Business South June 2021

50 | Quality workmanship key to growth T Richard Loader Industrial Controls offers a genuine in-house one-stop-shop service. ENGINEERING Industrial Controls SC 17 Bank Street, Timaru • Ph 03 956 5020 • timaru@goactive.nz • www.goactive.nz Schneider Electric is proud to partner with Industrial Controls. A valued Systems Integrator Alliance Partner since 2002. se.com/nz F rom modest beginnings, award winning industrial electrical and automation systems specialist Industrial Controls has grown its business through a strong commit- ment to end-to-end customer service and a partnership relationship with its customers. In July this year, the Timaru-based company will celebrate 25 years of successful operation, evolving from two founding owner opera- tors to a diversely skilled team of over one hundred, with offices in Timaru and central Christchurch. A third site soon to be completed in Rolle- ston’s Izone will provide additional office and workshop space to provide support to local industry. As with many successful companies, growth has been organic and gained through a repu- tation for quality workmanship, referrals and repeat business. “It’s about doing a good job and delivering to the client, because that speaks louder than anything else,” says Director Erin McNaught. “We have a really great team across all our sites and many of them have been with us for many years. The key thing for them is that they are there with the client working and taking responsibility for delivering. As well as looking after the electrical and au- tomation process needs of many of the coun- try’s major dairy processing plants, Industrial Controls also works in the food & beverage industry, manufacturing, local government infrastructure including water and waste or data acquisition. “Predominantly our business is about indus- trial electrical and automation systems. That’s about providing industry with some kind of long-term control solutions around their plant and processes for manufacturing optimisation and efficiency. “If a client comes to us with an idea or con- cept we can turn that into reality, commission it and then maintain it. So it’s a mix of project work and maintenance.” Offering a genuine in-house one-stop-shop with workshop capacity to do the work is a key point of difference for Industrial Controls, with its customers reaping the benefits. “Where the project allows we can do the design and build, do all the pre-commission- ing and checks in-house and then take it to site,” says Erin. “So the customer has reduced plant down time and risk around commissioning.” The company’s long list of skill sets include: an electrical team that does all the industrial maintenance and installs; electrical engineers who undertake design and technical projects; automation engineers who write the code for processes along with IT software engi- neers, data, networking and instrumentation engineers. “Often we will get involved in a greenfield site and design the whole network infrastruc- ture that provides data, reporting and connec- tivity throughout the whole site for efficiency. “We also run a number of apprentices. We’ve always had a strong commitment to training new people and we want to be seen as an employer of choice.” Erin comments that people can be pleasant- ly surprised at the depth of industry in Timaru in terms of recruitment and attracting people. The extent of the industry leads to the extent of work that is available through Industrial Controls. “But it’s now an industry where it’s no longer just an apprenticeship into everything there is to know. “The pace of change in technology means people coming into the trade need to be lifelong learners.