Bulletin

THE LATEST HAPPENINGS AT MASTER PLUMBERS.

Steady, hot & strong

We have been blown away by the response from members to the joint Rheem and Master Plumbers campaign to stand with Kiwis in times of need. More than 70 Master Plumbers member businesses have put their hands up to install Rheem water heaters in households going without hot water as a result of COVID-19 economic impacts.

There has been an incredible response to the campaign, which sees Rheem donating water heaters and Master Plumbers members volunteering to install them. The first winner is a family in Marton, who recently bought their first home after finally saving enough for a deposit, only to find the HWC was unfit for use and needed complete replacement, which they were unable to afford. The family was using the local pools to shower until the COVID-19 lockdown put a stop to that, at which point they had to boil the jug for their hot water.

A further setback came with the discovery of a leaking roof. “After paying for two repair callouts we still have leaks and may need a new roof, leaving our family including our four year old without hot water for the foreseeable future on our single income,” said father David in

BEST IN BRAND: $200 PREZZY CARD PRIZE

This edition’s Best in Brand prize goes to Ultimate Plumbing & Gasfitting in Whakatane for some sharp looking Master Plumbers and Master Gasfitters branding side and back on their work vehicles. Love it guys! WANT TO WIN? For a chance to win the next $200 Prezzy card prize, send us a photo or two of how you’re using the Master Plumbers brand in your business.

Email Cat Marshall by 14 September: cmarshall@masterplumbers.org.nz his entry form. “Being able to wash our hands and dishes and bathe without having to boil the jug or brave the freezing cold water or wait in line would be a luxury we would be so grateful for.”

Palmerston North Master Plumbers member company Semtex Plumbing & Gas, owned by Matthew and Hayley Nieper, came to the rescue, volunteering to complete the installation of the donated Rheem HWC for “one very, very grateful” family in July. Master Plumbers Business Partner Apex Valves also helped out by donating a valve kit.

“All going well, they will be able to have hot showers tonight,” said Hayley as their plumber Conrad finished up the job. “The house is

on tank water and the tank had an issue with the lid, so we ended up replacing that at the same time.”

We’ll bring you a round-up of other winner stories in a future edition of NZ Plumber.

This Marton family can now enjoy hot showers again, thanks to the Rheem and Master Plumbers campaign to help families in need due to COVID-19 economic impacts.

Hayley and Matthew Nieper of Semtex Plumbing & Gas, who put their hands up to help, with their plumber Conrad carrying out the installation work.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP FOR BRIAN FOLEY

CANTERBURY CATCH-UP

Canterbury Master Plumbers Association members got together in early July for a post-lockdown catch up. It was also a great opportunity to celebrate their Kava Cup win for the Association’s help on the Kowhai Rest Home Project! Congratulations to Brian Foley, who was awarded the rare honour of Master Plumbers Life Membership at an Otago branch meeting in July. A second generation former owner of Foleys, Brian served on the Masters Plumbers national executive for 20 years and was also National President from 1996-97. We will profile Brian

Lead in tapware lobbying

With the 2020 release of a Massey University study into lead and other metals leaching into drinking water from tapware (see the last edition of NZ Plumber for more details), Master Plumbers is once again urging the government to introduce a mandatory third-party verification scheme for plumbing products sold in New Zealand, similar to WaterMark in Australia.

CEO Greg Wallace has being raising awareness of the issue in the media and it is also the focus of the Master Plumbers’ submission on the government’s Building (Building Products and Methods, Modular Components and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, which was out for public feedback in July.

Other specialist trades, including electricians, are also calling for more robust and enforceable regulation to protect consumers against substandard construction products coming into New Zealand that pose a potential health and safety risk.

in the next edition of NZ Plumber.

Brian Foley (right) being presented with Master Plumbers Life Membership by son Craig Foley, who is the current Chair of the national Master Plumbers Board.

MASTER PLUMBERS TRAINING

Our face-to-face training courses had to be postponed until social contact restrictions were lifted. Happily, our timetable is now back up and running, with a mix of online and inperson training. Check out what’s available at www.masterplumbers.org.nz/training

From left, Johnny Gardner of Inline Plumbing, Master Plumbers BDM Sam Timlin, Marc Taylor of Taylor & Sons Drainage, Paul Olsen of Whitehead Plumbing & Gas and Hamish Baldwin of Aquatec Plumbing.

From left, Rob and Stu from Dux, Penny from Plumbing World and Canterbury Master Plumbers President Mike Diver of Peter Diver Plumbing & Drainage.

OBITUARY

It is with great sadness that we advise of the passing of Master Plumbers Hawkes Bay executive member Darrin Lee. Darrin was a strong member of the Hawkes Bay plumbing industry and will be sorely missed.

Meet the team...

GET TO KNOW THE MASTER PLUMBERS TEAM WITH OUR QUICK Q&AS.

NAME: ROLE:

Lisa Onland Marketing & Communications Executive

1. What does your day-to-day role entail? I oversee the management of marketing initiatives and work on ensuring our members know all about the benefits of being a Master Plumber. I also help handle communications and outreach for key advocacy issues. No day is the same.

2. What’s your work background? My last position was as web services specialist for a large tech company in the US. Previous roles have been within the digital marketing sphere, from head copywriter to content manager. Prior to that, I completed my formal education in journalism. 3. Can you tell us a little bit about you? Originally from Pukekohe, I grew up in Palmerston North and have spent the past 10 years living abroad in Hong Kong, Canada and the US. I returned to New Zealand in March this year, and now live in Wellington with my husband and our two young children.

4.What’s your favourite music right now? My toddler is currently obsessed with Hall & Oates so they get a fair bit of airplay in our house. I often find myself returning to Tori Amos’ Little Earthquakes and Tool’s Lateralus. Make of that what you will.

5. What’s your favourite book or movie? I was blown away by Colson Whitehead’s novel The Underground Railroad and always jump at the chance to recommend The Big Lebowski to the uninitiated.

6.Where’s your favourite holiday spot? Mexico City. It’s not a holiday for me unless I’m dodging traffic and getting lost in strange alleys.

7. What’s your favourite food? I’m a big fan of Japanese food and also love a good slice.

8.Can you name a person who particularly inspires you? I think as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been more and more inspired by my parents. They emigrated to New Zealand over 30 years ago and raised five children in a new country away from all their family.

9. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time and why? With little kids, spare time is a bit of a foreign concept but I do try to swim, read and travel when I can. At the moment I’m really enjoying exploring Wellington and getting more familiar with the coolest little capital.

SILVER PARTNER PROFILE: FELTON

Felton Industries is proudly 100% Kiwi What sets Felton apart is its focus on owned and operated, and has been designing and making products that will manufacturing shower mixers from its perform best under New Zealand water Auckland factory for more than 50 years. pressures and conditions. Over the years,

Most Kiwi plumbers will be familiar with Felton has expanded on its offerings to the company’s iconic shower mixer, the include tapware, water saving technology, Feltonmix®, which has been 100% made in and more recently, digital/electronic mixers. New Zealand since 1968. Felton is made up of a tight knit team of 37—many of whom reside in Glen Innes, where the factory started and is still based.

NEW MEMBERS

A warm welcome to new Master Plumbers member businesses:

Aqua Point Plumbing Ltd–

Auckland

Northside Plumbing Ltd –

Auckland

SS Drainage Ltd – Auckland

Seal Plumbing & Gas

Services – Auckland

Comag Ltd – Waikato Aces Plumbing Ltd – Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Advanced Plumbing 2012 Ltd – Bay of Plenty/ Coromandel Gaskin Plumbing Ltd – Volcanic Plateau Laser Plumbing Taupo Ltd – Volcanic Plateau Accrete Plumbing and Gas Ltd – Hutt Valley/Wairarapa All Septic & Drainage Ltd – Otago

WANT TO JOIN?

Master Plumbers is here to support all businesses in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry. Members are Quality Assured and backed by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. We offer a wide range of business resources, HR & technical support, plus training and member discounts— and we advocate for our members as a collective industry voice.

Get in touch to discuss our two-year membership deal!

Steve Rushworth North Island 027 839 8398 srushworth@masterplumbers.org.nz

Sam Timlin South Island 021 433 615 stimlin@masterplumbers.org.nz

EARN POINTS, REDEEM FOR GREAT REWARDS

Do you own your own drainlaying, plumbing or gas fitting business? Buy selected products by any of these leading brands and earn points for great rewards.