Business North December 2014

December 2014

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Winning Style - page 28

Korean trade deal nearly there Hugh de Lacy The long-sought after goal of a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea, New Zealand’s fifth largest trading partner, is virtually a done deal.

However, New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser isn’t prepared to say so just yet.

“After walking across broken glass on this negotiation over many years I am now prepared to say in public that I’m very confident we can get this thing together, but we’re not quite there,” Groser said.

Groser recently met with his South Korean

counterpart on the fringes of the Asia-Pacific Economic conference in Beijing and again at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.

“All I can say with necessary caution on my part is that nothing’s done till it’s done.

“After all I’m one of the millions of New Zealanders who thought when we were leading 8-1 in the America’s Cup with nine sailing days to go that it was pretty well assured – and how wrong that proved,” Groser said.

“Apart from the pain it just showed once again in the real world, don’t count your chickens until they hatch.

“It’s a simple truth of human behaviour.

“So I’m not prepared to say it’s done: we’ve

got one or two final steps, but it’s looking very good.”

Negotiations towards an FTA began in 2009 soon after the then South Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited New Zealand.

Seven rounds of largely fruitless negotiation followed before current President Park Geun-hye gave new impetus to the talks which resumed in February this year in Wellington.

The sticking point has been the impact of New Zealand’s agricultural trade on South Korea’s.

Last year trade between the two countries was worth $3.59 billion, slightly favouring South Korea which imported $1.63b worth of products

from New Zealand and exported $1.96b worth to here.

New Zealand has the largest expatriate South Korean population in the world, with around 30,000 ethnic Koreans living here.

It is also the fourth largest source of foreign students in New Zealand and the seventh-largest source of overseas visitors.

An FTA would save New Zealand exporters about $230 million in tariffs, including 89% on butter, 45% on kiwifruit, 40% on beef and 11% on processed wood products.

Korean exporters would save only about $5m in tariffs, but their home economy would benefit from a wider range of cheaper goods.

Migration rise a major factor Hugh de Lacy Suggestions the Christchurch post-quake building boom has already peaked, and has only a couple more years to run, have been rubbished by Bank of New Zealand chief economist Tony Alexander.

Current record net increases in migration, tipped to reach 50,000 a year by the end of 2014, would ensure an extension of Christchurch building well beyond the actual repair programme, and offer a similar boost to the highly buoyant Auckland market, Alexander told Business North.

The Canterbury Development Corporation said recently that economic growth in the region is set to slide over the next two years because post-quake building has already reached its peak.

But Alexander said most economists have “been struggling for the past three years to figure out what the profile of the rebuild will be”, and the net migration boom clouds the picture even further.

Immigration would have a three-way impact on construction.

“Number one, there will be a few extra builders around so I would expect extra houses to be built than would otherwise be the case.

“Secondly, I think that the accommodation demand will exceed the speed with which extra supply will come forward, therefore it will tend to place upward pressure on rents and house prices as well,” he said.

The third factor arose from the familiarity investors already have with the impact of immigration changes on construction demand, especially in the Auckland market, which “will add even further upward pressure on prices”.

INSIDE

Church plans coming to fruition...

More than 170 years after the land was first purchased, and nearly 60 years after the foundation stone was laid, the race is now on to finally complete Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. Bishop George Selwyn purchased the land In 1842 with the vision to build a cathedral for the Anglican Diocese of Auckland that would become a centre for

Shake up for demolition industry - PAGE 2

Seafood technology a winner - PAGE 3

educational, social, charitable and missionary work in the city. There are currently three projects underway at the cathedral, which will effectively complete it: a new organ for the cathedral, construction of the Bishop Selwyn Chapel and projects at St Mary’s-in-Holy-Trinity church located next door to the cathedral. See story page 9

Holy Trinity plans on track - PAGE 9

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NEWS »

Business North

Earthquakes ‘game changer’ for the demolition industry Jo Bailey The Christchurch earthquakes have literally rewritten parts of the rule book for the demolition and asbestos industry, says Helina Stil, secretary of the New Zealand Demolition and Asbestos Association.

“The earthquakes were a major game changer, and highlighted some specifics that hadn’t been accounted for in the latest New Zealand Demolition and New Zealand Asbestos guidelines which were released around the same time as the disaster.”

The Association had put five or six year’s work into writing these documents, drawing on the combined expertise and expertise within the industry nationally.

Ms Stil says working on multi-storey damaged buildings was one area that had received little attention before the earthquakes.

“We had only written one page on high reach demolition before the earthquakes as there were only about five or six machines in New Zealand capable of doing this work at the time. Now we have one of the highest number of high reach machines of any country in the world.”

Asbestos management is another key issue for the Association, particularly in Christchurch.

“There were probably around 15 notifications of asbestos a year in Christchurch before the earthquakes, now there is over 1000.”

Ms Stil says the Association has since spent considerable time applying the “lessons of Christchurch” to both sets of guidelines. It is currently working with the government to rewrite the asbestos regulations which will come into force within the next couple of years, and intends to review its health and safety guidelines once the new laws coming into effect in April next year.

“We’ll see what impact the new legislation has

“The new requirements have lifted the intellectual standards in the industry and have made us more aware of the issues....” first before adding to the guidelines.”

The demolition industry in Canterbury is facing an unprecedented amount of compliance and paper work. However Ms Stil says this is not necessarily a bad thing as it has grown the industry professionally.

“The new requirements have lifted the intellectual standards in the industry and have made us more aware of the issues, including the need for engineers to provide structural tests and inspections and heritage building requirements. It has also weeded the cowboys out of the industry and raised the game of the qualified demolition contractors left carrying out the work.”

The NZDAA (formerly the NZ Demolition Contractors’ Association) was formed in the 1990s by a handful of Auckland based contractors.

In the mid-2000’s the Association reached a Memorandum of Understanding with the government to help develop industry codes of practice and guidelines.

Today its objectives are to improve the operating environment for its member organisations; continue to develop best practice guidelines; provide training and develop industry-led qualifications; lobby government on its members behalf, and provide a communication point for the industry.

The Association has over 60 members from a range of companies and organisations.

“Potential members have to meet entry standards before they will be accepted, which

includes the systems they have in place, their health and safety and work records, and commitment to the environment. Our members tend to be passionate about the industry, want to improve it, and often take up the opportunity to be involved at the coal face when it comes to writing legislation.”

The demolition and asbestos guidelines are available free to members and are available for purchase from the Association’s website.

“We don’t discriminate against non-members, with a host of information available to raise the level of everybody in the industry, whether they are members or not. Non-members are also welcome to attend our meetings.”

Helina Stil is health and safety manager of her family’s high profile demolition firm Nikau Contractors. Her mother Diana Stil was president of NZDAA for six years until the end of 2012 when Alan Edge, director of Christchurch firm Southern Demolition took over the role.

Helina Stil’s brother, JohnPaul Stil is the Association’s current vice president.

“Although the earthquakes tested New Zealand’s demolition and asbestos guidelines they still proved almost bullet proof. However the things we’ve learned since the earthquakes have raised the level of the industry to where it is now recognised among the best in the world, with skills and knowledge our operators could apply anywhere.”

• Asbestos, demolition section - pages 36-41

CRP stays upbeat on marine consent Hugh de Lacy

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A second staff report released by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) into Chatham Rock Phosphate’s (CRP’s) resource application may not restore the damage to the company’s share price caused by an earlier one, but at least it refrains from repeating a recommendation that the application be declined.

And that has helped to restore CRP’s confidence in the hearing process as it seeks a marine resource consent to mine phosphate nodules from the sea floor on the Chatham Rise, 450 kilometres off the Canterbury coast at a depth of 400m.

The EPA’s second staff report, released on October 22, may also give some hope to Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) which recently had its application turned down for resource consent to mine seabed ironsands off the coast of Taranaki.

TTR is planning an appeal.

CRP’s share price halved in late August when the EPA released a 175-page report by its staff saying they were “not currently able to recommend granting this marine consent as it stands.”

The rejection of the TTR application by a different group of EPA decision-makers came at about the same time as the publication of the first staff report on CPR, and which resulted in CPR’s overseas investors in particular, who have already sunk nearly $30 million into the project, assuming that the project was now dead in the water.

The share price consequently crashed from 22c to 11c virtually overnight, slashing $15m from the value of the project, and it has yet to show any sign of recovery.

CRP wants to mine phosphate from the sea floor on the Chatham Rise, 450km off the Canterbury coast.

With the company currently going back to the shareholders for more money, the effect has been that it has had to effectively sell double the number of shares to attract the same amount of investment.

The coincidence in timing of the TTR decision – which was unexpected - and the first CRP report prompted unsubstantiated claims from some quarters that EPA staff were sympathetic to, or had connections with, mining opponent Greenpeace.

However, in response to CRP’s expression of concern about the first report, the EPA’s decision-making committee on October 14 issued a minute acceding to the company’s request for the new report to “be restricted from offering an outright recommendation or

conclusion on the outcome of the application”.

CRP had alternatively sought for the second report to be cancelled, but this was declined by the EPA. “We were really concerned the second report should not have recommendations because it wouldn’t take into account any of the evidence presented to the [resource consent] hearing,” CRP director Linda Sanders said.

Instead the second report confines itself to a spreadsheet summary and analysis of the information available up to the start of the hearing.

The 25-day EPA hearing is sitting in both the Chatham Islands and in Hamilton, The EPA is expected to announce its decision in late December.

Business North

NEWS »

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Harvesting technology wins award Karen Phelps

I

t’s a new innovation that could revolutionise the fishing industry and now the company that spearheaded the project has been crowned New Zealand’s most innovative organization at the New Zealand Innovators Awards 2014.

Precision Seafood Harvesting is a commercial fishing partnership between industry giants Sanford, Sealord and Aotearoa Fisheries.

The company has developed a new way of harvesting fish using technology that sees fish contained and swimming in a large flexible PVC liner.

Holes in the liner allow small fish to escape and once on deck, any non-target fish can be returned to the sea alive and unharmed.

The companies have invested $26 million into the project under a Primary Growth Partnership with the Ministry of Primary Industries.

Scientists from Plant & Food Research have undergone nearly 10 years of research into the project and are currently trialling the new harvesting technology on commercial fishing vessels.

Precision Seafood Harvesting spokesman and chief operating officer at Sanfords Greg Johansson says that the aim of the product is to catch the “perfect” fish.

“In order to do this we initially hand lined hoki, brought them up from the ocean floor and looked at the quality compared with the condition of the flesh from a fish caught in a traditional trawl net.

“We started to think about how we could get fish in commercial quantities from the seabed to the boat while maintaining that quality and natural goodness,” he says.

Johansson says it was discovered that the fish were losing quality due to traditional captures processes, which saw them expend a lot of energy once caught in the net.

In developing the new liner Precision Seafood Harvesting used underwater cameras, initially with the aim of looking at the performance of the liner but soon other important discoveries were made.

“It showed us how different species behaved differently in the liner,” says Johansson.

Precision Seafood Harvesting has developed technology that sees fish contained and swimming in a large flexible PVC liner.

“Once we started to understand the behaviour we could design the portals in the liner more effectively as to where fish naturally group and gravitate.”

Experiments were made with colour, sound and waterflow to encourage fish movement to certain places in the liner, to exit or stay in the liner creating

The aim of the Precision Seafood Harvesting system is to catch the “perfect” fish.

a more precise way of fishing, says Johansson.

For example loose plastic rattling inside the liner has been found to attract certain species of fish.

The invention not only protects the health of the fish increasing levels of quality for consumers but also protects the valuable marine environment by ensuring only fish of the correct size and quality are removed and the rest are left to swim back through the liner into the ocean again free from harm.

“We are now able to more effectively remove fish at the optimum size keeping breeding stock in the ocean.

“New Zealand has always had a reputation as a world leader in its management of its fisheries and this innovation will only enhance that.”

To take the concept to the next level significant commercial investment was necessary which was where the Primary Growth Partnership has been invaluable, he says.

Along with investment by shareholders Precision Seafood Harvesting will spend $52 million over the next six years making the product ready for commercial release initially in New Zealand.

Intellectual property and patents are in place and no decision has yet been made as to whether the product will be released to the international market.

“It’s a massive development for the industry, as harvesting methods for fish haven’t changed in decades, perhaps hundreds of years.

“There has already been considerable industry interest in the invention.”

New Zealand Innovators Awards evaluators noted how Precision Seafood Harvesting’s entry was a good example of innovation through collaboration to create something that delivers value through a multi-pronged approach.

Attended by over 600 people the awards bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, designers and investors from all industries across New Zealand to collaborate and celebrate innovative products, and business ventures.

New Zealand Innovation Council CEO and Awards convener Louise Webster says that entries have increased a staggering 60% on last year indicating that innovation is alive and well in New Zealand.

“It’s a massive development for the industry, as harvesting methods for fish haven’t changed in decades, perhaps hundreds of years. There has already been considerable industry interest in the invention.”

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Business North

DEVELOPMENT » Portland Park

Portland Park primed for growth Karen Phelps A new mixed-use development located in a prime location at the entrance to Hamilton hopes to capitalise on the city’s estimated growth projections.

Portland Park is located on a 14,000 square metre site at 370 Tramway Road on the new Hamilton ring road at the main junction from Auckland leading into Hamilton.

The ring road was started in 2011 and is now nearing completion providing easier access into and around Hamilton.

Undertaken by Portland Park Limited, the Portland Park development will comprise 32

townhouses plus commercial spaces. A Montessori childcare centre has already been constructed and opened mid-2014.

Work is about to commence on new premises for Platinum Dental and The Virus Centre.

The development will include 106 car parks.

A café has been confirmed for stage 2 and Sanjil Mistry from Portland Park Ltd says that the company is also in discussions with a large medical centre. Townhouses being offered in the development comprise 101-130 square metres including three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a single garage listed on the market for $379,000.

Portland Park has building consent and will start construction of first 22 townhouses in December 2014.

“Hamilton will be growing over the next few years and Portland Park is in a good location – close to schools and all major arterial routes in Hamilton.”

Mistry says that the majority of townhouses in stage 1 have already sold with stage 2 earmarked to be released to the market in mid 2015.

“Hamilton will be growing over the next few years and Portland Park is in a good location – close to schools and all major arterial routes in Hamilton,” he says.

Around 140,000 people live in Hamilton City

but by 2041 growth in the city is projected to reach 225,000.

The city’s population ranks seventh in size in New Zealand and around 3.2 percent of the country’s population lives there.

To accommodate the growing population the Hamilton City Council has identified that the city

• To page 8

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Portland Park is located on a 14,000 square metre site at 370 Tramway Road on the new Hamilton ring road at the main junction from Auckland leading into Hamilton.

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DEVELOPMENT » Portland Park

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Business North

Portland Park primed for growth • From page 6 will need around 36,000 more homes including a variety of accommodation choices catering for young and old, large and small families, first home buyers and more mature occupiers, city dwellers as well as suburban households.

Mistry says Portland Park aims to meet some of this need and townhouses have been sold to a mix of buyers including first homeowners, investors and retired couples reflecting the diverse nature of Hamilton.

Portland Park Ltd is part of the Pragma Group which also includes clothing wholesale, retail clothing, property holding, residential housing and construction companies.

Based in Hamilton Pragma Group is owned by Yogesh Mistry, Taruna Mistry and Sanjil Mistry, his parents Yogesh and Taruna who immigrated to New Zealand from Fiji in 1988.

The family took over a small clothing business and has subsequently grown this and considerably expanded its business interests.

“Being a family owned business we are able to quickly respond to our customers’ needs.

“We can react to the market and make decisions quickly as well as being flexible when we need to be,” explains Mistry citing what he considers the company’s main point of difference in the market.

Portland Park will be constructed by Pragma Construction, the Group’s commercial construction arm giving greater control over project timing and quality, says Mistry.

Pragma Construction undertakes a variety of builds including shopping centres, commercial renovation projects, fitouts and light commercial building construction.

Past projects completed by Pragma Construction include retail and industrial buildings at 85-87 Greenwood Street, Hamilton, Peachgrove

The Portland Park development will comprise 32 townhouses plus commercial spaces, and car parking.

Shopping Centre and Silverdale Shopping Centre.

In order to meet the growing needs of Hamilton Pragma Group’s residential building company Pragma Designer Homes is also being kept busy, says Mistry. The company offers a range of house plans, which often form a starting point for clients.

“We then make changes as required so their home is unique to their requirements,” explains Mistry.

The company employs an experienced team to work with clients and also works with a range of architects.

Pragma Designer Homes builds in the Waikato and offers a turn key package right down to lawns and fencing. One unique aspect of the company is its price package.

“We do not ask the client to pay progress payments. We just require a 5% deposit, which is held in a lawyer’s trust account, and then payment on completion.

“This makes it a totally risk free way to build for the client and the banks love it too. We are the only building company that we know of that offer this way of paying for a home,” he says.

Pragma Designer Homes also offers house and land packages.

The company presently has packages available in Rototuna on a 450-550sqm section comprising four bedrooms, one living area, bathroom, ensuite and double garage for $469,000.

Rototuna has been identified by Hamilton City Council as the current primary growth area for residential growth. Pragma Designer Homes also has packages in Saxbys Road for $399,000 including three bedrooms, one living area, bathroom and ensuite and a double garage.

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Business North

DEVELOPMENT » Holy Trinity Cathedral

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Holy Trinity a key part of Auckland Karen Phelps New developments at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell will help to make Auckland a more “livable” city, says cathedral Dean Jo Kelly-Moore.

“Of all the people that come to the cathedral each year around 85% for them arrive for community-generated activities. Livable cities need cathedrals,” she says.

Holy Trinity Cathedral is the cathedral for the Anglican Diocese of Auckland.

In 1842 Bishop George Selwyn purchased the land with the vision to build a cathedral that would become a centre for educational, social, charitable and missionary work in the city. Over 170 years later, and nearly 60 years after the foundation stone was laid, the race is now on to finally complete the project and consecrate Holy Trinity Cathedral.

There are currently three projects underway at the cathedral, which will effectively complete it: a new organ for the cathedral, construction of the Bishop Selwyn Chapel and projects at St Mary’s-in-Holy-Trinity church located next door to the cathedral.

Kelly-Moore likens the huge project to fitting together pieces of a puzzle, especially as 100,000 people visit the cathedral each year.

The bridge in the cathedral between the Nave and the Chancel has already been removed to make way for the new organ so it can be seen and heard from everywhere in the cathedral.

The original cathedral organ was installed in the Chancel of Holy Trinity in 1968.

With the completion of the Nave in the early 1990’s, Kelly-Moore says the organ’s design and location rendered it inadequate for the enlarged building.

The instrument is now also failing mechanically and is beyond economic repair, she says. The new organ has been designed for Holy Trinity Cathedral by Nicholson & Co. of Malvern, England. Construction will begin in May 2015 and the project will be completed by 2017.

The new instrument will comprise 92 speaking stops and 5,322 pipes.

The organ will be the largest built in the United Kingdom since the 1950’s and will be built in two parts due to its immense size.

Site works have commenced on the St Mary’s-in-Holy-Trinity church site. The Gothic revival timber church will have its historic organ restored, there will be a copper canopy installed to provide a sheltered link to the cathedral and new doors to provide better entry and egress.

Pedestrian and vehicle access around St Mary’s will also be improved.

“It’s about making the cathedral more functional,” explains Kelly-Moore.

One of the largest projects will be the construction of the new Bishop Selwyn Chapel at the south end of the cathedral. The chapel will be built extending from the cathedral’s ambulatories and behind the high altar, next to St Mary’s.

Designed by architectural firm Fearon Hay, the chapel will include walls of glass and a canopy roof. It will function as a new multi-purpose venue seating 120 people and accommodating a variety of community events.

Under construction now, it is due for completion in October 2015.

It is anticipated work on the entire project will cost around $14 million. All money for the project has nearly been raised largely through donations.

Kelly-Moore says people have donated generously – one family contributed $2m – which she considers recognition of the importance of the facility to the city. Auckland City Council, ASB Community Trust, Sir John Logan Campbell Trust and the Lotteries Heritage Fund have also made donations to the project.

“As the inner city population grows places for people to gather are lacking.

“Each week literally thousands of people come to the cathedral precinct, whether it is for a few quiet moments or as part of a large gathering.

“The dimensions of this project have as their main purpose enabling the cathedral to better serve the people of Auckland and New Zealand.

“Like the great Cathedrals of Europe, these mighty buildings take generations to build so we think 60 years to complete Holy Trinity Cathedral is not too bad.”

“Each week literally thousands of people come to the cathedral precinct, whether it is for a few quiet moments or as part of a large gathering.”

One of the largest projects will be the construction of the new Bishop Selwyn Chapel at the south end of the cathedral.

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BUILDING » Construct Ltd

Business North

Barracks restoration well advanced Karen Phelps Auckland based company Construct is undertaking the restoration of two heritage-listed barracks at Fort Takapuna for use as community spaces.

Built in 1939 the barracks are a significant part of Devonport’s military history and the project will include re-roofing, structural and insulation works, new kitchen and bathroom areas and landscaping.

One of Construct’s director Dedan Percy says that the biggest challenge for the company is completing the project in the tight time frame with work expected to finish by February 2015.

“These barracks were originally built by craftsmen and we are employing new building methods to complete the work while still retaining the original architectural detail and construction.

Herein lies our challenge,” he explains.

Construct was formed in 2005 to provide much needed building intelligence that extends beyond pure project delivery, says Percy who owns the company with Dave Groves.

The company focuses on new buildings, fitouts, refurbishment and maintenance for a range of commercial and retail clients.

Originating from South Africa, Percy, a qualified project manager and quantity surveyor, arrived in New Zealand in 1997 subsequently gaining experience with some of New Zealand’s largest construction companies. Groves, a qualified project manager from the United Kingdom, had started Construct and the two joined forces to take the company forward.

Since that time Construct has worked for a wide variety of national and international based clients spreading across industry sectors such as healthcare, commercial office, industrial, education and government and is now a prequalified contractor for a number of New Zealand institutions. Percy says that this demonstrates the breadth of the company’s capabilities.

“The key to success has been placing a firm emphasis on quality relationships and doing what you say you will do.

“Dave and I are personally involved in every single job. Our clients deal directly with us. We value the fact that our clients have made us the guardian of their projects. We don’t take that lightly. Our tagline is we build relationships before we build buildings,” says Percy.

Family members work in the company along with some long serving staff members.

Percy says that it is testament to the company’s processes that it has been working

Construct is undertaking the restoration of two heritage listed barracks at Fort Takapuna for use as community spaces.

with some clients for nearly 10 years.

“Our clients are professionals and as such demand very high levels of service and quality as well as cost effective pricing.”

The company employs its own direct labour including carpenters, stoppers and painters through its sister company Construct Maintenance.

This give greater control over quality and timing of projects.

“We will look to acquire other such relative and complementary businesses over the next few years,” says Percy.

Past projects completed by Construct include the refurbishment of the NZ Customs, Bruce Mason Centre at Takapuna, fit-outs for Aurecon, Starship Hospital, AIG Insurance, SAP, Exxon Mobil, Procter Gamble, Heinz Watties, Nestle and Lion.

“Dave and I are personally involved in every single job.

Our clients deal directly with us. We value the fact that our clients have made us the guardian of their projects.”

Past projects completed by Construct Wellington include Drexels Restaurant, ANZ’s Retail store on Willis Street, Clemenger BBDO, LexisNexis, Ericsson Communications and Horticulture NZ. With a presence firmly established in

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“The goal was always to create a national brand. We’re on a healthy and sustained growth path to achieve that.”

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Business North

BUILDING » Otari-Wilton’s Bush Curator’s House

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New era looms for Curator’s House Sue Russell Wellington’s Wilson Building has resurrected a previously untapped resource into a valuable public space, with the conversion of the OtariWilton’s Bush Curator’s House into a centre for education, research, and events.

Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton’s Bush Reserve is New Zealand’s only public botanic garden dedicated solely to native plants.

The unique plant sanctuary and forest reserve includes 100ha of native forest and 5ha of plant collections. It is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, and holds some of Wellington’s oldest trees, including an 800-year-old rimu.

The three-bedroom weatherboard Curator’s House was originally built in 1926, and has been reconfigured to create new spaces to hold small events and meetings, and new public toilets.

The staff flat at the back of the building has been refurbished, and separated from the public space by a fire rated party wall.

A 120sqm deck and steps link the house to the lawn at the front, with the deck serving as an outdoor classroom and visitor space, enjoying great views of the native forest.

Otari staff have planted the gardens around the house and deck, showcasing native plants suitable for use in home gardens.

The new building is known as the Cockayne Centre, recognising Dr Leonard Cockayne who directed the development of Otari-Wilton’s Bush.

The project was funded by Wellington City Council, and plans for both the building and the very extensive landscaping work were completed

by Wellington City Council head architect Carlos Gonzales and Wellington City Council landscape architect Charles Gordon respectively.

Wilson Building construction manager Grant Taylor says the landscaping is what makes the project, and it was about half of the job.

Still, no amount of Wellington building experience could have prepared the team for what happened with a month left to go on the project.

“We had just poured the concrete for some special pathways when we got hit by a massive electrical storm,” Taylor says.

“The Zephyrometer, or wind wand sculpture got hit by lightning and caught on fire, and we had to recover all our concrete in a storm that wasn’t supposed to happen. With a lot of work, we got the appropriate finish on it.”

Built in 1926, the three-bedroom weatherboard Curator’s House has been reconfigured into a centre for education, research, and events.

The rest of the project was smooth sailing and the Cockayne Centre opened on September 20 with an open day and native plant sale.

Wilson Building is a residential and commercial building company, established in 2006 by Grant Wilson.

The company forged a strong reputation in residential building in its early days, winning a supreme award in the Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards in 2013 for a substantial renovation which it made to a villa in Mt Victoria.

Wilson Building branched out into the commercial sector, including a dedicated seismic strengthening department, when Grant Taylor joined the company as a director in 2013.

Wilson Commercial was excited to be chosen to undertake the strengthening and restoration of the Home of Compassion Creche.

The brick building, which is Grade One heritage listed, needed to be moved to make room for the National War Memorial Park.

Wilson Building completed a complex and technical strengthening project on the building before being moved.

It is now restoring the building in its new position, 15m west and 3.2m higher than where it was previously.

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12 |

BUILDING » CMP Construction

Business North

Apartment project has its challenges Karen Phelps CMP Construction is nearing the end of a one year contract to build 20 apartments spread over four levels in Saint Benedicts Street, Auckland for client Carol Industries.

The Saint Apartments complex is earmarked for completion in January 2015 and will see CMP Construction complete the build as well as the interior fitout.

CMP Construction general manager Mike Van Luyt says that the build presented challenges as the site sloped steeply at the rear meaning piles had to be put down and a suspended floor laid over the top to create part of the basement car park. The other half of the car park was created from fill that had been excavated from the site.

As the build took place in a largely residential area Van Luyt says that getting equipment on site presented challenges and traffic management needed to be undertaken while putting in the precast panels.

He says the high-end apartments really showcase the high levels of quality construction that the company is capable of.

CMP Construction was started more than 20 years ago by present managing director Ron Macrae.

The company has earned a solid reputation for offering professional, innovative and cost effective services for construction and civil works contracts valued from $1 million to $50 million plus.

Recent years have seen the company predominate in high quality commercial, industrial and apartment developments throughout New Zealand.

CMP Construction has completed a range of projects including hotels, multi-storey apartments and office buildings, warehouses, heritage building refurbishments, internal fit-outs and civil works.

The company’s head office is in Auckland where most of the company activity is located,

The Saint Apartments complex has presented some building challenges with the site sloping steeply at the rear.

although projects have also been undertaken in other major centres of the country and the Pacific area.

Examples of past projects include the Hilton Hotel (Auckland and Lake Taupo), Attico Cocina

(Auckland), Target Court (Auckland) and Achilles House (Auckland).

The company has completed a large number of apartment building projects including Quattro Apartments (Auckland), Hallenstein Apartments

(Queenstown) and Uptown Apartments (Auckland).

Commercial projects completed include Lovell Court, Flexa Clinic and Bostik Logistics in Auckland.

“CMP also works with investors with excellent designs, locations and willing customers, but limitations in delivering the finished product. We have a successful record in this area, working closely with financiers of these projects.”

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Business North

BUILDING » CMP Construction

CMP Construction is currently working on several Albany based projects including Settlers Retirement Village, a 201 apartment complex called Rose Gardens and Tenor Apartments.

Projects completed by the company in the past include warehouses for Kea Property, EasiYo and Ebos.

“We have an excellent record as project managers,maintaining an orderly construction schedule and containing costs within budget,” says van Luyt.

“All site licensing requirements through the Department of Building and Housing are constantly monitored and upgraded.”

Van Luyt says that the company has a successful record in value engineering – accepting a project which is beginning to show cost over-runs which cannot ultimately be tolerated.

“Specialists at CMP evaluate the total contract in detail and identify solutions which will bring the total contract back to its original financial boundaries.

“CMP also works with investors with excellent designs, locations and willing customers, but limitations in delivering the finished product.

“We have a successful record in this area, working closely with financiers of these projects.”

One example of this is the company’s work strengthening the chimney of Auckland’s Victoria Park Market.

In conjunction with Reid Engineering, CMP Construction came up with a solution to insert a membrane inside the 38-metre high chimney, which was built in 1905, to meet the new earthquake codes.

The $600,000 project won a highly commended in the innovation section of the New Zealand Institute of Building awards in 2011.

The refurbishment of the market was a finalist in the same awards in 2014 in the $10m-$25m category.

“Victoria Park Market was a heritage site and we replaced roofs on buildings, repaired and replaced windows and made structural upgrades as well as constructing three new buildings,” sys van Luyt.

“Refurbishment of the site involved the creation of 80 new retail shops, cafes and restaurants from an historic building.”

He says CMP Construction worked closely with The Historic Places Trust and the Auckland City Heritage Department during the construction and fitout phases.

“The award recognition is evidence of the high standards set and achieved by CMP Construction.”

The Saint Apartments complex is earmarked for completion in January 2015 and will see CMP Construction complete the build as well as the interior fit-out.

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| 13

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14 |

BUILDING » Copeland Construction

Business North

Copeland looking to a bright future SueRussell Marcus Wolfgram always wanted to run his own business and the ex-corporate professional has discovered, in establishing Auckland company Copeland Construction Ltd six months ago, the perfect vehicle to pour his passion and expertise into.

“I had worked in corporate for a number of years and I got to the stage where my aspirations were to work in a new environment.

“I have always seen work as getting into my own business.”

His father Malcom, a licensed building practitioner, involves himself with the task of building and managing the sub-contractors while Marcus is happy to do, as he describes it “everything that is not construction”.

With that balance of expertise Copeland Construction has grown well during these early months.

Marcus Wolfgram says he has relished the responsibilities that go with founding a company and managing staff and contractors.

“I have got most of the business infrastructure set and my head is turning now towards setting up the marketing side of the company.

“The first year’s forecast of turning over about $4m dollars in construction projects is very much on target.”

The desire to find a good niche for the company to focus on has led Wolfgram toward the small commercial construction market.

“Residential renovations and small commercial projects is a good area to be in for the current capability of the company.”

Key partner John Clifford has been in the industry for 40 years. Wolfgram describes the partnership as highly productive.

“He has been involved in the building industry a long time. John’s focus is in developing the business.

“Currently its our intention to complete about nine projects each year alongside developing a concierge service arm to the company.”

Copeland Construction is a specialist in residential renovations and small commercial projects.

“We really encourage ongoing feedback from our clients and pride ourselves on maintaining the highest possible quality of communication throughout the entire build.”

Wolfgram says there are real opportunities to add value to the building process by offering home-owners and landlords an ongoing maintenance service.”

Copeland Construction offers a range of professional construction services. Wolfgram’s expectation in terms of performance is that every project is delivered in a timely way, with no financial uncertainties for the client.

“We have a team of full-time staff along with experienced sub-contractors covering all the construction disciplines and we pride ourselves on our track-record to date.

“We really encourage ongoing feedback from our clients and pride ourselves on maintaining the highest possible quality of communication throughout the entire build.”

For Wolfgram, putting in on average 60-65

hours per week, carrying out a diverse range of roles, there are no regrets in taking on a new career path.

“With our association with John Clifford and all the years my father has been building and with a clear sense of the sorts of projects we’re best suited to take on, I see a very bright future for us.”

Copeland Construction NZ Ltd is committed to supporting the next generation of emerging builder. Currently the company has four apprentices on board at various stages of their training. Giving back, Wolfgram says, by employing apprentices is vital for the future health of the industry.

“We’re very keen to provide opportunities for those new to building to gather their skills.

“My father is a great mentor with all his years of experience.”

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Business North

BUILDING » Focus Construction

| 15

Bringing clients’ visions into focus Sue Russell Work on transforming the site of a former petrol station owned by the Wiri Licensing Trust into a five-shop retail development at 639 Great South Road, Manukau is nearing completion for Auckland building company Focus Construction Group.

When completed, the retail complex will be home to a Subway, Classic Bakehouse, Noodle Canteen and Carls Junior Hamburger outlet along with a revamped Super Liquor franchise.

Nick Whittaker, one of three Focus company directors says the project went smoothly from inception.

“Our company has the capacity to manage projects of this nature well. We tend to specialise in the commercial sector and can draw on the expertise and experience of our skilled staff across all the construction disciplines.”

The $2.7 million project involved initially shifting a massive amount of unanticipated fill before the tilt-slab formed structure could be built on top.

“About a third of the spoil had to be excavated and removed before we could start construction, so the dump trucks were pretty busy in the early stages of this job,” says the site foreman James Noad.

Focus Construction Group consists of four distinct companies, covering key aspects of commercial construction, interior fit-outs, remediation and reinstatement requirements.

While each of the four companies operates independently there is a high level of integration of each division’s core services enabling the company to undertake multi-faceted projects with seamless planning.

The New Zealand owned and operated company has grown rapidly since its incorporation in 1999, says managing director Barry Plumpton.

“We’re very aware of our growth to the size we’re operating at now,” says Plumpton.

“It means we have to be razor sharp on our internal processes and very conscious of keeping our quality standards high.

“We have a loyal client base who provide repeat business so it’s crucial we continue to deliver on their expectations and keep up the ‘no hassles’ construction experience we’re known for”.

Through an experienced and highly capable team of 60 office and site based staff, Focus works very closely with their clients to deliver their architectural visions.

In the Manukau development, Focus was working very closely with Marc Peterson of BSW Architects throughout.

Focus Construction Group consists of four distinct companies, covering key aspects of commercial construction.

The company stands by its name, with a focus on quality, from a project’s inception through to completion.

For Whittaker, seeing the end result of a build the company has controlled essentially from end to end is the most satisfying part of his busy job.

“Our clients rely on us to manage and coordinate an incredible amount of detail during a project build.

“At its peak we would have had up to 40 subcontractors working on the Wiri Trust site along with our own staff. It’s our job to ensure everything happens efficiently and on time so we have happy faces all round when the keys are handed over.”

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With a construction client base including the likes of Westpac and the Ministry of Education, the firm is used to operating in occupied spaces where staff and customers (or children and teachers in the case of the MOE) are an extremely important consideration, both in terms of noise as well as health and safety.

And when it comes to health and safety, Focus’s exemplary record is no accident.

A site specific Health & Safety Plan is completed for each building site and all the subcontractors undergo an H&S induction, where special emphasis is placed on identifying specific hazards for that site.

If a building site presents special challenges, the services of an independent H&S Management Consultant are brought in.

This dedication to workplace Health and Safety has seen the company proudly achieve a zero injury standard on 99% of its projects to date.

As well as offering clients their construction capabilities, the team at Focus have a suite of interior products including their own partitioning systems and the patented Spanline door system.

And as the exclusive distributor of the Netfloor product in New Zealand, Focus are also experts at making data cables invisible with this clever component based raised flooring system.

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16 |

BUILDING » Marra Construction

Business North

Te Puke New World the total package Karen Phelps Managing a tight time-frame and with over 60 staff on site at the peak of the project was all in a day’s work for Marra Construction Limited when it undertook the construction of New World Te Puke.

Marra Construction not only completed the build but also the fit-out.

Marra construction manager Aaron McCormick says Marra Construction also had to source and supply fit-out products such as Italian made refrigerator casings, bakery ovens, checkout controls and the like.

The company also completed the fire protection sprinkler system, air conditioning, refrigeration, CCTV and communication system.

He thinks that this demonstrates the company’s strong desire to meet client needs.

“We were also responsible for training New World staff in how to use all the products. This is becoming more common on jobs and we are quite big on this.

“We don’t just hand over the manuals but offer practical training and keep in regular contact with the clients afterwards to make sure there are no problems,” he says.

As the project was an important community asset, Marra Construction was particularly focused on using local contractors and suppliers where possible.

“We generally favour using locals as we try to involve the community in the projects we undertake as obviously we are going into the community domain in order to build the project in the first place.”

Four original buildings on the site were demolished to construct the 2500 square metre New World Te Puke which includes staff, plant and training rooms and 180 car parks.

As the site was previously a sports field and

Marra Construction was awarded a bronze medal in the retail section of the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards earlier this year for the Te Puke New World project.

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was lower than the road the site had to be raised 1.2 metres with extensive earthworks. Around 81 concrete tilt panels were used in the construction and the retail floor was poured after the roof was erected using 180 cubic metres of concrete.

The project was completed on time and on budget and was awarded a bronze medal in the retail section of the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards earlier this year.

Marra Construction (2004) Limited has been in operation in the Bay of Plenty area for over 30 years. The company was started by Phil and Bev Marra and is today the biggest commercial building company permanently based in Tauranga.

McCormick says that Marra embraces all areas of commercial and industrial construction including development projects and design and build.

The company completes negotiated turnkey type work to open tenders. While the day-today running of the business is left to senior management the Marras are still actively involved in the business.

Although the key focus for the company is still the Bay of Plenty region, Marra Construction has also recently started to work further afield for selected clients.

Marra Construction is about to commence an upgrade of Pak’nSave Taupo including building a new shop front, interior and exterior re-paint and adding new offices, staff and training rooms.

The company has also just been awarded the contract to build Tarawera High School and PlaceMakers Taupo.

“We’ve been here a long time and built up some pretty solid relationships both with customers, contractors and suppliers.

“We are a large company, which helps us drive projects through to completion.

“We plan to keep concentrating on the Bay of Plenty area and retain a prominent presence.”

“We generally favour using locals as we try to involve the community in the projects we undertake as obviously we are going into the community domain in order to build the project in the first place.”

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Business North

BUILDING » Marra Construction

| 17

Four original buildings on the site were demolished to construct the 2500 square metre New World Te Puke which includes staff, plant and training rooms and 180 car parks.

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18 |

Business North

BUILDING » Heritage Gates & Fences

Creating that stylish entranceway Sue Russell For Graham Cox and sons Jim and Dave owning and operating Wanganui-based company Heritage Gates & Fences brings lots of rewards.

Heritage Gates first started manufacturing timber gates in 1996 and since that time, while evolving into other products and services the company has retained its family-owned qualities.

“We set out as we meant to continue and because we’re known for designing and building great gates and fences our reputation has grown to the point where today we are considered at the high-end of the industry,” says Cox. The company has expanded in the last five years with agencies now in each of the four main centres. Having amassed many years of experience building gates the company saw a niche evolving around marketing and installing top quality automatic gate openers.

“We did our due diligence when we decided to get into supplying automatic gate openers and settled on the RIB brand from Italy.”

Aluminium is often the material of choice these days. Heritage Gates began manufacturing aluminium gates and fences in 2009. Since then it has built many beautiful aluminium structures.

The material can be produced to mirror the intricate detailing and look of wood but another advantage of using aluminium comes from its ability to hold dark colours much better than timber.

“Timber work is still the main-stay of our business. There’s something about the warmth of timber that is unique but the aluminium material has definite advantages, including usually costing about 30% less than timber.

“It also copes with the heat generated from dark coloured surfaces better than timber,” Cox explains.

Heritage Gates first started manufacturing timber gates in 1996.

The company has taken on some unusual and challenging projects including designing and building 9.5 metre sliding gates at the Auckland airport ‘park and ride’ facility. It has also made bi-sliding and bi-folding gates, brilliant when dealing with driveways of small areas.

Aluminium is often the material of choice these days.

In 2012, Heritage Gates procured CLD Fencing NZ Ltd, a company specialising in welded mesh security fencing imported from Europe.

“We deliberately seized the opportunity when it presented to acquire this company and the mesh it imported because it is not only galvanized but also powder coated and is a real top of the line product.”

Once considered the domain of those who could afford that extra special feature these days automated gate openers are considered an essential security precaution.

The company supplies automated gates New Zealand wide.

The company’s flagship Italian manufactured RIB brand gate openers have become very popular for good reason.

“They are extremely well engineered, reliable and priced within the range most customers can consider.”

When asked about the next phase of development for the company Cox says it is not so much a case of growing new products and services but rather working hard to capture a larger proportion of the market.

He sees two key ways this is achieved.

“It really comes down to the product you provide and the service you give with it.

The fact that this company is the only one in New Zealand that manufactures, imports and offers the complete package of timber, aluminium and galvanised steel gates, fencing and access solutions for residential through to commercial properties.”

Heritage Gates prides itself on being more solution driven than price-orientated. Each project is built to spec from the designs developed.

“We’re not into mass-production at all. Each fence or gate has been specifically designed for that client.”

“Timber work is still the main-stay of our business. There’s something about the warmth of timber that is unique but the aluminium material has definite advantages, including usually costing about 30% less than timber.”

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Business North

BUILDING » Design Builders Hawke’s Bay

| 19

Company enjoys continuing growth Sue Russell General Manager of Design Builders Hawke’s Bay, Scott Taylor, says an important factor contributing to the success of the company is the expectation that staff can and do perform more than one role.

“We aim with our development and training that we all are multi-skilled,” says Taylor.

“We have exceptionally good capacity with our staff. Since establishing Design Builders NZ we have had a huge amount of growth and continue to grow,” he says.

While acknowledging the market is still somewhat depressed in the Hawke’s Bay region the company mainly services, Taylor knows the company has a very good market share.

“We have 10 projects currently under construction and in our 20 year local history here we’ve designed and built over 400 homes on an average of 10-15 house builds per year.

“We’re very proud of this record given we’re not a big company.”

Taylor says that the main point of difference is in the company’s approach to original plans.

The company’s in-house architectural design capabilities fit neatly into bridging the gap that can often exist between architects and builders.

“We look for innovative and exciting ways in design elements to make a home look a million dollars without it costing a million dollars,” says Taylor.

The building process begins with a full designbrief discussion. This is where Taylor and the team want to hear the ‘wish-list’ and the budget.

The discussion helps to evolve the clearest and most detailed outline and concept of the visual and spatial dreams of the clients.

“One of the first thing I will do is take the client for a drive so we can look at homes that inspire them. I ask lots of questions in a non-pressured way. Lots of questions is the key.”

Once the dream has been visualised and detailed design brief developed this is then followed by presentation of the floor-plan concept.

This moment affords another opportunity for the client to make changes before elevations and 3D plans are presented.

“We deliberately keep the process as open and flexible to accommodating change as possible because we understand that creativity isn’t about a straight line approach but rather very dynamic in nature.

“If you want to be largely involved in the creation of your home then we’re the company to work with.”

It is only after the client is completely satisfied that the design is what they want that the fixed price quote which includes all building consent costs is presented.

Taylor is excited about a revolutionary new wooden cladding, he describes as truly Eco Green.

Design Builders has it’s own in-house architectural design capabilities, which can help clients realise their dreams.

‘Abodo Wood’ produced by Abodo Wood in Auckland carries certification by the Forest Steward Council guaranteeing it has been harvested in a sustainable way.

“We are always looking at new and innovative products,” he says.

“It’s horizontal laminating stops it from weathering and we’ve been delighted with the results achieved.”

Taylor says Hawke’s Bay hasn’t yet recovered from the boom time back in 2007-2008 and he cites several reasons for this.

“We have a lot of primary industry in the region and they have been hit hard in the last few years.

The flow-on effect has been significant.”

He also says that the fact there is a scarcity of land has had a big impact on new buildings.

Another factor playing into market conditions is the impact the building boom centres of Christchurch and Auckland have had in terms of adding to the cost of products due to product supply and demand.

“We worked very hard to develop the most future-proofed and innovative model for a building company to operate from and our expansion is proof that we have achieved this.”

“Just the compliance costs for foundation work have doubled as a result of the changes in the building code since the earthquakes.”

Design Builders NZ sprang out of the company’s flag-ship business Design Builders Hawke’s Bay Ltd, something Taylor says has future-proofed the company brand nationally.

Design Builders operate over 10 regions nationally and there is a strong interest in establishing more companies in the South Island.

“We worked very hard to develop the most future-proofed and innovative model for a building company to operate from and our expansion is proof that we have achieved this.”

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20 |

Business North

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Richards Construction

Winning home shows craftmanship Karen Phelps Richards Construction Limited has taken out a gold award in the 2014 Registered Master Builders’ House of the Year competition in the New Homes $450,000 - $600,000 section.

The 239sqm two-storey home was constructed on a 1253sqm rear section and includes a number of distinctive features, says Richards Construction owner Richard Ellery.

“The house reflects the personality of the owners,” says Ellery.

“On either side of the front door individual panes of orange, blue, red and green coloured glass make the entrance ambience changeable and playful. Garden art and mosaics reflect the owners’ love of colour and sense of humour.”

Inside blue walls and sculptured white light fittings in the family room create an ethereal effect. A Velux skylight window above the kitchen draws all day brightness into the central kitchen area.

The exterior is clad in cedar and Rockcote offering a low maintenance finish.

Ellery says access to the site wasn’t simple and a narrow entranceway had to be widened before the build even started.

Richards Construction showcased its capacity for real craftsmanship in the build including hand crafting the wooden staircase on site.

It was in 1999 that Richards Construction first entered the Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition and since then the company has won a raft of awards including the national award in 2010 for sustainable houses under $500,000 and the supreme award in 2004 and 2005 for the Wanganui region.

Ellery started Richards Construction in 1981 after completing his apprenticeship.

He started off doing smaller jobs but now focuses on new residential housing although he will consider a variety of work.

“We build everything from chook houses to churches,” says Ellery, after the company built a large chook house followed by the local catholic church in Marton in 1982.

“Residential, light commercial and educational work. We also undertake home alterations and renovations.”

Richards Construction can take care of the whole process and completes everything in-house apart from plumbing and electrical

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The exterior is clad in cedar and Rockcote offering a low maintenance finish.

work giving high levels of quality control. The company also offers landscaping services if required including retaining walls, small bridges and fencing.

The company works with local architectural firms including Formwork Architecture, Designco, BSM Group Architects and Dalgliesh Architects.

Ellery says the company’s mainstay of work is by referral or repeat work from satisfied clients.

“We’ve built three houses for one local family over the years. They get us in because they like what we do and trust us because we’ve been operating in the region for so long.

qualified carpenters. Ellery’s wife Christine takes on the company office work.

Ellery says that it is his customers that keep him passionate about the job: “Working with people and seeing the excitement on people’s faces when they see their build makes it all worthwhile.”

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MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Stonewood Homes Hawke’s Bay

| 21

Stonewood stays on top of its game Sue Russell Stonewood Homes Hawke’s Bay has grown into a significant home building company offering a wide range of plan and price options.

The company office and showroom is on Te Mata Road, Havelock North; a place where prospective clients can view the range of exclusive house-plans, discuss individual design possibilities and have all their questions answered by the experienced team.

Project manager Adrian Quinn says the total package the company offers, from tentative enquiry stage through to the attention to detail once building is underway along with the team’s flexible approach are key factors in the company’s success.

“Our new showhome in Havelock North was opened in January this year,” Quinn says.

“It’s in a prime new subdivision, so we modified our Chadwick design from the Essence series with added high specs.”

The home at 1 Whittaker Place includes an extra-large garage with storage room/man-cave area. It also offers great alfresco dining both east and west facing and has been deliberately aligned on the 869sqm section for privacy and family entertaining with several outdoor living areas along with screened utility area.

Viewing the walk-through video on the website gives a real sense of the size and unique qualities of the home.

With four bedrooms, master with ensuite, and study the home offers plenty of space for a growing family. The master bedroom is away from the other rooms and leads out to a paved outdoor area.

The kitchen is appointed with Bosch appliances and features a walk-in pantry with plenty of shelving and storage space. The home even sports a gated wine-cellar and with several outdoor spaces is perfect for those who enjoy entertaining.

Stonewood Homes (HB) Ltd won a silver medal in this year’s Registered Master Builders East Coast regional awards in the James Hardie New Homes $450,000 – $600,000 category.

“We optimised a small site by building a double-storey home. We factored in available space for guests and grandchildren but also placed priority on the owners’ own privacy.”

This home won a silver medal for Stonewood Homes Hawke’s Bay in this year’s Registered Master Builders East Coast regional awards in the James Hardie New Homes $450,000 – $600,000 category.

This balance was achieved in part by including the guest bathroom and bedrooms downstairs, leaving the upstairs area for the owner’s master bedroom and living spaces.

The home also features a lift, future-proofing it for the couple to enjoy no matter their age.

Quinn is responsible for overseeing the construction of all the buildings, interacting constantly with sub-contractors ensuring their part in the project is completed on time and

within budget and especially up to Stonewood standards.

The client is invoiced at six stages during the build and all variations to the contract are agreed to and signed off giving absolute certainty throughout.

Stonewood Homes (HB) Ltd offers a two year guarantee and as part of the Registered Masters Builders Association must meet stringent building standards.

As a national company its clients enjoy the benefits of having significant materials cost reductions passed on directly to them in the contract price.

The company is part of a nation-wide network with 18 branches spanning the length and breadth of New Zealand.

Since it was established in 1987 Stonewood Homes has built more than 4000 homes nationwide.

“We optimised a small site by building a double-storey home.

We factored in available space for guests and grandchildren but also placed priority on the owners’ own privacy.”

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MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Sentinel Homes

22 |

Business North

Sentinel creates another standout Jo Bailey It is indeed quite an achievement to win a gold and gold reserve award at the Master Builders House of the Year awards.

However Stuart Shutt couldn’t help feeling the tiniest bit disappointed when his firm Sentinel Homes did just that with a home in the James Hardie New Homes $450,000 to $600,000 category at the Auckland regional competition.

“We’ve entered the House of the Year awards for the last six years and this is the first year we haven’t been a category winner.

“However it is still fantastic to win a gold reserve, and we are excited to be heading to the national finals again.”

The company took the honours with a five bedroom home at Glendowie, designed for a couple with three young children, who love to entertain.

“The home really fits their lifestyle, with good indoor and outdoor flow, a separate guest wing downstairs, media room, and the potential for a swimming pool to be built in future.”

Timber weatherboard cladding has been used to good effect on the exterior of the home, which was carefully designed to meet the clients’ needs, and to fit into the well established neighbourhood of stylish older bungalows and villas.

Shutt says the secret to Sentinel Homes’ consistent success is to deliver outstanding workmanship for every project.

“We are very fussy on the standard of our finish.

We’ve won House of the Year category awards for homes ranging from $250,000 to $850,000 which shows we put the same emphasis on exemplary building standards whatever the cost of the home.

Reliability is another key to the business. Our customers know we will do what we say.”

Award-winning homes are a great showcase for Sentinel’s product, as are its two brand new show homes, one which opened in Pohutukawa Parade, Riverhead a couple of months ago; with a second about to open at Gulf’s Harbour.

Construction of a third show home is soon to get underway in South Auckland.

“Although we are one of the biggest five housing companies in Auckland we’ve never really advertised with most of our work coming through word of mouth and referrals. It’s great to finally open the show homes.”

Award-winning homes are a great showcase for Sentinel’s product, as are its two brand new show homes.

He says the company is receiving a “fantastic response” to its Riverhead show home which has been designed and constructed using Future Proof Building principles.

“We’ve partnered with Future Proof Building to help ensure our homes are optimised for the future in terms of trends, healthy living and design ideas.”

Shutt established Sentinel Homes in 2009, after previously founding and directing Investor Homes, a property investment company which continues to build wholesale homes for investors, developers and first-time home builders.

He holds university and trade qualifications and worked as a carpenter and in senior management

roles for large residential building companies before setting up on his own account.

Sentinel Homes has been developed around Shutt’s approach to provide a low-stress, handsfree building experience, which delivers a “stunning contemporary home”.

The company has an extensive range of standard plans. However most homes are customdesigned for its clients by the Sentinel design team, says Shutt.

“We look at our clients’ lifestyle, site and budget, then provide a great design and build solution. This is often a more affordable option than choosing a standard plan, and the clients get a better result.”

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Sentinel Homes has 15 management staff including project managers and quantity surveyors at its Newmarket offices. “They are a great team the best people I’ve ever worked with.”

The company works continually with the same teams of sub-contractors, which is the secret to it consistently producing such a high quality finish, he says.

Sentinel Homes covers the greater Auckland area, with Shutt about to start franchising the brand nationwide. “The manuals and systems are all in place. It’s just a matter of taking the concept to the market in what is an exciting next stage of growth for the company.”

Business North

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Sentinel Homes

| 23

Timber weatherboard cladding has been used to good effect on the exterior of the home, which was carefully designed to meet the clients’ needs, and to fit into the well established neighbourhood of stylish older bungalows and villas.

Sentinel Homes enjoys the Carters connection Carters is proud to be a major supplier of quality building materials, pre-nail frame and truss, hardware, and kitchen and bathroom products to Sentinel Homes, says account manager Kim Weston.

“Sentinel Homes is a great, familyorientated company that produces quality homes. It has excellent processes in place that make for an easy supplier/customer relationship.”

Carters is the building partner of choice for numerous trade customers throughout New Zealand, who take advantage of its nationwide network, extensive product range, and superior group buying power.

Carters’ extensive product range includes timber, frames and trusses, panel products, hand and power tools, nails and fixings, hardware and paint, insulation, plumbing and bathroom and joinery supplies.

“We work hard to ensure we always have the trade basics in stock, and can usually source any hard-to-find items we don’t have,” says Kim, who is Carters’ dedicated account manager for Sentinel Homes and numerous other Auckland-based trade customers.

She is her customers’ first and often only point of contact, giving product advice,

taking orders, and making sure these are filled correctly and on time.

This includes pre-nail frame and truss, of which Carters is one of New Zealand’s largest manufacturers.

Carters’ seamless estimation and delivery processes can help its customers’ jobs run more smoothly, which means less time on the phone and more time on the tools.

Carters’ trade customers are also kept well up-to-date with regular promotional material and the bi-monthly TradeLeader magazine, which is packed-full of useful information, industry news, stories and product details.

The company is also involved in regular training workshops, seminars and road shows on a range of subjects that can help its customers to up-skill and earn valuable professional development points.

Kim says Carters is always happy to talk to new potential trade customers about how it can help with their building supplies needs.

“As a long established company, with a great range of quality products and a strong nationwide network, we have the capacity to serve businesses of all sizes, from one-man-band operators, to the largest New Zealand construction firms.”

24 |

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Welch Builders / Blue Steel Building

Business North

Winning home has thermal qualities Jo Bailey

Ian enjoying his success Sue Russell Building a rest-home in Havelock North was the opportunity that spurred Hawke’s Bay Builder Ian Welch to move from one sea-side town to another 20 years ago. The former New Plymouth builder hasn’t looked back since making the move and all those years later the company has grown in reputation and size to its current team of Ian, seven carpenters and an apprentice.

“The rest-home was a two year project so the family moved over here with me and by the time we had completed it we felt very much part of the community. It just made sense to stay and build on from that first project,” Welch says.

He still swings a hammer especially at the start of the projects; setting them out because at that stage he “knows so much” about the project and it ensures it gets off to a good start.

The company has increased its team as demand for its services expanded. Welch says its current size works well with one carpenter specialising in the smaller jobs like bathrooms and alterations.

Three other staff run the more substantial jobs and there’s usually a variety of building projects big and small on the go at the same time.

“My team all have the same exacting standards when it comes to the quality of their work. Some of the houses we have built have come with their fair share of stress in the actual building process.

“They’re often highly ‘specced’ substantial homes and the job satisfaction at the end of a build is just fantastic,” says Welch.

This year has been a stellar one for the company, which took out seven awards in the East Coast region Master Builders Awards for a home above Havelock North.

The judges praised the superb level of craftsmanship and overcoming the challenges presented by an unusual brief; a home built for two families.

“I’m very proud of these awards and especially taking out the Craftsmanship Award.”

Welch often takes on the role of project manager and has had the pleasure of working with some visionary architects throughout the country.

“I have a real respect for architects. Builders have plans to work from but architects start with a blank sheet. Sometimes I will suggest a particular idea or approach to an architect we’re working with if we can see it may be useful but it is very much a professional relationship with boundaries.”

• • • •

When it comes to building relationships with clients, Ian can’t overstate how important it is to create a trusting, open space right from the start.

“I have really noticed over the years just how important that relationship is. With some of the builds we’ll be working with a client for upwards of 18 months. The relationship has got to last this distance.” And he says when it comes to alteration projects he says a positive working relationship is often even more crucial.

“One piece of advice I give to those considering a builder for alteration work, regardless of whether I get the job or not, is that they have to be comfortable with the person they choose because they’re going to be in the house day in day out often while the owners continue to live there.”

The company operates from a set of founding principles centred around establishing quality of relationship, working always with honesty and gaining the trust of the client.

“This is how we have established the reputation we have and our performance in the Master Builders Awards over many years is proof that we have a winning formula.”

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New Zealand’s largest steel-framed residential home recently won the SunLive People’s Choice Award at the Bay of Plenty Master Builders’ House of the Year awards.

Constructed by Blue Steel Buildings, the 598sqm five-bedroom home in Papamoa had a number of special features, says director, Tim Dorrington.

“One of the really unique things about this home was the complete thermal envelope we created around the steel frame to prevent any cold penetrating through.

“It was a highly technical aspect of the build that no other company had previously achieved.”

Other features of the impressive two-storey

contemporary home include 133sqm of decorative stonework; a built-in 150-litre aquarium and concrete swimming pool. Dorrington says indoor/ outdoor flow was a key requisite of the owners, who moved into their new home in February.

“This home was designed for entertaining.

All the living areas on the ground floor have bi-fold doors, which open out to an expansive covered deck area constructed from a sustainable composite decking board with an immaculate finish.

There is even a 77sqm deck on the first floor.”

The home also won an award for Blue Steel Buildings’ workmanship in the Nulook New Homes $600,000 to $1 million category.

Blue Steel Buildings is a steel frame specialist in both the residential and commercial markets.

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Business North 2008 to assist the New Zealand building industry in producing greener, more energy efficient and healthier buildings.

Blue Group NZ also works on a range of residential and commercial construction projects using mainly conventional timber-framing, and has broad expertise in re-cladding of leaky buildings.

In 2011 Blue Group set up a Christchurch operation as approved contractors for remedial works for EQR and Housing New Zealand and approved contractors for the construction of new homes.

Dorrington says both companies are structured to work on residential projects across the spectrum, from standard homes to large executive projects.

“We employ our own teams of licensed building practitioners and painting teams to guarantee the quality of our workmanship whatever the project size.”

Blue Group has a third, independently owned and operated company called Blue Building Solutions, a ‘research and development’ company, which sources, manufactures and distributes passive ventilation products to the New Zealand construction industry.

Dorrington is a co-director in all three companies and he has a particular passion for passive ventilation which circulates fresh air throughout the roof space to prevent condensation and mould in the home.

He has been instrumental in the progress of the technology becoming incorporated into the New Zealand Code of Practice. The next step is for passive ventilation to become mandatory, which he says is essential for the future health of New Zealand homeowners.

“Before I came to New Zealand 11 years ago I was a building contractor in the UK, where passive ventilation has been mandatory since 1991.

“When I arrived here I was amazed at the poor design which was creating condensation and mould in New Zealand homes which leads to the alarmingly high level of asthma and associated respiratory diseases.”

He says passive ventilation in the roof space provides a cost-effective solution to this problem, with no ongoing running costs.

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Blue Steel Building

| 25

The impressive two-storey contemporary home has 133sqm of decorative stonework; a built-in 150 litre aquarium and concrete swimming pool.

“It can cost less than $1,000 to incorporate a passive ventilation system into a new home.

“There are also products that can be retro-fitted to existing homes.”

Much of Dorrington’s time is spent designing passive ventilation systems, often for architects.

He also works with BRANZ, the Metal Roofing Manufacturers Association and other industry

experts to promote the technology.

“We have been meeting with architects, council and regional council inspectors. Word is spreading and we’re getting incredible feedback.”

Stunning pool a standout A stunning, bespoke swimming pool designed and manufactured by Tauranga firm, Pleasure Pools is providing the owners of an award-winning Bay of Plenty home with a great place to relax.

Features of the 10 metre x 5 metre, 68,000 litre pool include an insulated concrete shell, Aqualux interior finish, granite copings and steps, LED lighting and a water treatment system.

It flows seamlessly from the substantial Papamoa home, which was recently named SunLive Peoples’ Choice winner at the Bay of Plenty Master Builders House of the Year awards.

Pleasure Pools owner Phil Burnet says the company is focused on designing and building these sorts of custom-designed, high-end concrete pools.

“Our pools are fairly high spec, and designed in a wide range of shapes, styles and sizes to meet the requirements of the clients and architects.

“If people are having an individual home designed, they want to have design input into their pool as well. That flexibility is lost with pre-made pool shells.”

Pleasure Pools was first established in 1985.

The company does all the planning, design, procurement of materials of engineering of the pool components, which are constructed by franchised installers throughout the North Island who deal with the clients, sign the contracts and do all the work on site once they receive the kit of equipment.

The company’s Bay of Plenty franchisee, Phil Clarke of Classic Pools and Landscapes dealt with the architect and clients of the award-winning Papamoa project.

“We only work with very capable people, such as Phil Clarke who can deliver the premium quality finish we’ve built our reputation on.”

Phil says concrete is the best material for pools, as it is designed to be buried and is not “attacked“ by the ground in any way.

Pleasure Pools come with a choice of three interior finishes - Aqualux, a smooth, flexible, non-porous and sanitised surface that resists algae growth; Beadcrete a three dimensional finish that enhances the pool’s visual effect; or fully tiled pools.

“Aqualux comes in a range of great colour choices. It is so smooth and easyto-clean, and is slightly flexible, so if there is an earthquake or ground movement the internal surface stays in one piece, preventing leakage or other problems.”

Phil says all of the firm’s pools have tiled wave bands and tiled steps as they add character, are hard-wearing, easy to clean and stay looking good for years.

Special features such as rock waterfalls, beaches, feature step-outs, lighting, heating, alfresco dining areas and fireplaces, ozone treatment, and swim jets can be incorporated into designs.

The company is a specialist in designing and manufacturing pools for hillside sites, and pools with infinity edges. It has also designed and constructed commercial pools, including a pool for a gated community, and swimming school pools.

It has just been engaged to build some therapy pools for the Vodafone Warriors.

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26 |

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Haimes Building

Business North

Stunning new home scoops awards Karen Phelps

The new home that won the company accolades this year at the competition was built on an extremely small and restrictive corner site.

Haimes Building Limited has won the supreme award for House of the Year and supreme award for Renovation of the Year in the Bay of Plenty and Central Plateau region at the Registered Master Builders’ House of the Year competition.

The company took out a total of seven regional awards for its two entries.

The Supreme Award winning House of the Year also scooped the Gold Award and category win for the Carters New Homes $1 million - $2 million as well as the Plumbing World Bathroom Excellence Award. The Supreme Award-winning Renovation of the Year collected a Gold Award and category win for the ITM Renovation Award $250,000 $500,000.

The new home that won the company accolades this year at the competition was built on an extremely small and restrictive site on a corner overlooking lake Taupo.

Judges noted that Haimes Construction faced a spate of challenges in terms of access, excavation and challenging weather on the exposed site.

The company was praised for its exceptional craftsmanship and faultless detailing throughout the home including a spectacular vertical timber wall in the stairway with judges noting the attention to detail went well beyond what the architect called for.

The project that won the company the Renovation of the Year Award was for an alteration and addition project that remodelled an existing 1950’s house and added a new wing incorporating secondary living space, garage and utility areas and new bedroom accommodation built into the upper level roof space.

Haimes Building was involved with the project at preliminary design stages to aid in providing practical and cost effective solutions to the structural alteration.

‘Together we’re building New Zealand’ PlaceMakers understands building and knows that projects stop when materials don’t arrive to site. That’s why when a supplier to Placemakers said that it couldn’t deliver a scheduled materials delivery for Placemakers customer Kerry Hudson, Placemakers Taupo branch manager, took action. Hudson personally drove the truck to Auckland on Saturday and literally went the extra mile to deliver the missing materials to site so that the customer – Haimes Building could keep building come Monday.

Hudson says that this dedication to customer service is just one of the ways in which he, and the rest of his team, demonstrate their commitment to deliver outstanding results for clients.

“It’s this sort of commitment that supports great builders and it means customers such as Mark and Tanya, owners of Haimes Building, can focus on the real challenge of business - keeping their customers happy,” says Hudson.

Hudson says that the Placemakers team is proud to associate with some of New Zealand’s best builders such as the Haimes who he says have built some of Taupo’s most stunning homes. For more than a decade PlaceMakers Taupo has been proud to supply Haimes Building with materials, back up and support.

“Haimes Building have progressively lifted the bar with their innovative quality driven

approach,” says Hudson. “Over the years we have built a strong, dependable relationship through completing jobs together.”

Hudson says that Haimes Building is renowned for its craftsmanship, attention to detail and quality building practices – a focus that fits well with Placemakers Taupo.

“Haimes Building have collected around 60 Master Build awards with several being national awards. They were recently awarded the coveted Platinum award, which to date has only been handed out nine times in recognition of companies that have won five or more national awards. Haimes Building is a very important customer of ours because there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a meticulously crafted, stunning build completed and knowing that PlaceMakers materials were part of that building’s story.”

PlaceMakers Taupo cater for all builders and serious DIY customers. Hudson says that the company excels in dealing with high-end specified builds that require experienced, passionate staff. The PlaceMakers Taupo team boasts over 550 years of industry experience.

The team is set to move to purpose built premises next year. Hudson says that the new building will enhance the company’s ability to really lift its game in both product holding and service levels.

“The new store layout will also provide a huge display area which will make it easy for our builders’ clients to choose solutions.”

MARK & TANIA WE’RE PROUD TO BE THE TEAM BEHIND YOUR TEAM

Business North The build also required the continued occupation of the house, which required a considered programme and good communication.

Haimes Building has been winning at the awards since it first entered the competition in 1997.

The company has been awarded a Platinum Award, which is awarded to companies who win more than five times at the national competition.

This year’s wins bring the total number of national awards won by Haimes Building to six.

“It’s really hard to win at the awards, competition is really tight so we’re very proud,” says Haimes Building director Mark Haimes.

“It’s about putting in that extra attention to detail and we’re very focused on achieving the best outcome for the client and delivering a product they are really happy with.”

Haimes Building was started over 20 years ago.

Mark’s father was a builder and Mark completed his apprenticeship under his father’s guidance before starting his own company in the mid nineties.

Haimes Building specialises in upper-end architecturally designed homes but the company also takes on a range of projects in all price brackets. For example Haimes building is currently working on seven new homes priced from $350,000 to $1.5m. It also undertakes shop fit-

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » Haimes Building

| 27

outs and minor alterations and has a staff member and dedicated van for maintenance work.

Haimes Building encourages client input into the process seeing building as a team effort to produce a winning result for the client.

Mark says winning so many awards is not only proof of the company’s high levels of skill and attention to detail but also reflects its focus that business naturally follows good results.

“All I can say is that through the recession when things were supposedly quiet in the building industry we were really busy. We’ve always maintained around 20 staff and you do need quite a bit of work to keep that many people busy.”

Haimes Building works in the Taupo region and employs two office staff and a project manager.

Each job has a dedicate foreman to ensure things run smoothly.

Mark says it is service that also sets his company apart. He speaks directly with client in the planning, building or renovating of their home. As well as supplying a 10-year Master Build guarantee “To me service is just so important. If you offer a good service you’ll get good feedback and that represents ongoing work. Good feedback is critical to success running a business in a small town because news travels fast.”

“It’s about putting in that extra attention to detail and we’re very focused on achieving the best outcome for the client and delivering a product they are really happy with.”

Haimes Building specialises in upper-end architecturally designed homes.

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28 |

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » The House Company

Business North

Awards success all part of the plan Jo Bailey A striking two-storey pine weatherboard home in Arkles Bay has sent ‘The House Company’ to the national finals of the Registered Master Builders’ House of the Year Awards.

The Rodney-based firm achieved a gold reserve award for a home in the James Hardie New Homes $450-$600,000 category at the Auckland regional competition, along with a silver award in the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment New Homes under $250,000 section.

Marketing manager Ceri Smith says the team led by managing director Hamish McArthur was “extremely happy” to have added the awards to its already impressive haul at the competition over the years.

“Achieving Gold at the Master Build House of the Year awards is part of our long term planning and marketing strategy. We pride ourselves on being consistently recognised among the country’s top builders for the quality of our design, workmanship, creativity and innovation.”

Even a multi-award-winning firm can’t afford to rest on its laurels though.

The House Company constantly strives to improve its offering to clients, she says.

“We are continually fine tuning our processes and finishes and have a lot of checks and balances in place throughout the building process and even after we’ve handed over the keys.

“Our client survey is an important tool for us to double check how we’ve done during the build process.

“We like to think we achieve at least a nine out of ten for our attention to detail in producing a quality build, and in most cases we do.”

• To page 30

This striking two-storey pine weatherboard home in Arkles Bay achieved a gold reserve award in the James Hardie New Homes $450-$600,000 category.

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21 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth t: 09 422 2275 e: warkworth@flooringxtra.co.nz

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CONTACT US TODAY ON 03 983 5514

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Business North

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS Âť The House Company

The House Company received a silver award in the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment New Homes under $250,000 section of the regional awards.

SMART STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS We provide structural engineering design services to architects, developers and construction companies on a diverse range of residential, commercial and community based building projects throughout New Zealand. Talk to us today about your next building project.

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MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » The House Company

Business North

Awards win all part of the long-term plan • From page 28 Ceri Smith says winning the gold and gold reserve awards, shows the company is moving in the right direction.

The firm has high hopes for the “simple but sophisticated” 252.93sqm Arkles Bay home at the national finals.

In addition to the home’s weatherboard cladding, exterior features include colorcote corrugated roofing, doubled glazed aluminum joinery and a TG&V aluminum panel front entry door.

Of note inside the home are its formal lounge, open plan living areas, scullery, large formal entry, media room and ply-lined garage.

“The client is a contractor with lots of toys and tools, so a large garage with workshop space and plenty of storage was a must.”

Ms Smith says the owners really stamped their mark on the interior of the home.“Other personalised details include a quirky glass splash back in the kitchen, a built-in entertainment system; macrocarpa timber fireplace surround, solid timber oak flooring on the lower level, high-end appliances including a wine fridge, plush carpets, and clever use of lighting.”

The master bedroom and living areas on the ground floor all open seamlessly onto lush lawns and gardens.

The House Company was also delighted to win a silver award in the under $250,000 category for a three bedroom brick and tile home at Snell’s Beach, in what is a notoriously tough section to win gold, she says.

“To achieve a high quality design and finish and tick off all the judge’s criteria within this budget constraint is extremely difficult. We are very proud

The owners have really stamped their mark on the interior of the winning home. of what we achieved with this home and the clients are thrilled.”

The House Company has packed plenty into the design of the 172.8 square metre home including good sized living spaces, three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a separate formal entry, and double garage with laundry.

Mobile tile showroom still leading the way The idea of a mobile tile showroom was conceived nearly 20 years ago during a casually enthused conversation over a glass of wine and a cold beer.

Roskruge has a reputation for knowing what his customers are looking for. He says in today’s tile industry, anything you want, you can have.

Today, decisions are still made in this inspirational environment, products admired and selected, and the passion and the love of tiles for Mobile Ceramics founder James Roskruge is still strong.

“Whether you want something that looks like limestone or like timber, or a beautiful looking floor that’s easy to maintain and looks like a natural product, we’ve got it,” he says.

Mobile Ceramics is an importer, retailer and distributor of tiles, which started with one van servicing the Auckland area, and now includes two vans, two retail outlets and showrooms, a strong importation division, and distributes products to more than 30 tile outlets throughout New Zealand.

He says what is popular in tiles today seems to be taking a reverse cycle back to the same trends he experienced 20 years ago when he first started Mobile Ceramics.

With a well-established, recently renovated, small, and boutique showroom based in Howick for the past 16 years, and more recently a larger showroom opened at Tawa Trade Centre in Albany, Mobile Ceramics offers the choice of shopping from an outlet, or alternatively in your own environment.

“The mobile division of the company is still a keystone to the business,” says Roskruge.

“Selecting tiles from the comfort of your own home can provide a hassle free solution for the customer who is too busy to shop around.”

“A similar range of products is in fashion, but with better technology,” he says.

“The timeless classics look is still there, but the digital technology for reproducing the natural look on to tiles has greatly improved.”

Roskruge also has a reputation for being on the lookout for something new, and picking products that sell well. As such the two showrooms and vans are regularly updated with new displays.

A new range exclusive to Mobile Ceramics with some of the industry’s most innovative technology is Dakota, a 400x1700 timber look porcelain tile, that has been manipulated until it becomes somewhat flexible, allowing it to automatically level itself onto a floor.

There is very little hallway space in the clever layout, which has enabled the floor area to be maximized for other purposes.

In 2012 The House Company won a gold award in the $600,000 to $1 million category which highlights its versatility across the price spectrum.

“Most of our work is at the mid- to higher-end.

“However we aim for the same award winning level of quality in the design and finish for every project, regardless of the budget,” says Ms Smith.

Visit www.thehouseco.nz for design ideas.

Call 0800 600 620.

• 25 Year Celebration - page 32

Traditional system has flexibility Using a traditional tube and clip system offers builders more options when it comes to scaffolding, says Craig Mathers, director of Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding.

“Especially when it comes to houses they come in all shapes and sizes and the design can be quite different from house to house.

“Tube and clip is a flexible system and can be erected to suit the nature of the particular design of the house to provide a safe and secure working environment for the builder and subtrades,” he says.

Mathers, who has spent 30 years in the construction industry and has previously worked as a builder, says the tube and clip system is particularly suited for undulating sites as the tubes can be cut to size to give a level work surface no matter what the gradient of the land.

“It can be fitted around difficult home designs and also the site making for an easier environment for builders and subtrades to work as we can get the scaffolding accurately fitted to the house.”

Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding supplies the system, transports it to site, erects and dismantles. Mathers says the tube and clip system is easy to stack (as it has no permanently attached clips) and transport.

From his own experience as a builder he says the timber planks which accompany the tube and clip scaffolding system are easy and comfortable to work on providing a secure surface.

Once erected the system is tagged and signed off and the builder presented with a handover certificate.

For projects of longer duration the system has to be inspected every two weeks to ensure it continues to be compliant and Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding also offers this service.

The company also has its own in-house roof edge protection system, a bracket Mathers has especially designed that clips off the tube and clip scaffolding system.

“Because the roof edge protection system

Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding supplies the system, transports it to site, erects and dismantles. doesn’t clamp back to a wall but rather is attached to the scaffolding itself it stands independent of the house enabling builders to work freely around the building without impairment,” he explains.

Based in Whangaparoa, Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding has been operating since April 2004 providing scaffolding for residential, commercial and industrial use.

The company largely supplies scaffold to the local Rodney district and to the greater Auckland area. Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding has multiple delivery trucks which Mathers says ensures that scaffold is delivered and picked up on time.

The company operates from a 1000 square metre yard.

Mathers says with recent tightening of legislation around scaffolding requirements for the building industry his company has grown in size due to its specialisation in scaffolding.

Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding has a focus on training and all contractors carry all the necessary advanced certificates in scaffolding.

“Scaffolding is a licensed trade and only registered people can erect scaffolding so training is a big part of what we do to ensure the highest standards and levels of safety at all times.”

Mathers says his 30 years in the building industry as a qualified builder gives him a sound understanding of his customer’s building requirements and all onsite problems.

That’s why he offers a hire service, which he says is particularly suited to smaller building companies.

Hibiscus Coast Scaffolding carries aluminium scaffold towers for mobile work, builders galvanised H Frames and planks for small building companies to erect and dismantle themselves.

Mathers says no job is too big or too small and it has supplied scaffolding for projects as diverse as new builds, alterations, leaky home reclads, gutters repairs and maintenance, roofing, painting contracts and even boats for dry dock work like painting and repairs.

Clients include The House Company and Cranston Homes.

CALL NOW. 021 960 793 477C Whangaparaoa Road, Stanmore Bay www.hibiscuscoastscaffolding.co.nz

32 |

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » The House Company

Business North

Firm chalks up 25 years at the top Jo Bailey The House Company is celebrating 25 years in business this year, a significant milestone considering the challenges of the construction sector over that time, says marketing manager Ceri Smith.

“It is a really exciting time for managing director Hamish McArthur. The House Company has weathered the highs and lows of the industry and is achieving the recognition it deserves as a long-standing, quality builder.

“To be consistently recognised for the quality of its design, building and innovative thinking is very pleasing.”

Since 1989, The House Company has built well over 1000 homes in the greater Auckland area covering mainly the North Shore through Rodney to Whangarei.

Ms Smith says one of the keys to the company’s success is the wealth of experience around its corporate table, from the management team, right through to its quantity surveying and sales staff.

“Most of us have been in the construction industry for between 15 and 25 years. Then there is our huge team of contractor/builders and subcontracted tradespeople, some who have worked almost exclusively with The House Company for the last 15 years. This continued loyalty is very important to us as well as our clientele.”

She says The House Company can design and build a new home on a client’s own site; source a site and create a house and land package with full turnkey options; or offer an existing house and land package already under construction.

“We have established a reputation as a quality design and build company.

“Our customers recognise we are specialist builders, delivering personally-tailored homes that offer excellent value for money.”

Most of The House Company’s clients have either bought a site or are looking for a site.

“Although we have standard plan ranges that clients sometimes utilize and modify for their own needs, the majority of our homes are custom-designed around things like site restriction, budget, the client’s wish list and living requirements.”

Other services offered by the company include no obligation site visits; a full design service with the company’s team of in-house designers and architects; a guaranteed fixedprice contract, Master Build 10-year guarantee and 180 day maintenance period.

The House Company is active in developing house and land packages and currently has two finished two-storey design and build homes

The Snells Beach showhome is a single storey, three-bedroom, and two-bathroom holiday home with sea views.

for sale both of which are in Wisteria Lane, Millwater.

“These homes are finished to a high standard and include driveways and landscaping. Our show home at Snells Beach, which is manned

by Bayleys is also for sale as a leaseback investment opportunity.”

The Snells Beach showhome is a single storey, three-bedroom, and two-bathroom holiday home with sea views.

It is one of four show homes currently open to showcase the diversity of its portfolio, which includes everything from architectural and beach side homes, to lifestyle and contemporary designs. ”Our current show home in Millwater is a two-storey weatherboard home - a timber, architectural design, and the Sun Seeker from our Bach series is on view in Warkworth. A new show home design for Millwater is due to commence shortly, opening in mid-2015.

After quarter of a century in business, Ms Smith says The House Company continues to be a progressive firm that recognizes the need for new homes, full turn-key options and house and land packages.

“We encourage people to visit our show homes and chat to our experienced sales teams about how The House Company can help bring their dreams of a new home to reality.”

Show Homes: Cnr SH1 and Woodcocks Road Warkworth 2 Madison Terrace Millwater Open Fri to Wed 10am to 4pm, Thurs 1pm to 4pm.

14 Hampton Mews, Snells Beach Open Mon and Wed 12pm to 2pm; Sat and Sun 10am to 1pm.

Domestic • Commercial Electrical Tel: (09) 4164467 Mobiles: (021) & (0274) 951 449 Email: cwe@cwe-ltd.co.nz

Proud to be associated with The House Company

Business North

MASTER BUILDERS AWARDS » The House Company

The House Company has built well over 1000 homes in the greater Auckland area covering mainly the North Shore through Rodney to Whangarei.

Leading fireplace design Real Fires works closely with architects, designers and builders such as The House Company to produce some of New Zealand’s most technically advanced and creative open gas fireplace designs.

“Whether you seek the romance of tradition or cutting-edge, contemporary looks, we can help. Each design is carefully considered for its ability to add warmth and individuality to complement your decor,” says Real Fires retail manager Jonathan (Jono) Boundy.

“Our gas fireplaces are a welcoming focal point of the home, creating a special ambience for entertaining or relaxing with friends or family, both indoors and out.”

With over fifteen years in the business Real Fires has built an enviable reputation for excellent quality, performance and service.

Jono says that since 1998 the company’s passion for innovation has inspired it to continually seek ways to improve its products and the breadth of its ranges.

A major difference with the Real Fires products is the extremely realistic flame picture with side reflector panels that enhance this giving the illusion of more width and depth in the burner, says Jono.

Products come with an insulation kit meaning that there is no need to fireproof cavity into timber framed installations giving better performance and no need hidden costs associated with installation.

He cites the benefits of gas fireplaces as being convenience (instant heat at the

flick of a switch), ambience and no need for cleaning compared with a traditional fireplace.

He says over time demand has increased for energy efficient products leading the company to import the internationally recognised Rinnai range.

The products have achieved the ENERGY STAR® mark, which identifies New Zealand’s most efficient products and appliances. Jono says that another benefit of this range is the extremely flexible fluing options: “The Rinnai range allows flues to go to the side, back, vertically etc, which means they can be installed in a wider range of situations.”

Real Fires’ own products are proudly New Zealand inspired, designed, created and produced. The company’s manufacturing facility is in in East Tamaki, Auckland.

Real Fires has its head office and showroom on the North Shore as well as a factory for minor assembly. All of the company’s Real Fire branded products are backed by Real Fires’ guarantees of quality and service – the longest warranty for an open gas fireplace in Australasia.

The company offers full site service including installation and undertakes both new fireplaces and retro fitting projects. Products include single, double and three sided options and manual and fully electronic options are available.

Real Fires products are sold direct from the Auckland showroom or through merchants nationwide.

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Business North

BUILDING » Polished Concrete

Polished concrete a popular option Karen Phelps Auckland-based company Polished Concrete has grown from eight to 30 staff in the past five years.

A key part of this growth has been putting structures into the business to take it forward, says director Jason Torbet who started the company 20 years ago.

“We’ve employed key positions such as an operations manager which has freed up my time to focus on growth,” he says.

Torbet says consumer awareness of polished concrete has grown making the product one of the fastest growing floor coverings in the world.

“It’s a natural product, stylish and durable, easy to maintain and energy-efficient due to its thermal mass,” explains Torbet.

The product can be used in a wide range of buildings and areas including homes, commercial premises, warehouses, factories, retail shops, foyers, gymnasiums, exterior landscaping.

Polished Concrete has completed projects in The Palms shopping mall in Christchurch and the Vodafone Events Centre, ASB head office and Iona College in Hastings to name but a few.

Torbet says with the industry “very technology driven”, Polished Concrete keeps up with the latest advances and trends by visiting overseas trade shows to discover new materials, equipment and techniques.

Polished Concrete also offers a standard polish or a diamond polish using the latest diamond technology to give a cutting edge over competitors, says Torbet.

“We only use industry leading grinding and polishing equipment to maximise productivity and quality.

“We have various sized grinders for small domestic to large commercial applications.”

The company both lays and grinds new floors and the process can also be applied to existing concrete floors.

Prior to most floor coverings being installed the concrete needs to be cleaned, flattened and given

Consumer awareness of polished concrete has grown making the product one of the fastest growing floor coverings in the world.

a light texture for the new coverings to “key” with.

Unevenly laid concrete may need any humps to be ground down to make the surface flatter, and our large triple head grinders are the best solution for flattening floors.

“During the 12-15 step process we expose the aggregates in the mix.

“We literally make the concrete shine so there is no top coating applied that can come off,” he says.

Polished concrete clear coatings can be applied if required for specialised uses for example warehouse epoxy coatings and dust sealers, hard wearing industrial floor coatings, hygiene areas coatings, non-slip protective flooring and decorative overlays.

The Polished Concrete team has been doing terrazzo floors all over New Zealand for the last 20 years and specializes in laying and polishing terrazzo floors, tile fabrication, terrazzite flooring, marble tiles, refurbishing damaged floors and terrazzo and concrete bench tops and fire hearths.

The company is currently working to put back some of the iconic heritage buildings in the Christchurch rebuild through the company’s Christchurch branch, which was established just prior to the earthquakes.

Torbet says he is typically involved in each project early on liaising with architects, homeowners and concrete layers to get the best result for the client.

“We assist with the process and help to come up with the right solution to meet the client’s needs.

“There are literally millions of possibilities including adding coloured oxides, marble chips, glass and pebbles to give stunning results.”

He says that polished concrete is the smart choice due to the durability of the product.

“It won’t need to be replaced like a carpet and is very difficult to scratch.

“It can also be re-polished at a later date if necessary.

“Polished Concrete offers real value over the lifetime of the flooring.”

“There are literally millions of possibilities including adding coloured oxides, marble chips, glass and pebbles to give stunning results.”

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Business North

BUILDING Âť Polished Concrete

Polished Concrete keeps up with the latest advances and trends by visiting overseas trade shows to discover new materials, equipment and techniques.

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ASBESTOS REMOVAL » Ward Demolition

Business North

Firm grows from small beginnings Sue Russell When Peter Ward says his business started out small that’s exactly what he means; one concrete saw, one chain saw, a six-wheel truck and a 12-tonne excavator from Japan.

These days with 48 excavators and a group of companies straddling demolition, concrete recycling, salvaging, quarries and heavy transport, those days must seem a long way back, something the owner experiences at times as a tad surreal.

“I didn’t expect it would grow so much, it just sort of happened. I came off the typical farm-life with hardworking parents. I didn’t think of myself as very smart but I could work hard,” says Ward.

Ward Demolition deals with some challenging sites and jobs, with recovering and removing asbestos products a speciality.

“Often, with buildings having been altered over the years, tiny pieces of asbestos end up hidden in the dirt and surrounds which needs to be located, removed and disposed of at certified tips,” he says.

“When we go into schools to demolish structures and remove waste material, asbestos is often an issue.

“It’s important those processes are handled properly before new construction can start. This is our speciality.”

Concrete recycling resource recovery, dealing with enormous quantities of old concrete is one of the back-bone activities Ward Demolition is an expert at. The recycling process is very sophisticated, leaving the bare minimum to waste.

Initially concrete that can be is processed on-site using specially designed Ward mobile units.

Any concrete not crushed on site is transferred to the company’s yard in Onehunga for processing where steel and rebar are removed to be eventually recycled.

• To page 38

Ward Demolition deals with some challenging sites and jobs, with recovering and removing asbestos products a speciality.

Intelligent tracking system does it all Designing a sophisticated, user-friendly and ultra-intelligent tracking software system has been the passion and steadfast commitment of Todd Somervell, CEO of TrackIt. Somervell says he could see a huge gap in the quality of information other existing systems were offering. His vision of how location intelligence could really benefit businesses, saw him invest his own funds into creating something absolutely new.

His solution is so ‘out of the box’ that interest in the system has now extended off-shore.

“A lot of the tracking systems I came across at the time produced information which is just ‘dots on maps’, the lowest-level of location information that gives very little for company operators to work with,” Somervell explains.

He was determined to create a system that would essentially extend basic information, such as where a truck is at a particular time, into delivering real-time business insights to assist management to “know everything that is going on in their business” and to the smallest detail.

“Here’s an example. The TrackIt solution has the potential to not only show where a truck and the driver are but also its contents, as well as handy features such as the percentage of mileage on a work vehicle which is outside company hours verses inside company time.

“It automatically fills in driver’s log book, timesheets and compliance paperwork; and soon to be released, automatic RUC Claims, RUC management and purchase. The system also allows you to assign jobs to either vehicle, asset and/or person and the best part is they get this information and all other in a much more readable way. It’s all constantly available in real-time giving managers precise, subtle but extremely relevant information at a glance.”

One company successfully using the technologies is Ward Demolition which uses TrackIt devices in a wide range of vehicles. By combining the job despatch capabilities with GPS tracking Somervell says that the tool created is

TrackIt is designed to streamline everyday business processes, saving time, money and resources. far greater than the sum of its two components.

“With the advent of smart phones and the like the door he says has finally opened to delivering this sort of intelligence in a device customers and their staff can understand.”

TrackIt’s main features are GPS tracking, job despatch, asset tracking and maintenance, road user charges management and Health and Safety.

“We’ve moved hardware intensive tasks to the cloud, reducing the average cost of installation and creating a more scaleable, powerful, cost effective and competitive location based business intelligence solutions.

“The system delivers on four key areas of gain - integration, efficiency, responsiveness and opportunity.”

He says every aspect of the TrackIt solution has been designed in-market and in-industry to streamline everyday business processes, saving time, money and resources.

A call to Somervell and the team at TrackIt is the first step in discovering just how business supportive the systems that they have developed can be.

38 |

ASBESTOS REMOVAL » Ward Demolition

Business North

Firm grows from small beginnings • From page 36 The portability of the units makes it possible for Ward to service multiple building sites at the same time.

Ward keeps himself busy out and about on the jobs.

Pricing work is a significant component of his time but with over 20 years experience behind him he’s got that skill down to a tee.

“I’ve noticed the numbers seem to be getting cheaper. Everybody is complaining they are managing to lose their margins.

“We run the risk of having denominated it down so much that we have forgotten we need to make a profit. As a result we are having to be a lot smarter and efficient about the ways we do things.”

Another factor bearing down is the automation and systemising of processes and machine size, something that Ward says means “fewer and fewer human jobs” are needed to handle the same volume of work.

With a loyal team, many of whom have been with the company for years, it’s an issue he’s keenly aware of.

It’s a competitive business too.

This is where the turn-key capability of the company given its longevity and structure gives it a competitive edge.

Meanwhile there’s a ton of work on as the Ministry of Education begins to dig into its pockets tidying up tired looking schools.

Any concrete not crushed on site is transferred to the company’s yard in Onehunga for processing.

Other education sector work comes in the form of demolishing and clearing classrooms suffering fire damage.

Despite describing himself as “not the brightest kid on the block” there’s definitely something of the philosopher in Peter Ward; sufficient to be able to

“I think it’s about being passionate about what you do. My wife would say I’m a bit of a step-toe but at least I am selling it and improving our environment at the same time.”

We provide client focused, industry leading services providing functional, innovative and cost effective demolition and waste solutions. We are committed to reclaiming valuable materials to reduce waste and tipping costs.

Carl Williams M: 027 623 6377 E: carl@recoveryunit.co.nz

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Our readers want to know!

reflect on a key reason for his success.

“If I was over-educated I think I would have been too scared to do what I did, now leading a multi-million dollar turn-over company in a supercompetitive industry.

“I think it’s about being passionate about what you do.

“My wife would say I’m a bit of a step-toe but at

least I am selling it and improving our environment at the same time.”

When not busy being part of the great recycling “circle of life”, Peter enjoys nothing more than to hurtle himself round race-track in Taupo in his black V8 Ute. “There’s nothing like it. You’ve got to test your limits and live outside your comfort zone to really feel alive.”

Construction and Demolition Landfill Contact us for rates and information on acceptable wastes

admin@pukecoal.co.nz Phone: (07) 828 4610 www.pukecoal.co.nz

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Proud to be associated with Ward Demolition Ltd 24 Railway Street West, Papakura, Auckland Phone: 09 296 8431 Fax: 09 296 8461 Email: sales@safeworx.co.nz www.safeworx.co.nz

ASBESTOS REMOVAL » ATL Group

Business North

| 39

Innovative approach key to success Karen Phelps The focus of asbestos removal and management company ATL Group is to take an innovative approach to business, says company director Brett Pietersen.

“We operate in a changing industry and we aim to be at the forefront of that change,” he says.

One of the significant imminent changes are more stringent health and safety requirements around removal of asbestos that will come into effect in 2015.

Pietersen says that ATL Group has ensured that all projects have a site manager with a Certificate of Competency issued by Worksafe New Zealand and that all working crew under this site manager are in various stages of training towards Certificates of Competency.

“Our aim is two-fold,” explains Pietersen.

“To provide staff with the opportunity to gain the 1500 hours experience of asbestos work required to gain a Certificate of Competency, and to also train them up to our own high in-house standards because we have internal requirements and processes in place that need to be met as well.”

Founded in 1982 he says that ATL Group has established itself as a leading expert in New Zealand in the safe removal and management of asbestos materials.

The company consults to and carries out, asbestos removal, demolition, roofing and reinstatement services for a wide range of clients across the private, commercial, government, healthcare, education, industrial, military/defense and civil works sectors.

Pietersen says that asbestos removal can be a 24/7 operation with the company on standby to provide emergency services if required for certain clients.

“Asbestos consulting requires us to work with a large range of clients from residential and commercial property owners with large portfolios to government departments who are moving towards a zero asbestos policy.

“Our work includes identifying asbestos so that it can form part of a register, identifying the status of known asbestos and asbestos surveying where we identify the risks posed and assist in the management of the asbestos,” explains Pietersen.

ATL Group has the ability to provide full end-to-end solutions for asbestos removal, demolition and re-build works.

But the company does not just deal with asbestos in buildings as asbestos can be contained in a variety of objects including trains, superyachts and equipment.

He says that the company’s various strategic partners give it the ability to provide full end-to-end solutions for asbestos removal, demolition and re-build works.

The company also undertakes demolition works

in sensitive environments such as hospitals, airports and manufacturing facilities.

“Because we employ staff from various sectors in the building industry this gives us a wide core competence. This means we don’t just take a single view on the project but offer a more holistic approach so we can best fit in with the client’s requirements.”

An example of this is the service offered regarding roofing and recladding for the residential and commercial markets including heritage buildings.

ATL Group not only completes the asbestos removal aspect of the project but also arranges subcontractors to undertake the roofing or recladding to offer clients a full service.

ATL Group is a member of the New Zealand Demolition and Asbestos Association, sits on the Asbestos Sub-Committee and is approved, accredited services suppliers to many of New Zealand’s largest organisations and government departments.

This year the company was bought out by company management who now have a focus to take the business forward.

Pietersen says that one goal is to engage with different target markets including educating residential homeowners as to the dangers of asbestos.

A new website has just been developed providing free educational tools and information for homeowners.

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Rear of 23A Greenmount Drive, East Tamaki PO Box 64174, Botany, Auckland 2163 0800 ASBESTOS +64 (9) 274 6050 info@atlgroup.co.nz

40 |

ASBESTOS REMOVAL » Coast Central Contracting

Business North

Replacement not the only remedy Karen Phelps If you discover that your roof contains asbestos then it is not always necessary to remove and replace the roof, says Ray Buckley from Coast Central Contracting.

The company offers an asbestos encapsulation service, which simply covers and contains the asbestos so that it can never cause harm.

The service involves chemically cleaning the area then applying a special membrane paint called Noxyde.

“Noxyde is a flexible waterproof membrane with 200% elongation meaning that it will not become brittle and crack.

It gives excellent adhesion and edge coverage with zero corrosion undercut.

The product can be top-coated with polyurethane or acrylic coatings for aesthetic appearance or extra protection.

Noxyde has over 30 years of recorded performance history and we have found in the right circumstances that it can be a very costeffective alternative to replacing a roof,” says Buckley.

As testament to its effectiveness he says that Coast Central Contracting has used the product on the roof of an administration building for Newmont Waihi Gold.

The paint also has anti-corrosion and waterproofing qualities meaning that it can help to protect item susceptible to corrosion such as tanks, pipelines, process equipment, bridges and cranes.

“Annual losses worldwide due to corrosion are 2% of all metal and approximately 4% of the GDP so this product can help save companies considerable money,” he say.

Coast Central Contracting had its beginnings around 25 years ago and changed to its present company name in 2007, specialising in the areas of anti-corrosion control and asbestos removal.

Buckley say they are highly specialised areas and he welcomes the government’s proposal to follow Australia’s model when it comes to asbestos removal meaning higher levels of qualification will be necessary to ensure the job is undertaken safely at all times.

All of the staff at Coast Central Contracting are first aid and CPR Level 2 certified, Site Safe accredited and are certified on heights and fall arrest systems as well as hold competence certifications for restricted work involving asbestos.

Coast Central Contracting used the Noxyde membarne paint on the roof of an administration building for Newmont Waihi Gold.

Buckley says that Coast Central Contracting is the only asbestos consulting and removal company in New Zealand to have both professional indemnity and public liability expressly for the consultation, sampling, removal and/or encapsulation of asbestos containing materials.

Coast Central Contracting has its head office in Tauranga and established a branch in Christchurch after the earthquakes to meet demand for services in that region.

The company is accredited with both Fletchers EQR and CERA for asbestos removal and disposal.

In 2008 Coast Central Contracting completed a major project for the Department of Conservation at Godley Head.

The project included the safe removal and

“Annual losses worldwide due to corrosion are 2% of all metal and approximately 4% of the GDP so this product can help save companies considerable money.” disposal of the asbestos products in four coastal defence battery World War II buildings including roofing, interior and exterior linings and insulation and the replacement with new like materials in keeping with the historical surroundings of the site along with the removal and disposal of all demolition materials from 52 designated ground sites.

Almost half of the ground sites included

elements of unknown work and the Godley Head Reserve remained open to the public during the asbestos removal works making the project particularly challenging, says Buckley.

The company’s experience also includes asbestos removal and encapsulation in hospitals, schools, power stations, hotels, oil installations, factories, government buildings, offices and private homes.

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ASBESTOS REMOVAL » Waikato Demolition

Business North

| 41

Focus on recycling a key strategy Karen Phelps Having a strong focus on waste reduction and environmental protection during the construction and demolition process has helped Waikato Demolition to corner an ever growing market, says company director Andrew Proudlock.

“The demolition business was founded eight years ago because we saw an opportunity. We believed that there would be a trend towards recycling in the demolition business and at the time nobody was offering this service,” says Proudlock.

Heavy investment was made into the latest equipment and the company now boasts 62 pieces of specialised equipment with a focus on recycling.

Plant includes a high reach digger which can stretch to 26 metres in the air and an 18 metre digger has just been purchased.

Soon a robotic digger will be added to the fleet which will enable remote operation making tricky demolition projects safer.

Waikato Demolition undertakes large or small, mechanical or manual demolition from garages to multi-storey commercial buildings.

Any products that can be recycled are then taken to the company’s recycling facility including aluminium frames and timber.

The facility also accepts loads of aggregate from outside businesses: “We accept loads of waste concrete from commercial contractors by the domestic trailer or truck and trailer and offer the most competitive dump fees in the Waikato.

“Crushing and screening of a range of aggregate products is undertaken with our fully computerised crushing and screening plant,” say Proudlock.

Product is then sold as builders mix (numbers 1 and 2 grade) and drainage aggregate (gap 20/40, 40/65 & 60+ grades).

Sometimes product can be crushed on site with the company’s mobile crushing plant then used as backfill on the same project. For example on a recent project the company crushed and reused 3000 cubic metres of aggregate.

Proudlock says that demolition project prices are based on how many materials can successfully be recovered and on-sold. This keeps demolition costs down for clients.

“The additional bonus is the fact that these items are also not going into land-fills affecting the environment.”

Waikato Demolition achieves 93% recycling on some projects. Around 60% of the company’s core business is demolition.

Founded in 2006, Waikato Demolition is a sister company of Cavalier Construction, Hookbins and AP Investments.

The company started primarily as a recycler of concrete waste into usable aggregates but has now established itself as a major player in the Waikato demolition market in both residential and commercial.

Based in Hamilton the company works in the central North Island.

Waikato Demolition achieves 93% recycling on some projects. Around 60% of the company’s core business is demolition.

The company has assisted with demolition in Christchurch and recently it has been working in the Waikato demolishing earthquake prone buildings.

It has just landed a $1.5m project to demolish a seven storey building.

Recycled materials have been sold to a wide range of customers.

For example recycled timber has been made into

funeral caskets and furniture. But although there is a growing trend towards recycling Proudlock says there is still a long way to go.

“It’s often a matter of finding markets for recycled products. But every year we find more people know about us and what we are doing and come to us for products they can re-use in their business.”

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42 |

CONTRACTING » Oropi Quarries

Business North

Quarry the backbone for business Sue Russell Oropi Quarries Limited is a Tauranga based contracting and quarrying company owned and managed by Cathy Renner.

The Quarry is located about 15km from Greerton on McPhails Road and was the springboard for the establishment of a depot in Greerton where aggregate is stocked and sales to the public take place.

The depot handles all grades of aggregate from fine through to drainage quality.

“Our fleet includes trucks, diggers, rollers, transporters and hiabs as well as a tar tanker,” says Cathy.

Alongside the quarry, the contracting business ‘The Pothole Man’ has established a wide client base, including working for power and telecommunication companies, schools and rest homes throughout the greater Bay of Plenty area.

The business specialises in the repair of driveways, car parks, potholes using hot mix or chip seal.

“This eliminates dealing with several sub trades to get the job done,” says Renner.

“We deal with repairs to driveways and carparks, concrete and asphalt cutting, breaking and removal, small excavation works, CCTV pipeline inspections, drain cleaning to name just a few,” she says.

Oropi Quarries, like many companies aligned to the construction industry, was affected by the down-turn years of the economic crisis, but Renner is proud of the fact that she got through without having to let any of her loyal team go.

“It was a case of not replacing any staff that left that got us through.

“With the upturn in the economy the business has been steadily getting busier enabling us to employ staff again. We currently have around 20 employees.”

In the office Lyn organises the trucks, takes orders and looks after the bookwork while Renner is busy pricing driveways and the bigger projects as well as supervising the day to day running of the company’s activities.

She says that one reason the company has such a strong place in the local market is due to the quality of its aggregate materials.

“They are far more superior than pumice and sand based products.”

Oropi Quarries has a strong place in the local market due to the quality of its aggregate materials.

Oropi Quarries and The Pothole Man are in the process of creating two new websites which promise to be packed full of information about the products and services offered. Spurring the decision to invest in developing the websites is Renner’s perspective that the Yellow Pages won’t be in existence for too many years to come.

“Everyone goes to the internet, its become the Yellow Pages and I see it as a positive marketing move to embrace this more effectively.

“The new websites are a good way for potential clients to access all the information they need about the company’s capabilities.”

“With the upturn in the economy the business has been steadily getting busier enabling us to employ staff again. We currently have around 20 employees.”

Having survived the crunch years Renner does not have the aspiration to diversify the company into new directions.

With top quality products and a skilled loyal team her energy, she says, is best kept in working at the day-to-day level to ensure the

company’s continued success.

“I am not looking to expand beyond the core services and equipment we have.

“As it is there is a good level of work constantly coming in and I am best doing what I know and enjoy.”

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Business North

CONTRACTING » Cleanline Tasman

| 43

Acquisition adds to product range Jo Bailey Customers of Cleanline Distributors and Tasman Workwear and Safety have enjoyed access to a much wider product range, following Cleanline’s acquisition of Taranaki-based company, Tasman Workwear and Safety in 2012.

For the last 22 years, Cleanline Distributors have supplied a huge range of cleaning supplies, hospitality products, packaging and safety equipment to clients in many market sectors nationwide.

Sales manager Sefton Judd says the New Plymouth based firm decided to move ahead with the acquisition of Tasman and its extensive range of workwear and footwear, hi-vis, uniforms and safety equipment, after a large number of customers expressed they were “very interested” in the prospect of buying a wider range of products from them.

“The feedback has been really positive. The acquisition has streamlined the buying process for many of our customers and they now can access a much larger product range from one supplier.”

Cleanline purchased Tasman two years ago, but continued to run the companies independently until the full merger was completed in July of this year.

“We used the time to develop new purpose-built facilities for our expanded operation, and to merge the two entities which had quite different business operations from each other.

“We wanted to make sure we did the best for our customer’s, our staff, and the company long term, and we are very happy about the outcome.”

“It’s great to have the whole team together under one roof and build some real momentum going forward.”

Cleanline’s core products in addition to the Tasman range of workwear and safety products include cleaning chemicals and hardware; hospitality supplies , washroom tissue products, canteen supplies, food packing, guest amenities; and safety gear including uniform, workwear footwear, PPE, disposable clothing, first aid supplies and signage.

HYGIENE

Industry sectors serviced by Cleanline Tasman include hospitality, healthcare, education, food production, industry, construction, transport and retail.

“We have a much more in-depth product range on the safety side of the business since the merger, supplying specialist products in a lot of different areas we didn’t service as much before such as spill control, height safety and flame retardant clothing” Some of the industry sectors serviced by Cleanline Tasman include hospitality, healthcare, education, food production, industry, construction, transport and retail.

The company’s teams of account managers

SAFETY

and service technicians have specialist industry knowledge and work closely with their clients to tailor solutions specifically for their needs.

“We really trust in our great team of staff, which includes our reps who travel throughout New Zealand. We are much more than simply product suppliers, we provide exceptional service which also include complete site surveys, onsite consultations, product advice and training, and health and safety advice.”

Cleanline was established 22 years ago by

Sefton Judd’s parents, Warwick and Greta Judd and now involves their four sons in various roles in the business.

“We are a family business run with big business values which is one of the reasons behind our success. Our mission statement is to create long term business relationships with successful organisations based on excellent customer satisfaction, quality products, fast efficient service, and best overall value. This really sums up Cleanline Tasman in a few short words.”

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44 |

CONTRACTING » Bromich Civil

Business North

Firm thrives on family commitment Karen Phelps Good communication and attention to detail are the hallmarks of family-owned and operated business Bromich Civil. The company was started by Jeff Bromich in 2009 after many years spent working in earthworks and drainage.

“It was the recession so probably not the best time to start a business,” says Jeff. “But I went out and got a digger and a truck and started up.”

He admits it was tough going initially, as it was for many businesses at the time, but now Bromich Civil in thriving due to a major contract the company has been working on since 2011.

The company has been completing the civil work for the Chorus ultra fast broadband fibre optic cable contract in Auckland.

The contract has involved Bromich Civil completing varied tasks such as digging up footpaths and road crossings and digging ducts at residential addresses.

Jeff Bromich says the project has amply demonstrated the company’s ability to adapt to changing conditions.

“The requirements for this contract were constantly shifting so we had to keep changing the way we were doing the job.

“We had to keep on top of things with regulation meeting with staff and clients to demonstrate different techniques to get the job done.”

Bromich Civil is based on a small tight-knit team of Jeff’s family including Jeff’s brother Max who takes on the varied roles of manager, supervisor, digger and truck driver and labourer.

His mother Raynor takes charge of payroll and accounts while brother-in-laws Rhody and Jimmy Conaglen take on roles of truck and digger driver and labourer.

“We’re like-minded and hard working. If something’s not right no one is afraid to mention it because we’re family.

“We’re able to work to tight deadlines but maintain quality as we work together well as a team.

Bromich Civil has been completing the civil work for the Chorus ultra fast broadband fibre optic cable contract in Auckland.

“We’re approachable and can give clients quick responses.”

Bromich Civil’s services include concrete and driveways, underground service installation, retaining walls, gabions, sub soil drainage, stonework (stone house cladding, columns, fireplaces and water features etc), paving, tree

work and outdoor maintenance. Jeff says gabions (containers filled with stones used as walls) are becoming more popular and can add style to a home or commercial premise.

The company’s gabion walls are handmade and designed for a specific site and different rock colours or patterns can be used.

“Gabion structures are a versatile solution for privacy, sound proofing, retaining a slope or purely just for decoration.

“Often used as a design feature gabions can be curved or arranged to create interesting shapes and designs. The tops can also be decorated with timber or trailing plants,” he says.

Bromich Civil mainly works for residential clients but is looking to grow the commercial side of the business. It is presently contracting to Stanley Group, which is completing a contract upgrading Housing New Zealand homes. Bromich Civil is completing the driveways and the project duration is expected to last 12 months.

The company works Auckland wide but will travel further afield depending on the contract.

Expansion is the goal but not at the expense of quality. “We expanding to a team of ten last year but I felt our attention to detail was being compromised so we scaled back. We will grow but it must be on the back of the right staff.”

Bromich Civil’s services include concrete and driveways, underground service installation, retaining walls, gabions, sub soil drainage, stonework, paving, tree work and outdoor maintenance.

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Loving the craft of stone masonry North Harbour Stone Masons has been involved in high quality stonemasonry for almost 20 years.

Based in Auckland, the company’s services are so in demand that it completes work not only North Island wide but also ventures into the South Island market on occasion.

North Harbour Stone Masons is a specialist in schist and paradise stone. The company is also highly skilled in various techniques utilising blue stone, basalt, and limestone.

North Harbour Stone Masons works closely with architects, designers and builders to bring clients’ ideas to life.

North Harbour Stone Masons director Eric Simich, who has 13 years experience in stone masonry, took over North Harbour Stone Masons in 2011. As far as hands on experience goes there is almost 70 years combined knowledge between the masons.

“We work together as a team as that’s the best way to achieve a good result for the client.

If our customers have questions or need to make changes I am right there on site to assist them. With our team of highly skilled masons we confident in our workmanship and work closely with various quarries to ensure only the best stone is sourced. We absolutely guarantee that our client’s expectations are met and that they are completely satisfied,” says Eric.

He says that North Harbour Stone Masons’ philosophy is that stonemasonry is an exceptional craft.

“The earth we live on is made from stone and there exists a bunch of hardy souls who devote their working lives to understanding how best to extract and create using the incredible geology available.

“The knowledge and skill set surrounding stone masonry are a life long pursuit and reveal themselves only with hard work and perseverance as there is no one source of knowledge.

“Stonemasons must learn their craft in a multitude of ways.

“Our masons are experienced in many building

North Harbour Stone Masons is a specialist in schist and paradise stone. methods including dry laid stone and mortar laid stone work often incorporating unique jointing detail to enhance each stone.”

The company’s stonework spans small private contracts to large-scale infrastructure.

North Harbour Stone Masons has completed dozens of commercial and luxury home projects including many prominent stone homes around New Zealand.

Stone structures built include stone clad houses, stone chimneys, feature walls, fire place construction, stone paving and water features.

Examples of commercial projects completed include the entranceway for the Puhoi Valley Café and Cheese Store and street signs for the Wiri Business District.

Eric says that the company’s work can add considerable value to both residential and

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North Harbour Stone Masons tradesmen are certified and have countless years of masonry experience. Our stone masons can design and construct the project of your dreams that will give you a lifetime of pleasure. Based in Auckland, we also travel the length of New Zealand constructing all kinds of stone projects. We absolutely guarantee that our client's expectations are met and that they are completely satisfied. We work closely with the architects, council and clients with up-to-date specifications ensuring that no costly delays hinder the project.

Natural Stone - Natural beauty, durability and elegance Stone adds an up-market character to any structural design. Not only will it keep in character with the restoration of older properties, but it also keeps pace with modern architecture. Stone is timeless and it is a far superior product than any man-made alternative. Natural stone is simply quality and shows it. Thousands of stone castles, stone monuments and stone buildings from ancient times still stand today and are proof that stone will last a lifetime.

We're here to help Stone masonry adds the beauty of colour and texture to any architectural project. We can work from your personal sketches, council plans, photographs or a concept to help you turn your stone masonry dreams into a reality.

If you do not have a custom design that requires a stonemason - no problem! We can build it for you. All you have to do is give us your specifications regarding size, stone colour and stone type. Then let our expert stonemasons take care of building your stone structure. Some of our capabilities and specialties include: Stone house cladding

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North Harbour Stone Masons services are nation wide

commercial buildings as well as being incredibly durable.

“Stone adds an upmarket character to any structural design. Not only will it keep in character with the restoration of older properties but it also keeps pace with modern architecture. Thousands of stone castles, stone monuments and stone buildings from ancient times still stand today and are proof that stone will last a lifetime.”

46 |

CONTRACTING » Total Technical Services / Asplundh NZ

Business North

System enhances vegetation care Karen Phelps

Block honing and polished concrete work is becoming more in demand.

Concrete skills in demand Karen Phelps Block honing and polished concrete work is becoming more in demand as architects, builders and home owners recognise the designer looks that can be achieved at a great price, says Total Technical Services business manager Justin Kidd. Both are specialist work which is why Total Technical Services offers fully trained technicians.

For its block honing service the company has developed onsite honing techniques using the best equipment and tooling available to carry out its dry dustless honing process giving the best results.

“The on-site honing process will eliminate any lippage from the block laying job and make the walls look true.

“Because our onsite honing process is done dry, we are able to start the sealing process immediately after honing because the blocks are perfectly clean.

We also dry clean any salt migration / efflorescence on the mortar joints if necessary,” says Kidd.

Total Technical Services is a licensed Sto coatings applicator and only uses specialised Sto products for sealing block walls.

The company can offer clear weather proofing for solid block walls, which has been independently tested to comply with the New Zealand building regulations. Although most standard blocks can be honed for best results Total Technical Services recommend the use of the Firth Architectural Masonry range of blocks.

For polished concrete Total Technical Services works with clients through the planning stages of their project to ensure the best possible outcome is achieved. Many different types of concrete polishing systems are possible including point of stain protection, abrasion resistance, gloss level, clarity level and warmth and feel underfoot.

“Modern systems will allow us to polish concrete using diamond abrasives to a naturally high gloss enhanced finish.

“By naturally polishing the concrete using diamond abrasives, we can create a non-porous surface similar to polished marble / granite. After

the diamond abrasive polishing is finished (usually at 3000 grit), we have sealing systems which will penetrate into the surface of the concrete and provide stain protection and generally make the polished concrete easy to keep clean.”

Total Technical Services (Auckland) Limited was established 12 years ago and operates throughout New Zealand with offices based in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.

The company aims to provide a single point of contact for all internal and external surface preparation and preservation needs.

Other services include coatings (anti graffiti, self-cleaning paint, concrete and block clear coatings), surface preparation and sealing, stone restoration/grinding/polishing, resin floor toppings decorative and industrial, concrete repairs and specialist water blasting services.

Asplundh has developed a new Vegetation Asset Management System (VAMS) that it believes is the only one of its kind in the New Zealand market.

The integrated mobile and web based programme developed by the company in New Zealand is targeted at a wide range of customers from large utility companies, councils and commercial entities to residential home owners and medium sized operations such as golf clubs, universities and schools.

“VMAS enables clients to capture and optimally manage their vegetation assets in a cost-effective, sustainable manner,” says company managing director Kevin Burt.

“Through VAMS customers are able to view their tree and grounds assets, programme regular maintenance, request quotes or emergency works and then track maintenance costs and works in real time ensuring effective vegetation risk mitigation while staying on top of budgets and seeing real results,” says Burt.

He says the technology was developed to focus on Asplundh’s core purpose of delivering integrated vegetation and open space management solutions resulting in the best outcome for its clients and Asplundh staff.

The technology is already implemented or being used to support some clients including Auckland City Council, Queenstown Lakes District and Waikato Regional Council as well as several commercial operations.

“Through VAMS our clients can take ownership of their vegetation assets by mapping the assets they own, understanding their tree and vegetation asset risk and ongoing costs,” Burt says.

“By mapping their assets and concerns we are able to get on with the business of maintaining their vegetation assets.”

Asplundh has a history of more than 85 years in the tree business. The US privately owned company began in 1928 in Philadelphia when three brothers, Carl, Griffith and Lester started a company to

provide tree trimming services to the new power utilities that were emerging.

The company is now a world leader in vegetation management and employs over 33,000 staff in operations throughout US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Asplundh was established in New Zealand in 1990 and now has its head office in Auckland with area operations in 15 locations.

The company is a leading provider of outsourced contracting and infrastructure management services to power utilities, local and national government bodies, infrastructure contractors, land developers, rail and water authorities, as well as commercial and residential clients.

Services provided by the company include everything from maintaining, felling and planting trees, preserving and beautifying parks, clearing obstructing vegetation from power lines, other networks or railroads, land clearing, rubbish removal, park structure inspections, specialist turf and sports field maintenance and managing roadside vegetation.

Burt says that Asplundh’s continued growth in New Zealand has provided opportunities to extend much further than utility arboriculture and into specialised parks and grounds maintenance.

These grounds maintenance programs include large sporting venues, large tree asset maintenance, gardens and sports turf maintenance.

The company’s broader parks and open space management services also include cemetery maintenance, burial plot excavation and interment.

He says that the VAMS technology is part of the company’s dedication and targeted investment in systems and technologies to improve client outcomes, the service levels and partnership experience as well as assisting clients to internally drive efficiencies and savings.

“As a world leader in vegetation management, rapid changes in technology as well as industry, regulatory and compliance requirements enable Asplundh to identify new and exciting opportunities and approaches such as VAMS to lead this industry.”

Our team are dedicated to ensuring the smooth running of your project and striving for the best possible result for you.

Call us today for a free quote 09 302 2380 www.totaltechnicalservices.co.nz

Asplundh is a world leader in vegetation management.

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Business North

CONTRACTING Âť Asplundh NZ

Asplundh’s continued growth in New Zealand has provided opportunities to extend much further than utility arboriculture and into specialised parks and grounds maintenance.

| 47

CONTRACTING » Crane Association of New Zealand

48 |

Business North

Focus on maintaining safety record Jo Bailey The skyline of New Zealand is being filled with cranes, says Rod Auton, chief executive of the Crane Association of New Zealand.

“The growth in the Auckland residential and commercial building markets and the rebuild in Christchurch are having a big impact on the industry,” says Auton.

“The government’s proposed investment in infrastructure also bodes well, as there are some big builds planned throughout New Zealand over the next few years.”

With ongoing growth predicted, the association is focused on maintaining New Zealand’s position at the forefront of crane safety.

“Accidents and injuries are rare here. We think this comes down to the high standards set by the individual crane companies, backed by support from the Association and wider industry.”

Auton says the industry works hard to exceed the minimum health and safety standards set down by regulators.

“By supporting our members in these and other operational objectives, the New Zealand crane industry has become an international benchmark of success, which is something we are extremely proud of.”

The Crane Association of New Zealand represents 85 percent of the mobile crane market in this country.

It has just celebrated its 40th anniversary at its annual conference held in Queenstown, which was judged “among the best”, says Auton.

“We had a great selection of speakers and were privileged to have three of the original foundation members, Bill McIntosh, Barry Dinan and Bill Houlker in attendance, who were at the first meeting in 1975 and are great stalwarts of the industry.

“The Association has 15 members who have been with it since day one who were acknowledged at the conference.”

Auton says the underlying theme of the conference was consequences – that for every action there is a reaction.

“Most of the speakers spoke around this theme.

It related back to the industry in terms of doing it right first time when it comes to health and safety, training, compliance and good business practices.”

The event was hosted by comedian Urzila Carlson, with speakers including Dr Paul Wood, who shared his incredible life story which included becoming the first person in New Zealand’s history to progress through undergraduate and Masters degrees while in prison. He was also the first to begin a Doctorate while incarcerated.

Psychologist Nigel Latta was also a popular speaker, delivering his message with his trademark humour.

There was also a range of industry speakers including John Gillespie, president of the Crane Industry Council of Australia; Vadim Spice, project team leader from WorkSafe; and Paul Houston from Fletcher Construction who provided an insight into the massive Waterview project.

ANZ senior economist Sharon Zöllner who speaks annually at the conference, giving another

The Crane Association of NZ says the industry works hard to exceed the minimum health and safety standards set down by regulators. “riveting” talk on the state of the economy.

This year one of the Crane Association’s members, Ron Brown from Transport Specifications in Auckland was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Transport, which was “great recognition” for the significant amount of work he had done with the Ministry of Transport and NZTA over the years.

Auton says one of the Association’s most successful initiatives over the last 12 months was to open an online shop which sells its health and safety, and best practice resources and training publications.

“The shop has been very well received, with a 500 percent increase in sales since we started it up. It is making the resources more accessible to members and non-members alike.

“The Crane Association encourages operators to be responsible and work ethically.

“Hopefully these resources will inspire others to join.”

Although the Association covers the vast majority of mobile crane operators, Auton says there are some gaps when it comes to engineering companies which operate gantry cranes.

“Under the new Health and Safety Act and approved code of practice all operators have a responsibility to ensure they have the right information and are receiving the correct training.

“We are in the process of going out to a large number of engineering companies to talk to them about what we do and how we can help them in their businesses.”

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Darryl Stanley, left, of UDC, the sponsor of Project of the Year award with Bryce Irving of Fletchers.

Awards cap off conference One of the highlights at the 2014 Crane Association of New Zealand annual conference was the presentation of awards for excellence in training initiatives; and the best project of the year.

Fletcher Construction won the UDC Project of the Year award for the replacement of a bridge beam on an existing bridge on the Waikato expressway.

The project focused on the erection of the central span girder using an American 9310 crawler crane manufactured in 1976.

Fletchers was also responsible for the design and construction of the whole 142.2 metre, five-span bridge, which carries State Highway 1 over the Waikato River upstream of the Horotiu Bridge.

The steel composite girder bridge has two 3.2 metre deep parallel girders supporting transverse 915UB cross girders made composite with a 250mm concrete slab.

Gary Fessenden, the chief executive of The Skills Organisation, also announced at the conference the winners of the 2014 Crane Training Awards.

HEB was named Crane Training Company of the Year, largely due to one of its trainers, Lee Liddlelow, who Crane Association chief executive Rod Auton describes as an “exceptional, dedicated character in the industry which is reflected in the quality of his training and the trainees he puts out”.

Andrew Kitney won the Crane Trainer of the Year award. He runs his own independent business and was nominated by Titan Cranes.

“Andrew is a skilful trainer who was rewarded for the quality of his training, the number of trainees he puts through, the qualifications they achieve, and the valuable ongoing mentoring he provides.”

Crane Trainee of the Year was Tim Rhodes from Smith Crane and Construction, a “young man who did very well in his training and has a level of maturity and desire to succeed ahead of his peers,” says Auton.

He says the crane industry is fortunate to be full of well-trained competent, reliable and safety conscious people in New Zealand, who will continue to be the “biggest influence on safe working and operating conditions.”

Offering the best in crane training Doing nothing is “not an option” when it comes to crane training to ensure industry best practice and the health and safety of operators and others at the work site.

This is where Tai Poutini Polytechnic can help.

For many years has Polytechnic has offered practical-based, nationwide crane training, led by industry-experienced trainers, who provide operators with the skills and knowledge they can quickly apply back to the job.

The Polytechnic is a major national supplier of quality specialist industry training courses, and offers NZQA unit standard level training in three specialist areas of crane operation - Lifting Loads – Dogman; Overhead/Gantry Crane and Hiab/ Truck Loader Crane.

Lisa Crestani project organiser of Tai Poutini Polytechnic says flexible training courses can be tailored to cover specific work situations and be delivered at a time to suit the employer’s schedules including weekends, early starts and night shifts.

“Companies can contact us to arrange an exclusive group training course for their operators at their own sites using their own equipment.

“We also run scheduled public courses from specialist facilities at our Auckland and Christchurch campuses to meet demand.”

A minimum of six participants is required for each course.

All courses are health and safety focused, reflect industry best practice and enable participants and their companies to meet the applicable Codes of Practice.

Courses are NZQA unit standard based and include assessments with achievement credited to the NZQA Framework.

On successful completion participants receive a Tai Poutini Polytechnic completion card.

Refresher training is available to keep staff up-to-date on techniques, new equipment and changes to legislation.

On completion of refresher trainingTai Poutini Polytechnic re-issues completion cards and re-

news participant’s NZQA unit standard achievement dates.

The Lifting Loads – Dogman course consists of Unit Standard 3789 - sling regular loads and communicate during crane operations. It has been designed for people working with cranes as part of their regular work activities.

This practical course provides people with the ability to identify hazards, evaluate and apply lifting gear, calculate loads and communicate with crane operators to direct load movements.

The Overhead/Gantry Crane course consists of Unit Standard 3800 - Operate a radio remote or pendant controlled overhead crane and lift and place regular loads.

It has been designed for people working with gantry cranes as part of their regular work activities.

This practical course provides people with the ability to identify hazards, evaluate and apply lifting gear, calculate loads; and provides the skills to safely operate a gantry crane.

The Hiab/Truck Loader Crane course consists of Unit Standard 16617 - Use a truck loader crane to lift and place loads.

It can also be completed in conjunction with unit standard 3789 at a discounted rate. It has been designed for people working with truck mounted cranes as part of their regular work activities. This practical course provides people with the ability to identify hazards, evaluate and apply lifting gear, calculate loads and provides the skills to safely operate a truck mounted crane.

Lisa Crestani says Tai Poutini Polytechnic provides training to a wide range of national clients but also delivers to a wide range of smaller provincial areas throughout New Zealand. “We get a great response to the courses, and a lot of return customers.”

For more information about Tai Poutini Polytechnic’s crane training programmes or other industry courses including industrial access, health and safety, traffic management training, scaffolding and rigging training and driver education, contact 0800 800 411.

Tai Poutini Polytechnic offers practical-based, nationwide crane training.

50 |

CONTRACTING » Kamo Scrap Metals

Business North

Family business continues to thrive Sue Russell In the late 1980’s the Howe family purchased a property at 4 Hiko Road, Kamo, and started a scrap metal recycling business.

Over the ensuing years Allen, wife Yvonne and their two sons built the business to be the largest scrap metal company in Whangarei.

With more and more business coming their way, the premises became overcrowded and in 1999 an adjacent property was purchased to allow the company to expand.

As a 100% family-owned business and having gathered up considerable understanding of how the industry operated, the company continued to flourish; the rapid growth leading to improvements, additions to the fleet site and more machinery including a car-crusher and big press.

“Most of the scrap is processed in the yard and taken to Auckland on our trucks. One of our drivers has been here for over 10 years and says he still loves his job,” says Yvonne Howe.

Trucks from the company make trips into Auckland at least once, often twice a day recycling about 95% of the product that comes onto the site.

The scrap metal industry operates around small margins, demanding on-site efficiencies and a thorough working knowledge of the market.

“Prices here can change daily based on the value of the dollar and with this comes the challenge to operate the yard as efficiently as possible.

“To help us with this we use a purpose-built software system to support efficiency at every level.

“It means we can pass these efficiencies on to our customers as well.”

Allen Howe passed away in February 2013 but business has continued, made possible by the commitment of the company’s long-serving staff.

When this happened Yvonne returned to a more hands-on role in the day-to-day operation of the business, including helping visitors to the yard.

She says there are no plans to expand the nature of the business Kamo Scrap Metals is involved in and that its current size works well.

“We have a team of twelve on the staff including our sons Ian and Glenn.

“They are a hardworking team. We pride ourselves on offering superior service and very fair prices.”

Scrap metal is a resource that has the capacity to be remanufactured to produce other products when its ferrous and non-ferrous materials are processed.

The scrap metal industry operates around small margins, demanding on-site efficiencies and a thorough working knowledge of the market.

Examples of products derived from reused scrap metal include electric motors, chain blocks, steep plates and cables.

As such the company plays a significant role in the Whangarei district by removing and facilitating the reprocessing of waste metal products from homes, factories and industrial sites.

Kamo Scrap Metals offers a free bin and pick up service to local businesses for their waste metals. It also has a proud history of supporting local school sports clubs.

“We are very much a part of the Whangarei community, doing our bit to keep it looking and feeling as clean and green as possible,” says Yvonne.

With the sort of solid family-based working values the company has operated with since its founding nearly four decades ago Kamo Scrap Metals looks set to continue to remain Whangarei’s leading scrap metal recycling company for many years to come.

“We are very much a part of the Whangarei community, doing our bit to keep it looking and feeling as clean and green as possible.”

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Business North

CONTRACTING » Rintoul Group

| 51

Community benefits from hotel loss Kelly Deeks Award winning civil construction company Rintoul Group had a game changing opportunity this year when it turned a highly political and much maligned demolition project into a valuable community initiative.

Rintoul Group was charged with the demolition of the abandoned and derelict Kaikohe Hotel.

At 120 years old, the hotel was the oldest building in Kaikohe and its decrepit state caused dissatisfaction and even protests in the local community, given its history of high occupancy rates and even a visit from the Queen in 1956.

The building was condemned last year having fallen into a state of disrepair and been targeted by vandals and copper thieves.

With every hand basin, every fitting, every door smashed by vandals, it seemed there was not much left in the building in terms of value.

But Rintoul Group construction manager Ken Rintoul could see some value in the project.

“Instead of knocking the building down, we pulled it down by hand, piece by piece,” he says.

“With such strong feelings about it in the local community, we did it in the most humane way possible.

“We got the community involved, joining in the deconstruction, and some of those people are now working full time at Rintoul Group.

“We were there to make a profit, but we were able to work out another way to show these small communities that are going through some hard times, that rather than put another nail in the coffin, as a province, we can turn things around.”

Rintoul Group employed a full time health and safety manager to ensure the strictest health and safety standards were adhered to, and thanks to his dedication and strict management, the deconstruction was completed without even a single scratch occurring.

Rintoul said the painstaking deconstruction revealed some of the best native timber ever to be milled in New Zealand, and some of it in very good order.

“There should have been 2000cum of demolition material, but we only dumped 200cum, including concrete,” he says.

“The rest was sold off. Six truck and trailer loads went to Auckland, and about 20 part-time jobs were created for people making furniture out of the recovered material.

The 120-year-old Kaikohe Hotel was condemned last year having fallen into a state of disrepair.

“It was a good community project. It put $100,000 back into the local community, with $70,000 worth of recovered and recycled demolition material. We even held a few fundraisers there and raised money for the local ambulance service.”

Rintoul Group has completed deconstruction projects in this fashion in the past, but normally on small buildings and never to this scale.

“But we had the expertise, the technology, and the history to show we could do it,” Rintoul says.

He says the best part of this project was the positive outcome it had for Kaikohe.

As his old home town, there was a nostalgic aspect to the project for Rintoul.

Another positive outcome for the company that resulted from the deconstruction project is that Rintoul Group has been shortlisted for an award from the Commerce Commission for what it has achieved.

Rintoul Group has grown from humble beginnings in 1987 to become a major player in the upper North Island civil construction industry.

Originally a sole proprietor building operation, Ken Rintoul Builders began to take on larger projects over a larger area, and in 1994 the company name was changed to Ken Rintoul Cartage and General Contractors, and it began to take on more civil construction projects.

By 2006 it was a medium-sized business,

Photo; Debbie Beadle Photography

and with a vision of becoming a larger and more comprehensive civil construction operation, the company name was changed again to Rintoul Civil.

Now undertaking commercial and industrial projects as well, the company is being rebranded to Rintoul Group.

Rintoul Group has won a number of awards over the years, demonstrating its excellence in both construction and in business.

Most recently it won the 2013 Westpac Excellence in Business award for a medium business, and in 2010 the Westpac Excellence in Business award for excellence in construction, manufacturing, and trade.

“It was a good community project. It put $100,000 back into the local community, with $70,000 worth of recovered and recycled demolition material.”

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52 |

Business North

MANUFACTURING » GFAB

Bespoke trailers bring satisfaction Sue Russell Tauranga Company GFAB Trailers is proud of its track-record of producing bespoke trailers servicing the boating, building and general engineering industries.

Danny Sunkel, the company’s co-owner and sales manager, says there are really sound reasons why the company’s flag-ship and “seriously sexy” products are becoming so sought-after.

“We just think and do things differently from standard production processes,” says Sunkel.

“Our trailers will likely cost more, but their design and performance well and truly pays dividends in the end,” he says.

Sunkel says that key to GFAB’s approach when designing and constructing its fleet of top of the line trailers is that special features individual clients demand are incorporated in the design specifications; not an afterthought added on later often as a compromise as is often the case to individualise a trailer.

GFAB’s trailers and customised engineered products are made primarily from aluminium (alloy), giving them a huge weight savings and significant life-span increase.

It’s not unusual to see a weight savings of over 200kg in a medium sized trailer.

“We build trailers with much lower base tare weight, making them safer and more economical to tow, while being able to carry heavier loads,” he explains.

Usually a galvanised boat trailer after a period of time, through exposure to salt water will require “a strip down and regalvinising” process, as Sunkel describes it.

“After a time boat trailers end up being stripped back again and new hardware fitted which may add another five years or so to their life but eventually the galvanised steel rusts out from the inside. That’s not the case with alloy.”

Sunkel says that the company’s boat trailer construction processes are markedly different from the mass-produced standard models where components like adjustable brackets and wobblerollers are fitted to deal with different boat shapes and sizes.

GFAB’s custom-built models fit the boats they’re made for reducing significantly the amount of materials.

GFAB Trailer’s other co-owner, designer and engineer Glen Warner has steered the company with his vision and energy since setting it up 7 years ago.

Sunkel brought his marketing skills to the company last year, becoming a partner in the newly formed GFAB Trailers division this year.

“I contacted Glen about building a trailer for my ocean row boat ‘Miss Jay’, a 39 foot wave

GFAB’s trailers and customised engineered products are made primarily from aluminium alloy, giving them huge weight savings.

piercing trimaran that I intend to row across the Tasman to Australia in early 2016 to raise money for Cancer Research.

“This is how I came to see just how exceptional the design and construction capabilities of GFAB are.”

Another product the company has begun manufacturing in the last couple of years are articulated transport trailers.

“There’s been a real move by transporting contractors to invest in light-weight high capacity trailers under 3500kg.

“It’s a reaction to stem the ever-increasing road-user costs that burden the industry.

“We’re putting a lot of energy and resources into refining the manufacturing processes of these substantial units.”

It is typical for the workshop to have three or four trailers on the production line at any one time.

The company also manufactures a selection of 2.5m to 6m production alloy tandem axle, flatdeck, articulated and tipper trailers.

“We’re focusing now on moving the trailer

production arm of the company away from a reactionary business,” says Sunkel.

“I put our number one competitive advantage into innovation and pride in our work.

“We don’t just pump out widgets.”

The specialised builder trailers also offer significant space to add signage and advertising something Sunkel says is going hand in hand with the trades becoming more professional in their marketing approach.

Many of the trailers that GFAB builds also feature high beams, which allows plenty of room for branding; a perfect way for the company to get its name out and about as it goes about its business.

Since joining GFAB Sunkel has discovered just

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GFAB’s custom-built models fit the boats they’re made for, which reduces significantly the amount of materials used in construction.

how well he and Glen’s skills complements each other.

His ability to talk to people, understand the market the company operates in and forge opportunities from this is match by Glen’s innovative flair.

“Glen’s a real innovator and craftsman. His ability to bring down general concepts into specific design elements is a huge strength of the company and core to its success.”

The company also markets its products through its website and on TradeMe and is more than happy to receive enquiries about its manufacturing capabilities to meet the needs of boaties, builders, the trades as well as those needing one-off engineered products built.

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(07) 541 1309

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Phone: 021 777 591 Web: www.gfab.co.nz

Business North

AUTOMOTIVE » A Dracevich Panelbeaters

| 53

Company building on proud history Sue Russell Craig “Junior” Browne enjoys being a panelbeater and for the last five years he has owned A Dracevich Panelbeaters outright, although his history with the company stretches back further.

“I first came into part ownership a decade ago, but for the last five have been sole owner.

“This is a company with a very proud history and track-record and my team are highly skilled at what they do,” Browne says.

A Dracevich Panelbeaters Ltd is located in Glen Eden in Auckland.

The company was first established in 1945 and some nearly 70 years later the consistent quality of the service it provides is evidenced by its status as an approved and recommended insurance repairer.

“We do everything here like a one-stop-shop,” says Browne.

“Repair work is very much done on quality and trust and all our guys have got the latest training.

“From day one we deliver top service consistent and it is something we pride ourselves on.”

Such is the reputation of the company that its customers come from as far afield as Hamilton and Pukekohe.

The team comprises five panel beaters, three painters and office staff and just six months ago was joined by a new manager who Browne says is making a significant difference to the business.

“He has been absolutely excellent.

“I used to do it all on my own, now I can let go of some of the overall management in Troy’s capable hands.”

The business is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, depending on the amount of work on its books.

Friday is a traditionally busy day with customers wanting their vehicles back by the weekend.

Most of the work comes through insurance companies.

Each major car manufacturer has its own specific warranty criteria, detailing for instance the type of paint and the nature of repair demanded by it.

A Dracevich Panelbeaters offers a comprehensive range of services for its customers, including smash repairs, spray painting, chassis straightening, rust repair and proofing, auto electrical, wheel alignments and mechanical.

“It means we’re constantly updating ourselves on these standards and must comply to the letter with individual warranty conditions in the process of repairing the vehicles.

“This is demanded by the insurance companies and manufacturers.”

Browne would like to move to bigger premises and purchase more equipment, but with the cost of an inverter spot welder running at $30,000 and with profit margins tight he plans to stay where he is for the time being.

The company offers a comprehensive range of services for its customers, including smash repairs, spray painting, chassis straightening, rust repair and proofing, auto electrical, wheel alignments and mechanical to name just a few.

“I think key to our success is that we have so many services we’re expert at,” says Browne.

“The last thing a customer wants to do is to be dealing with several workshops in order to get the job done. Here it is all under one roof.”

The panelbeating industry is highly competitive, working within tight fiscal realities, but Browne says he enjoys the work immensely.

“There’s nothing like looking at a newly completed repair and paint. It’s like looking at a brand new landscape and we know just how much it means to the owners when they see what we’ve achieved; that’s very satisfying.”

A Dracevich Panelbeaters trades each day from 7am through to 5pm, giving customers time in the morning to drop their car off before heading to work. A courtesy car is also available and before any vehicle is returned it is given a full valet service.

Browne is also happy to provide a no-obligation quote.

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54 |

Business North

TRANSPORT » Captain Transporter

Captain Transporter has it covered Karen Phelps An upgraded online presence has enabled Captain Transporter to increase its web based enquiries, says company owner Clive Derbyshire.

“Our customers can do everything online – get an instant price and book. The website has been optimised for viewing on smartphones as well and more people are using the website because it is now so much more user friendly,” he says.

Captain Transporter arranges transport all over New Zealand for vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, vans, trucks, four wheel drives, utes, golf carts, quads, tractors and farm machinery.

The company delivers vehicles with full insurance options. It offers a quick turnaround and all bookings are completed online or over the telephone.

Derbyshire took over the company in 2007 and has since transformed it into a rapidly growing business with estimated growth of 50% in the past two years.

He says his past experience has been a big factor in the success of Captain Transporter.

Previously Derbyshire owned Derbyshire Toyota in Otahuhu, Auckland, one of the biggest Toyota dealerships in New Zealand, clocking up over 30 years experience in the motor industry.

He has also owned a number of AA service franchises around Auckland. He says this hands on experience of the motor industry has proved invaluable in offering Captain Transporter’s customers a great experience.

“We are growing because we do a great job and we do what people want and actually ask for,” he says.

Captain Transporter uses reputed companies

for transportation services acting as an agent or broker for its customers.

Derbyshire says the solid industry relationships he has established with some of New Zealand’s best transport agencies coupled with the sheer volume of jobs the company facilitates brings his customers additional price benefits.

But it is the firm focus he places on customer service, which he feels sets the company apart.

The very personalised style of business he favours can be seen in everything from the fun branding of the company to interactions with customers right up to the final delivery.

“My wife Margaret and I are very hands on in the business. We answer the phones and follow things through for customers from start to finish.

“It’s about making it easy for people and communicating very effectively with them as to the process. We offer a door-to-door service so that people don’t even have to go into a depot if they don’t want to. We can pick up from their door and deliver to wherever they want in New Zealand.”

As an example he says he is often able to offer customers advice and options to reduce the price of their transportation.

“For example sometimes if they want to drop it into another nearby depot or location the cost can be significantly reduced.

“We always look for the best option for our customers to help them save money.

“It’s the customer service aspect of the business that I really enjoy – doing a job well and making sure we are one step above our competitors.

“Getting the positive feedback from customers that we do is a bit of a buzz.”

“We offer a door-to-door service so that people don’t even have to go into a depot if they don’t want to. We can pick up from their door and deliver to wherever they want in New Zealand.”

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Business North

TRANSPORT » Exclusive Boat Haulage

| 55

A safe and secure ride guaranteed Kelly Deeks With a purpose-built, fully submersible hydraulic trailer, Exclusive Boat Haulage guarantees its clients their pride and joy will have a safe and secure ride to its destination.

Shelley and John (JJ) Klinac bought the existing business two-and-a-half years ago from Peter Jacob in Levin, who had been hauling boats for 30 years.

They added their own element to the business by immediately engaging Brian Morgan Engineering in Whangarei to build a new trailer which allowed them to pull boats straight out of the water.

“It provides an advantage to boat owners to be able to bring their boats straight out of the water, especially in the more remote areas,” says Shelley.

“They don’t have to pay for a crane or hiab to lift their boat from the water, and a lot of times we can save them having to bring their boat to a marina at a different location.”

Of course not every boat can be retrieved this way, so each job is assessed at the time of enquiry.

The Klinacs have since built a second trailer, not submersible this time, but which is able to carry larger and heavier vessels.

The new trailer also features airbags allowing for a smoother and softer ride, and both trailers have been fitted with mudguards to stop stones and debris from flicking up and damaging boats’ paintwork.

Exclusive Boat Haulage is available to haul boats throughout New Zealand, and the Klinacs spend a lot of their time travelling between Auckland and Wellington, with JJ hauling the boats and Shelley, with her class 2 pilot license, driving the pilot vehicle for over-width boats.

From yachts and launches, to mooring barges, oyster barges, and catamarans, Exclusive Boat Haulage can carry them all, and has moved boats to some interesting places while coping with some challenging conditions.

Exclusive Boat Haulage has built a new trailer which is able to carry larger and heavier vessels.

“Once in Opotiki it took us more than three hours to get 300m up a driveway,” Shelley says.

“The trailer was being towed with a bulldozer and a grader up a new driveway, which hadn’t been packed down.

“JJ has been stuck before. People tell us their

ground is hard, but when you get in there with an 8-tonne trailer and a 14-tonne boat on it, you can expect to get stuck sometimes.”

JJ Klinac was also bringing a 120-year-old boat from Dunedin to the Wellington Sailing Club on July 21 last year, when a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit the Cook Straight just as he was crossing a bridge in the Marlborough town of Seddon.

Being able to get the job done whatever the

circumstances, means Exclusive Boat Haulage is experiencing a steep growth curve, which the team of two find to be more than they ever expected.

But as they are dealing with what they know are people’s pride and joy, they are reluctant to let go of any responsibility by bringing in another driver, instead they may be able to relieve some of Shelley’s workload by employing another class 2 pilot.

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Brian Morgan Engineering built a new trailer for Exclusive Boat haulage which can pull boats directly out of the water, saving clients time and money.

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1/57 Cobham Road, Kerikeri • Phone 09 407 3818

56 |

RECYCLING » BioRich

Business North

BioRich - putting waste to good use Kelly Deeks Hawke’s Bay business BioRich is annually converting about 45,000 tonnes of local organic waste into 35,000 cubic metres of dark, rich compost.

These amounts are set to increase with funding from the Ministry for the Environment Waste Minimisation Fund allocated to a site expansion which has doubled the size of the operation, and allowed it to produce both certified organic compost and regular compost.

The expansion has allowed BioRich to push further in recycling with the ability to recycle a wide range of additional waste streams, while sticking to the company ethos to divert organic matter (carbon) from ending up in places where it can do a lot of harm, in the atmosphere and water, and putting it somewhere it can do a lot of good, into the soil.

BioRich was founded in 2004 by Maraekakaho farmer Mike Glazebrook, who had been making compost on a large scale for a number of years prior to BioRich, to support his organic vegetable growing operation.

It was that experience which taught Glazebrook the benefits to the soil of using compost.

It also opened his eyes to the amount of organic waste material that was available in the Hawke’s Bay. Also at that time, environmental protection regulations were becoming much tighter.

It was apparent that the Hawke’s Bay’s organic waste needed a better disposal solution.

“Every year, throughout New Zealand, many thousands of tonnes of organic ‘waste’ is dumped into landfills or is inappropriately discharged to land,” Glazebrook says.

“Once dumped, much of this material breaks down in an uncontrolled manner and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and pollutants into our waterways.

“Meanwhile most of New Zealand’s cultivated soils have been steadily deteriorating. This is due to both to a decline in soil organic matter, and a depletion of minerals and nutrients.”

BioRich’s main activity is capturing organic material that would otherwise be wasted, or would cause pollution, and turning it into rich compost.

Since forming BioRich, the quantities handled have steadily grown. BioRich has outgrown the 4ha site on his farm, and a 10ha site at Awatoto has also now been extended.

BioRich’s main activity is capturing organic material that would otherwise be wasted, or would cause pollution, and turning it into rich compost.

Where it is practical to do so, BioRich also

seeks to extract stock food and energy from organic material that would otherwise be wasted.

BioRich receives waste from local meat works, from food processors such as Watties, from packhouses, wineries, fisheries, and wool scourers.

It receives green waste from Hastings City and Central Hawke’s Bay, sawdust from timber mills, and waste bark from the Ports of Napier and

Gisborne. New waste management activities made possible by the Waste Minimisation Fund include handling wool waste, tannery waste, paper waste, and plasterboard. In the pipeline is the development of a household food waste stream.

“We work with companies and councils to help ensure their organic waste streams are handled in an effective and environmentally sound manner.’

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Business North

RECYCLING » BioRich

| 57

BioRich produces its compost according to the standards of Bio-Gro New Zealand, and can alter its mix, or add amendments, to meet the particular needs of clients.

“Our solutions include stock food, composting, vermiculture, bio-digesters, and the safe discharge of waste water to land.

“Our approach is to consider all the circumstances relating to a particular waste stream, and the region from which it arises, and then to apply the most practical solution.”

In composting, the collected ingredients are mixed together to get the right balance of carbon, nitrogen, porosity, and moisture.

Added to the mix is bulking material to create the optimum carbon to nitrogen ratio, and to help the compost to decompose aerobically.

The bulking material takes the form of bark, sawdust and some shredded municipal green waste.

The mix is then placed over aeration lines for the first two weeks to accelerate the decomposition.

From there it is put into windrows to further break down and cure. Several months later, stabilised compost is ready to go.

BioRich can alter its mix, or add amendments, to meet the particular needs of clients.

BioRich produces its compost according to the standards of Bio-Gro New Zealand.

BioRich supplies most of the local landscape

centres, organic orchardists, and vineyards.

However, it is supplying compost back into local cropping soils that gives Glazebrook the most satisfaction.

“Many of the cropping soils of the Heretuanga Plains have lost much of their structure and organic matter,” he says.

“Applying compost not only supplies nutrients and organic matter directly, but, more importantly provides a food source for organisms that live in the soil.

“As these organisms further break down the compost, their activity and the humic substances they excrete further improves soil structure.”

As Glazebrook sees it, there is no myth and magic about it.

“The evidence is seen in the topsoil that nature has created over many years through a cycle of life, death, and decay,” he says.

“Compost simply completes a cycle that is otherwise compromised by crop removal.”

BioRich’s mission to divert organic matter from where it can do harm - in our landfills and waterways, to where it can do some good – in our soils, led to the company being awarded the 2005 Hawke’s Bay Business Environment Award.

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58 |

Business North

MANUFACTURING » Rackstuds / Tahi Estate

Enhancing environment a key part of business model Karen Phelps

Rackstuds are a brand new replacement for traditional cage nuts.

Rackstuds extends its range to meet US market demands Karen Phelps Rackstuds has just released a new product to accommodate racks with thicker vertical rails.

“Feedback started rolling in as US orders began shipping that some racks in the US had vertical rails that are above the maximum specified for the current version,” explains company director Peter Stothers.

“So we decided to design a new product to meet this need,” The new blue coloured studs work with rails between 2.2mm/0.086 to 2.7mm/0.106 (or 12 gauge).

The product complements the company’s signature red coloured product, which suits vertical racks of thicknesses up to 2.2mm (0.086”) with a recommended maximum equipment faceplate thickness of 4mm (0.157”).

Rackstuds are a brand new replacement for traditional cage nuts which are used to mount IT, Pro A/V, security and telecommunications equipment in 19” racks.

“Rackstuds make it much easier to mount this type of equipment because they go in from the front and provide a place to support equipment while the lock nut is being spun on,” says Stothers who invented the product.

“This makes inserting and removing Rackstuds much quicker and assists with mounting even heavy equipment as it no longer needs to be balanced in one hand.”

Other advantages of the product include that it is simpler, faster, safer and very strong.

Stothers says that Rackstuds can be installed in seconds and are easy to remove and reuse by hand without the need for any type of tool to do the job.

The product is made from a non-conductive fiber reinforced thermoplastic so it won’t pose an electrical threat to either the installer or their gear. The product has been colour coded so if the installer drops Rackstuds they are easy to find.

Rackstuds have been designed to fit EIA square punched vertical rails with 9.5mm (3/8”) holes.

Stothers says that field trials revealed that the

hole is unfortunately not standardised and varies between 9.3mm (0.366”) and 9.8mm (0.385”) so Rackstuds were engineered to accommodate these variations.

The company has only been in existence for a year but already Rackstuds are being sold nationwide as well as being exported to the US. Rackstuds was a finalist in the New Zealand Innovators Awards 2014.

Stothers says due to the latest 3D printing technology he can now create new product based on markets needs quickly.

For example it only took him six months from realising there was a problem selling his product into the US market to create the blue range.

The company is currently developing a third product which Stothers says will offer a solution for threaded rails.

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Tahi Estate has built a successful business based on what owners Dr John Craig and Dr Anne Stewart call the four ‘C’s’ – conservation, community, culture and commerce.

Their business, which is also owned with their daughter Suzan, is located on over 740 acres and Craig, a professor at Auckland University in Environmental Management, and Stewart, who has had many years experience in both the conservation and horticulture fields and taught marketing and innovation at the University of Auckland, say that their main goal has been to conserve and restore the ecosystems on the land.

They say running a conservation sanctuary and honey business has allowed them to achieve this.

“It is about guardianship of the land rather than ownership and in order to do this we follow the principles of the four C’s to guide our decisions,” says Craig. “Some of the ways in which we do this are to generate an excess of carbon credits through plantings of native trees and shrubs both to increase biodiversity and to enhance the environment.

“These carbon credits offset all Tahi activities including the export of honey. We utilise renewable resources and employ local people.”

The couple decided to establish their own independently verified carbon sequestion system that takes into consideration their long-term goal of

restoration and conservation of intrinsic ecosphere values.

“To do this we plan to undertake a full carbon balance of all activities and from this we will calculate our carbon offsets that we will use to balance the activities at Tahi. We are measuring carbon in trees, soils and wetlands,” says Craig.

Located two-and-a-half hours drive from Auckland, Tahi offers two luxury bungalows for rent. Tahi’s honey business likewise is operated in a sustainable way. Honey is sold in New Zealand and exported to a number of international markets including to Harrods in London.

‘At Tahi we want honey that not only tastes good but also carries with it firm assurances around integrity and sustainability,” says Craig.

“Tahi manages its valued bees ethically while continually pushing the boundaries of global best practice in environmental sustainability.”

For the couple this includes leaving a supply of honey in the hives to help the bees through winter rather than stripping all the honey and feeding them sugar, leaving the bees in one spot rather than continually moving them, reducing, reusing and recycling materials wherever possible, offsetting the company’s carbon footprint, using non-treated timber and refraining from using unnecessary medicinals or any antibiotics.

Profits from the honey sales and accommodation allow the couple to further care for and enhance the land.

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Business North

MANUFACTURING » Sanpro Industries

| 59

Innovation keeps Sanpro out in front Karen Phelps First time entrant Sanpro Industries Ltd has been named a finalist in the innovation section of the 2014 Westpac Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

Company director Malcolm Sanderson says that innovation is the main factor that has driven the company forward and kept it ahead of international competitors.

Sanpro Industries designs and manufactures tube perforating machinery used primarily by the automative industry. The company’s products are used to produce mufflers for international brands including Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Harley Davidson, Ford, Hyundai and Nissan.

The product, parts of which have now been patented, was developed by Sanderson in 1980. A fitter turner by trade Sanderson was manufacturing muffler and exhaust systems.

“It was the old story about being at the bottom of the world. Commercial machinery was expensive for someone starting a company so I built my own prototype machine and discovered pretty quickly that my machine was unique in the world,” he says.

Tube perforating machines available at that time has 2000 moving parts and vibrated heavily when in use. Sanderson’s developed a model with one moving part which was smooth running.

The Sanpro Industries product has since been developed, computerised and is now exported to over 25 countries.

Sanderson says that the speed of the company’s machines is the fastest in the world capable of producing 65 holes per second meaning big gains in productivity for customers. He has also focused on developing robust tooling to enhance the lifetime of the equipment.

The company’s most popular model is the TPM, which utilises Postive Alignment Technology (PAT).

“This is an industry first and allows the tube to be punched using an uneven array of punches around the circumference while holding the punches and the die in perfect alignment. Parts are designed via the screen, which allows the

Sanpro Industries designs and manufactures tube perforating machinery used primarily by the automotive industry. operator to customise the placement of up to five independent perforation patterns along a tube.”

The significance is that the machine can be programmed to easily punch holes in any pattern the customer requires.

For the automotive industry this is significant as the design of the holes in a muffler is a key aspect of how quiet it functions.

The machine also opens up other markets for Sanpro including potentially the filter and lighting industries. Sanderson says that the PAT system is also the company’s secret to maintaining the life of the machine as it ensures absolute alignment meaning tooling doesn’t wear out as rapidly.

Sanpro machines are made on site in the company’s factory at Petone. All machines are made to order from standard components to the customer’s individual preferences.

All programming and coding is undertaken

in-house. It takes one to two months to build each machine but Sanpro is gearing up to increase production.

“Internationally we see huge demand for our products. This demand is growing all the time due to the worldwide surge in manufacturing post the global economic crisis.

“We’ve been working alongside some big

manufacturers who have been assessing our equipment but weren’t in a financial position to invest in new plant before. Now as the global economy improves we are starting to see orders coming in.”

Sanderson says Sanpro is working on a new generation TPM machine which he believes will also be a world first: “twice as versatile and faster”.

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Business North

LANDSCAPING » The Landscape Company

Landscaping taps into creativity Sue Russell Having gained his trade cert in joinery and spending some years making top-quality furniture, the owner of The Landscape Company Limited in Auckland Tim Bradbury is using his building skills to create magic spaces outside.

“Now I have the best of both worlds. I always wanted to work outside and I always looked outside the windows when I was working inside.

“Joinery work is complicated, it’s like architecture for me, all very disciplined.

“There is no creativity but with landscaping you’re working from the very unformed, from the sense of possibility to something formed and often very beautiful,” says Bradbury.

Helping him to see the possibilities of spaces is what he describes as the “3D brain” builders possess.

“We see things finished, that’s how my brain works. This works really well in our business because I can visualise how the whole landscape will look when completed.”

Given his background working with wood and construction Bradbury runs the hard landscaping construction work personally, building pergolas, planters, decks, retaining walls, paved areas and walkways.

The company offers a complete design, construction and planting service.

On the day Business North spoke with Bradbury he was part way through tiling a patio for a women whose drains weren’t coping so well in a heavy downpour.

“It seems like the 100 year floods are now happening every year. It is certainly a factor affecting design that we take into account.”

As far as design principles go Bradbury’s approach is pragmatic.

“It has got to be sensible and cost-effective.

I am not driven by money, I am driven by being creative to the very best of my ability and the money flows in after that.”

With a background in joinery, Bradbury runs the hard landscaping construction work personally, building pergolas, planters, decks, retaining walls, paved areas and walkways.

The Landscape Company is an expert at working on difficult sites as well as the flat open space ready to be filled in.

The Landscape Company offers a complete design, construction and planting service.

“If someone is starting from nothing, on a new build, I say to them that you need to be looking at 10% of the value of the house in terms of costs to do justice to the outside.”

“People employ us because it’s hard challenging work.

“If someone is starting from nothing, on a new build, I say to them that you need to be looking at 10% of the value of the house in terms of costs to do justice to the outside.”

A part of his professional life he most enjoys is the concept of the edible garden.

The company was one of the first to develop an edible nursery in Auckland.

These days Bradbury is busy back on the tools working and managing site work.

It’s the kind of hands-on connection with the creative process he most enjoys.

He’s also a great believer in harnessing labour through Student Job Search.

“I find students happy and intelligent.

“Everyone wants everything done before Christmas so it’s good to be able to call on additional labour as and when we need it,” says Bradbury.

Tree-house design and construction is a special interest. Children in day care centres, kindergartens and the like throughout Auckland are scampering up and down his creations.

“We put down an edible garden in a centre in East Tamaki and had to be really careful with the issue of allergies.”

All in all no two days are the same, an aspect of the job he relishes.

“Because we can deliver the complete package from design right through to completion I find myself in all sorts of situations and that’s refreshing.”

Tim says his base of loyal clients, some of whom are the children of customers when his business was first forming, is what keeps him enjoying his work.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than looking back on a job that you have created from nothing and know that your client is going to enjoy the space for years to come.”

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