| 45 Trust Tairāwhiti: Pultron Composites REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Innovative company enjoys export growth T T Sue Russell Pultron Composites employs upward of 140 staff in its purpose-built factory and headquarters in Gisborne. Peter Renshaw, Business Development Director of Gisborne-based polymer technology business Pultron Composites says it hasn’t all been doom and gloom through the uncertainties COVID has brought to our doorstep. By some quirky, or some may say a well-positioned reality, when many businesses were struggling to find markets to continue to supply to, Pultron Composites had their orders for their Spring free® trampolines exported to the US go through the roof. “As it happened, trampolines were deemed essential recreational equipment when the US went into lockdown. “They didn’t want kids just sitting in front of the computer screens instead of out being active, so very quickly their warehouses were emptied and we were able to help fill the gap. For us it was very good news and gave some certainty to business at that testing time,” Peter explains. And from humble beginnings as a family-owned company established by Peter and Bronwen Holdsworth family in 1982, today Pultron Composites is a world-leader in high-tech applications for its Fibre Reinforced Polymer products. The benefits of using the non-rusting material in places where steel and concrete components have traditionally been the only infrastructure on offer, is opening more and more doors and creating unprecedented demand. Today, Pultron Composites employs upward of 140 staff in its purpose built factory and headquarters in Gisborne. As such, the business is a significant contributor to the health of the region’s economy. Peter’s incredibly proud of the capability of their team, across all divisions and says one of the key strengths of the company is the inclusive nature of its management style. “When you have highly skilled experienced people working on the shop floor for many years, they have so much to offer from a practical perspective when it comes to the development of new products.” It means that when a product moves from the R & D phase into serious production, those who have been involved in its development are the same people producing it. “They’ve engineered its manufacturing process and it makes the move from R & D to production seamless.” Another significant export product, again into North America are the rods that go into snow-mobile tracks. Whereas a vehicle of this nature here is considered more of a toy, in Alaska and other areas where there’s snow and ice most of the year, they are an essential form of transport. Again, during COVID, these were classed as essential items by the US & Canadian governments. Today, upward of 95% of the product the company produces is either sold directly to overseas markets, or in a secondary way, by being a component of an exported product. “Where we are the local market is very small, so we have to engage in exporting. I “t’s vital to our continued success and growth and ability to evolve new uses for glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) technologies.” Peter says much of the company’s product offering has evolved organically over the years. A good example is the beginning of the rods used in trampolines. That technology needing an ability to flex and not wear out can be tracked back to sail battens used in the sport of sailing and sail-boarding. GFRP is used today extensively in rebar products. Rebar is designed to support concrete, creating reinforced concrete. Historically steel rebar has been used, but that is prone to corroding when water gets in the concrete’s cracks. In the US GFRP Rebar is used extensively in roading, as government departments and infrastructure companies realise the longterm benefits and cost-efficiencies that come with using a product that will not corrode over time. “We’re talking about a material that lasts 100+ years, compared to the life-expectancy of steel based concrete reinforcing.” “We’re talking about a material that lasts 100+ years, compared to the life-expectancy of steel based concrete reinforcing.” Looking ahead Peter says there is a need to expand the operational capacity at the Gisborne site. And in some sort of wisdom-driven way, Peter says that the relatively isolated nature of where the company is positioned, really offers a competitive advantage. “We have learned to be resilient, to work within what we can create on site because of where we are based and to always believe we’re capable of leading the world from this quiet corner of it.” Your industry training partner turning talent into capability We support Kiwis businesses get future-ready. Get in touch with us to find the right training solution for your team. competenz.org.nz/contact-us
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