34 | Rollerflex ASB REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Enjoying new direction Blinds are becoming an increasingly popular option. T T Sue Russell East Bay Engineering Tackling problems head on T T Lindy Andrews It has certainly been an intriguing story of adapting and ‘reading the wind’ for David Gaughan and Roman Zan, since they took over Auckland-based Rollerflex, rebranded Rollerflex ASB in March 2020, at a time when the country was heading into Covid lockdown mode. The enforced quiet time created the opportunity to look afresh at how the company conducted business, as David explains. “ We soon realised our model wasn’t sustainable as a manufacturing business. Competing with other manufacturers of similar items was counterproductive, driving up prices, making it more expensive for the end users, our customers.” The answer lay in approaching former competitors and presenting a co-operative model, which would shift Rollerflex ASB (Awnings, Screens and Blinds), from manufacturing to outsourcing the manufacture and concentrating more on personal measure and installation services. “It meant we would have better production costs without carrying all the manufacturing overheads,” David says. The competitors could see the sense in this as well, changing from retailers themselves to wholesalers. This meant they could negotiate Whakatane engineer Dinnell Mio is a diehard problem solver – the tougher the challenge, the more he loves it. His career has been nomadic, from a 10year stint as a Royal New Zealand Navy marine engineer to providing engineering support for vessels laying a $20 billion oil and gas pipeline from East Timor to North-western Australia. Now one of the owners of East Bay Engineering, Dinnell is still hard at work on the big jobs and the small with business partner Joel Ingle. “I enjoy the day-to-day challenges,” Dinnell says. “I like adding perspective – finding different ways to skin a cat. The best thing is designing something and thinking of everything that could trip you up. Even if I’m building a trailer, I’m looking for ways to make it better and more efficient.” Dinnel’s problem-solving is complemented by Joel’s attention to detail, “a valuable attribute, which allows him to foresee hurdles that even the most seasoned project engineers could easily miss”. East Bay Engineering’s core business is maintenance engineering. Its 24/7 service is essential to the smooth operation of some of our largest exporters, directly affecting both local economies and New Zealand’s GDP. better bulk discounts from component and fabric suppliers, ending in a win-win situation. “We can now supply the same high-quality products at much better prices than when we were in-house manufacturers of awnings, screens and blinds.” David and Roman work well together, with complementary skill sets and responsibilities in the business. Their wives Liza and Na Yoo work with them in supporting roles. David is generally the first point of contact for customers and handles all the measuring, while Roman undertakes the majority of the installations. In terms of design and technologies for blinds and screens, David says customers these days have a range of options, including automation, to choose from. “Motorisation is becoming more in demand, and new options have been introduced. Besides remote control, home automation and hub options for mobile phone control are becoming more popular. “Other blind options that we’re looking into at present, include a better cost and quality supplier of honeycomb blinds, which are supplied from overseas. “People are moving away from curtains, towards blinds, which are more streamlined and less confining than curtains.” A team of 17 full-time engineers and 33 casuals service the region’s timber and pulp mills – including Oji Fibre Solutions’ Kawerau and Tokoroa plants – along with Nova Energy’s Edgecumbe co-generation plant, which generates both steam and power for Fonterra. Carter Holt Harvey, Fonterra, Essity, and Whakatane Mill are also on their list. “We deal with some very big clients,” Dinnell says, “but we also do general engineering for farmers and people who walk in off the street.” Maintenance shutdowns average nine days, with the team working 10-to-12-hour days. “We bring in a lot of casuals for the big maintenance shutdowns. There are usually eight a year, and that’s when we bring in a raft of people. From a client point of view, I see the shutdowns as a necessary evil, mainly because there are always extras to do.” The flip side of the shutdown coin is that regular maintenance extends a plant’s overall life and leads to fewer, costly unplanned breakdowns. Dinnell points to the co-designing of seismic strengthening for Horizon Networks’ substations, which needed to be brought up to national building standards, as another engineering highlight. Prequal certified, the company prioritises health and safety. Team members have undergone extensive confined space and working at heights training, as well as gas testing. Engineers Servicing the Pulp and Paper, Wood Processing and Dairy Industries 19 Mill Rd, Whakatane 3120 www.eastbayengineering.co.nz Dinnell Mio DIRECTOR 021 105 4253 dinnell@eastbayengineering.co.nz Joel Ingle DIRECTOR 027 714 0019 joel@eastbayengineering.co.nz www.vulcan.co STEEL · STAINLESS · PLATE & COIL PROCESSING · ALUMINIUM Full Material Traceability Systems Industry Leading Processing Capability Comprehensive Range of Stock Responsive Processing Capability Quality Assurance “In Full and On Time” Delivery Promise ll i l ili I i i ili i i i ili li ll i li i Proudly Supporting Rollerflex ASB 09 442 5252 | info@eventindustries.co.nz 10 Silverfield, Wairau Valley, Auckland AWNINGS, SCREENS AND BLINDS NORTH SHORE, AUCKLAND 09 441 9455 www.rollerflex.co.nz
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