| 9 Sue Russell Catering for growth Mitre 10 Mega Hamilton has a big emphasis on contributing to the local community. Waikato Business Awards: Mitre 10 Mega - Hamilton REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Prolific growth in and around Hamilton is creating plenty of business for Hamilton Hardware’s two flagship stores trading as Mitre 10 MEGA. The stores are located in Te Rapa near The Base and in Ruakura in Hamilton’s eastern-quarter. CEO Hayden Camp says the two sites are designed to cater for the whole of Hamilton’s needs from Trade to DIY. “We’re very much a local business able to cater for what our customers want. We can not only tailor our product offering to meet changing market demands but we can also personalise our product selection to what our store specific customers want,” Hayden says. There’s a big emphasis on contributing to the local community and Hayden says the most effective way the stores can do this is to invest in system technologies that enable products to be easily accessed and understood. Mitre 10 MEGA has recently become principal sponsor of the big-buddy programme in the Waikato. “Big Buddy has struggled a bit here in the Waikato to gain momentum. It’s a great cause and we’re very pleased to be associated with this very worthwhile charity.” Big Buddy matches up boys aged 7 – 14 who do not have a father around, with a big buddy, spending a few hours a week together. The relationship helps these boys build confidence and resilience with a positive role-model. Endless possibilities. 0800 224 759 / sales@bbi.net.nz www.bbi.net.nz Plywood + Decking Solutions – bbi supply quality plywood and hardwood decking solutions to the New Zealand market including: bbi PlyBrace™ / RedLine® BlondeLine® / QuikDeck® Not sure what product you need? Talk to your local Selleys team today and we’ll help you find what you need for your DIY project! IF IT’S SELLEYS, IT WORKS™ PROUDLY SUPPORTING MITRE 10 MEGA HAMILTON www.selleys.co.nz 0800 735 539 Since establishing in 1997 over 1000 Little Buddies have been matched with Big Buddies. And another project Mitre 10 MEGA supports is maintenance and further development of the Sculpture Park, located west of Hamilton near Tauwhare. Located at Waitakaruru Arboretum, situated in a disused quarry. The project to transform the old quarry site into a beautiful space for visitors to enjoy was initiated in 1991 by owners John and Dorothy Wakeling who subsequently passed the park over to a charitable trust. “Along with supporting them with larger projects, the wider team also go out and work at the park. We’re big on sustainability and supporting local so the team are often there planting trees.” Nawton Primary School has also benefitted from the support of Mitre 10 MEGA, with the business building raised gardens and planting them out. “We like to get involved in projects that bring lasting benefit.” COVID, Hayden says has been two things: positive and very challenging. With the retail sectors generally doing very well Hayden says supporting our team, keeping everyone safe at work and dealing with the stresses of those early lock-down and various restriction levels has at times been challenging. “Supporting our team through sickness has been a big one. Each year of COVID we’ve either dealt with staff shortages or product shortages. Keeping everyone feeling positive throughout has been the challenge.” This year, Mitre 10 MEGA Hamilton was a finalist in the Business Growth & Strategy in the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. “We’ve been a part of those awards for the past few years. We sponsored the emerging leader and we especially wanted to honour our former CEO, Clifford Buchler.” As a competitor Mitre 10 MEGA Hamilton presented its strategic plan. Hayden says the business has been ‘living and breathing’ their strategy for the last five years. “Not being part of a large corporate has given us the opportunity to develop our own business plan and future development.” The strategy for the two Hamilton stores has very much been about investing in the team with three aims in mind. “We first want to make sure we retain our team, concentrating on remuneration levels and pay bands rewarding longevity,” says Hayden. “Then we’re focusing on upskilling our team and improving their product knowledge and finally we’re investing in technology to assist our team to be as productive as possible.” Hayden feels that with 2023 just around the corner there is finally a sense that things are getting back to a new ‘normal’. “It’s been quite a time of it lately but things are definitely starting to settle down.”
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