| 77 MDF growth drives change “Kitchens today are bigger and taller – and they use a lot more products like stone and composite materials such as porcelain,” says Bates Joinery director Mark Allworthy. JOINERY Bates Joinery T T Hugh de Lacy MANUFACTURING Wimpex Solid timber was the main ingredient for all sorts of cabinetry and joinery when award-winning Bates Joinery first entered the Christchurch construction market more than 60 years ago. The timber was mostly rimu, and in those days company founder Reid Bates got as much work from his wood moulding machines as he did from cabinetry. The first major change in componentry came in the 1970s with the arrival of chipboard, followed by Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) in the early 1980s. The arrival of MDF at Bates Joinery occurred about the same time as the company added a new apprentice, Mark Allworthy, to the staff of around 20 at the Shortland Street premises. Mark came out of his time in 1984, at which point Reid Bates had been succeeded by his son Greg, and Mark worked his way up the company to the point where he was able to buy a half-share in it. When Greg Bates died in 2013 Mark bought the rest of the company, of which he is sole director. Throughout his career at Bates Joinery Mark Allworthy has watched the passing of successions of design changes especially in kitchens where the continuing evolution of MDF is driving change, as is the increasing size and sophistication of the houses being built. The company’s services include packing dairy and non-dairy products for both the domestic and export markets. MDF is now offered in a variety of forms and finishes in melamine, including four different surface textures: velvet, embossed, woodgrain and timberland, the latter having a deep and realistic-looking grain stamped into it. Natural timber veneers have been developed with different finishes too. “Edge tapes too have evolved over the years, the latest being Airtec and Laser which have the glue impregnated into the edge tape, eliminating the need for glue-pot machines,” Mark says. “Colour styles have changed a lot too - and kitchens today are bigger and taller - and they use a lot more products like stone and composite materials such as porcelain.” The company has its own in-house designer, and while most of the work comes direct from builders and architects, Bates Joinery is also the preferred supplier of kitchens and cabinetry to projects in which the designer chooses the joiner. “For instance, one of our regular designers is Emma Morris of Eterno Design, and she recently lured us out of Christchurch to provide the complete joinery package for a five-bedroom house in Queenstown. Mark adds that his team at Bates Joinery is particularly proud of recently winning the New Zealand Master Joiners Canterbury regional award for excellence. “We’ve always striven for quality and excellence, and it’s gratifying to be recognised for it,” Mark says. TRUSTED PARTNER OF WIMPEX LTD Providing Wimpex with quality corrugated packaging, made from NZ renewable, sustainably harvested forestry and recycled wood fibre. 2 Establishment Drive, PO Box 16174 Hornby, Christchurch (+64 3 349 4434) OjiFS Packaging Southern He Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Equipment Supply, Ice Banks, Water/Glycol Chillers, at Recovery Branches Nationwide Christchurch Support Office www.activerefrigeration.co.nz Email: info@activerefrig.co.nz Phone: (03) 339 2617 Energy Efficient Engineering, 24 Hour Service, Design Build, Preventative Maintenance, Supply & Installation 021 240 0124 info@shaneboydgranite.co.nz Shane Boyd Granite Benchtops Shane Boyd Granite Benchtops are proud to support Bates Joinery
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