Business Central December 2021

36 | All started with a new trailer coupling CEO Sonia Kiser with father John Burling, who established the business. South Taranaki: Carac Group REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Richard Loader F ounded over three decades ago on the design, development and patent of a new trailer coupling that was easy to use and stronger than anything else on the market, Carac Group has evolved as an inno- vative end-to-end engineering/manufacturing business with a respected reputation on the international stage. Based in Eltham, Carac Group now produc- es over four and a half thousand product lines and parts, and showing no sign of slowing down. “We’re always trying to be that one step ahead with latest technology,” says CEO Sonia Kiser, whose father, John Burling, established the family owned and operated business. “We have some of the best machinery and equipment in the country. With the new rout- er, we’re the only business in New Zealand offering such a wide variety of capability. We just keep diversifying.” Carac’s impressive and diverse range of machinery includes a leading edge laser cut- ter, high precision water jet cutter with 5-axis and rotary cutting and a high definition CNC Plasma with gas cutting creating large capacity profile cutting. There are CNC press brakes, CNC mills, mechanical, and hydraulic power metal press- es from one-tonne to 500-tonne plus, auto drilling and tapping machines, fully automatic band saws, pipe and solid rod/bar bending machines, RHS, pipe rolling machines and many robotic welders. Complementing the fabrication machinery is a zinc plating and powder coating plant. Bringing all the machinery to life requires a highly skilled workforce team of forty staff including fabricators, welders, toolmakers, designers and three talented apprentices. “Because of the latest sophisticated ma- chinery and software we have to train all our staff on site to use it, so the people who work here are pretty unique. The staff love working here because each day is different. They never know what projects or what challenges they will get next as it is not just the one product line going through. Our markets include the oil and gas industry, utilities, marine, agricul- ture, forestry and we’re very big in the motor industry.” John, who remains active within the busi- ness says given the diversity of machinery and the company’s core capabilities it is quite unique to the rest of New Zealand. “Carac takes raw materials and provides a finished product, be it zinc or powder coated or whatever is required by the client. “We do everything in-house and provide an end-to end service to our customers no matter where in the world they may be. We would be the only place in New Zealand like that today. “We’re quite unique with what we can do here. There have been some jobs in the past where we have been the only ones in the world who could do it.” Sonia adds that Carac’s mission is to provide a world-class manufacturing solution from point of concept and design right through to the finished product. Reflecting on the success of the compa- ny, father and daughter both say customer service has played a significant role, as has remaining a family owned and operated business. “We still run the business with family values,” says John. “We’ve also treat the staff like part of the family — they are part of our family.” “We have some of the best machinery and equipment in the country. We’re the only business in New Zealand offering such a wide variety of capability.” PROUDLY SUPPORTING CARAC GROUP