| 33 T T Hugh de Lacy Local branches represent global specialist Pyrotek has operated in New Zealand since 1985 and its New Zealand headquarters includes a 1500sqm factory and office on Cryers Road, East Tamaki, Auckland. Pyrotek “Around 75% of our products are manufactured by the company globally, while in New Zealand we manufacture around 20% of what we sell. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Producing innovative solutions for customers using its global resource is the core business of the New Zealand branch of American-based international company Pyrotek, which was launched in 1956 using fibreglass fabric technology to create a filter that captured impurities in molten aluminium. That original technology is now the global standard, and from its base in Spokane, Washington, Pyrotek has grown to be a worldwide specialist in aluminium-related technologies, with 80 locations in 35 countries and more than 300 engineers on its staff. Pyrotek has New Zealand factories in Auckland and Invercargill producing technical ceramics, heat-resistant personal protection equipment (PPE), thermal insulation covers, noise-control solutions, and a range of other heat-resistant and insulation products. It is also a specialist in the aluminium extrusion market, being able to provide tapes, seals, coatings, die and saw lubricants, felts, blankets, thermocouples and refractory supply, installation and maintenance. “Around 75% of our products are manufactured by the company globally, while in New Zealand we manufacture around 20% of what we sell,” Pyrotek NZ general manager Sean Dillon says. “Pyrotek operates wherever aluminium is produced and processed, and the company is a world leader with products, services and equipment for the aluminium industry. We also produce solutions for processing glass, steel, zinc, advanced materials and both acoustic and thermal insulation. “We’re a world leader and the go-to company for anything related to aluminium,” he says. Pyrotek has operated in New Zealand since 1985 and its New Zealand headquarters includes a 1500sqm factory and office on Cryers Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, where it has a staff of 23. Pyrotek has another 15 staff in its refractory department five minutes down the road, delivering factory repair and maintenance services throughout New Zealand, and a further 16 staff at its Invercargill factory, which is of similar size to Auckland. The international company was founded 60 years ago by Dale Swanson, who later partnered with Allan Roy in a company called Fibrous Glass Products to make cloth filters to remove impurities from molten aluminium. The company changed its name to Pyrotek, and Allan Roy became its president in 1995, then outright owner in 2003. O ver the 60-year period, Pyrotek has diversified beyond aluminium and into a range of industries aimed at enhancing its customers’ factory performance. New Zealander, Sean, completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Auckland in 2008, and followed it up with a Masters two years later. He spent more than six years with Fletcher Buildings’ Golden Bay Cement division before joining Pyrotek nearly nine years ago, serving as general manager for the past seven. Sean says the local market for Pyrotek’s products and services is continuing to grow, despite the recent economic downturn. “And it’s helped by the quite diverse range of solutions we offer. We’ve got manufacturing plants and laboratories all round the world, and because Pyrotek NZ is wholly owned by the American parent company, we’re able to offer our clients here our complete range,” he says. Air Matters, an occupational hygiene and environmental air quality consultancy, has established itself as an industry leader as businesses increasingly focus on worker health. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2016, it is a requirement for businesses to comply with health and safety regulations to mitigate health risks in the workplace. With o ices in both Mount Maunganui and Auckland, Air Matters provides air quality services throughout New Zealand. "With the change in the Health and Safety at Work Act there came an increased focus on worker health. Awareness of air quality is also growing as New Zealand's population and industry increases," explains Rob Murray, one of the Air Matters directors. Founded in 2004, the company is owned by long-time colleagues Rob Murray, Nick Browne and Carl Goodhue. Air Matters specialises in conducting occupational health risk assessments and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. “Our goal is to create a safer work environment for everyone. Where risks to worker health are identi ied, we collaborate with businesses to develop e ective mitigation strategies to protect worker health,” says Rob. The signi icance of their work is underscored by concerning workplace health statistics, which show that you are 15 times more likely to die from a The Air Quality Experts work-related disease than a work-related accident. Through Air Matters’ occupational hygiene expertise, the company assesses the risk of worker exposure to various health hazards including dusts, gases, solvents, noise, vibration and heat. With a recent focus on workplace carcinogens, Air Matters has been busy helping clients minimise the risk to workers from other hazards as well, including diesel particulate, welding fume and respirable crystalline silica. “We work extensively with the industrial and commercial sectors, as well as regional and local councils throughout New Zealand,” says Rob. The company's environmental arm assists clients that require resource consent under the Resource Management Act for discharges into air, whilst also undertaking ambient air quality monitoring. Committed to professional standards, the Air Matters team are members of relevant professional organisations, including the New Zealand Occupational Hygiene Society and the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand, as well as other international certifying bodies. Rob says that as environmental concerns continue to grow and the burden of workplace disease is better understood, Air Matters is well-positioned to support its clients in meeting their obligations. Celebrating 20 Years Leading the way in air quality and occupational hygiene with trusted New Zealand-owned expertise. • Health Risk Assessments • Workplace Exposure Monitoring • Noise Monitoring • Vibration Monitoring • Local Exhaust Ventilation Testing • Indoor Air Quality Testing • Air Quality Consulting • Ambient Air Quality Monitoring airmatters.co.nz enquiries@airmatters.co.nz 09 912 1387 / 07 262 3070 CONTACT US
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