk transport and delivery needs • Steel Shed Systems is designing buildings for today • Twin Lakes Engineering is a classic case of turning home grown tinkering into a successful business

This publication is printed on papers supplied by

All wood originates from sustainably managed forests or waste sources. All mills utilise the Chain of Custody system to verify fibre source.

The end product is recyclable.

All mills are ISO 14001 certified.

Across the country, nearly 400 staff work in the 37 owner operated Office Products Depot outlets. This means the company has been New Zealand owned and operated from when it started until today.

convenience through a variety of methods.

Office Products Depot caters to the needs of its customers by supporting orders placed by phone, e-mail, fax, standard mail or online via its website.

CEO Dianne McAteer puts the company’s growth and longevity down to a focus on customer service.

Each customer has their own unique login details and lists of regularly shopped products. Orders are picked, packed and dispatched with most deliveries arriving on the customer’s door step the next day. For those customers in a hurry or who like to browse the shelves, some locations feature showrooms and retail space so they can shop when it suits them.

“Our customer service is second to none and that’s something we’ve put a lot of time and effort into. We really invest in our people.

Last year our staff went on 350 training days all up – both in classroom learning and online. We have our own programme, which is quite unusual; businesses often rely on outsourced training.”

Kiwis serving Kiwis.

That’s what Office Products Depot has been about for the last 20 years. And while its branding may be changing, this key principle is staying the same.

The specialised training also creates a company culture, even though the employees live and work across the country.

“Because of our company culture, when we get together at our yearly conferences or at road shows, everyone feels part of a bigger group. This makes it easier to interact and share ideas.”

Stock and service A typical request from a company works like this. A business will discuss its needs and budget with the local Office Products Depot account manager.

The account manager will ask pertinent questions to figure out the product and service needs relevant to that customer. As you would expect, lawyers need different office supplies to manufacturers.

Once a range of products has been identified, pricing is negotiated based on the volume and frequency of the customer’s ordering behaviour and an account is set up.

The customer can then place orders at their

Another bonus for Office Products Depot customers is the smorgasbord of options.

Not only does it have 5000 items in its catalogue, but it has access to 100,000.

“We will look really hard for anything our customers need. If it’s obsolete, if it’s rare – we will go the extra mile to source it,” McAteer explains.

That’s why with its recent re-branding, Office Products Depot has chosen the slogans ‘Your Office Supply Heroes’ and ‘No one loves your office like we do,’ and a new heart shaped logo. It wanted to show in its branding how committed it is to customer service and its passion for its product selection.

While it has survived the recession successfully and is proud of its many staff, customers and outlets around the country, Office Products Depot isn’t resting on its laurels.

“We would like to take on some bigger clients,” McAteer says. “We have really upgraded our capabilities, and can support large corporate companies. But we’re still proud to support SMEs. They are the heartland of this country.”

• 5000 items, overnight delivery and 100 percent Kiwi owned and operated.

Office Products Depot 37 Outlets Nationwide 0800 Office www.opd.co.nz

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 5

News | Local Matters

Have your say on new funding agency Wellingtonians are being asked for their views on a proposal for the Wellington City Council to join a new local authority funding body, which is expected to lower the cost of borrowing.

The council is proposing to join with other local authorities and the Government to become shareholders in the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA). The LGFA would provide the council with another means of debt funding and lower borrowing costs, Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says.

Free CBD Wi-Fi for Wellington

“One of the lessons of the global financial crisis is the importance of ongoing access to funding, even when money markets are under pressure. The LGFA would increase our options for access to secure long-term funding.”

Other councils considering joining the LGFA as shareholders include Whangarei District, Auckland, Hamilton City, Tauranga City, Western Bay of Plenty District, Greater Wellington Regional, Tasman District and Christchurch City.

While Wellington City has agreed in principle to participate in the LGFA, it is seeking the views of the public by 5pm on July 22 before making a final decision.

For more information about the LGFA, people can phone 499 4444 or email lgfa@wcc.govt.nz

Free Wi-Fi will be available in central Wellington from August, making Wellington the first city in New Zealand to offer free wireless internet services across most of its CBD.

Stadium, as well as up Cuba Street.

It will eventually be extended to other locations like the Zoo, Zealandia, the Cable Car and Carter Observatory as well as to main libraries.

Announcing the initiative, Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said an agreement had been reached between CityLink Limited and Wellington City Council to establish a free-touse Wi-Fi network in the main areas of the CBD. “This is a significant step in our city’s evolution to a creative digital city.”

“People will be able to use their laptops, smart phones and other portable devices to connect with each other and access information on the run. This is increasingly important to people, particularly when travelling,” she says.

Coverage will initially be most of the area from Waitangi Park and Courtenay Place along the ‘golden mile’ to the Westpac

The free network will be funded by the City Council at a cost of $80,000 then $216,000 per annum, with some of this cost expected to be offset by sponsorship.

CityLink chief operating officer Brian Phillips says CityLink will continue to separately offer CafeNet – an ad-free, pay Wi-Fi network and will leverage a significant portion of this asset to provision the free Wi-Fi service for the council.

When it is up and running, the network can be accessed by clicking through a sponsorship page and conditions for use.

Users will be given a 30 minute session.

After 30 minutes the sponsorship page will reappear so that users can reconnect.

Users will not be asked to sign up for an account or surrender any form of personal or payment information.

Grow Wellington gets new leadership The Greater Wellington Regional Council has appointed a new chairperson and four new directors to the board of the regional economic development agency Grow Wellington.

advisor and thought-leader to both the public and private sectors. “He is experienced in guiding and implementing strategic change. Until recently Paul was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“Barry Brook’s experience is in exporting, primarily in the agribusiness sector. He has extensive offshore experience. Barry will bring to the board skills and international Paul Mersi has been appointed as the new connections that will help it to promote the chairperson. Barry Brook, Anders Crofoot, Karen region’s export sector.

Fifield and Richard Stone are the new directors.

“Anders Crofoot is based in the Wairarapa and Greater Wellington’s chair Fran Wilde says is well known as an agriculture industry leader.

Paul Mersi has a strong commercial and He has strong business and government professional background and is a respected connections and an IT background.

“Karen Fifield has a background in business management and tourism. She is currently Chief Executive of the Wellington Zoo. “Richard Stone is currently president of the Employers Chamber of Commerce. He has a background in business development, especially in the human resources sector,” Wilde says.

The new directors join current Grow Wellington directors Di McCarthy, Peter Robertson, Rachel Taulelei and Paul Mersi. They replace retiring Grow Wellington chairperson Murray McCaw, deputy chairperson John Lumsden and director John McFadzean.

Constrain rather than ramp up parking charges The Wellington Employers’ Chamber of Commerce is urging Wellington City Council to constrain its spending rather than increase car parking charges as it meets to deliberate on its Annual Plan.

Economic data released in June reinforced the need for tough decisions, the advocacy body says.

Chamber CEO Ken Harris says businesses and Wellingtonians generally are strongly opposed to the proposed charges which will make Wellington the most expensive city in New Zealand to park in.

6 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

“With ample free parking in suburban shopping malls, the proposed fee increase and extension of hours will damage the vibrancy of the central city. It is too easy for people to choose to shop elsewhere or dine at home.”

He says the parking increase is not justified by the council’s own occupancy and turnover targets nor on the grounds of cost recovery or inflation.

“Statistics New Zealand retail sales data (released June 15) shows that across the North Island, the retail sector is starting to recover. But with Wellington at the lower end of that recovery

and the fallout from public service restructuring starting to bite, now is not the time to cut off that recovery with short-sighted decisions.

“When businesses face cost increases they have to absorb them. They don’t have the luxury of passing on cost increases, the way that local government does.

“That Wellington City Council justifies some of its rates increase on the rising price of bitumen, for example, is unacceptable. The council must look to fund the revenue foregone out of further efficiencies and spending constraint,” Harris says.

News | Commerce

By Jamie Tulloch

How does a business

?

make money The

No.1 secret is…

I call it a secret, because so many business owners don’t know or understand the number one secret to making money in a business. The number one secret is tuning your business so you make a healthy gross profit (GP) percentage.

Why is a healthy GP percentage the number one secret to profits?

I call the generator of your GP percentage the engine room of your business. If the engine room is not fit, healthy and powerful, no matter what you do in the rest of your business, you will never overcome a weak, under-performing engine.

Imagine having a car weighing 1500kg (say an SUV) and a four cylinder engine of 1.5 litres.

No matter how hard that engine works, your vehicle will make slow and uneconomical progress because the engine room cannot produce enough power and torque to move the vehicle swiftly along the road.

What numbers go into creating your GP percentage?

It’s simple. It is your sales minus your cost of sales (or S minus COS). Identifying exactly what your cost of sales are (sometimes also called cost of goods sold or COGS) is vital to knowing what “friction” is inside your business engine room.

Different businesses have different components to their COGS. If you are a plumber for example, your COGS is the trade/wholesale cost of parts, plus consumables (say adhesive) and the direct labour cost (wages) for doing the actual plumbing work.

In the example above, 48 percent GP is near the bottom of the survey results. This has occurred because of any one or a combination of the following:

As an example let’s say you sell $1000 of plumbing services. The parts are $200, you use $20 of adhesive and use 10 hours of labour for which you paid your employee $30 per hour.

Total cost of sale is therefore $520 ($200 + $20 + $300). This gives you a Gross Profit of $480 or 48 percent on the total job ($480 is 48 percent of $1000).

➜ The job was completed inefficiently and

➜ The job was under-priced and should have been sold for $1,100. This would have yielded a 58 percent GP. should have taken seven hours, not 10.

Doing the job in seven hours would have yielded 57 percent.

➜ The cost of the parts and/or consumables was not correctly priced and cost more than expected.

Now, look at the GP percentage if the job

Key question: how do you know what was sold for $1100 and took seven hours a healthy GP percentage should be for with no change to the price of the parts or your industry, business or trade? consumables. If this was the scenario then the E3 Business Accountants (and so should your accountant) has access to two national databases that benchmarks just about every industry type in New Zealand. Using the plumber as an example, our database contains actual figures for the top 25 percent, the middle 50 percent and the bottom 25 percent performers.

GP percentage would have been right up there with the top performers yielding 67 percent.

In summary: The business secret number one to making a sustainable and deserved profit is making sure your GP percentage is enough to run your business.

You need to ask yourself, why do some plumbers perform more profitably than others?

And even more importantly, where does my business rank?

In the survey a plumber’s healthy engine room GP percentage is 65 percent. A weak engine room would yield just 45 percent. The difference between 45 percent and 65 percent is the difference between profit and purgatory.

Jamie Tulloch is the managing director of E3 Business Accountants and can be contacted by calling 0800 11 33 99, email askjamie@ e3accountants.co.nz or go to www.e3accountants.co.nz

Steady as she goes, for now

By Murray Jack

What a difference a year makes!

Last year’s budget was full of optimism with the most significant tax changes in 25 years targeted to provide a platform for productivity and economic growth.

A year and two Christchurch earthquakes later and the Government’s accounts are less rosy in the near term. The earthquakes and a slower recovery coming out of the GFC enhanced long recession have exposed prior assumptions.

The economy hasn’t grown and won’t grow much for the rest of this year. Beyond that there are hopes for a rapid growth by past standards — but that is not certain.

So in 2011 we see the first tentative steps to tackling entitlements. Working for Families faces a trim for the higher earners with fewer kids. Student loans are no longer as “interest-free” for some and others face curbs. KiwiSaver subsidies are trimmed and employers and workers pick up the slack with minimum contributions lifted to three percent.

We can fiddle with KiwiSaver as much as we like but as long as we have a relatively generous universal pension, health care free at the point of delivery, and a largely free education system backed at the tertiary level by interest-free loans, we will have to continue to pay people to save.

More serious reform is needed.

But the entitlement changes are hardly frontal assaults on middle-class welfare.

Bill English’s austerity budget cannot be remotely compared with Ruth Richardson’s mother of all budgets.

This is because most of the expenditure restraint is forecast to come from public sector administration efficiencies and “reprioritisation”.

This is appropriate. To date the private sector has borne by far the greatest burden of adjustment during the long recession, both in terms of employment and wages. The predicted restraint in the Budget is sensible.

However, this comes with its risks. The risks don’t relate to cessation of services, but to the capabilities within the public sector to drive out costs and reprioritise expenditure and the speed with which they can do so.

The lower spending path of the last two years has helped condition attitudes, but this Budget sees a quantum shift in scale and urgency of action. As a consequence of this strategy there remains a reliance on rebounding economic growth to pull the country out of deficit (forecast to be in 2014/15 — just). The earthquakes complicate prediction here.

Some commentators believe Treasury has significantly underestimated growth and no doubt a positive surprise would be a boost.

But there are risks and many of these are on the downside — the global economy is not yet firing on all cylinders, Australia’s two-speed economy is becoming more apparent, and business investment in New Zealand is still anaemic and will remain so until consumer demand recovers.

More positively the Government has mainly held its nerve on infrastructure spending. While there are many views on the suitability and priorities of some of the spending there is no argument that overdue investments must be made and that productivity gains for business will follow.

Pragmatic approach A commitment to partial asset sales is also encouraging. Forget the ideological battles here. Sales are a pragmatic way of improving

the Government’s balance sheet, driving better performance, and relieving the taxpayer of the risks of business ownership. They are also critical to re-energising our capital markets and providing an investment destination for the growing private savings pool.

Overall Bill English has produced a steadyas-she-goes budget. It is sufficiently austere to deal with the fiscal position we are in and will keep the rating agencies at bay — so long as economic growth returns. We will never

know if this budget would have been more reforming in nature. That debate now shifts to the up-coming election.

Murray Jack Murray is the CEO of Deloitte New Zealand and a partner in the Wellington Consulting Practice. Prior to his current role he led the Deloitte Asia Pacific Consulting Practice, including stints as Public Sector Practice leader, Human Resources managing partner and Service Line leader.

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 7

News | Legal Issues

Case sets new benchmark From Duncan Cotterill Lawyers

A new Employment Court decision could radically change the way in which employers carry out restructuring and disciplinary processes.

Information that had previously been considered “off-limits” by employers must now be disclosed to employees as part of a restructuring consultation or disciplinary action.

Duncan Cotterill Lawyers Employment partner, Scott Wilson says the decision could have a major impact on an employer’s ability to withhold information on the basis that it was sensitive or confidential.

“Employers should assume that all documentation relating to a restructure, selection or disciplinary process may need to be disclosed. This includes the likes of Board minutes, internal memos and emails, guidance and advice from an HR manager, interview notes, and information about other candidates in a restructuring selection process.”

The shift follows a recent case, Massey University v Wrigley in which the university moved to restructure part of its operations, its selection information including copies of with existing staff vying for fewer jobs. Wilson handwritten notes and information about how says the university went through what seemed other, successful, candidates had been scored like a robust selection process. and assessed.

“Candidates were given a lot of information The Employment Court held that employees about the selection process. They were were entitled to access interview sheets subsequently given information about their for all candidates who applied for the scores and the recommendations that had same role, their scores and individual been made about them. Information about assessments; any handwritten notes taken other candidates was not provided.” by the interviewer and information about the successful candidates contained in the panel But a dispute arose when the unsuccessful recommendation to the decision maker. employees asked the university to reveal

The Court said that although the issues in this case arose in the context of selection of candidates for redundancy, they applied equally in other cases where employment was at risk, including serious disciplinary cases.

Wilson says there had long been a tension between employees and employers in general about what information to disclose, particularly in restructuring situations and delicate disciplinary situations — for example, sexual harassment or bullying. “Employers have tended to err on the side of caution and

withhold relevant information where that information has been received in confidence or may be commercially sensitive.”

Wilson worried that the restructuring could potentially be drawn out by demands for disclosure of all relevant information which could sometimes involve a large volume of material.

Duncan Cotterill Lawyers is one of New Zealand’s leading commercial law firms offering a combination of general and multi-specialist legal services. For more information visit www.duncancotterill.com

Sales compliance breaches could cripple businesses before Rugby World Cup kicks off

By Anya Anderson

The most well known regulations are the Fair Trading Act (FTA) and the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA).

Many businesses are in for The FTA protects consumers from being misled a rude awakening as the or treated unfairly by retailers and other Commerce Commission toughens businesses. It does this by prohibiting what is up on sales compliance laws called misleading or deceptive conduct, false representations and unfair practices. in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup later this year.

With or without The Commission has said it will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action on those that breach any of New Zealand’s sales laws before and during the event.

While most sales breaches covered by the media usually show business people willingly breaking the law, there are many examples where breaches have occurred due to ignorance.

There are many prosecutions under this act, and most are due to ignorance rather than an attempt to willingly mislead. One common trap is a failure to clearly state that a quote or advertised price does not include GST. New Zealand companies have been prosecuted for this.

It is not just small companies that have been bitten by the FTA. The Warehouse pleaded guilty to multiple breaches in 2009 and was fined $209,600.

This is why anyone in the business of selling must undertake basic sales compliance law training. This includes those While the FTA generally covers claims about on the shop floor and anyone else who sells products before sale, the CGA focuses on the quality of goods and services after purchase. goods or services.

8 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Under the CGA, consumer rights are defined by a series of guarantees that a seller makes whenever a good or service is sold. These include things like the goods must be of an acceptable quality, be fit for the purpose the buyer asked about and match their description.

strict disclosure requirements on lenders. It also limits the fees lenders can charge and even how they are calculated.

Many businesses that offer these services are unaware of this act’s requirements. A company was recently fined $146,600 for multiple breaches of it.

This act can also cause confusion. For example, if a customer asked an assistant for a bathroom As the Rugby World Cup approaches, heater and was sold one that short-circuited businesses throughout New Zealand must and caused a fire, the shop could be liable for allow their sales staff to come to grips with the fire damage. Not many people realise that. these laws. Failure to do so could lead to serious business damage.

The CGA also discredits the myth that customers can return a good within the first seven days of purchase if they are unhappy Anya Anderson is with it. The seven day rule only applies to managing director of some goods. Otherwise there must be some RedSeed Limited, a serious defect with the good and in many company specialising cases, the retailer still has the right to repair it in online sales training. rather than replace it.

This includes retail Another act that is often misunderstood is the selling, business to Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act business selling and (CCCFA). This applies to anyone providing credit sales compliance law. to a private individual under a credit contract.

She can be contacted It is intended to protect borrowers by imposing at anya@redseed.co.nz

News | Property

Wellington property sales decline Wellington’s property market is, to a certain extent, bucking the national trend. While the national housing market lifted during May, with seasonally adjusted sales numbers up 2.6 percent compared to April, Wellington’s median house price eased by $10,000 or 2.6 percent this May, compared to May 2010.

And according to the REINZ figures, there were noticeable falls in price in Hutt Valley, Western Wellington and Central Wellington.

Sales volumes across the Wellington region were also noticeably weaker than the national result, with the region being one of only three to record lower volumes in May than April.

Volumes were down noticeably in Western Wellington, Eastern Wellington and Central Wellington, although there was a noticeable life in Upper Hutt and to a lesser extent in Northern Wellington.

Across New Zealand 5766 unconditional sales were reported during May, up 779 on the number of sales reported for April and 560 more than last May. The national median house price at $350,000 was equal to the same month of last year, but down by $10,000 from April 2011.

Manawatu/Wanganui recorded the strongest national lift in prices (+4.5 percent) for May.

While most regions experienced a slight decline in prices (in line with the movement in the national median), there were strong volume lifts across a number of North Island regions, with South Island regions experiencing a fall in volumes after a stronger performance in April.

REINZ chief executive Helen O’Sullivan says the May results show further steady increases in volumes across New Zealand with particular strength coming from the Auckland market. “Although prices eased slightly, there are signs of pressure building, with a lack of new listings becoming apparent in many parts of the city. We are also seeing indications from a number of other parts of the country of an emerging shortage of listings.”

The BNZ-REINZ Market Survey of real estate agents shows that the shortage of listings has now emerged as the second most popular

shortages of listings are appearing in Palmerston North, Taranaki and certain parts of Christchurch.

Despite volumes rising from previous levels the real estate market is only just starting to emerge from a sustained slump in activity. reason holding buyers back, replacing concerns about securing finance.

In addition to the tightening market in Auckland, concerns about

The number of sales in May 2011 was just 62 percent of the volume of May 2007, and the national median house price in May 2007 was $350,000, exactly the same as the median house price recorded in May.

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 9

News | Technology

Employers and the new NZ Copyright Act

By Ian Knott

On September 1 this year the highly controversial NZ Copyright Act kicks into action. Despite its well documented shortcomings, discrepancies and punishments for repeat offenders, the law has the potential to have an impact on small and medium sized businesses.

Of course, it will impact on large businesses too, but these are often the ones with dedicated IT personnel, detailed employee IT policies, solid firewalls and monitored traffic.

copyrighted material. Your employees need to know beforehand that even the minimum infringement fine may result in business closure and therefore everyone’s jobs.

➜ Monitor your monthly data usage.

Watch for any unexplained spikes in your usage, which is much easier to monitor and explain the smaller your business is. Sudden spikes of 2GB or more should arouse suspicion.

Operating systems, office suites and design programs regularly update themselves, which can be sizeable downloads — so these can be a cause of some data spikes.

➜ Block the download of some specific file types. .torrent, .avi, .mp4, .mov, .mp3, .m4a, .flac. If some of these file types are actually needed then one or more computers (with trusted users) can be ‘unlocked’ to allow to download. This is done at a server/ firewall/router level and requires a medium level of IT knowledge, so it might be worth getting the experts in. Again, there are ways to circumnavigate this but should be sufficient to cover most users.

For a smaller business however, having your internet service cut-off along with the possibility of being fined $15,000 for downloading even a single song could be crippling, to say the least.

The law works on a “three strikes” system where copyright owners get IP addresses from Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks. They will then contact the ISP of the user and initiate an infringement notice. The ISP will then send out the notice to the account holder — this is the first warning.

➜ Check computers for Bittorrent Clients. As a rule, downloading P2P torrents requires a piece of software to do so. Bittorrent, uTorrent, Vuze, Transmission are all popular options, but there are dozens more. There is no need to have them on a computer unless someone is downloading torrent files. However the web browser Opera also has torrenting capabilities —so be vigilant.

That warning lasts for 28 days during which any further infringements will not attract further warnings (but will be logged). After that though, another two warnings will be sent, both lasting for 28 days.

At the expiry of the third strike, and providing the infringing is still taking place, an enforcement notice will be issued that the account holder will have 14 days to challenge before court proceedings are started.

That’s a minimum of 98 days before the proverbial hits the fan — plenty of time to get to the source of the problem, but not long if you procrastinate and put it into the ‘too hard basket’.

➜ Bittorrent clients usually route traffic through a specific port by default (although this can be changed if a user knows how). This port can be blocked on your router, again consult an expert.

➜ Make sure your wireless network is fully secure. It is incredible how many still aren’t. Someone in the general vicinity could be illegally downloading using your internet connection – and there’s no way of finding out who. Make sure only authorised users are allowed to access your network.

Your ISP can only trace traffic back to your router though, not back to the individual computers connected to your network.

That means the onus is on you, as the account holder, to investigate who is doing the offending.

Protective measures So how can you take steps to protect yourself and your business from the ignorant, malicious, selfish or technologically naïve employees?

There’s no easy answer, as any determined user ‘in the know’ will be able to circumnavigate your attempts to block them:

➜ Prevention should begin with your employee IT policy — which anyone you employ who uses a computer on your network should have signed already. Your policy needs to specifically cover P2P, torrent files and illegal downloads of music, movies, software and other

Ultimately, the issue is a real one and should be addressed by every business that uses computers before the law comes into full effect. If you’re not technologically minded enough to put protection in place then there are a heap of eager professionals out there who can come in, advise, secure and even monitor your network and web traffic.

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

10 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

What’s wrong with my website?

By Suzanne Carter

If you have an online store and noone is purchasing your products, or perhaps you are not receiving any enquiries or bookings, you may well be asking yourself this question.

It is critical to your business success to address these issues as the impact of your website not working can be substantial.

There are many websites, that for a variety of reasons, are not easy on the eye and this can be very off-putting, thus creating a bad first impression.

A quality website design really is key. It’s also vital that your online purchase or booking process is clear, simple and intuitive — make it as easy as possible for your visitors to make a purchase, booking or enquiry.

If your website is an e-commerce site, then make sure that the shopping cart works and that there are no errors during the buying There are two key areas to look at when process. If you have an online booking engine analysing why your website is not working for make sure that is working as it should. Check you: can it be found in search engines and how all of your online forms too. If something is effective is your website’s overall design and broken on your website then this could be your usability? answer as to what is wrong.

As most people now search online for the Something as simple as not displaying your product or service they are interested in, it is full contact information, or making it hard to important that your website ranks highly on find, could also be the answer to why your search engines such as Google. website’s not performing. If people can’t If your website does not show on the first page of search engine rankings then it is highly unlikely people will visit your site and make that all important purchase, enquiry or booking. Essentially, your website is being hidden from those that may be interested in what you have to offer. If this is the case then you may potentially lose business to your competitor whose website is ranking much higher than yours.

There are many factors which determine whether your website will be ranked highly or not. A good start though is to ensure that your website has been properly and fully optimised for search engines and the phrases that potential visitors may be searching for. It is also important to ensure that your content is original (no copying from other sites word for word), well-written and relevant.

If your website is doing well in the search engines, then you need to review it from a design and usability point of view (i.e. looking at your website from your visitors’ perspective).

If visitors to your site don’t like what they see within the first few seconds, they will very likely leave your site and go to someone else’s — probably your competitor! For example, I have seen bright yellow text used on a red background which is not easy on the eye.

quickly and easily find how to contact you, then you have lost the opportunity to turn a website visitor into a customer.

Do you have a strong call to action — do visitors to your site know what to do? Make it clear what you want their next step to be, such as make a booking, call you, make an enquiry or purchase your hot special.

As soon as you realise there is something wrong with your website it is important to identify the cause and take action to ensure that it starts delivering to its potential and bringing in business.

Suzanne Carter is the Business Development Manager for Limelight Online Ltd, a website design and development company. Suzanne has more than 15 years website industry experience helping clients enhance their business through the internet. Email scarter@limelightonline. co.nz or visit www.limelightonline.co.nz

News | Events Diary

Courses, events, business happenings…

Breakfast with John Key — Wellington Chamber of Commerce

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New Zealand businesses have been tested by the recession and natural disasters, but the Government remains optimistic about the opportunities for growth that exist, particularly in the agriculture, high-tech manufacturing, and film industries. To get ahead, businesses will need to be prepared to make changes and remain agile in the everchanging marketplace. To register, visit www.wecc.org.nz Wednesday

Rick Ellis Address — Institute of Directors Rick Ellis will address the audience on the topic ‘The challenges of the evolving media landscape and TVNZ’s strategic response to it.’

Ellis rejoined TVNZ as its chief executive in May 2006, having previously served as group chief executive from 1998 to 2002, when the company was a State Owned Enterprise. To register, visit www.iod.co.nz

Strategy in Asia/Pacific — NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Asia is likely to become one of the key markets for expansion for NZ firms in the next decade. However, understanding of the complexity of the region is still in its infancy.

This course provides some discussion of the differences in major Asian markets and the key challenges for NZ firms investing or seeking to invest in Asia. To register, visit www.nzica.com

Insolvency Series “Forms of insolvency” — NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants ay Wednesd july

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This is the first a series of six ‘webinars’ on Insolvency.

It will address the different forms of corporate insolvency options available in New Zealand.

Options covered are; Liquidation, Receivership, Voluntary Administration, Part 14 Compromise and Hive Downs. To register, visit www.nzica.com

Shining under the Spotlight — Federated Farmers This two day course provides a challenging and positive environment to practice your presentation skills and strategic thinking.

Become a better meeting participant and chairman, and speak more confidently on the stage. This workshop helps participants gain confidence and build self esteem. To apply, visit www.fedfarm.org.nz

Wellington Conference and Events Expo — Conference Works This annual event showcases what the capital city can offer event organisers.

Dozens of companies will have their goods and services on display and will be ready to impart some words of wisdom, give new ideas and show what makes Wellington such a good place to hold an event. If you’re thinking about holding a conference or meeting in Wellington, big or small, this is an event you won’t want to miss. To register visit www.wellingtonconferenceexpo.co.nz

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Business Plan Worskshop — Unlimited If you have events you would like featured in the Events Diary, email newsroom@academy.net.nz at least two months before the date of the event.

A free Business Plan workshop to help companies develop a Thursday robust, long-term business plan.

Participants who successfully develop a business plan could be selected to pitch to investors and gain an off-shore business mentor for 12 months. To register, visit www.unlimited.co.nz august

11

Or, if you have held an event and would like to supply photos for the Been Seen section (along with 100 words about the event and a caption for each image), send to newsroom@academy.net.nz

Maori Landowner Trust Seminar — IRD Wellington

These seminars look at the options of becoming a trust or Maori authority for tax purposes. It covers the five types of Maori landowner trusts, tax rates and the advantages and disadvantages of being either a trust or Maori authority.

Thursday

august

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Tuesday

Future-Proofing Your Client’s Business — NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants

This workshop will explain why you should consider providing and marketing an overarching client service called future proofing. You will learn how to prepare your clients and your own risk management protection plan and learn about the exit and succession planning process. To register, visit www.nzica.com august

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Wednesday

Employers Workshop — IRD Wellington This workshop is a hands-on interactive session where

participants learn how to complete a mock monthly wage summary for two employees, calculate PAYE and other deductions, and file employer monthly returns online. It is ideal for sole traders, partnerships and other small businesses. To register, visit www.ird.govt.nz august

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Lunch with Phil Goff — Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce

Friday

Opposition Leader Phil Goff will have lunch with Hutt Valley Chamber members. To register, visit www. hutt-chamber.co.nz

Enjoy apartment style living in the heart of the prestigious Thorndon quarter at Aitken on Mulgrave.

• FREE wireless broadband internet • In room Sky TV • Fully equipped kitchens • Full laundry facilities

• FREE gym use at City Fitness • Restaurant chargebacks • Taxi service chargeback • Eco-friendly accommodation

Our friendly and helpful staff can assist with booking local attractions, events and help with local directions.

7 Aitken Street, Thorndon. Wellington, New Zealand |P. 04 473 1870 | F. 04 473 4014 info@aitenonmulgrave.co.nz | www.aitkenonmulgrave.co.nz www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 11

News | Cover Story

By Melinda Collins

Steve O’Connor knows how to run a business fast and hard. For the past 20 years he’s been at the forefront of growing innovative ventures and streamlining corporate behemoths to achieve the same pace. Now he’s the CEO of Creative HQ, Wellington’s start-up incubator, and oversees a portfolio of young companies looking for some of what he has lived through.

“I’ve done the high corporate growth stuff here and overseas, we did corporate spinouts, I’ve run my own businesses and I’ve run them for others. But mostly it has been about generating money. This (Creative HQ) is about generating some wider value for others.”

Business incubators come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are seven officially recognised incubators across New Zealand, in a rough geographic spread. They wrap business acumen and intensive coaching and advisory capacity around smart ideas, driven entrepreneurs and young companies.

They introduce clever companies into a productive web of entrepreneurial networking, international connections and investor introductions.

The focus at Creative HQ is on businesses that can become leading lights in Wellington’s innovation ecosystem. O’Connor says the mandate for the incubator is to grow economic performance in the region by championing future business leaders.

Creative HQ alumni include stellar Wellingtonbased companies like Silverstripe, Optimal Usability, Starnow, DeNada; companies that pump millions of dollars back into the region in revenues, investment and salaries.

O’Connor says the intensive support and fast growth path is not right for every young aspirational company, and neither is every company right for Creative HQ. “There are plenty of businesses, people and ideas that are commercially viable, it’s more about the scale of what they’re trying to achieve. For us, that idea has to be scalable; we’re looking for businesses that can scale to at least $10 million within five years of start-up.”

That means looking beyond Australia, O’Connor says. It means innovation, not renovation, and it means knowing what you are trying to do for a customer and how you are going to deliver it. At the crux of that comes knowing your customer, he says.

12 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Engage to grow “One thing we reinforce with anyone with an idea, whether it’s high growth or not, is make sure you engage with the market; know the pain or problem your product solves, what it’s worth and the real definition of what they actually need and value, so you can build it into the product. It helps companies build a product that lots of people will value and pay good money for, as opposed to a product based on an assumption.”

The pitfalls for start ups are varied and numerous. It’s a David and Goliath battle repeated over and over for most of them.

Whether Goliath is the competitor with deep pockets, a seemingly impenetrable market or the mass information clutter an innovative company has to rise above in a given market, the support Creative HQ pushes in behind its ventures complements the characteristics a business and its founder needs to navigate these pitfalls.

O’Connor says speed, cash and people are key factors in this mix. At the start everything needs money, which means the entrepreneur comes last on the list of who gets paid.

Allocating limited resources across a to-do list that grows daily is hard work and calls for tough decisions.

“It’s a real challenge to be sufficiently resourced to work on the businesses foundations for long term success, when you need cash in the door here and now. They have to think how to build a business to be successful and sustainable in five to 10 years time, so they are working the hardest on something they get no payoff for now.”

Team is a critical word, O’Connor says, and what it means looks different at every growth stage. “The classic tenets of entrepreneurship are essential for startups to succeed; founders require dogged determination, they’ve got to be bullish, they’ve got to have those nuggety, sometimes lone-wolf characteristics,” he says.

News | Cover Story

“These are often different characteristics to those needed to build a sustainable team to run and manage a growing business long term.

Often the founder is not the right person for the business long term if it grows successfully, yet they’re naturally attached emotionally.”

Helping with the personal side of business growth is one aspect Creative HQ’s team of business strategists does week-in week-out.

O’Connor sees the testing sides of it as he and the incubator team help companies transition from one life stage to another, find strategic partners, manage equity sharing and navigate tension and fallout from the natural ups and downs of fast paced growth.

Changing direction is a given. How often and how hard the startup ‘pivot’ comes is anyone’s guess, but it challenges the conventional aim of planning — having a stable track to follow.

“The plan becomes outdated as you adjust and pivot, as you’re putting up new plans every three months and wondering if there’s any point after a while. On the flip side, planning is essential and shouldn’t be ignored. How to balance that is a big challenge for start-ups.”

The world view that is so critical to New Zealand’s GDP is not as relevant to startups, even when they are playing in global markets.

Commodity prices don’t count for much, the value of the Kiwi dollar is what it is, and the odd global financial meltdown is just another kick in the guts. “The financial crisis has changed the dynamics in some financial markets, but probably less so at the start up end. But investors are now looking for businesses that are less capital intensive and will generate cash flow rather than just hype.

Some of those businesses previously invested would not pass the test for investment now.”

Riding mountain bike trails in Canada recently, O’Connor found himself at the top of some serious downhill runs next to a few locals. In a standard cycle helmet and a trusty pair of gloves, he felt a touch naked next the full body armour worn by the resident riders. He likened

it to what Kiwi start ups contend with as they head international. “Our domestic market is the size of a single city in Europe. We have a lack of capital for small growth companies; we have great talent but not enough of it.

“We are forced to do more with less. And we still get there.”

Innovative zest The high standard of entrepreneurs and businesses fronting up to Creative HQ encourages O’Connor that the zest for innovation is strong. The capability and expertise in his team and the networks they work with to create high-flying successes are in more demand now than ever before.

Some sectors in Wellington are looking particularly bright. “We’re strong in the digital and web space, in the weightless economy or knowledge-based industries and in science and technology commercialisation. Much of that stuff has good speed to market, good intellectual property attributes and because it’s weightless, it’s scalable. It’s repeatable and durable and can get to different markets quickly.”

Creative HQ’s portfolio and alumni results were measured by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise as the fastest growing of all the incubators during 2009/10. With a cumulative economic contribution of $156 million, half in export earnings, Creative HQ alumni give back a sight more than they got.

Beyond the dollars and cents, the entrepreneurial spirit is the hardest to measure, but is the most valuable part long term, O’Connor says.

“We’re building a real cohort of talented, successful and experienced entrepreneurs that

will become serial. In the early days, success was individual businesses. Now we’re getting a real sense of ground swell with these guys

who will become very fundamental not only to the Wellington region and a thriving economy here, but nationally and, ultimately, globally.”

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 13

Can our

News | Profile

runneth over?

By Katie McKone

“We are unlikely to ever have another opportunity that will unite us quite as much as a Rugby World Cup; the only other event would be if we went to war,” says Martin Snedden, the man leading the charge.

In less than three months time, all eyes of the rugby world will be on New Zealand as it hosts Rugby World Cup 2011. The event’s size means this will be no small feat and it goes without saying that it’s not something we want to mess up.

Yet if we play our cards right, the event has the potential to create a lasting legacy for New Zealand, claims Snedden, CEO for tournament organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011.

“If we do it well, I think it will be proof to ourselves of our ability to unite. It is a really challenging thing for a country to pull itself together and stay together around one particular moment in time, but rugby is the thing that unites us as a nation more than anything else I can think of.”

The September 9 kick-off is fast approaching and expectations are high. Snedden is leading from the front in the run up to D-Day, putting together an event that is set to put New Zealand on a podium higher than ever before.

Logistics When asked what compelled him to accept the job as Rugby World Cup boss back in 2006, Snedden simply says it was the lure of it. “It was the opportunity to be part of the biggest event New Zealand has ever won the rights to host. I just knew it was going to be huge.”

Snedden stepped into the role with solid credentials – spending six years as chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, which was preceded by a distinguished international cricketing career including 25 test matches and 93 ODI appearances for the Black Caps.

Now charged with the smooth running of what is set to be a pinnacle event in New Zealand’s history, Snedden admits his role is somewhat bigger than first anticipated.

“I knew it would be big just in terms of organising the rugby tournament, but then I probably underestimated how much it would reach into so many different areas. But then that has been the really exciting part of the job, in terms of how wide ranging and multifaceted the project actually is.”

The overriding challenge is meeting an ambitious target of 1.4 million tickets, fetching a total value of $269 million — the biggest ticket sales programme ever undertaken in New Zealand, 10 times the size of the British and Irish Lions Tour of 2005.

Up until the devastating Christchurch earthquake in February, just over 900,000 tickets with a value of $188 million had been sold. Yet the unavoidable relocation of eight matches from the city, and the refunding of some 150,000 tickets, has caused “a bit of extra work” Snedden says.

Yet he is adamant the original target can be met. “It is still very achievable. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are confident that it can be reached.”

Ticket sales to date have been encouraging, he says, despite the slower sales in smaller regions. Numbers are also expected to pick up before and during the event itself.

“I am confident the tournament will create some sort of Rugby World Cup fever and in the end people will very likely support all teams, as they will want to be part of this once in a lifetime experience that is happening for New Zealanders.”

Opportunities At least 85,000 international visitors are expected to make their way down under for the World Cup. Throughout the 45 days of the tournament there will also be intense broadcasting on New Zealand and the nation as a whole, with the country expecting to host more than 2000 media.

14 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

News | Profile

Rugby New Zealand 2011 CEO Martin Snedden, Prime Minister John Key and former All Black Michael Jones, Rugby World Cup ambassador at the Petone Rugby Club. The occasion was the launch of a volunteers scheme for the tournament, fronted by Jones who was also part of New Zealand’s only Rugby World Cup winning side in the inaugural tournament hosted in New Zealand in 1987.

Moment in the sun “We have the opportunity here to create a significant international profile and we need Kiwis to really latch onto that.”

This is New Zealand’s moment in the sun, and businesses in particular have a chance to showcase their products and innovation to a global audience. The immediate economic opportunities in this instance should not be overlooked, he adds.

Snedden is not afraid to say the stress levels are high. “In the back of my mind is the fact that this is a live event, and in that dynamic anything can happen. The stress fluctuates quite a lot, but progress is going according to plan and the thing that helps the most is the large percentage of New Zealanders that are interested in the event and who feel quite positively about it.”

Quake impact

“The way the international community judges the success of this event has nothing to do with the All Blacks, but in the way they are welcomed, looked after and are given a good time. That is the only criteria that we are using, and we really need to extend the welcome mat and ensure that people are in a good mood.”

The opening weekend in particular is “critically important”, in terms of setting a precedent for the remainder of the tournament.

country is being presented with a chance to build its brand on the international stage.

The tournament is also being used as a catalyst to upgrade facilities and infrastructure across the country. For example investments in rail to help streamline the transportation of spectators in Auckland and the $256 million upgrade of Eden Park — all of which will attract new events and opportunities in the future.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard said in January Rugby World Cup 2011 could add At the end of the day there are “just some The timing of the Pacific Islands Forum in “If on Monday morning after that first weekend around $700 million to the New Zealand things you can’t control,” he says, referring to Auckland to coincide with the start of Rugby we have a sense that those games have gone economy, contributing approximately a third of World Cup 2011 will also add to the number of the Christchurch earthquake. well, that the opening ceremony at Eden Park a percentage point to GDP. high profile visitors that are expected to be in “The earthquake has had an enormous impact has gone well, then the tournament will kick in “If we succeed,” says Snedden, “then internally the country. from there.” on this event and has caused a lot of shock New Zealanders get confidence in their ability While rugby is at the heart of the event, it is as right across New Zealand. We have been pretty A number of other key ingredients will also to handle events, and externally we gain equally important that New Zealand views it as subdued as a nation, and we are remaining contribute to the smooth running of the event, international confidence. sensitive to the way people are feeling. a chance for the nation to come together and he adds, not to mention a “bit of luck”.

“Look at Australia after they hosted the Sydney reap the associated benefits, says Snedden.

“I think however, that the Rugby World Cup will “The rugby on the field has to be of good Olympics — there was a lot of people who There is a great deal more at stake than who be useful for people as an opportunity to get quality, and the infrastructure, transport and doubted their ability to pull it off, but they goes home with the prized Webb Ellis Cup. back to life as normal and will have a strong accommodation all have to work well. did it and then started to attract many more unifying effect in that regard.”

A nationwide celebration, dubbed the REAL opportunities on the back of that. I think we “I think the atmosphere around the event is New Zealand Festival, plans to showcase He is also adamant that there will be no empty will see the same thing happen here.” also really important — if it is exciting and the best of our arts, culture, food, wines and stadiums like those seen at the recent Cricket positive then that feeling snowballs and New Zealand has already been signed up to entertainment. It is the first time such an event World Cup in India, where at times you could success breeds success.” co-host the next ICC Cricket World Cup with has been held alongside a Rugby World Cup. almost hear a pin drop for lack of spectators.

Australia in 2015 and the FIFA U-20 World Cup “There are 500 to 1000 events happening up “At worst we will have reasonably sized that same year. and down the country, many of which are crowds, most games will have large crowds Yet it is the intangible benefits that are perhaps Whilst Rugby World Cup 2011 lasts for being created and delivered by people who and then we will have complete sell outs at the most pertinent. “If this event is successful it only six weeks, the post-event benefits for have no interest [in rugby] whatsoever, but still some matches.” will prove to ourselves our ability to do certain New Zealand will continue well after the want to be involved. So there is a role there for The success of this event is relying enormously things, which will be the over-riding legacy. tourists have gone home and the festivities everyone if they want it.” on the general goodwill of New Zealanders, have ended.

“If we are able to do that then we will start to Snedden says. “In the past, the All Blacks have The intensity and hype surrounding the understand that there are other ways to do the Potential business opportunities, partnerships been participants in the Rugby World Cup in tournament is beginning to increase and we same thing, and new opportunities will arise are now entering the home straight in terms of other countries, but quite a different mindset is and the lasting economic value are elements needed when you are the host country. that should not be taken for granted. Our and become possible.” final preparations.

Over-riding legacy

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 15

News | Products 4U

communication tools

products

the … with ols right to ion icat commun from changes ore ch being a ze… e to a bre

Passing on the message…

… have you got that?

Times have changed since the humble telegraph, telephone or fax machine — communication tools in the 21st century allow for instant contact at the push of a button, regardless of time or place. The products featured here help you navigate our digital world: Apple iPad 2 Now 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter, the second generation post-PC device has been stepped up a notch or two in terms of performance and design. Featuring Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor, the iPad 2 is significantly faster than the original and has crystal clear graphics. Front and rear facing cameras allow for video chat and high-definition recordings, all while maintaining the 9.7 inch LED-backlit LCD screen.

Add that to the whopping 10 hour battery life and you are away laughing. Go on, treat yourself.

Video Conferencing Solutions: Polycom HDX 6000 Series Increase productivity and save on company travel expenses by investing in this High Definition video conferencing unit. The Polycom Stereo Surround with 22 kHz audio enhances voice clarity, and the EagleEye camera has a powerful 12x optimal zoom. Integrated room systems are available for smaller meeting rooms and executive offices. ROI is enhanced through a simplified setup process and easy to use features.

Available: Apple stockists, www.store.apple.com/nz RRP: From $799

Electronic Whiteboard

Available: Asnet Technologies, www.asnettechnologies.co.nz RRP: $10,000 plus GST

Efficient, cost-effective and a major productivity booster, this device should take pride of place in all boardrooms.

Available with an in-built printer, participants will be free of note-taking and able to concentrate on the presentation.

Information can also be downloaded to softcopy, after which any editing or enhancements can be made.

Smartphone: Ideos X5 Newcomer 2degrees has released the high-end Ideos X5 Android Smartphone, at a price that will put a smile on your face. Equipped with a large, high-definition 3.8 inch display screen, powerful 800MHz processor and a fivemegapixel camera, it is bound to please.

Available: OfficeMax, www.officemax.co.nz RRP: $4375.75

Available: 2degrees, www.2degreesmobile.co.nz RRP: $549.00 (handset only)

iPhone 4 To quote Apple, this is the “biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone”. Advanced video calling features allow for interactive, realtime conversations, and resolution is significantly enhanced with four times the pixel count of previous iPhone models. But it doesn’t stop there — high definition video recording and editing, five mega-pixel camera with LED flash, built-in noise suppression, and a brand new design of glass and stainless steel makes it the thinnest smartphone on the market.

Available: Vodafone outlets, www.vodafone.co.nz RRP: From $1100 for a 16GB model

16 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Plantronics Savi Office Wireless Headset This intelligent little device can be used for PC audio, including web conferencing and multimedia streaming, as well as being able to switch between both desk phone and soft phone calls at the touch of a button. With an impressive nine hours talk time and a range of 115 metres, the versatile headset can be worn over the ear or the head. The noise cancelling microphone means unwanted background noise is shut out.

Available: OfficeMax, www.officemax.co.nz RRP: $723.25

www.radiolive.co.nz

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 17

News | Lifestyles

lifestyles

enjoying the journey… to … where o tt go, wha hat dw wear an while to drink re… he you’re t

trail blazers Summit Ecolite Boots We’re lucky in New Zealand that our winters are milder than other countries, allowing us the opportunity to get outside on a sunny day and go for a hike. And as any outdoors person will tell you, there’s few things more important than a good pair of hiking boots. Fortunately, Green Coast’s Ecolite footwear is just the ticket.

The Summit boots are light, waterproof and designed for maximum comfort. They have been specially crafted for comfort and durability, with features such as ergonomically moulded cushioning foot beds to their extra support on the head and toe of the boots.

Better still, the Ecolite range is what it says it is — environmentally friendly. From its recyclable packaging to its low energy manufacturing process, rest assured the boots you are wearing aren’t destroying the precious environments hikers love.

RRP: $249.95 Available: Green Coast’s Auckland shop or www. greencoast.co.nz

destination

Elephant Hills, Thailand

cuff’em class Silver Fernz Cufflinks The Rugby World Cup is almost upon us and it’s time to show our national pride in every possible way. With these cufflinks, bringing a touch of Kiwiana to the business suit is easy. The team at Silver Fernz has a range of New Zealand cufflinks, from tikis to silver ferns to kiwis, including an All Black cufflink set, released to celebrate the World Cup. RRP: Prices range from $39 to $53 Available: www.silverfernz.com

18 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

What better way to ward off the winter blues than a trip to sun-soaked Thailand. If exoticism and luxury is what you crave, then a stay at the Elephant Hills is for you.

Situated in a rainforest, you can spend the days trekking through the jungle or learning (and eating!) delicious Thai food. Best of all, spend time with the camp’s domestic elephants, rescued from a life of illegal logging. You will have the rare opportunity to help their handlers feed and clean these gentle giants.

RRP: All inclusive tours start from approx $350 for a two day trip Visit: www.elephant-hills.com

top drop Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2009 When we think of a good New Zealand red wine, often the first thing that springs to mind is a Central Otago Pinot Noir. But Villa Maria’s 2009 Syrah is proving New Zealand has the climate (and talent) to do something different.

The Royal Easter Show Wine Awards is New Zealand’s oldest wine competition and in 2011 a record 1500 wines entered from 276 wineries around the country. This year, the Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2009 took out the award for the champion wine of the show.

Villa Maria says the Syrah is a blend of fruit from its most premium vineyards in Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels.

“Deep red hues lead to a brooding nose of pepper and liquorice, alongside hints of violets and red berries. Powdery tannins encase concentrated classic Syrah characters on the palate.” The winemakers say careful cellaring “will be rewarded.”

RRP: $59.99 Available: Supermarkets and wine shops nationwide or www.villamaria.co.nz

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Interior Initiatives | Precision

Precise office upgrades Precision in Wellington has been manufacturing and distributing office furniture, shelving and storage solutions for 90 years and grown to become a leader in its field.

Precision has a proud history that dates back to 1921, when founder Robert Burn established his business in a small shed in Petone, manufacturing machined parts.

In 1925 the company gained the contract for producing vehicle registration plates for the New Zealand Government, which involved manufacture of nearly half a million plates.

Precision started trading in Australia in 1977, opening branches in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Precision’s recent refurbishment for Southern Cross Healthcare.

Inset: Precision in Wellington dates back to 1921.

A merger between Precision Limited and Optim Group Limited in 2006 further cemented the brand as New Zealand’s leading commercial furniture manufacturer.

In August 2007 Precision was purchased by Australian-based Dexion Limited, a publicly listed company which leads the market in commercial workspaces, integrated systems and industrial storage solutions. Dexion is part of the GUD Holdings group.

While the company’s name changed to Dexion Commercial (NZ) Ltd, it has continued trading as Precision, a brand which is well recognised and regarded within New Zealand.

Precision today Precision has grown to become a market leader in the design, manufacture and management of commercial interior fitouts, including office, retail and library.

The company prides itself on being a total solutions provider. It can take the problem from its customer and manage all of the components that ensure a satisfactory result.

General manager Mark O’Donnell says Precision has a long history in the manufacture of office furniture and is working hard to broaden its business.

Below: Precision’s lockers are all made of steel with a fully powdercoated scratch-resistant finish.

“We were always seen as just a steel storage and shelving company, but we’re now very much seen as an interior fitout company. We provide total fitouts for customers such as the New Zealand Police, or just parts of a fitout.”

Precision currently yields an annual turnover exceeding $20 million and employs more than 80 staff. Customers include office stationery and furniture suppliers, architects and specifiers, Government departments, petrol companies, supermarkets, hardware stores, offices, factories, schools, polytechnics and universities. The company encourages and recognises innovation and works hard to create innovative environments for its customers. It takes pride in delivering to specification within agreed budgetary constraints and to schedule.

Strong New Zealand focus Last year Precision exported more than $1 million of products to Australia, which primarily involved library and retail shelving.

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The introduction of new generation technology, along with the well-established production processes and technical expertise developed over the past 50 years is an ongoing commitment

by Perry Engineering to provide its clients and customers with the highest possible level of service and professional satisfaction.

“Our exports are growing every year by about 20 percent. However, we’re well grounded in New Zealand,” O’Donnell says. “We’re seeing companies that have diversified overseas and lost focus in New Zealand. We don’t want to lose that focus.”

Precision operates a large plant and distribution centre in Peterkin Street, Wingate, Lower Hutt, and has showrooms in Wellington and Auckland. The Wellington showroom is located at 22 Kaiwharawhara Road, Ngaio Gorge.

Exciting product range Precision offers a range of continually evolving office furniture, shelving and storage solutions, with its designers working hard to stay at the forefront of international trends. There is a broad range of high-quality office and commercial products, including furniture, shelving, storage and workstations, chairs and tables — designed to meet the needs of any modern working environment.

One of Precision’s most exciting ranges is Strata Park, which offers the ability to bring nature into social areas within the workspace.

A range of standard components, including planter boxes and seats, allows customers to mix and match and personalise their design. Strata Park is ideal for large open spaces or smaller office areas and meets the needs of businesses realising the benefits of incorporating a natural green environment.

Precision’s comprehensive range of shelving systems provide display or storage solutions ranging from retail display to libraries.

The steel lockers come with a powdercoated scratch-resistant finish. Fully lockable with three locking systems either left or right hinged, the lockers have a lifetime warranty. mySITE workstation systems offer a fresh look in design, functionality and performance, providing a complete solution for any office.

Adjustable height desk options are available and come in a variety of shapes to best utilise space allocation. Precision also offers a full range of accessories to enhance the functionality of workstations.

Precision screen systems are ideal to define work areas and provide privacy. Select from workstation-mounted or freestanding options, or integrated cable management systems.

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Precision 263 Coutts Street, Rongotai, WELLINGTON Ph 04 388 1755 • Fax 04 388 7875 Email: perryeng@xtra.co.nz 1/45 Mihini Rd, Henderson, AUCKLAND Ph 09 836 6380 • Fax 09 836 5310 Visit our website: www.perryeng.co.nz

20 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

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Interior Initiatives | Precision Processes and procedures are constantly reviewed to ensure a quality approach is delivered to customers. Products undergo quality checks at various points along the manufacturing chain.

Precision is proud to hold AFRDI Blue Tick certification (Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute) for its Classic and Kurve vertical filing cabinets.

“It’s a fairly simple philosophy – good product, good people and a good service model,” O’Donnell says. “I think we’ve kept it reasonably simplistic and that’s very important to us. We do what we say we’re going to do.”

“It’s a simple philosophy – good product, good people and a good service model.”

Ongoing product design General manager Mark O’Donnell says Precision is investing heavily in establishing a unified product development team, working across Australasia in order to best meet the needs of both New Zealand and Australian customers. The company has added three new people to its design team in recent months.

“We want to further develop the lines that we’ve got,” O’Donnell says. “In saying that, in normal cycles, storage and desks change every two or three years anyway. It’s about sticking to grassroots, but if you want to be a leader in this marketplace you have to be innovative with product lines.”

Precision strives to provide innovation through the way its products are designed, manufactured and distributed. While all Precision products were originally manufactured from steel, during the past few years the company has incorporated timber into its designs. Many new products, such as boardroom tables, desks and chairs, now involve a combination of steel and timber.

Marketing manager Jody Lunn says one of the difficulties in the recent global financial crises has been finding a niche in the market.

“There are the commodity product lines like steel boxes, but there’s now a greater interest in customisation,” she says. “It’s being able to take hold of a standard line but bring it to the customer in a unique way, such as colour.”

Precision was recently involved in a refurbishment of Southern Cross Healthcare.

Inset: Precision’s Strata Park range offers the ability to bring nature into social areas within the workspace.

O’Donnell agrees that flexibility is the future for Precision. In addition to its own manufactured products, the company also imports some products and components from Asia. “The imported products are part of our market going forward, but the custom work can’t be supplied from overseas because of the colour range and flexibility. There’s also a demand for New Zealand-made products. We have to balance the imports with the ability to provide solutions to customers.”

“We’ve been focused on reducing costs and maintaining relationships with our customers — they want to see savings too.”

Tough economic times

Precision has enjoyed relationships with many long-term customers from across a broad range of industries. Customers include Corporate Express, Office Products Depot, Warehouse Stationery, Ernst and Young, Southern Cross, the New Zealand Government, New Zealand Police and Inland Revenue.

Precision’s focus on meeting the changing needs of the market has seen the company adapt to the economic recession and overcome many industry challenges.

Precision general manager Mark O’Donnell believes the key to having a successful business is having great products and people.

Marketing manager Jody Lunn says the entire industry has seen a big shift in the past couple of years. “The environment is different — this is the new way and it’s not going to go back.

People are a lot more focused on value for money and customer solutions. Being flexible enough to see those changes and adapt will help us over the next two or three years.”

Precision will be rolling out new plans to key customers within the next few months, which O’Donnell says are exciting in terms of product development. “With the backing now of GUD Holdings, we have the backing of a $750 million company spread across New Zealand and Australia,” he says. “For us, that’s given our customers a lot of assurance going forward.

The level of investment in this company and the benefits it provides to our customers will make sure we’re around in our 100th year, as strong as ever. We’re very excited about what’s around the corner for us.”

Precision 25 Peterkin Street Wingate Lower Hutt 5019 T (04) 920 5400 F (04) 920 5402 E service@precisionworkspace.co.nz www.precisionworkspace.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Precision has completed large retail fitouts for the likes of Living and Giving, Briscoes, Rebel “Business has been a bit difficult over the last couple years and our customers have tightened Sport, Telecom and Vodafone. their purse strings through the recession.

Lunn says Precision is well established within We’ve had to think of ways to do products the Wellington market. “We have a lot of local differently to reduce costs, but still keep the businesses that support us through different emphasis on quality,” he says. components. It allows us to deal with the peaks and troughs experienced over the last “We want people to buy New Zealand-made, but price is the big thing. We have to hit those couple of years,” she says. price points with our imports.”

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Precision has had to restructure and look at ways of doing things more efficiently within its 8000sqm manufacture and assembly plant.

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Precision has a continued focus on producing high-quality products, which has also helped the company survive during the recession.

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131 Somme Parade, PO Box 5101,Wanganui, New Zealand +64 6 343 9009 www.axiam.co.nz www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 21

Interior Initiatives | Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington

Inside design Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington is just finishing one of the biggest and most challenging projects it has ever completed — a huge refurbishment of the NZ Post building for Kiwibank.

Cemac Commercial Interiors, an interior construction company that specialises in working within existing buildings, was the main contractor for the project, which involved refurbishing 9000 square metres of the landmark NZ Post building near the Wellington Railway Station for Kiwibank.

Cemac general manager Chris Garrett says the area within the NZ Post building was fully gutted and refurbished, including the walls, ceiling and floor.

Garrett says the Kiwibank project was unique and particularly challenging for the company.

It was a huge project that had to be completed within four months and to a Green Star standard of environmental building.

Cemac, an interior construction company, specialises in working in existing buildings.

“We were the main contractor who pulled all the subcontractors together and our people also did all the carpentry work. It’s one of the biggest jobs we’ve done,” Garrett says.

“It was a tight timeframe and had to be done within four months, including the demolition.

We achieved this by being non-confrontational and by being part of the management team. It was all completed on time and to budget and the client is very pleased with it.”

Green Star involvement The Kiwibank project is the first Green Star project that Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington has been involved with. Green Star was developed by the New Zealand Green Building Council in partnership with the building industry. It is a comprehensive environmental rating scheme that evaluates the environmental attributes and performance of New Zealand’s buildings using a suit of rating tool kits developed for each building type and function.

“It has a Green Star, which means we’ve had to monitor the materials going to site to make sure they are all environmentally friendly. If it’s not on the list of approved products it can’t come onto the site,” says Garrett.

Moveable Walls

Glass

“We also had to measure all the waste coming out of the building, including the hundreds of tonnes of demolition waste. We had to recycle at least 70 percent of it to get the Green Star certificate, and we managed to recycle 78 percent.

“This was our first Green Star building. It’s the way the industry is going in an effort to be more environmentally friendly.”

Extensive interior experience

The recent refurbishment of Kiwibank in Wellington was a unique job for Cemac.

Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington is based in Ngauranga Gorge and employs about 15 staff, plus subcontractors.

The business was formed in Wellington in 1962 and quickly grew into a national company.

In 1993 it was subject to a regional buyout,

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22 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

with the Wellington business owned today

by Chris Garrett, accountant Peter Sewell and operations manager Peter Walker.

Cemac offers a complete construction management solution for any office space refurbishments, alterations or additions.

Its services include application and administration of council and local body requirements, planning approval and the necessary consents if required.

It is a specialist at meeting timeframes and budgets and will manage the subsequent tendering and evaluation processes using only approved subcontractors and quality materials.

The company is particularly skilled at avoiding interruption to its clients’ work schedule and can tailor the project to minimise any disruption. Any alterations or additions are completed with the appropriate matching materials and are finished to provide a seamless presentation for any working environment.

Another major job completed by Cemac in the past couple of years was for Westpac, which moved its entire IT department from Kent Terrance to Optimation House in Wellington.

“It was another big project done within a tight timeframe,” says Garrett.

“They moved their whole IT section and it had to be kept up and running while we built the job around it. It was very successful.”

Focus on Government projects Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington undertakes a lot of work for the Government, Parliament and foreign embassies.

Interior Initiatives | Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington

The NZ Post building was fully gutted and refurbished, including walls, ceiling and floor. The Kiwibank project was Green Star rated.

“We’ve built a reputation for completing jobs on time and within budget to a high standard.”

Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington Jarden Mile Ngauranga Gorge Wellington T (04) 472 1112 E fitout@cemac.co.nz www.cemac.co.nz — Advertising Feature The Kiwibank project involved refurbishing 9000 square metres of the landmark NZ Post building.

“We’re very good at what we do and are very experienced at what we do. We’re only really as good as our last job, so our last job has to be very good.”

Cemac is an industry leader in commercial interior fitouts and has earned this reputation through its commitment to quality across all areas.

“We have health and safety plans in place; we have quality assurance plans in place.

“We’ve just come out of a relatively buoyant period with Government projects and there’s a good chance the work is going to reduce substantially over the next 12 months.”

“We have very high security clearance in our company and we do take on a lot of jobs in sensitive areas,” Garrett says. “We do retail projects as well, but they’re few and far between at the moment.”

While Cemac has been enjoying a busy period due to Government spending on refurbishment, Garrett believes that spending is coming to an end.

“I think Wellington is just about to go into recession. Wellington relies heavily on Government spending and we’ve always been in the situation where we have either 20 jobs at once, or nothing, as all Government

Reputation for quality Cemac Commercial Interiors Wellington employs only skilled people to complete its projects, placing a large emphasis on teamwork. “We work as a team. We like to get alongside the client. A lot of large fitout or construction companies tend to be confrontational, but we prefer to talk through any problems that occur. Our team approach is the reason for our success,” Garrett says.

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departments spend at the same time, or not,” he says.

Garrett believes all contractors in Wellington will be in the same position, as the Government channels funding to the rebuild of Christchurch. He says Cemac will work hard to tighten its operation and prepare for tough times ahead.

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Murphy’s Movers are pleased to be associated with Cemac Commercial Interiors www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 23

Forestry | Eurocell Wellington

Processing with the environment in mind A passion for the environment, the welfare of its employees and a commitment to New Zealand’s economic success is what Eurocell Wellington Ltd, an Upper Hutt sawmill, is all about.

The mill was purchased by the Ranex group in November 2009 and commenced milling operations in January 2010.

treating the product and is environmentally friendly in that we reuse the treating wastewater over and over. The product comes out of the tank 100 percent drip-free, so there is 100 percent fixture with no leakage of any type at all — good news for the environment.”

Eurocell set high standards for its new plant.

It had to fit into the existing building to meet all of the company’s consents, it needed to be efficient with water usage, have nil waste run off and it needed to be energy efficient as well as delivering effective running costs. It also needed to be time efficient.

“The Ranex group purchased the mill because they saw an opportunity to grow their business group with a North Island based sawmill, “In working with TimTech we have installed a cutting radiata pine,” explains Eurocell site and Uniplant which meets all of our requirements sales manager Todd McIlvride. so we are very happy with the result,” McIlvride says.

This enabled the Ranex group to supply another business in the group, Hunter “The goal for this site is to become waste Laminates Ltd, with pine products and also efficient and to increase recovery from each add a full range of pine products for customers log. We intend to build a heat plant on site in the South Island. It also provided an using our waste shavings and sawdust to opportunity for growth in the North Island, generate power to run our kilns, resulting in supplying the merchant chains it was already less gas usage and reducing our waste product doing business with. output by 80 percent, which will be huge for At Eurocell, a staff of 50 mill five days a week. this site.

The product is taken through all the stages of processing until it is in a finished state, ready for the building market. “To do this we need 360 tonnes of logs each day, about twelve truck and trailers loads,” McIlvride says.

“We want to add more data scanning equipment to the sawmill, which will enable us to cut each log smarter and give a better recovery to the mill increasing yield, in turn making the site more efficient.”

“We have employed an Upper Hutt firm, Anchor Management, Kelly Coghlan to purchase logs on our behalf. The site is running at about 130-150cube of finished product a day — the goal is 150m3 a day, giving us 750m3 a week and 3000m3 a month.”

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Recent upgrade Forest Owner Marketing Services Ltd is pleased to be a valued supplier of logs to EUROCELL

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• Experienced, quality contractors to harvest and transport your trees • A range of hauler & ground based contractor harvesting options available • Access to all domestic sawmills in the region • Export Sales through NZ’s largest log export company • Options of, managed or graded sales, and/ or lump sum purchase, where appropriate, to provide a solution that suits each individual forest owner.

• Foreign exchange options for export grades Agri-Business Centre, 8 Weld Street, Feilding Telephone: 06 323 5621 Fax 06 323 5372 Marcus 0274 921 081 or Chris 0274 921 072 marcus.musson@foms.co.nz chris.maher@foms.co.nz

Eurocell has recently installed a new treatment plant. This Uniplant will enable the company to treat H1.2 Boron, which is the treatment for all building structural products, H3.2, which is for all products to be used outdoors above ground and H4, which is outdoor use below ground.

“Preservative treatments on our site are all in the one fully bunded automatic treatment plant. This new plant is very advanced for

“Wood is our most sustainable raw material,” McIlvride enthuses. “As a building material, its credentials are unparalleled.

“Wood results in far less carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere than competing building products and is a totally renewable resource which is good news for New Zealand.

“As a building product it performs very well, especially in an earthquake situation.

“If all houses were built on wooden piles in Christchurch there would have been far less damage. Timber will move with a sudden jolt, but will go back to its former position resulting in far less damage to your structure,” he says.

Why wood? ● It has less carbon dioxide emissions than competing building products ● It is a totally renewable resource ● Timber products perform well in earthquakes ● Wood looks good — it is pleasing to the eye.

Proud to support Eurocell Wellington OUR BUSINESS IS LIFTING YOUR BUSINESS 24 HOURS, 7 DAYS Phone: 0800 538-735 SALES – New & Used | SERVICE – Forklifts & Trucks RENTALS - Short & Long Term PARTS – Extensive Range | DRIVER TRAINING Head Office: 45 Percy Cameron Street, Avalon, Lower Hutt | Phone: 04 577-1344 E-mail: enquiries@centralgroup.co.nz | Website: www.centralgroup.co.nz 124 Waterloo Quay, Wellington – Phone: 04 471- 4060 29 Kelvin Grove Road, Palmerston North – Phone: 06 357-0872 15 Chatham Road, Hastings – Phone: 06 879-8171

24 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Winter Electrical are proud to be associated with Eurocell Sawmilling and wish them well in the future.

PO Box 30381, Lower Hutt 5040 | Phone04 586 5471 | Fax 04 586 5471 Email admin@winelec.co.nz.

Forestry | Eurocell Wellington

What is the Ranex group?

The owners of the Ranex group have an association with timber going back to their involvement with the logging industry in the South Island. They also successfully farmed, and owned several other businesses before an opportunity arose to take over a small timber yard in Christchurch.

A hands-on approach coupled with practical analysis of operational processes and enhancements to mechanical systems saw the manufacturing operation thrive. Investment in upto-date technology and equipment allowed further development, requiring larger premises to keep pace with increased demand.

Currently the Ranex Group own Nelson based Moutere Timber and Hunters, as well as Eurocell Wellington Ltd. The company has built a solid reputation by striving to achieve consistent quality, sourcing and retaining experienced skilled people as well as streamlining and enhancing systems.

“With the advances in engineered wood products that have been made, a large scale structure can be made totally from timber making it look pleasing to the eye and exceeding strength requirements.”

Considering the recent devastation in Christchurch and the fact that the Wellington area is no stranger to earthquakes, this is an important point to bear in mind.

Kiwi pride Eurocell Wellington Ltd is a domestic oriented sawmill and proud of it. The company wants to continue to mill logs in New Zealand and to make building and outdoor timber products for the New Zealand market, supporting our building industry and help keep associated industries in work.

“This is what we believe the country needs.

We will not be a mill which swaps back and forth from the export market to the New Zealand market — we are milling for the domestic market and this will not change.”

The small volume of product Eurocell does send to export is low grade product used for

packaging from the middle of the log, which is not suitable for structural products.

Eurocell isn’t a company just interested in profit. It is passionate about its staff, their welfare and the region it works in. This is reflected in the company’s future goals.

“Looking ahead, we want to continue to create a safe working environment for all staff. We will be supporting other Upper Hutt business as much as possible and want to help Upper Hutt grow as a business-based city with good resources, including lots of pine plantations that are situated close to the rail and the port.

“We want Eurocell to be a long term employer in Upper Hutt, helping the city to grow and prosper, as this is a great place to live and to run a business in.”

Eurocell Wellington Ltd 21–47 Park Street Upper Hutt Wellington T (04) 528 0196 F (04) 527 9383 www.eurocell.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 25

Property and Construction | Naylor Love Wellington

Zoo project success Wellington Zoo’s new animal hospital and wildlife centre, the Nest, was a huge success for both the zoo and the construction company that built it, Naylor Love Construction.

Naylor Love finished the 10-month Nest project, worth more than $5.5 million, about 18 months ago. It is the largest and most ambitious project undertaken by Wellington Zoo to date.

Naylor Love commercial manager Russell Burley says the Nest was a huge success. “It was a pretty unique project and it went really well. I don’t think anyone has built anything like it in New Zealand and it’s the foremost project of its type in Australasia.”

Burley says the Nest is split into two separate areas — a wet area and a dry area.

The new 500-square-metre single-storey building has a mezzanine level comprising a plant room, store and meeting room.

The southern end of the building contains a fully functional surgery, treatment room, laboratory, dispensary, food preparation Unique animal hospital and administrative areas. The northern end Naylor Love was awarded the Nest contract has warm rooms, animal enclosures and a for Wellington City Council and the Wellington saltwater pool. The pool is serviced by a stateZoo Trust through a competitive tender process, of-the-art treatment plant tucked away behind with work starting on site in August 2008 and decorative saligna screen fencing at the north completed in November 2009. end of the site, which also houses a rainwater Architects Warren and Mahoney used harvesting tank. Visitors can peer through a environmentally sustainable design (ESD) window to watch the various pumps and filters principles throughout. Services consultants URS in the shadow of a 5m de-aeration tower, full and Dunning Thornton were responsible for the of Bio Media to aid the filtration process. structural design.

Because the native wildlife treatment area must be washed down daily, it has a resilient, slip-resistant Duracon flooring system laid on concrete. As well as the pool, this area contains warm rooms and enclosures for abandoned, sick or injured animals. Here you will see cormorants, kingfishers and little blue penguins “FOR SIMPLY GREAT SERVICE” nursed back to health before being released AND QUALITY AT into their natural environment.

COMPETITIVE RATES The Nest, which dominates the skyline as visitors walk from the zoo’s main entrance up to the Wild Theatre, overlooks the adjacent sports arena at Newtown Park.

procedures twice daily.

Children can also enjoy playing on a brand new sculpture at the site created by Wellington’s Weta Workshop.

The roof of the Nest is comprised of three elements which wrap and enclose, suggesting the caring functions within the building.

Designed landscape elements link the hospital building with the wider zoo site. A terraced wall of concrete seats, shelves, planters, and stone forms a link with the main visitor pathway, while integrated courtyards provide safe, nonintrusive viewing and encourage interaction.

The roof form also helps to integrate the building with the site’s contours, following the natural ridgeline and reflecting the local topography. The overall impression is of a building that is elegant yet robust.

The new hospital greatly enhances the zoo’s capability to deliver high standards of veterinary clinical care, and to promote active public participation through visitor involvement and exhibitions.

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Interactive learning facility Wellington Zoo’s veterinary team has access to all the latest state-of-the-art equipment it needs to provide first-class care to the zoo’s animals. The Nest is fully fitted out with the same equipment, medical gas installations and hygienic standards as the human facility at Wellington Hospital. However, the surgery is interactive, with visitors to the zoo able watch an operation being performed and talk to the vets and nurses through external microphones and an audiovisual system.

Top: Wellington Zoo’s new animal hospital, the Nest, is a unique project built by Naylor Love which has completed several major projects at Wellington Zoo in recent years.

The Nest’s vets can treat almost every type of animal at the facility. All animal check-ups and operations between 10am–4pm each day will be on display, and the Zoo team will provide expert step-by-step commentary on live

Left: Naylor Love built Wellington Zoo’s native bird breeding area, the Roost.

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Property and Construction | Naylor Love Wellington

More projects…

The success of the Nest project reflects the high standard of workmanship Naylor Love Wellington has achieved in other projects at Wellington Zoo and throughout the city. Naylor Love has been operating in Wellington since 2004 and employs 35 staff from its premises in Seaview.

…

Following the completion of the Nest, Naylor Love built Wellington Zoo’s native bird breeding area, the Roost, and its catering facility, the Hub, which incorporates the iconic face of the existing elephant house. Like the Nest, the Hub features environmentally sustainable design and construction, including nine rammed earth walls manufactured from clay found on the zoo site.

The Nest surgery is interactive, with zoo visitors being able watch operations and talk to the vets and nurses through external microphones and an audiovisual system.

Focus on quality and relationships The Nest at Wellington Zoo was a Quality standards were maintained at a high particularly challenging project for level in all aspects of construction. Internal Naylor Love and was built to high Naylor Love defect inspections, carried out levels of environmental sustainability. through the building several weeks before the Challenging project A major cut and fill exercise was required to sit the building within the existing sloping site at Wellington Zoo. Significant insitu concrete retaining walls had to be constructed along the southern and eastern boundaries, and deep excavations were needed for the pool.

The ground floor slab was poured in small sections to allow for the carefully programmed delivery of 70 structural precast concrete panels, which were knitted together with a structural steel frame.

Visual impact was created by 18 feature panels with an extremely fine vertical fin running through the outer face. To create this effect, formliners, until then never used in New Zealand, were imported from America.

The panel design was complemented by exposed aggregate paving to the courtyard area in front of the building. Elevations were highlighted by the use of a number of saligna slat panels, some at high level.

The “green” project required that all timber was Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. Solar heating is provided by two 2.8-square-metre collectors on the roof. A huge 25,000-litre tank harvests rainwater for reuse through the building.

consultants’ checks, resulted in an extremely small list of defects, which were mainly of a cosmetic nature.

Relationships on site were extremely good, with everyone adopting the team approach to problem solving.

“We’re pretty easy to deal with. We like to build relationships and we like to view ourselves as being partners in any contract that we undertake,” Burley says.

“We try to work together not only with our clients and consultants, but also our subcontractors to get a good result for everybody.”

He says the commonsense approach and ‘can do’ attitude of Ross Provan, capital development manager for the Wellington Zoo Trust, was adopted by everyone on site, from the client to subcontractors.

On completion of the project, Earl Rutherford, of Warren and Mahoney, said it was the least stressful one he had ever worked on.

The success of the Nest was recognised in the New Zealand Master Builders’ Awards last year, when Naylor Love was awarded Gold Reserve status for the project.

The Roost is a new native breeding area designed to breed and care for all kinds of birds, including rare native species such as kakariki. The interactive facility allows visitors to learn about all stages of life, from incubating eggs to newly hatched chicks cared for in the brooder room and the aviaries where our adult birds live.

The Roost showcases New Zealand’s diverse natural environment as well as celebrates our agricultural history and close relationship with domestic animals.

“We have a good relationship with the zoo,” Naylor Love commercial manager Russell Burley says. “We’ve completed two additional projects at the zoo prior to these ones. We installed a power upgrade before the Nest animal hospital was built, which was a relatively small contract. We also built the $1.7 million Wild Theatre, which is a visitor interaction area and event centre with seating for up to 270 people.”

Naylor Love is currently putting together a registration of interest for Wellington Zoo’s next project, the proposed Asia Precinct that will be a new home for the sun bears.

The project will be tendered in July, with work due to start in August or September.

…

Naylor Love Wellington has completed a wide range of successful projects in the Wellington region in the seven years it has been located in the capital.

“We’ve recently completed the Pipitea Wellington Girls’ College, which was a new four-storey admin and teaching block in an existing school,” Burley says.

“We’re building an office at Porirua and

we’re building the new culinary school for the Wellington Institute of Technology.

We’ve also just started on a new library building for Wellesley College in Days Bay.” One of the first major projects completed

by Naylor Love in Wellington was the $24 million Trentham City Shopping Centre in the Hutt Valley. This complex redevelopment of the Logan Plaza retail precinct included new retail outlets and an undercover carpark. The project won the regional Master Builders’ retail and business category award in 2007.

Other significant projects include the $62 million Plaza Mall in Palmerston North, which was a joint venture with McMillan and Lockwood. The refurbishment and extension included a new three-level carpark building.

…

Naylor Love has been servicing the property industry in New Zealand for 101 years. The company was built around a commitment to building longterm relationships and a continuous improvement policy in an effort to deliver the best construction services for its clients.

As well as a comprehensive construction management skills base, Naylor Love has retained a technical culture. This has provided the company with a practical and pragmatic site management capability augmented by the trade supervisors who have an intimate knowledge of the project process ‘at the coalface’.

Naylor Love’s greatest asset is its people, from senior management through to its tradespeople and apprentices. The company has about 300 staff nationwide spread over five regional divisions.

Russell Burley says the company is only as good as its people. “We have good employees and good subcontractors.

We’ve been in Wellington long enough to have established good relationships with subcontractors,” he says. “We’re involved in a relatively competitive tender market but things are looking good for the future.”

Naylor Love Wellington PO Box 39-272 Wellington Mail Centre 6332 T (04) 586 3192 F (04) 586 3197 www.naylorlove.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Naylor Love commercial manager Russell Burley says environmentally sustainable materials were used wherever possible.

During construction, recycled aggregate was used in the insitu concrete substructures and retaining walls. All waste on site was segregated to ensure maximum recycling and minimum use of local landfill facilities.

Separate recycling bins were maintained for different materials such as timber, paper and metal. Subcontractors and suppliers were encouraged to keep packaging to a minimum or not bring it to site. This significantly improved the recycling target set at the start of the project.

“The Nest was the first project where we recycled and segregated materials on site,” Burley says.

Metalwork was significant in The Nest. Along with the more routine handrails and gates, specialist enclosures were installed. These had to safely contain a number of different animals.

To be ‘chimp proof’, in particular, requires an extremely robust and durable end product.

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Property and Construction | Holmes Construction Wairarapa

Carterton Events Centre

on track

Whether it’s children traversing the aisles of a library, new mums meeting other first-time parents or neighbours having a meeting, events and community centres around the country are treasured by everyone.

And soon Carterton, a lively small town just north of Wellington, will be enjoying a phenomenal Events Centre, when the $6 million project is completed in October.

An amalgamation of the town’s historic library and existing Youth Centre with new buildings will create a new multi-purpose community Events Centre.

It will include a 300 seat auditorium and Town Hall, exhibition spaces, an information centre, a refurbished Youth Centre, a Plunket centre, archive storage and new community meeting rooms among many other facilities. And at the helm of this build is Holmes Construction.

Project manager Ben Holmes says the company jumped to be a part of it. “It will be a great asset for the town,” he says. “We were very excited to win the tender for it. It’s a big job, coming at a time of not much work in the building industry and its very high profile.”

He believes the company was chosen because of its competitive price, good working relationship with the local council and other companies in the Wairarapa, and its technical expertise.

For example, in nearby Greytown, Holmes Construction worked on the renovation of the historic Town Hall. Originally built in 1907, the hall was a category two heritage building but it had deteriorated during the years and was in a state of disrepair. Its rejuvenation into a now much-loved institution won Holmes Construction a New Zealand Institute of Architects award in 2007.

Holmes Construction is part of the Holmes Group, a group of companies in the lower North Island. It is owned and managed by the Holmes family with three generations actively engaged in the business.

The company has offices in Wellington and the Wairarapa and constructs a wide range of buildings from quality residential homes to large commercial developments. A member of the Master Builders Association, in the recent past it has worked on Masterton Primary School, Masterton Pak’N’Save supermarket, Alana Estate Winery, Tulloch Lodge and the Masterton Police Station.

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Property and Construction | Holmes Construction Wairarapa

The build The Carterton Events Centre build was started in October 2010 and is due to be finished early October 2011. However, it is hoped the historic library will be opening in September to coincide with its 130th birthday.

So far, the build has employed a vast array of people, from subcontractors to approximately 20 Holmes Construction staff. When finished, the Events Centre will be a true work of art and a valued building for the community.

The acoustically designed Events Centre will play host to local and visiting performing arts shows, community meetings, exhibitions, conferences, trade shows and social events.

The existing Scouts building will be transformed by being refurbished and completely integrated into the centre.

A Plunket and a toy library will be created for young families to enjoy. The most exciting part of this build is that it will envelope and rejuvenate the historic, category two heritage listed Carterton Library. It is New Zealand’s oldest operating library, built in 1881, commissioned by Charles Rooking Carter as a gift to his town.

The challenge of creating this centre, seamlessly weaving a treasured historic library into a new modern complex was given to Opus International Consultants, led by their architectural team.

“Opus has been great to work with,” Ben Holmes enthuses. The award-winning architecture company has designed a number of other successful buildings, including community centres, around the country.

Holmes Construction Wairarapa At A Glance ■ Part of the Holmes Group of companies ■ Owned and managed by the Holmes family, with three generations actively engaged in the business ■ Responsible for the construction of a wide range of buildings, from quality residential homes to large commercial developments ■ Won a 2007 NZIA Award for its refurbishment and additions to the Greytown Town Hall.

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Property and Construction | Holmes Construction Wairarapa

Carterton Events Centre At A Glance ■ Will be a community complex ■ Incorporates the heritage listed library and old Scouts Hall ■ Will contain a new toy library and Plunket rooms ■ The 300 seat auditorium will host plays and exhibitions ■ LVL bracing walls will make it safer in an earthquake ■ The project is on track for completion in October 2011.

Strong and sustainable The building will be a sustainable one, with green features such as recycled rainwater and passive solar lighting. It will also be using LVL timber bracing shear walls, for the first time in the North Island.

“The sheer walls have gained a lot of interest because of the Christchurch earthquakes,” Ben Holmes says. “I believe this is the second time in the world they’re being used — the first time was in Nelson.

“The timber is being used because it’s a renewable local source, but also the main reason is because of the seismic capabilities of it. Most places would use concrete for these walls, but in an earthquake the walls would crack but theses ones are designed to move.

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“This is particularly important, because when it’s up and running, the community building will be the central point in a civil emergency.”

Like most of New Zealand, Carterton is no stranger to earthquakes. The 1942 Wairarapa earthquake damaged parts of the small town, and with the recent devastation in Christchurch, builders and architects have quake-safe buildings at the forefront of their minds.

The LVL system was the brainchild of a team of researchers from the University of Canterbury.

Simply put, it allows the walls to rock back and forth in an earthquake, absorbing earthquake energy as they move.

This significantly reduces the amount of movement and damage to a building during an earthquake, better for overall safety and meaning fewer repairs for the building after a large quake. The design of the rods inside the walls causes the building to return to a vertical position, rather than to the angle the building happens to be at once the shaking stops.

Ben Holmes says, with a few more months to go, everything is running on time and on budget. The Events Centre should open as planned in October and then become a hub of community services and events for many years ahead.

“The Carterton District Council has been great to work with and the residents have been supportive. It’s a big investment for a small town like this. I’m looking forward to seeing it completed in October.”

Holmes Construction Wairarapa 150 Main Street Greytown T (06) 304 9816 F (06) 304 9004 E office@hcgltd.co.nz www.holmes-construction.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Transport and Motoring | City Nissan Lower Hutt

The choice is yours…

The Nissan Qashqai, designed with modern families in mind

If there’s one thing we all like, it’s choice. And when it comes to making what is for most of us an investment of significance, then choice isn’t just nice, it’s a primary requirement, because it ensures is you get exactly what you need or want.

Part of this is about creating a non-threatening environment, he says, but it must be backed up by a professional background, and the dealership’s recent facelift has well and truly delivered this. The building’s been repainted, the showroom re-tiled and revamped, the workshop’s received a facelift and the entire dealership sports a new front entrance.

makes sure of, is that they sell people what they need — all you have to do is choose.

extra bits you won’t find in a standard family car and is fantastic value for money.

“The base model has factory booster seats for kids, storage boxes under each seat for the kids, a cool box to keep drinks cold, storage under the left hand passenger seat, plus rear controlled air conditioning.”

But the one sales trend Brent White notices is However, the key ingredient, if you want a that “people are buying what they need”. vehicle to match the wildly diverse life and style of contemporary Kiwis, is having access Surely this isn’t really a surprise, as the one It is here where vehicle dealership City Chrysler to a wide range of stock. thing the team at City Nissan City Chrysler City Nissan in Lower Hutt delivers.

“We have 80 to 90 vehicles on hand at any one In fact, the dealership’s general manager time. And we have significant buying power Brent White places a premium on ensuring via our affiliation with the brands we carry customers’ roll out the door with something and our affiliations with other dealerships. So suited to them. whatever someone wants, we will make it happen… we’ll find something,” he says.

“We see it as our role to ensure that people get exactly what they’re looking for. It doesn’t matter whether they’re spending two grand or a hundred grand, for them it’s a lot of money and it’s vital the vehicle suits their lifestyle and budget.

“If they don’t like the car there is no point selling it to them, as they’ll resent it and you, as the person who sold it to them, for along period of time. So we are very conscious of looking after people and ensuring the car fits their needs — not the salesmen’s.

“And you also have to look further down the track as well when it comes to financing.

You don’t want people getting locked into a financial situation that doesn’t suit them, because again they will end up resenting the vehicle and the people who sold it to them — so our primary aim is to find something that suits individuals and their lifestyles.”

City Nissan — City Chrysler 340 High Street Lower Hutt T (04) 566 8668 F (04) 566 8444 www.citynissan.co.nz www.citychrysler.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Wide range The range of cars, SUVs, offroaders and people movers City Chrysler City Nissan carries is massive. There’s something to suit anyone and everyone — all you need to do is figure out what you want and you’ll find it.

All the brands are instantly recognizable: Dodge, Chrysler (with the ever-popular 300C), Jeep and the hugely varied Nissan range.

The Nissan stable moves from the Lear Electric and urban oriented Micra that makes mincemeat of even the tightest streets, up to the Pathfinder and Patrol, with hot hatches, super saloons, small SUVs and GT cruisers all slotted in-between.

Proud to be associated with City Chrysler & City Nissan

Best sellers right now are the Nissan Qashqai and Dodge Journey — a seven seater designed with modern families in mind. “It has lots of www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 31

Manufacturing | Tanker Solutions

Total tank solutions No matter how big or small, Tanker Solutions is dedicated to providing the best quality cost effective solution to fuel and dry bulk transport and delivery needs.

Tanker Solutions has recently built six four-axle trailers for Hooker Pacific’s fuel cartage fleet.

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We take it for granted that every time the needle dips beneath the little line we can nip to the nearest petrol station and fill up. But there’s a whole industry involved in the process of getting petroleum from sea ports to petrol stations around the country.

Transporting petrol needs quality and durable tanks to ensure people’s and wildlife’s safety — and that’s where Tanker Solutions Ltd, owned by Mark Wilkin, steps in.

Being made redundant was the catalyst for Mark Wilkin to start Tanker Solutions. He’d been doing similar work for another company for the previous 20 years, and so in April 2007 became his own boss and hired five employees.

Despite the recession, the business has grown in its four years, with staff numbers, manufacture and turnover greatly increasingly all the time.

Today the company is one of the leading suppliers of tankers and tank trailers to the New Zealand petroleum industry.

It supplies everything from a dust cap to a complete turn-key new built tanker and

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“No matter how big or small, we’ll build it,” Wilkin says. “We can supply virtually any or all parts for tankers, from the smallest item to the complete tanker.

“We can build something and send it across the country — from Whangerai to Invercargill.

Substantial growth “We’re also happy to provide service and maintenance to anyone who needs it in the lower North Island. That’s actually an area where the business has grown substantially.

“We’ve employed a service manager, to have an increased focus on our service and maintenance capability,” Wilkin says.

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The company’s comprehensive range of services to tanker fleet owners and operators includes specialist fuel system design, specialised welding and vehicle fabrication.

The fabrication includes chassis building, chassis extensions, fifth wheel installations and tank remounts, plus final assembly and certification.

Manufacturing | Steel Shed Systems

Manufacturing | Tanker Solutions

Steeled for success Watching an idea come to life; that’s the satisfying experience Steel Shed Systems customers enjoy when their designs become attractive and strong buildings.

The team at Steel Shed Systems has been budgeting, designing and engineering rural, industrial and commercial buildings throughout New Zealand for four years. The company has five regional operators who are all part-owners and directors of the national company.

Specialist fuel system design, welding and vehicle fabrication makes Tanker Solutions a winning choice

“We were frustrated with the franchise arrangement that dominated this construction method,” explains managing director Mike Tracey. “It wasn’t driven by people who understand design and customer service, which is what builders want on a day to day basis. We brought this construction system into the mainstream building contracts arena.”

All the partners are building contractors and builders. Attentive customer service sets this company apart. Its specialised design software means customers can see their building come to life, allowing them to become actively involved in design decisions, all before they commit to a full building contract. A budget is run alongside the project design, to ensure the client is kept up-to-date with the costs along the way. And the tricky bureaucratic process is handled for you — Steel Shed Systems works hand-in-hand with councils and utilises engineers and planners to ensure its clients have a fully-compliant building.

Super steel

The Tanker Solutions answer to bulk grain cartage.

The company also has the expertise to undertake a wide range of light engineering work with access to independent certifying engineers when required.

An example of a recent Tanker Solutions project is the six four-axle trailers for Hooker Pacific it built in the last half of 2010. These trailers have gone into Hooker Pacific’s fleet to transport Caltex and Z Energy (formerly called Shell) petroleum all around the country.

There are now 13 staff members, including the four original men who started with the company in 2007.

Mark Wilkin’s goal is to consolidate the company’s position in the market. “In 2011 and beyond I want to solidify what we’re currently doing, improve service to existing customers and look to increase our customer base.”

Steel is a fantastic building material from a number of different perspectives. Firstly, it is flexible. Like a blade of glass that moves in the wind, it moves with forces like earthquakes and strong gales.“I expect engineers will be calling for our lighter weight steel systems in rebuilding Christchurch because it is light, strong and doesn’t require much ground strength,” Tracey says.

While steel has been used successfully for hundreds of years, Tracey believes it is the material of the future. “Our systems are able

to carry extra loads like gantry cranes and suspended ceilings — all put in place without specialised engineering. Smarter designers and architects are using these systems. Steel will continue to be used because it is recyclable, it can be used many times over.”

Recent projects Steel Shed Systems has designed and built numerous attractive buildings around the country. “One thing we’re trying to do to set ourselves apart is in the design and architecture of our buildings. There are columns and features, making them pleasing buildings to the eye.

“We like to be challenged in our work and we enjoy being able to engineer unique architectural design features — something a little out of the ordinary — and finish it to an exceptional detail.”

A recent successful design was a building for a school and church group in Wanganui. “It was originally designed in concrete and structural steel but the project got too expensive for client. So we came in and designed it with lighter weight steel and innovative petitioning systems. We were able to design and quote well within their budget.”

In the Wellington area, the team is currently building with structural steel a factory for an engineering firm in the Hutt. “We’ve got two large gantry cranes running in it and concrete tilt panels. It’s a factory, but constructed in structural steel. It’s completely functional for the client’s requirements.”

Expansion is on the horizon for this company, which already has offices in centres around the country. “I’d like to see us expand the brand,” Tracey says. “We aim to work closely with more designers and architects so that they can see how this system benefits their clients.”

Steel Shed Systems 155 Otaki Gorge Road Otaki T (06) 364 7749 E miket@steelshedsystems.co.nz www.steelshedsystems.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Tanker Solutions PO Box 13318 Johnsonville 6440 Wellington T (04) 237 4555 F (04) 237 8265 E mark@tankersolutions.co.nz www.tankersolutions — Advertising Feature

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2011 | 33

Manufacturing | Twin Lakes Engineering

Two-pronged approach builds diverse portfolio

The Twin Lakes Engineering story is a classic case of home grown tinkering turned into a successful business. The company was formed in 1987 by Steve Hockly, who began working in his garage with a pair of tin snips and a sheet of steel.

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From there it grew quickly and was later split into two companies — Twin Lakes Sheetmetals and Twin Lakes Engineering. The sheetmetal business primarily manufactures ducting, while the engineering business focuses on structural, architectural and stainless steel work.

Significant contracts

Growth and success

Working with construction giants such as Mainzeal, Fletchers, Holmes, Mckee Fehl and Naylor Love has seen Twin Lakes build a healthy portfolio of jobs, including work on the Beehive and the American Emabassy.

Twin Lakes Engineering and its sister sheetmetal company undertake work throughout the greater Wellington region and up to Palmerston North.

The two companies today employ 20 staff from premises in Blenheim Street, Upper Hutt.

“Twin Lakes Engineering specialises in lightmedium metal fabrication,” says Steve’s son David Hockly. “We also specialise in stainless steel work, specialty aluminium detailings and lift frontages. We do a lot of architectural work such as handrails and balustrades, and recently we’ve been doing a lot of seismic reinforcing.”

A recent contract, the Telecom project, has involved more than a year’s commitment, subcontracting to Hawkins Construction.

The company structural steel work, with a recent focus on additional cross braces and beams for earthquake strengthening. It also manufactures high-quality stainless steel furniture components, such as chair arms, for companies like Kadima Furniture in Wellington.

Twin Lakes Engineering is highly focused on safety and quality, without compromising on price or workmanship. It has an oustanding safety record.

The company has recently purchased a new plasma cutter, which has the ability to cut up to 30mm-thick steel. “It’s faster and more accurate and being able to cut thicker steel allows us to do more work inhouse. We don’t have to outsource as much cutting,” Hockly says. “We’ve got a good production line and have most everything we need. We do the majority of work inhouse, but our strength is the strong working relationships from using other companies where (it is) cost effective.”

The new “green” building to house Telecom is being billed as the most significant of its kind ever built in for central Wellington. It is a fivegreen-star-rated building, utilising the latest in environmental design, including energyefficient lighting, solar panels and possibly wind turbines.

Telecom is the anchor tenant for the building, which will involve 12 levels of office buildings and retail outlets spreading from Willis St to Boulcott St. About 1700 Telecom staff, now spread over six leased properties around central Wellington, will be housed in the development, which has been leased for 12 years from mid-2011.

Twin Lakes Engineering has been manufacturing the handrails and balustrades, as well as a lot of the seismic bridge work.

“We have a large contract coming up for the Air Force in Ohakea, which will involve comprehensive duct and sheetmetal work.

“We aim to improve on what we have and expand and grow into more diverse metal work, such as seismic bracing, structural steel work and building products. There is even potential to expand Freefall Xtreme, with proposed Agroventures sites out of New Zealand.”

Twin Lakes has grown from humble beginnings and does not plan to stop there. With plenty of room for growth, the second generation is coming through with the goal to grow and diversify the operation.

“The future for Twin Lakes is encouraging.

Through technology and the established decades of experience; we plan to grow,” Hockly says.

He attributes the success of Twin Lakes Engineering to his father’s strong work ethic.

“The company has succeeded because of Steve “It’s a prestigious job,” Hockly says. “We’ve Hockly’s hard work. He has a problem-solving, been working on this site since December 2010 Kiwi attitude and the ability to get things done. and will continue till the project is complete.”

Not to mention a good supportive wife.”

Projects like Freefall Xtreme in Rotorua have seen Twin Lakes Engineering go above and Twin Lakes Engineering Limited beyond normal engineering operations.

21 Blenheim Street Upper Hutt Freefall Xtreme is New Zealands only vertical Wellington 5018 wind tunnel. “The structure was developed T (04) 528 8227

by Steve Hockly and is still believed to be the F (04) 528 8131 quietest outdoor wind tunnel in the world,” E office@tle.co.nz — Advertising Feature David Hockly says.

ing y l p p u s “Proudly Engineering” es k a L n i w T

Suppliers of:

WHK Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers Level 6 Westfield Tower, Lower Hutt, Wellington | P. 04 569 9069 Level 5, 56 Victoria Street, Wellington | P. 04 384 4161 E.wellington@whk.co.nz | www.whk.co.nz 34 | July/August 2011 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Wellington Burnham Street Petone Fax: 04 570 8473 Phone: 04 570 8472

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