30 | NZ Manufacturing MANUFACTURING Richard Loader Building skill level through apprentices Based in central Tauranga, NZ Manufacturing now encompasses three separate business brands Streetscape, CrystechNZ and Alpine Tubs. Proudly supporting NZ Manufacturing 027 362 7754 coastalspraykote@yahoo.co.nz 029 293 2945 info@electricalworks.co.nz www.electricalworks.co.nz Electrical Solutions for Industry ∙ Proudly supporting NZManufacturing Successful companies never stand still; they keep moving, keep evolving, keep innovating, and behind it all are the people – the leaders who steer the ship, and the crew who paddle the oars as a team. Starting with a vision for creating stainless steel products for the food industry, over the last 18 years NZ Manufacturing Ltd has evolved as a resilient enterprise embracing a diversity of business brands and high-quality Kiwi built products. “The key underlying things is that we want to grow the business and help the manufacturing industry and ourselves by developing people from the bottom up,” says Managing Director Mat Stills. Based in central Tauranga, NZ Manufacturing now encompasses three separate business brands; Streetscape, CrystechNZ and Alpine Tubs. Working primarily with architects and focused on the civil/commercial sector Streetscape produces a range of high-end outdoor street furniture, including large decorative light poles, seating, rubbish bins, bollards and bike racks. CrystechNZ is the main supplier of honey extraction and processing equipment, the two sides of the honey industry. Alpine Tubs was bought from a South Island company in 2018 and has doubled in business year-on-year for the last five years, manufacturing cedar clad/stainless steel lined wood and gas fired hot tubs for residential and accommodation providers. Employing a team of 25 across the three brands, roles include CAD drawing, purchasing, general accounts, factory and sta management, proMect management, qualified and trained light/heavy fabricators, assemblers, woodworkers, along with honey installation/ maintenance site engineers. “Within the same four walls of our factory, everything is covered by the same group of people, whether it’s a honey project, or a furniture project. “There will be people within the workshop who have specialist disciplines, but the work is handled as one through the funnel. We try to get as many of the team as we can to be capable of working across the dierent business areas. “It’s engineering, following a set of drawings – whether it’s mild or stainless steel or aluminium if you are a metal worker you could be involved in any area of the business. ȊThat enables people to fill a gap during sta absences, and it also ensures a continuity of work for all team members, despite the ebbs and ȵows of work in specific brands. We don’t have a policy of laying people o, and we’re always looking for apprentices.” “Within the same four walls of our factory, everything is covered by the same group of people, whether it’s a honey project, or a furniture project.” Matt observes that for the last few years it has been near on impossible trying to find qualified sta, but acknowledges that NZ Manufacturing has also become very selective in who it recruits into the business. “We have a very good crew of people who are good at what they do and also good on a personal level, which is very important to us in terms of the team environment and everyone looking after each other’s backs. “Our pathway at the moment is to build our skill level through apprentices. The key is finding people who are keen to learn and want to be part of a team. “Generally, we will employ someone as a labourer for six to twelve months, so that we can get to know each other, and on the basis that an apprenticeship role might come up.” Mat’s philosophy is that people who express a desire to develop within the business are likely to have come through the apprenticeship programme, starting at grass roots and learning the business. ȊSta development really comes down to their interest and for those people who show an interest I’m always open to seeing how we can facilitate that. “NZ Manufacturing currently has the three main brands but the vision is to add other products and brands, with a preference that they are products we can manufacture. That will create new opportunities for trade-based people too.”
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