88 | JOINERY Sorenmobler Mirotone NZ Ltd are pleased to be the preferred coatings supplier to Sorenmobler and support their excellent range of locally manufactured NZ furniture. Business Advisory Talk to us today 06 349 0466 www.pkfdoyles.co.nz Quality Accounting, Smart Tax Strategies, Better Business Decisions Whether your accounting needs are simple or complex, personal or business, we deliver expert accounting, smarter tax strategies, and practical advice to help you make better business decisions. Accounting | Business Advisory | Tax | Agribusiness | Māori Enterprise Administration The enduring resilience and beauty of wood Its product range has evolved from predominantly New Zealand rimu furniture to include American white oak, red oak and ash, while retaining selected native timber collections. T T Russell Fredric “People like the grain and appearance of oak and ash, and ash gives us a huge range of stain colours. They’re durable hardwoods that work well, look great and are still affordable enough for customers, so they’ve become a big part of what we do.” Sorenmobler has spent 50 years adapting to changing markets, materials and technology; its willingness to evolve has helped transform the family business into one of New Zealand’s enduring manufacturers of solid timber furniture. Established by builder and architectural draftsman Cedric Sorensen in Auckland in 1976, the business was built around a simple idea: creating a company where family members could work together, building high-quality furniture, while continuing a woodworking tradition dating back generations to the family’s Danish roots. Today, the Whanganui-based manufacturer is still family owned with Cedric’s grandsons, Arne, Jim, Matt and Daniel, and their father Neil involved in the business alongside about 40 staff. Daniel is responsible for commercial sales and says the family has always been involved in woodwork or carpentry of some sort throughout the generations. Growth has been accompanied by significant change. The company relocated to Whanganui in 1994, expanding from a factory of about 400sqm in Auckland into premises over 3,000sqm, creating the space needed to broaden both production capacity and product development. At the same time, its product range has evolved from predominantly New Zealand rimu furniture to include American white oak, red oak and ash, while retaining selected native timber collections. “People like the grain and appearance of oak and ash, and ash gives us a huge range of stain colours. They’re durable hardwoods that work well, look great and are still affordable enough for customers, so they’ve become a big part of what we do.” The factory has evolved just as dramatically. Traditional woodworking equipment has progressively given way to computer-controlled manufacturing, with four CNC routers, including three five-axis machines, allowing the business to produce complex curved components and detailed joinery that would once have required more manual work. Skilled cabinetmakers still undertake assembly and finishing, combining modern technology with traditional craftsmanship. That investment has also expanded the company’s capabilities beyond furniture manufacturing. Alongside its established retail collections, the business undertakes commercial fit-outs, custom joinery and specialist timber machining, with work ranging from office furniture and hotel accommodation to bespoke civic projects, and international orders. “We’re making furniture for hotels, office fit-outs and all sorts of commercial projects. Right now, we’re producing seating and desks for the Marshall Islands Parliament, while at the same time we’re supplying retail furniture around New Zealand. “Having that mix is absolutely crucial, with different customer groups spending at different times.” That diverse customer base has helped the business navigate changing economic conditions while keeping its Whanganui factory operating consistently. The launch of its trade division Soren Liv more than a decade ago broadened the company’s reach into the architectural and interior design market. Sorenliv is the distributor of Melbourne-based design brand Globe West, with a flagship showroom in 373 New North Road, Auckland. With more than 2500 products, the extensive range from Globe West mixed with custom manufacturing allows projects to be tailored to individual client requirements for design and budget rather than relying solely on standard product lines. Looking ahead, Daniel sees design innovation, quality products, and flexibility to adapt to customers’ requirements and lead-times as the basis for continued growth opportunities to broaden the company’s commercial fit-out work across hotel/accommodation, office and retirement sectors.
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