108 | Hills Commercial Floors T T Karen Phelps Third generation set to take the reins Its current flagship project involves supplying 20,000sqm of floor and wall coverings for stage 2 of the Taranaki Base Hospital redevelopment,. INTERIORS New Zealand’s largest independent commercial flooring operation is undergoing a transition as Liz Hill prepares to take over the reins of Hills Commercial Floors from father George, marking the beginning of third-generation leadership at the family-owned business. After 18 years of full-time involvement in the company, Liz is now poised to lead the 55-year-old enterprise that has established itself as a dominant force in New Zealand’s commercial flooring sector. She says the transition promises seamless continuity for customers, and will bring a fresh perspective. “George will ‘exit’ the business, but I don’t think he’ll ever really leave,” says Liz with a laugh. “He’ll take a director-type role, and I’m doing the day-to-day running of business with him as my mentor.” Liz has already implemented digital solutions to minimise paperwork and streamline operations, improving efficiency. She has also introduced sustainability initiatives, recognising that clients increasingly demand environmentally responsible suppliers, which is seeing the company start to transition its vehicle fleet to hybrid models, using low-VOC adhesives, and reducing waste across operations. Hills Floorings Ltd was started by George’s father in 1960, evolving into Hills Commercial Floors, and today employs over 120 staff, including 60 installers across branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Liz says the company’s scale and expertise enable it to undertake some of the largest contracts available to any flooring supplier in New Zealand, with current projects including Middlemore Hospital, the new Manukau health hub, Whangarei Hospital, Starship Hospital and Auckland Health Board service tunnels at Waitakere Hospital. Its current flagship project involves supplying 20,000sqm of floor and wall coverings for stage 2 of the Taranaki Base Hospital redevelopment, where Hills Commercial Floors serves as a subcontractor to Leighs Construction. It is the largest single project Hills Commercial Floors has undertaken, and it currently has 20 installers working on-site. “The time frame for installation has been compressed, due to a number of factors outside the main contractor’s control, and because we employ a staff of just over 60 installers, it’s meant we’ve been able to meet their requirements,” says Liz. “For example, we completed 1200 square metres of vinyl in a week, which the client was very pleased with,” she says. Hills Commercial Floors serves diverse commercial sectors, including hospitality venues, schools, gyms, retail complexes and government buildings. The company also manages large-scale residential developments, working with property managers and housing providers across New Zealand. As an independent operation, Liz says Hills Commercial Floors maintains relationships with multiple suppliers to give clients maximum choice. This flexibility allows the company to source optimal materials at competitive prices, offering extended warranties of up to 15 years on products and workmanship. Liz says while the business faces ongoing challenges in recruiting skilled installers, it is fortunate to have a talented international team, and is passionate about training apprentices to bring new blood into the industry. With efficient project management vital to the business and its clients, Hills Commercial Floors employs five project managers and five estimators at its Auckland headquarters. EMAIL: help@giltedge.co.nz | FREE PHONE: 0800 445 833 | www.giltedge.co.nz GILT EDGE INDUSTRIES LIMITED Proudly supporting the Hills Commercial Floors Team ! R SUPPLIERS OF LEADING BRANDS INCLUDING: ADHESIVES R YOUR FLOOR OUR PASSION. THE NAME SAYS IT ALL www.inzide.co.nz | 0800 800 656 We are proud to have worked with the the Hills Commercial team for quarter of a century, on hundreds of successful projects. Supplying sustainable flooring solutions to meet the needs of a diverse range of commercial environments. These support its operations team, which is run by long-time employees Bernardo Strickland and Georgina Rewi, who look after the scheduling of installers, technical advice/problem solving and the site-management team. “They’re two pivotal employees. Bernardo has been working for the company since he left school close to 40 year ago, and Georgina, she’s worked basically the whole of her working life here. “Her mother was one of the first people that we employed in installations. Overall, our team has more than 1000 years of combined industry experience, and we focus on creating a real family team environment. “This means that by working with Hills Commercial Floors, our clients have both the advantage of a large company’s buying power and the personal service of a local team, who are all qualified, experienced and thoroughly committed to delivering the best-quality outcome.” “The time frame for installation has been compressed, due to a number of factors outside the main contractor’s control, and because we employ a staff of just over 60 installers, it’s meant we’ve been able to meet their requirements.”
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