Volume 21 | Issue 4 | August 2022 www.waterfordpress.co.nz businessnorth Fuelling Up Celebrating 75 years in business, Kiwi-owned WaitomoGroup is focused on delivering choice and fairer prices at the fuel pump. T PAGE 3 Winning Whangārei Making it easier for people to do business is seeing a spike in growth forWhangārei. T PAGE 20 Natural magic The success of theNatural Pet FoodGroup has been recognised in theNZ International Business Awards. T PAGE 78
2 | Contents businessnorth 34| Village growth Arvida is continuing to develop its village and care portfolio through acquisition and expansion. 20| Winning Whangārei Making it easier for people to do business is seeing a spike in growth for Whangārei. 78| Natural magic The success of the Natural Pet Food Group has been recognised in the NZ International Business Awards. 20 78 34 These conditions are prescribed for the sake of understanding between the Company and its clients. Advertising is charged for on the basis of space taken up using a standard tabloid page. Actual space may be reduced during the printing process but this will effect all advertisers equally so no credit will be given for any reduction in size due to processing. The Company reserves the right to alter, change or omit entirely any advertisement or article that it considers to be objectionable or which may contravene any law. In the event of a failure on the part of the Company to insert advertising as instructed the Company may publish the advertisement at the first available subsequent reasonable date unless the advertisement features date sensitive material. Every care shall be taken to publish the advertisement in accordance with the advertisers instructions as to page and position but the Company reserves the right for whatever reason to place advertising in a different position and in doing so shall incur no liability whatsoever. Advertisers must advise Business North immediately of any error or omission in advertisements and shall work constructively to remedy the situation which in the first instance shall be a rerun of the corrected advertisement in the next available issue of Business North. Where advertisement proofs have been faxed or mailed to the client 48 hours prior to the nominated printing cut off time acquiesce shall be taken as confirmation and acceptance. Corrections made by telephone shall be accepted but the Company reserves the right to decide whether a further proof should be faxed or mailed to the client. Accounts for advertising are due for payment within seven days of publication of the newspaper. Accounts not paid within this time may incur a penalty of 3% per month until the account is paid. Any debt collection costs incurred by the Company will be added to the account of the debtor. Views and opinions expressed in Business North are not necessarily those of the editors, Waterford Press Ltd or publisher. Business North welcomes contributions from freelance writers & journalists. All articles published at editors discretion. Business North accepts no responsibility for loss of photos or manuscripts. #businessnorth #yourstory www.waterfordpress.co.nz OUR PARTNERS: Waitomo Group.................................................... 03 Contact Energy ..................................................... 10 Eden Park.............................................................. 12 Gibson O’Connor.................................................. 14 Countdown Waita Shores ................................... 16 Icon / Pro Invest Group ....................................... 18 Proxima Residences ............................................ 19 Whangarei District Council ................................. 20 NorthChamber - Marsden Maritime.................. 22 HILLCON Group.................................................... 24 Esnem Properties................................................. 26 Hydrex ................................................................... 27 SiteCare Limited................................................... 28 Hume Pack-N-Cool............................................... 29 Ryman Healthcare ............................................... 32 Arvida Group ....................................................... 34 Arvida Group - Aria Bay....................................... 36 Arvida Group - Copper Crest .............................. 42 Arvida Group - Te Puna Waiora.......................... 47 Radius Residential................................................ 52 Quail Ridge Country Club.................................... 54 Summerset Villages ............................................. 56 Kahawai Point....................................................... 57 Yungulla Property Trust ...................................... 58 Bennett Homes ................................................... 63 CETA Homes ........................................................ 66 James Kirkpatrick Group ..................................... 67 Connell Contractors............................................. 68 McLeod Cranes..................................................... 70 Romanes Construction NZ.................................. 72 Woodbank Forestry ............................................. 74 Active VMA ............................................................ 76 Natural Pet Food Group...................................... 78 Lee Fish ................................................................ 80 N Cole Construction............................................. 84 Trident Homes Franklin ...................................... 86 Absolute Tiny Houses.......................................... 89 Vivian Construction.............................................. 90 Amazing Spaces NZ ............................................. 92 Matt Brew Architect ............................................. 94 Respond Architects.............................................. 97 Daniel Marshall Architect.................................... 98 GHD Woodhead Creative Spaces..................... 100 Dorrington Atcheson Architects....................... 102 Mahurangi Church............................................. 103 Edgecumbe College ........................................... 104 Balmoral School ................................................. 106 Scott Point School .............................................. 107 Wonder Group ................................................... 108 Tailor Inc.............................................................. 109 DB Interiors......................................................... 110 Ohope Beach Top 10 Holiday Park .................. 112 Christchurch Office 112 Wrights Road, Addington, Christchurch Phone 03-983 5500 PO Box 37 346 www.waterfordpress.co.nz Queenstown Office 70 Glenda Drive, Queenstown 9300 PO Box 2581, Wakatipu MANAGING DIRECTOR James Lynch james@waterfordpress.co.nz EDITORIAL Editor Nick Gormack nick@waterfordpress.co.nz Sub-editors Paul Mein, Randall Johnston Journalists Kelly Deeks, Russell Fredric, Richard Loader, Kim Newth, Sue Russell, Karen Phelps, Virginia Wright RESEARCH & MARKETING James Anderson, Sam Dart, Chris Graves, Megan Hawkins, Chris McPhee, Colin Morais, Annie Patrick, Chris Pearce, Danielle Percival, Adam Shirra, Alasdair Thomson, Jane Watson sales@waterfordpress.co.nz PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT General Manager Luke Lynch luke@waterfordpress.co.nz Graphic Artists Connor Gosnell, Anton Gray, Sophie McCleary, Liki Udam art@waterfordpress.co.nz CONTENT COORDINATORS Alissa Crosby, Andrea Benns, Ann-Marie Frentz OFFICE AND ACCOUNTS Helen Bourne accounts@waterfordpress.co.nz Jill Holland reception@waterfordpress.co.nz Lyn Barlow lyn@waterfordpress.co.nz
| 3 Fairer fuel prices at pump for Kiwis Richard Loader Over the last decade Waitomo has established 54 fuel stops, catering to retail customers, along with another 23 diesel stops for trucks. ENERGY Waitomo Group: 75th Anniversary Agile, innovative and future-focused, 100% Kiwi-owned Waitomo Group is a market disrupter, focused on delivering choice and fairer prices at the fuel pump to its continually growing customer base in both the North and South Islands. On the 13th of June this year, Waitomo celebrated its 75th birthday, with the company founded by ‘Diamond’ Des Ormsby who tightly held a philosophy of ‘People, Performance and Price. The story of Diamond Des reminds us that there are people who wonder what has happened, people who watch things happen, and people who make things happen. Diamond Des and the Ormsby family fall strongly into the camp of the latter — for the benefit of all Kiwis. A well-known identity and respected businessman in hometown Te Kuiti, Des acquired the handle ‘Diamond’ because of his success in business, which he enjoyed by smoking cigars, dressing smartly, and driving luxury European cars. Entrepreneurial by nature, Des built several businesses, most memorable of which were Waitomo Lime and Waitomo Transport, established in 1947. When Waitomo Lime was sold to Dalgetys, it was New Zealand’s largest marketer of lime. In today’s language, Des ‘pivoted’ towards the growth opportunity he saw in Waitomo Transport, which had the agency for the distribution of Mobil products in the King Country. 1989 was the company’s next key milestone when it re-branded to Waitomo Petroleum and entered into a joint venture with Mobil. Exiting the JV in 2003, the Ormsby family took full ownership of the business, which was based on commercial fuel delivery to the industrial heart of New Zealand, as well as delivering fuel to farm businesses. But it was 2012 when opportunity for a low-cost fuel supplier and technology enabled real step-change and diversification with unmanned retail fuel sites, where motorists could drive in, fuel up and pay at an outdoor terminal. That same year, Waitomo’s first unmanned fuel stop was opened in the small farming settlement of Te Uku, on the road between Hamilton and Raglan. Rebranding as “Waitomo — Kiwis fuelling Kiwis” – the business has continued to develop around Des’ core values of — People, Performance and Price. to page 4 “Our app allows in-vehicle contactless payment and gifting. They are the things our customers really like, and they are voting with their cars.”
4 | ENERGY Waitomo Group: 75th Anniversary Brand that resonates with people from page 3 Grey and Jimmy Ormsby. Waitomo is 100% owned by the Ormsby family and has been through three generations of family management, with grandson Jimmy now Managing Director. Over the last decade, in addition to providing bulk fuel supply, onsite diesel supply and fuel storage solutions, Waitomo has established 54 fuel stops, catering to retail customers, along with another 23 diesel stops for trucks. All fuel stops are unmanned. “Our northern most site is Paihia, and the southernmost sites are two in Dunedin,” says Chief Operating Officer Simon Parham. “We opened our first site in the South Island in December 2019 — Waitomo Fitzgerald Avenue in Christchurch, and there are now two other Christchurch sites, Woolston and Cranford Street. “Most of our sites are in the North Island, but we’re looking at growing our business further into the South Island. We’re about to start development of a site in Timaru and will continue to investigate other options as they come along. “We want to build sites where the people are and create that network so that it can also cater to our commercial customers. We are also expanding our North Island sites as well.” Simon says while there really hasn’t been any forecourt service for motorists in New Zealand for twenty years or so, the customers’ decision to use Waitomo when filling their tanks is based upon great pricing, great locations and the company is easy to use. “People do have different shopper missions – sometimes they might want a pie or a coffee, while others just want to get the fuel and get going. “Our average transaction time is two minutes-twenty seconds. It’s a nice in and out transaction, especially when there is still nervousness around Covid, and now the flu. You can stay in your own bubble, and the fuel is at a fair price. “We’re now one of the very few Kiwi-owned fuel companies left, and the Waitomo brand really resonates with people. People can see what Waitomo has done and if there’s a Waitomo around, they can be assured of a fair price. “Our app allows in-vehicle contactless payment and gifting. They are the things our customers really like, and they are voting with their cars. We also have two unmanned contactless car washes, and we will be opening one in Petone and building another in Ruakura.” Waitomo continues to be 100%-owned by the Ormsby family and has been through three generations of family management, with grandson Jimmy Ormsby now holding the mantle of Managing Director. Jimmy joined Waitomo in 2003 and progressed through the business, championing the rapid national expansion, particularly through unmanned fuel stops. to page 6 Providing a professional, safety conscious service to The Waikato & Bay of Plenty Panel and paint specialists for Insurance approver repairs for cars, truck, trailer, diggers, bodies, cranes and machinery, we also sandblast and sign write. Contact us today to help with any of your Collision Repair or Refinishing needs Te Awamutu Branch 1585 Alexandra St, Te Awamutu, Telephone: 07 871 6780 E-mail: office@fleetimage.co.nz Auckland Branch 63 Ash Road, Manukau Auckland, Telephone: 09 263 6696 E-mail: kris@fleetimage.co.nz Hamilton Branch 28 Foreman Road, Hamilton, Mobile: 027 244 4327 E-mail: dean@fleetimage.co.nz www.fleetimage.co.nz
Delivering nationwide petroleum solutions with a “can do” attitude Petroleum Solutions – A proven track record Throughout its two decades in operation, the team at Petroleum Solutions has consistently demonstrated that classic Kiwi ‘can-do’ approach to everything it does. This has forged its rightful place as a leader in New Zealand’s petroleum construction industry. 100% New Zealand owned, and with a proven track record of successfully delivering a wide range of projects, Petroleum Solutions is one of the few petroleum contractors repeatedly selected in the role of Primary Contractor for major petroleum construction projects. With its Head O ice based in Wellington, Petroleum Solutions has operational branches in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, enabling it to provide a nationwide delivery of services. While Petroleum Solutions’ core customer sector is the fuel industry, it also looks after other customers, including network utility providers, private dealers, and developers. At the helm of the business are Directors Tony Anderson and Keith Braithwaite, who collectively bring 75 years of experience in the petroleum industry to their business. “We o er full turnkey design/build of retail and commercial projects, including buildings, siteworks, drainage, and petroleum,” says Tony. “We also deliver fuel installations for service stations, truck stops, aviation sites, and marinas, from the initial concept, feasibility, design, and consenting, right through to the construction and commissioning of the newly constructed site. Our scope of work includes all project management and engineering solutions. We also carry out fuel tank removal and environmental remediation.” Petroleum Solutions brings a strong understanding of construction methodology and practices to every project it is engaged to deliver. “Our highly skilled team have extensive knowledge and experience in the fuel industry and are committed to being technically excellent in each area of operational service that we undertake,” says Tony. “We have twenty-one sta , ranging from electricians, itters, plumbers, and installers, right through to certi ied professional engineers. We also contract the services of a registered architect for all our detailed design work.” Tony emphasises that investing in people is one of the key elements that contribute to the company’s success. “We continually invest in the strength and competency of our teams to guarantee the technical excellence of our core services.” Over the last thirty years there has been signi icant changes in the technology and materials used in the fuel industry. Keeping up with those changes is critical. “The work we do is highly specialised and there’s an element of danger with it. Fuel is a hazardous product and it’s eco-toxic. If something goes wrong there are serious consequences. There’s simply no margin for error and stringent checks and balances must be put in place. That’s where our experience, knowledge and skillsets really count. We’re a member of the Petroleum Equipment Institute in the US, and a member of the Association of Petroleum and Explosives Administration in the UK. This means we can keep abreast of all the changes in the materials and systems used in the fuel industry.” Petroleum Solutions relationship with Waitomo goes back to 2018 and in that time they have built seven of their new fuel stations throughout the country, and re itted many other stations to the Waitomo brand. Petroleum Solutions wish to congratulate Waitomo Group on their 75th Jubilee. We are proud to have partnered with Waitomo since 2018, providing turnkey design build solutions. +64 4 567 0877 info@petroleumsolutions.co.nz www.petroleumsolutions.co.nz
6 | New fuels on radar at Waitomo from page 4 Chief Operating Officer Simon Parham says Waitomo is already looking at what the next energy form is, and is working in partnership with Hiringa Energy to roll out New Zealand’s first hydrogen refuelling network. ENERGY Waitomo Group: 75th Anniversary While Jimmy’s father, Grey, stepped down from the Board three years ago, he continues to attend meetings as the official and well-respected kaumatua. The company now employs 80 staff, of which 40 are drivers and the rest in support roles. “We have the scale now where people can join the team and progress through different support functions – whether that’s through finance and administration, or going into sales and coordination roles, then moving into management,” says Simon. “How do we bring people through the business is high in my mind. It’s easy to look outside, but I think it’s more important to look internally.” Looking to the future, Waitomo thrives within a sunset industry but is already looking at what the next energy form is, and is working in partnership with Hiringa Energy to roll out New Zealand’s first hydrogen refuelling network. “The first site is under construction in Palmerston North and we’re working on another three sites in the initial network. “At this stage, hydrogen is more for your large heavy fleet, because that’s where your biggest opportunity is for decarbonisation in www.tranzliquid.co.nz Tranzliquid is proud to be a preferred transport service partner; to ensure safe delivery of fuel to many of the Waitomo Group service stations. 0800 329 331 • www.williamgill.co.nz • Truck Servicing & Maintenance • Truck Parts • TruckWrecking • Pre COF / COF &WOF • Two workshops - Auckland & Huntly • Hyundai Trucks – Sales / Service / Parts WilliamGill & Sons Limited Since 1924 terms of transport. It’s those big heavy diesel trucks that do a lot of kilometres up and down the country. There’s still a lot to be fleshed out in respect to future fuels and what they might be. “With the next generation of fuels I think we will see decentralisation of the big refineries in the Asia-Pacific where fuels are shipped to New Zealand. You might see more investment in renewable gasification projects that will be different for each country. “Australia will have a different solution to New Zealand, and New Zealand will have a different solution to Europe and that will be based on what is naturally available in that country. Loving the life - page 8 “There are a lot of different ways that renewable fuels can be created and part of that is the energy source to create it from — and that will vary country to country. Could be it a woody bio-mass solution, for example?”
| 7 Before customers visit one of Waitomo’s unmanned fuel stations to top up their tanks, the busy team at WayDgo Site Care have already done their work, making sure the site is sparkling clean, easy and quick to use. “Our job is to ensure the ease of use and cleanliness of use of those unmanned stations,” says Paul Collins, who along with his wife Adele, founded WayDgo ten years ago. “We clicked onto a market niche for companies with unmanned fuel sites, who were looking to maintain and clean those sites. Adele and I started doing six sites around the Bay of Plenty and Waikato area. As they grew, WayDgo grew with them and other fuel companies asked us to come on board. We’ve now grown to a team of sixty- ive sta throughout New Zealand.” The unsung heroes of unmanned service stations, the team at WayDgo visit every one of their client’s sites two to three days a week ensuring the OPT (Outdoor Payment Terminal) is functioning correctly, and reporting and physical damage or potential hazards. “We’re our clients’ eyes on the ground, reporting back something that may not have been reported by a customer. We do a full clean of all the equipment and check the rubbish bins. We provide a deep WayDgo Site Care Ltd. high-pressure hot water clean of the forecourt area, ensuring there’s no fuel, oil or grease, and that the customer experience is always high. We also provide ambassador sta to help customers when those companies open a new site or run a special promotion.” WayDgo Site Care’s relationship with Waitomo was forged seven years ago, after the fuel company saw the quality of work provided to other customers. “We’ve had a really good relationship with them ever since and now look after forty-eight of their unmanned sites,” says Paul. “We have an experienced management team, with a diverse and proud sta focused on looking after all our customers.” Complementing its cleaning services to fuel sites, WayDgo also o ers a range of other services including site painting, car park line marking, and commercial building cleaning. The philosophy that has held Paul and his company in very good stead is simple — ‘the answer is yes — now let’s igure out how to get it done.’ “Companies like Waitomo and the other companies we deal with say, ‘we need this done – who can do it?’ When they think that, I want them to think – ‘call WayDgo, they will ind D way to get it done’. BEFORE Hot Water Blasting ∙ Roof Treatments ∙ Site Care 0800 694 689 | paul@waydgo.co.nz www.waydgo.co.nz AFTER We’re a boutique firm and proud of it. Centrally located in the heart of the bustling Waikato, we’ve built our broad client base by delivering a highly responsive legal service that is all about successful client outcomes. Those successes start by listening to our clients to get a firm fix on their legal requirements. Also, we really like birthdays. Ellice Tanner Hart are proud to support Waitomo on their 75th Anniversary. It’s been quite the journey, and, just like Waitomo, we love to punch above our weight and go above and beyond to provide exceptional value into themarket. • Commercial & Corporate • Commercial Dispute Resolution • Rural & Agri-Business • Estate Planning & Administration • Charity Law • Succession & Trusts • Property • Relationship Property OUR SERVICES www.eth.co.nz | reception@eth.co.nz HAMILTON Level 3, South Bloc, 19 Knox St, Hamilton 07 838 3333 CAMBRIDGE Block E, Lakewood L1 36 Lake St, Cambridge 07 827 8540 Happy Birthday Waitomo Group!
8 | ‘From driving a truck to driving a desk’ Richard Loader Grahame Howell: “It has been such a good company to work for that, 31 years later, I’m still here.” ENERGY Waitomo Group: 75th Anniversary New Zealand’s preferred Compliance Certifiers for the Hazardous Substances certification. Proud to be certifying the Waitomo Group since 2006 with expert knowledge, efficiency and because we get the job done! www.infernoconsultants.co.nz 07 827 3999 What’s driven the success of Waitomo over the last 75 years? Simple – He tangata, he tangata, he tangata – the people; and one of those people is Grahame Howell. With 31 years’ service in various roles, Grahame is one of the company’s longest serving staff members, and a strong ambassador for the family-owned business. Born and bred in Te Kuiti, Grahame and his wife Donna were about to move to Tauranga, when Waitomo advertised a job driving tankers supplying fuel to farm and commercial customers – and it was based in Te Kuiti. “I thought that would be a way of staying local, so I applied for the job and went out for a day’s driving so that I could be assessed,” says Grahame. “I was offered the job, and I said to Donna, let’s give it a go and if it’s any good, we’ll stick around. “It has been such a good company to work for that, 31 years later, I’m still here.” For most of Grahame’s driving career he looked after farmers and commercial customers within the King Country and says the best part of the role was liaising with and developing strong relationships with them. “I was given quite a bit of autonomy and the freedom of the job really appealed to me. Being out in the truck and not doing the same run every day within the region was also very rewarding. “Everything was done on a monthly cycle. It wasn’t as though I travelled the same road back and forth, back and forth and was on a first name basis with each and every pothole.” Grahame loved his role so much that he travelled the King Country roads for the best part of 28 years until Waitomo offered him an Account Manager’s role, looking after customers from Te Awamutu right down to New Plymouth. “I felt, yeah, 28 years is a long enough apprenticeship – I’ve just passed that test, so I will give the Accounts Manager job a go. “Waitomo wanted someone who knew the company, knew how it worked and could make an easy transition to the role rather than employing someone new into the business. “From driving a truck to driving a desk it was a huge learning curve, but the rest of the sales team were incredibly supportive and helpful in the transition. “...the drivers are often the face of the company and there was always a lot of PR involved, listening to the customers’ concerns and taking them back to the Account Managers.” “Also, the drivers are often the face of the company and there was always a lot of PR involved, listening to the customers’ concerns and taking them back to the Account Managers. Often the commercial customers would call me at home if they needed fuel or had some issue, so, I had been dealing with customers anyway.” Mid-way through last year, Waitomo needed an extra person in the Fleet Team, and once again looked at Grahame because of his significant driving experience. “My role in the Fleet Team is Service and Compliance, which is making sure the engines are serviced. “If the driver encounters an issue while on the road, they can call me and I will try to help them over the phone to get them mobile, or a get a serviceman out to them. “There’s also the dangerous goods side and there’s so much that has to be ticked off to remain compliant. “Every three months the tankers come off the road and go through a checklist, with any issues programmed for repair.” Grahame says while he loved his time on the road, and being an Account Manager, he has found his passion with Fleet Team role, as it enables him to utilise his knowledge and help the drivers. Grahame’s passion for helping people has extended to his personal life and he has been a volunteer fireman for 35 years. “There have been some sleepless nights, but I’ve enjoyed the camaraderie of the brigade and being able to help the community.” Looking back on his career, Grahame says he has loved his time with Waitomo, and has enjoyed being an ambassador for the company.
| 9 Every three months the Waitomo tankers are taken off the road and go through a checklist, with any issues programmed for repair, says Service and Compliance Coordinator and long-time Waitomo employee Grahame Howell. ENERGY Waitomo Group: 75th Anniversary A privately owned New Zealand company, Carlyon has been delivering projects and services in the fuel and oil industry for over three decades. “Carlyon’s values drive the success and integrity of the company and its people,” says General Manager Cameron Gilliland. “We’re committed to safety, quality and protecting the environment, in everything we do. Our clients are able to hand a complex project over to us and trust us to complete to speci ication, on budget and on time.” An innovative industry leader, Carlyon is a irmly Waikato based business, with its Head O ice in Hamilton and branches placed strategically in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Tauranga. Servicing customers throughout the North Island and touching the Paci ic Islands, Carlyon has developed four primary arms of its business operations being; Projects, Engineering, Service, and Manufacturing. “Our Projects and Engineering business o ers a complete design and build package for fuel stations, from installation through to commissioning and ongoing service. We also do rebrands and rebuilds of exiting fuel stations. With Committed to quality lammable materials there are very stringent standards that must be complied with, so service is a very big part of our business. All fuel systems around the country have to be tested and maintained regularly. We have a network of professionals who inspect all fuel equipment and carry out any repairs and maintenance for all installations.” Utilising the concept and design skills of its engineering team, manufacturing is the third major string to Carlyon’s bow, designing and building large above ground fuel storage facilities, forecourt equipment and trailer tanks. “Carlyon’s core customers are all those businesses and organisations who use and store fuels,” explains Cameron. “Our relationship with Waitomo goes back almost thirty years and we’re really proud that we’ve been part of their journey for that length of time, building their infrastructure.” Cameron has held the mantle of General Manager for the last six months and says he has been impressed by the young but very mature team of emerging leaders coming through the Carlyon business. They’re competent and they’re smart. All the team walk, talk and breath this industry – they are passionate about it.”
10 | ENERGY Contact Energy Decarbonisation goal for Gentailer Virginia Wright The Contact Energy team accept the Energy Retailer of the Year award at this year’s New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards. “We firmly believe that we’re the generation who need to make some really key decisions.” Warner Construction is proud to be associated with Contact Energy General Engineering • Pipeline Construction • Geothermal • Bolt Tensioning • Blast & Paint • Transport Services Waitara (Head Office) 06 754 8602 adam@warnerconstruction.co.nz 36 Norman St, Waitara, New Plymouth 4320 Taupo 07 376 5753 grant@warnerconstruction.co.nz 32 Manuka St, Tauhara, Taupo 3330 Bell Block 06 755 4504 adam@warnerconstruction.co.nz 65 De Havilland Drive, Bell Block, New Plymouth 4312 www.warnerconstruction.co.nz When you hear about the various initiatives power generation and supply company Contact Energy have taken with their consumers in mind it’s easy to understand why they have recently been awarded Energy Retailer of the Year at this year’s New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards 2022. The shorthand description for Contact Energy is ‘gentailer’, which is to say they generate and retail electricity, but as Chief Retail Officer Matt Bolton says, there’s more to it than that. “ We’re trying to lead New Zealand to a better energy future and so our focus is our Contact26 strategy which is all about leading the way to decarbonise New Zealand. We firmly believe that we’re the generation who need to make some really key decisions.” The decisions he’s talking about are on two levels. One is at the level of their investment in large scale power generation using renewable energy, the other is what Contact is doing to encourage New Zealanders to change the way they use the electricity. Contact Energy has thirteen power stations across New Zealand producing around one fifth of the electricity New Zealanders consume. One decision recently announced in alignment with their decarbonisation goal is the closure of their gas-fuelled power station in Hamilton. “The analogy there is with running your car on fossil fuel as opposed to running an electric vehicle,” says Matt. “We’ll be closing the Te Rapa power station in Hamilton next year and we’re focused on building a new geothermal power station in Taupo which will produce far less carbon than gas-fuelled power stations. “When it’s in operation in late 2023, Tauhara will produce enough power for 195,000 households. It’ll still have a small carbon emission but nowhere near that of a power station burning gas or diesel to generate electricity.” The other side of Contact Energy’s carbon conscience can be seen in their retail initiatives aimed at changing how and when we consume power. Their new “Good Nights” electricity plan is on trial until October but already looking likely to continue. Consumers get three hours of free power from 9pm until 12 midnight seven days a week. “Our customers can choose to move non-essential power use to later in the evening helping to balance peak power use and even better, it will save our customers money too.” explains Matt. Peak power usage in winter happens twice a day, morning and night, when kettles and heaters go on, showers and baths are run, and so on. The spike in electricity use is more than New Zealand’s renewable energy fuelled power stations can handle so for around three hours the so-called “gas-fired, fast-start generator” power stations are pressed into use to meet the needs of consumers. The “Good Nights” plan aims, for example, to encourage consumers to use the delay start button on appliances such as dishwashers. In a new social initiative Contact Energy has recently partnered with the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges and are offering free power to the 40 affiliated refuges and 40 safe houses across New Zealand; and their recent launch of the “Fourth Trimester” initiative invited 1,000 customers with, or soon to have, a newborn in the house to apply for three months of free power. All of these initiatives combined with a determination to reshape themselves as a customer driven business are what won them this year’s award as the top retailer of not only electricity but gas and broadband, but as far as Matt’s concerned it’s all kudos to the team. “The only reason I could stand on stage and accept the award is because we have an amazing bunch of people who really care about doing the right thing for their customers.” Contact Energy seem equally determined to reshape as a net-zero business, leading the way both locally and globally. “The world wants to get there and New Zealand is great at being world-leaders so why would we not want to lead the world in this regard,” says Matt.
| 11 ENERGY Contact Energy Contact Energy has thirteen power stations across New Zealand producing around one fifth of the electricity New Zealanders consume. Lloyds Approved Metallizing Specialists www.holsters.co.nz General & Precision Engineers Holster Engineering Co (2003) Ltd management and staff wish to congratulate Contact Energy on their recent win at the 2022 Energy Excellence Awards. We are proud to have been a long term supplier to Contact Energy, providing medium to large scale machining, fitting and metallizing capabilities ensuring quality and completion times are met on all shuts and breakdowns. Each edition priority delivered to your door. . www.waterfordpress.co.nz/subscriptions . . . i i 03 983 5525 Stay informed; we work with business owners and decision-makers across all economic sectors, profiling their success. i ; i i i i - ll i , ili i . Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. r i , r I tr , r . businessnorth Volume 21 | Issue 3 | June 2022 www.waterfordpress.co.nz businessnorth
12 | DEVELOPMENT Eden Park Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Eden Park staff. Revitalising the events industry Richard Loader Capable of hosting up to 50,000 excited fans, Eden Park holds the honour of being New Zealand’s largest stadium and a strategic asset for Tāmaki Makaurau, and the whole of Aotearoa. The Park, whose esteemed history spans 120 years, has evolved as a truly multi-purpose venue that attracts high profile, and significant international sporting, cultural and community events. Recent examples include the Women’s Rugby World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, world-class concerts including SIX60, Ed Sheeran and Guns N’ Roses, and a range of regional and local community events, all of which provide substantial economic, social, and cultural benefits. “The venue is an internationally iconic stadium, and we’re incredibly proud to be hosting some of the biggest sporting fixtures and concerts in New Zealand’s history,” says CEO Nick Sautner. “These events are exceptional opportunities to showcase our city, as well as our country, to the world while also delivering events and functions to benefit our local community.” Due to its status as New Zealand’s largest stadium, Eden Park plays a critical role in securing premium content. For premier global events like World Cups, host countries are generally required to have at least one stadium with a capacity of 50-60,000 to be eligible for selection. “Eden Park is the only venue in the country that meets this requirement. Without an appropriately fit-for-purpose Eden Park, Aotearoa would be unlikely to successfully bid for World Cup tournaments in the future.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, the events/ venues sector was one of the most severely impacted industries. During lockdowns, venues were consistently the first to go into lockdown and the last to reopen, having a significant impact on revenue, as well as downstream effects on surrounding communities. “Over the last two or three years we’ve navigated the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 – however, we have begun to see a return “These events are exceptional opportunities to showcase our city, as well as our country, to the world ... “ to live events over recent months with the Blues v Crusaders Super Rugby Final and All Blacks v Ireland both recently selling out,” says Nick. “But, our most significant challenge is to continue navigating the post-COVID landscape. Like many other businesses, we were forced to defer and delay any works that were not time-critical; this has resulted in aging infrastructure throughout the stadium which must now be upgraded with urgency. The securing of nine games for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – a landmark event that will have higher viewership than any event ever held in New Zealand – adds to the necessity of completing these works. “Over the coming months, Eden Park stadium will play a crucial role in the revitalisation of the events industry. Major events, such as the upcoming SIX60, Guns ‘N Roses and Ed Sheeran concerts and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be hugely important for Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa as we rebuild business confidence and welcome fans ‘Back Together’ to celebrate significant occasions. “We also see Eden Park playing an important role in championing gender equality, culture, diversity and inclusion. In the past, the stadium has been seen as primarily a sporting venue, but we aspire to change this perspective. Over the past several years we have engaged in a number of initiatives and events to broaden the venue’s horizons. These include, Art in the Park, three Women’s World Cups (including legacy projects such as gender equal changing facilities) and street-to-seat audits for those with reduced mobility. These are just a few examples of the strategy we hope to further cultivate over the coming years.” Nick puts the case that Eden Park should be the venue for all New Zealanders. “As we often say, we are committed to creating a better Auckland for our people, our place and our community. We aim for this approach to be reflected in all of our events, projects and initiatives, and for the benefit if all Kiwis.”
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14 | DEVELOPMENT Gibson O’Connor - Pakuranga Park Village Retirement living taken to next level Kelly Deeks The four storey Ruru Apartments building has 32 high-spec two- and three-bedroom residences, with high studs and panoramic views. B&W CONSTRUCTION LTD SPECIALISING IN All concrete construction Light commercial to multi storey Pre-cast Installation of Pre-Cast components Construction of Tilt Panels Any concrete requirements 64 Firth Street, Drury, Auckland P: 09 294 6602 E: admin@bwconstruction.nz PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH GIBSON O’CONNOR Retirement living has been taken to the next level with the stunning new Ruru Apartments at Pakuranga Park Village, built by long-standing commercial construction expert Gibson O’Connor. With 65 years in business, Gibson O’Connor has a proud history and reputation for high quality building, and a portfolio of long-term and repeat clients, testament to the firm’s ability to deliver quality projects and build lasting relationships. Gibson O’Connor has this type of relationship with Pakuranga Park Village, where the construction firm has previously built a community building and an underground carpark. The new luxury apartment building is a larger and more complex project with more intricate detail. “Like everyone in the industry at the moment, we are faced with lots of challenges,” says Gibson O’Connor construction manager Michael Powell. “Our company has been around for a long time and we’ve got lots of experience, and we’re working with clients we have worked with numerous times. These relationship help to provide the sort of environment where we can all work together and come up with proactive solutions to these challenges.” The four storey building has 32 high spec two and three-bedroom residences, with high studs and panoramic views. Each apartment has its own outdoor balcony or patio area for the ground floor apartments. One of the building’s key features and a welcome challenge for Gibson O’Connor’s site manager is its facade, featuring Terreal terracotta cladding and grey metallic Alucolux. “The thing with that facade is it’s quite deceiving,” Michael says. “It looks quite simple but it is very intricate, with deep recessed negative detail and tricky flashing details. It’s certainly a good looking building, and that is testament to our site manager we had on the job.” The construction of Ruru Apartments spanned two years, facing delays due to Covid and another delay when the project had to be consented again when the cladding was changed. Gibson O’Connor handled these challenges on site, progressing other areas of the building while waiting for a new building consent. Current Gibson O’Connor construction projects are facing material procurement issues and price increases, and the firm is working “The thing with that facade is it’s quite deceiving. It looks quite simple but it is very intricate, with deep recessed negative detail and tricky flashing details.” closely with its clients to procure materials early on, as well as proactively looking for alternatives to materials that aren’t in stock. “If we sit back and do nothing about it, we are the ones that suffer delays on site. Most of our people have been in the industry for a long time, they’ve got a lot of knowledge so we’re fairly well place to deal with these things.” When Auckland was in lockdown, Gibson O’Connor and the project’s consultants worked together to get through in an amiable way. “We just got on with it. Our client was pretty understanding in terms of the costs that were associated with lockdown. Like most of the clients we’ve got, they took a reasonable approach.” Gibson O’Connor prides itself on being more than just a building contractor. With a thorough understanding of the construction process from conception to completion, the firm has the ability to add value during all phases of a project. Gibson O’Connor works closely with a team of reliable consultants, and offers full design and build solutions or design management services to ensure projects are designed and built efficiently and to clients’ requirements Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. Each edition priority delivered to your door. i i i i li . www.waterfordpress.co.nz/subscriptions . t f . . / i ti 03 983 5525 5 Stay informed; we work with business owners and decision-makers across all economic sectors, profiling their success. t i f r ; r it i r and decision-makers r ll i t r , r fili t ir . businessnorth
| 15 DEVELOPMENT Gibson O’Connor - Pakuranga Park Village Each apartment has its own outdoor balcony or patio area for the ground floor apartments. Morconsult Ltd Structural Designers of Ruru Apartments now a part of Airey Consultants Ltd Building a better future by delivering the next level of excellence in Civil, Structural and Fire design services. Services Project management | Residential, Commercial and Industrial Buildings Special Structures | Subdivisions | Water Supply | Stormwater Wastewater | Roading / Streetscape Projects | Resource Management Local And Regional Council Support Botany (09) 534 6523 Queenstown (03) 442 3101 www.aireys.co.nz Contact Us Takapuna (09) 486 4542
16 | Watts & Hughes: Countdown Waiata Shores Sustainable supermarket way forward Karen Phelps Sustainable features at Countdown Waiata Shores supermarket include digital shelf labels to reduce paper use, doors on all the fridges to reduce energy use and solar panels on the roof to generate power. DEVELOPMENT Since the Green Star accredited Countdown Waiata Shores supermarket opened in South Auckland on 27 January feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, says Countdown director of property, Matthew Grainger. “It’s been really well received by customers and we’ve also had a lot of interest from others in the property market coming to look at it,” he says. It’s Countdown’s second Green Star build following the success of New Zealand’s first Greenstar supermarket in Richmond, Nelson, which opened in June 2021. The new Countdown Waiata Shores comprises 4,200sqm and represents a more than $30 million investment by Countdown. Sustainable features include digital shelf labels to reduce paper use, doors on all the fridges to reduce energy use, solar panels on the roof to generate power and cycle paths that connect to the rest of the Waiata Shores development. Matthew says features such as doors on fridges mean energy savings but also a less chilly and more comfortable experience for customers as they shop down the aisle. Countdown is looking at retrofitting doors in some other supermarkets. Matthew says that building such a sustainable supermarket and meeting the Green Star standards isn’t as simple or as inexpensive as a regular store and isn’t just about the features customers can see in the store – the whole design and construction process was equally important. “There’s a lot that’s happened behind the scenes to make the development as sustainable as possible. We’ve made a deliberate effort to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill - in fact, we reduced construction waste to landfill by 70 per cent.” Watts & Hughes Construction, a long-term build partner of Countdown, which previously built Countdown’s Green Star distribution centre in Palmerston North, constructed Countdown Waiata Shores. “Because they have built a lot of supermarkets for us over the years and are a great partner of ours we wanted to carry on the relationships in this new era of committing to Green Star. Bringing them along with us on that journey also sets the relationship up for future Green Star developments.” A local touch is that on one end of the store is a Maori artwork in the precast panels completed by artist Johnson Witehira in consultation with local iwi Te Akitai o Waiohuia. Matthew says that the art represents that this area was the food bowl of South Auckland in the 1800s. “All the seafood was brought in through the estuary and the lands were used for growing food as well as storage. All the figures in the artwork hold a food item of some form. The large figure depicts Ihaaka Taakanini, the original chief in this area of which the area is named after.” Matthew says the Green Star builds form part of Countdown’s larger 2025 Sustainability Commitments. He says Countdown is working to achieve a 4 Green Star design and as-built rating for all of its new property developments, and a 5 Green Star minimum standard by 2025. “Meeting this goal will significantly contribute to Countdown’s goal to reduce its carbon emissions by 63 per cent by 2030 versus its 2015 baseline. It’s the right thing to do for the planet and the communities we operate in. One of the things our customers are telling us is they want to shop with a company that is taking real action in this space so we’re proud to be leading the supermarket industry with Green Star builds with a variety of Green Star supermarket and distribution centre projects underway.” Key Points • Solar panels to generate 10-15% of the store’s total energy • Transcritical refrigeration systems that use natural refrigerant gases • LED lighting which is 35% more efficient than traditional lighting • Water-saving taps to reduce water use • An Energy Management System, which provides regular updates on store energy and water use • Doors on fridges and freezers to reduce energy use. Every 10 doors saves enough energy to power a New Zealand home for a year. • Digital shelf labels to reduce paper use • EV chargers for customer cars • More bike parks linked with local cycleways to help encourage biking and reduce short car trips to the supermarket.
| 17 Watts & Hughes: Countdown Waiata Shores The new Countdown Waiata Shores comprises 4,200sqm and represents a more than $30 million investment by Countdown. DEVELOPMENT THE BEST CONCRETE IN NEW ZEALAND BEST CEMENT. BEST TECHNOLOGY. BEST PEOPLE. BEST REPUTATION. OVER 55 YEARS IN THE MAKING For over fifty five years we’ve built our reputation and our business on being better – setting the standard for the industry with the best service and the fastest setting concrete. Made local, by a 100% Kiwi company – so you get the best concrete in New Zealand! 0508CONCRETE • www.bridgeman.co.nz FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS 16 Vernon Street , Papakura AUCKLAND 2110 www.southaucklandplumbing.co.nz WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN ALL ASPECTS OF PLUMBING, INCLUDING: New Housing | Commercial and Residential Jobs Industrial Sure oors Ltd Special ist Industrial Flooring Contractor • Resin Flooring • Floor Toppings • Floor Coatings Call Ian Anderson today Mob: 027 448 8217 e: surefloors@xtra.co.nz www.surefloors.co.nz
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