A partner that values your customers as much as you do
Watson Marlow has come a far way since their inception some 65 years ago. Today, this FTSE100 powerhouse comprises 10 leading brands, each a specialist in niche fluid transfer technologies. The company services an array of industries including mining, wastewater, and food and beverage.
Beyond its market share and concise understanding of fluid technologies, Watson Marlow’s clear differentiator is its customer-centric approach
“We are problem solvers. Our people around the world are specialists in the work they do, and the company is structured to empower and support our customers,” says Elie Elazar, regional sales manager (ANZ).
In its search for a trusted partner, Elazar says that Watson Marlow looks for companies that treat its customers “as their own”, and adds that quick turnaround, exceptional service, and quality products are crucial to ensuring a successful partnership.
Enter Bonfiglioli.
A partnership is born
Among its portfolio of premium brands is Bredel. Bredel hose pumps and hose elements offer high reliability and low maintenance for high-flow, high-pressure duties.
“We were in search of a second partner for Bredel to diversify our database. We were looking for a partner that offered local assembly and expertise,” he says.
This led Watson Marlow to Bonfiglioli. One of the world’s prominent gear box suppliers, Bonfiglioli caught Bredel’s attention because of its established footprint and ability to service customers across the globe.
Harry Singh, NSW sales manager for Bonfiglioli Australia believes that the partnership was solidified by closely aligned values and a customer-centric approach to business.
“We both focus on quality and customer service. We treat Watson Marlow’s reputation as our own and always go the extra mile. Customers can rest assured that when they deal with us, their gearbox is backed by a dedicated team, superior service and a warranty.”
The brief was to assemble Bredel pumps on behalf of Watson Marlow in various sizes (40, 50, 65, 80 and 100).
“After assembly, we supply and install our 300 series planetary gearmotor to drive these pumps. These particular pumps can be found in various sectors that require pumping application such as mining, construction and water treatment plants.”
Singh adds that the 300 planetary series was specifically selected to align to an international agreement that the companies already had in place. “This product is tried and tested around the world and delivers a seamless roll-out for maintenance, spares and repairs.”
Due to its high torque output and long service life, Bonfiglioli also supplies an inline planetary HD gearbox to drive the pump.
“Selections can be made by size without changes to the pump. The product is available on various rations from a .37 to 15kW motor and speeds can be easily set depending on the pump requirement.”
When the partnership began, the Bonfiglioli team was thoroughly trained and supervised by Watson Marlow’s engineering services manager; however, it soon became apparent that Bonfiglioli could operate efficiently on their own.
Elezar says: “The Bonfiglioli team can independently assemble and perform the necessary quality tests to ensure that the customer receives a fully operational product with all guarantees and warrantees in place. Customers can rest assured that we can validate their warranty and service their product. This is exactly why quality is so important to Watson Marlow. We need to trust our partners to deliver work to the same quality standards that we subscribe to, to ensure continuous operation for our customers.”
Moving forward
“We look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership as we continue to grow our local market share” says Singh.
Elazar adds: “Bonfiglioli were quick to deliver and keen to assist. They offer good service, product availability and the technical expertise required to deliver a complete pump solution for our customers.”
New H-Glide structural bearing sets deliver 1600-tonne capacity
New structural bearings capable of supporting more than 1600 tonnes of compressive load per set are being introduced by Hercules Engineering for extremely high stressapplications.
The latest Herculon HLD-FF 8000 sliding bearings – which can be used in sets of two – incorporate a sliding layer of globally proven fibre-reinforced and incompressible H-Glide engineering plastic with excellent friction coefficients from 0.05 – 0.1.
Such outstanding sliding characteristics and load-bearing performance – even in compact or wet spaces – are invaluable to infrastructure developers, engineers, architects, and specifiers because lower coefficients of friction will transfer less stress onto the load-bearing structural components as the bearing does its job of protecting them against surrounding movement, says Hercules engineering manager, David Booty.
The new HLD-FF bearings are the largest H-glide bearings the company has ever made, though even-larger capacity bearings can be custom-manufactured for extremely long low-maintenance life spans of up to 100 years typically requested by industry.
“With their incompressible H-Glide sliding layer, these bearings can withstand extreme point pressures of 350-500 megapascals, depending on bearing design and application,” says Booty.
“This remarkable performance – which is up to 40 times greater than conventional water-resistant and non-lubricated fibre-reinforced elastomeric bearing pads – is complemented by the material’s ability to function well in a variety of environments including, but not limited to, damp or underwater applications,” says Booty
Applications range from compact high-stress commercial, industrial and resources applications involving architecture and design, construction, infrastructure, energy, food and beverage, mining, manufacturing, maritime, oil and gas, safety, water and wastewater applications and other uses involving exposure to aggressive environments.
Irene Kaur – a much needed Kiwi role model for STEM industries
Growing up Kiwi electrical engineer Irene Kaur wished she saw more female role models within the engineering industry. She hopes that she will inspire others to try this more traditionally male dominated path.
Part of the attraction that is needed is to create a culture and ethos that are welcoming to women, and although Kaur is breaking new ground, she doesn’t see herself as knocking down barriers for women when she goes to work.
Her role involves occasionally leading training sessions where often she is the only woman in the room – but she says it doesn’t faze her.
“I represent myself how I would want somebody to train me. I don’t get nervous, I am there to do a job. It’s about delivering technical knowledge, and from my perspective gender shouldn’t come into it.”
She admits even in today’s modern society sometimes not everyone is completely receptive to having a female leading from the front in the industry. However, she approaches it from a classroom point of view; where everyone is “equal and you wipe gender completely out of the equation”
Kaur’s background is in manufacturing, consulting and product design. The electrical field appealed to her (as opposed to civil and mechanical engineering) because it is a more conceptual and less visible science, with many streams for professional expansion including software engineering. She was the type of child that took household appliances apart to try and put it back together. She has since broadened her reach into various portfolios for the global Schneider Electric brand, including motor control, power solutions, EV chargers, and also has responsibility for product development, consultation and marketing, given the highly specialised nature of the products.
“Looking at engineering as a field, men have always dominated and been the role models, from mechanical to electrical to civil and right up into the big tech companies. There haven’t been many women at the forefront, and critically, not much promotion of women either. We need to promote our female engineers so there are more role models for girls and young women to look up to and aspire to. I didn’t see another female engineer who was right at the top of the field and talking about technology, and we need that to inspire kids and show them that women belong in the profession and are capable, and to continue to change and challenge bias – whether conscious or unconscious.”
She says, “There aren’t a lot of females in the engineering world, that’s the truth of it. There is a lot of work still to ensure that as an industry engineering ensures it opens its doors to more flexibility and diversity. Let’s change the narrative. It’s not about being anti-men, or pro-female, it’s about engineering being open to all people from all walks of life and experiences.”
She advises young women in STEM to look for work cultures that actively give equal opportunities to all genders.
The STEM movement – now active in education sectors in many countries – is designed to attract more girls and women to fields that have traditionally been defined and dominated by men. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics have in the past had a lack of appeal to females as a career opportunity, due to it being seen as a male-dominated field, lack of awareness and promotion as a viable career opportunity for woman. As of today, the percentage of female graduates in electrical engineering at the University of Auckland shows the imbalance still remains persistent, making up only 29% in 2021.
“One of the biggest issues in our industry is that the company culture is incredibly tough on women, there is still stereotyping. Schneider is really good at stopping that from happening; women have a voice and a strong leadership team. My advice to any woman going for an interview for an engineering role is to ask the questions straight: How are female engineers treated in this organisation? What are the core values of your company? You have a choice to change the system, to look for a firm that accepts you and is open to actively developing and supporting female engineers to success.”
In light of the clear inequity, many organisations are taking it upon themselves to look at how they can better support females and diversity in the workplace, including looking at key initiatives like flexibility, equal opportunities, ongoing training and support Schneider Electric has been named as one of the 25 companies engineering students most want to work for, based on a global survey (conducted September 2020 to May 2021) by Universum of 84,000 students from 10 of the world’s biggest economies.
Schneider’s inclusive work policies support gender equity by helping employees to better manage their work and personal lives – for example, through flexible work or providing family, care and bereavement paid leave. Schneider also seeks to ensure equal pay across comparable groups of employees and reduce the pay gap between women and men to less than 1% by 2025.
Master of Civil Engineering evening
In any evolving industry, you must continually learn. With that in mind the University of Canterbury is holding a Master of Civil Engineering Information Evening on Wednesday May 25 from 5–7pm.
Whether you are looking to upskill or specialise, learn advanced technologies and methods, or to increase your knowledge base from experienced engineering professions with strong industry connections this is the event for you.
It’s a chance to meet the lecturers who will mentor you, learn about the range of master degree programmes available and chat about the benefits of taking time to further qualify yourself.
By attending, you will be able to sit in on one or more of the seminars on architectural engineering, fire engineering, or engineering construction management; and take a lab tour.
If you’re not in Christchurch, or can’t make it on the night, you can sign up for a variety of free online webinars.
Master of Engineering programmes include:
Master of Architectural Engineering:This practice-focussed degree programme is suited for building designers who want to deepen their technical skills and broaden their knowledge of building performance and the nexus between engineering and architecture. It focusses on improving collaboration between architects and engineers in order to be better equipped to take a holistic approach to designing sustainable buildings of the future.
Master of Engineering Fire Engineering:This degree programme builds on your undergraduate knowledge of mathematics, solid and fluid dynamics, heat transfer and thermodynamics. It delves into how fires develop and their effects on people, buildings and our environment. More specifically, it includes ignition and growth of fires, detection systems, alarm systems, the process of evacuation and structural resistance to fires. This area is of increasing demand as more building regulation occurs. More recently, climate change issues affecting the development of wildfires have been incorporated into this programme.
Master of Civil Engineering Construction Management:This degree programme addresses core dimensions of construction project performance: time, cost, quality, health and safety, and sustainability. It talks about the how. How best to measure, monitor, and manage project delays, cost overrun, quality, health and safety, and construction sustainability. How digital technologies and approaches can be applied to facilitate collaboration and promote project success. How do people make the projects come to life, how best to manage projects, communicate amongst various stakeholders, assess financial reports? All the skills you won’t have learnt as an engineer but will certainly need to go on to management roles.
The Health & Safety at Work Act lays out a series of guides, codes and insightful best practices around which every health and safety measure should be based. In particular, the Act provides businesses with an understanding of who is responsible, what they should do, and how they should act in situations in which health and safety is at stake.
So, what exactly are the responsibilities of businesses in New Zealand under the Health and Safety at Work Act?
Reasonably identifying the hazards and risks of the business.
While most hazards and risks are obvious, it’s not always clear what might be dangerous and what’s not. Partnering with a responsible and reliable third-party like can be tremendously advantageous for businesses who want an objective assessment of potential hazards and risks.
Establishing a system to manage risks and hazards long-term
It’s not enough that business leaders simply be aware of the risks and hazards present in their business. Appropriate action must be taken to ensure a comprehensive system is in place for avoiding and responding to hazardous situations. Workers should be included in the development of health and safety programs – in fact the Act requires it. According to the Act reference guide, “workplaces have better health and safety outcomes when workers have a say about health and safety. Workers are the eyes and ears of the business and know where the health and safety pressure points are.”
Ensure workers have the competencies and training required to do the job safely
While this may seem obvious, many businesses struggle to know just how competent and well-trained their workers are until something goes wrong. Businesses should not wait for something to go wrong. Instead, businesses should partner with their workers and external sources to better grasp the level of safety their workers employ in their work. They should also carefully assess their current training programs, and analyse whether they are adding value to the protection of their business and their workers.
Responsibilities for workplace incidents
Okay, but what happens if something does go wrong? When something does go wrong, WorkSafe will triage their response based on the following criteria:
* Does the business have a health and safety system in place?
* Was the hazard properly identified?
* Was/were the victim(s) made aware of the hazard?
* Was/were the victim(s) inducted?
* Was/were the victim(s) trained and competent in the task?
If your answer to any of these questions is “no”, then you likely have a problem. If you can firmly answer each question with “yes”, however, WorkSafe will be more incline to partner you in resolving the issue at hand.
Craig Carlyle is director at Maintenance Transformations. His expertise lies in the practical application of maintenance and health and safety management systems in the workplace. He is also a life member of the Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ.
The information and opinions within this column are not necessarily the views or opinions of Xpress Engineer NZ, NZ Engineering News or the parent company, Hayley Media.
Filing amended pleadings after the limitation date
By Stuart Robertson, partner and Victoria Bortsova, solicitor
It is often the case that the original claims made in Court are amended as a case develops. The High Court decision in ‘Body Corporate 355492 v Queenstown Lakes District Council [2022] NZHC 687’ provides useful guidance into how the courts apply the limitation provision under the Building Act 2004 (Act). If you are late, your amended claim could be struck out.
Section 393(2) of the Act provides that no relief may be granted in a civil proceeding which relates to building work if the proceeding is brought after 10 years or more from the date of the act or omission on which the proceedings are based. The plaintiffs (the Body Corporate and individual apartment owners) were suing various parties as to defects in their building. On 22 February 2019 the plaintiffs filed a sixth amended statement of claim introducing claims relating to structural and watertightness of the bathroom pods.
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) filed a strikeout application alleging that this amendment could not be accepted as it was filed more than 10 years after QLDC was last involved in the project. The court had to determine whether this amended pleading was essentially a new cause of action, making it time barred under the Act for being outside the 10-year limitation period, or merely enlarging on an existing claim with the addition or substitution of new facts, so not time barred.
The decision
The court considered Parliament’s intention behind the limitation provisions under the Act. It found that the word “proceeding” under the section means “the proceeding as it exists at the time the longstop is said to apply.” To determine whether the pleading is “fresh” or “new”, the court held that one must look at whether the pleading contains something that is “essentially different”.
On the facts here, the court found that the bathroom pods claim was an addition of new facts that were fundamentally different from the previous (within time) claim filed by the party. This made the bathroom pods claim a new cause of action that was outside the allowable limitation period of 10 years.
QLDC’s strikeout application succeeded and the plaintiffs were barred from suing for the defective bathroom pods.
Key takeaways
Check when the 10-year limitation period starts and ends (it can be different for different parties)
Carefully review the pleadings to ensure that all essential issues and facts are included when the pleading is first filed, and definitely before the 10 years expires.
Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for specific professional advice on any matter. No warrant or guarantee whatsoever is given as to the accuracy of any information contained in the article, nor is any liability accepted for any actions taken based on this information.
The sustainable future of steel in construction – the latest steps
Sustainability in construction, particularly reducing carbon emissions, is a hot topic in New Zealand. Government-led initiatives such as Building for Climate Change are directing change within the sector. This framework proposes to set mandatory reporting and measurement requirements for whole-of-life carbon emissions, including from the materials used in construction, the construction process, construction waste, and the disposal of a building at the end of its life, which will form part of the NZ Building Code and associated regulations.
So, what are the latest steps being taken to secure a sustainable future for steel in construction?
This month HERA, in partnership with Ekos and thinkstep-anz, launched a new zero carbon steel program for steel products, Hōtaka Whakakore Puhanga Waro. This is a major step forward in making steel in construction sustainable in line with a broader drive for carbon emissions reduction, and yet more proof of the steel industry’s momentum towards a fully sustainable future.
HERA is now in the process of developing Australasia’s first material passport, which will involve research to identify roadblocks and barriers to the reuse of structural steel. It will also investigate the role of a data platform in facilitating steel reuse. A material passport decision-making framework will be developed, with aim to facilitate the reuse and repurposing of steel, adding more value to steel’s place in the circular economy.
We also recently commissioned an assessment of the economic impacts of adopting Construction 4.0 (Industry 4.0 adapted to the construction sector) in New Zealand. The study showed that Construction 4.0 adoption would lead to a 0.5 to 1.0% increase in GDP, worth $1.2 to $2.5 billion within five years. HERA has already developed capability in Fabrication 4.0 (through our fab4.0lab), and now we are looking to do the same in Sustainability 4.0 as part of our broader Construction 4.0 research program.
Meanwhile the Sustainable Steel Council has developed a certification program based on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Living Standards Framework (LSF), which looks at sustainability in terms of intergenerational wellbeing across four capitals: financial, human, social, and natural. The steel industry was the first sector in New Zealand to use the framework to assess its own economic contribution, and the industry has used the LSF as the basis for developing the Aotearoa Steel Industry Transformation Plan, with New Zealand Steel and many of the steel industry associations already on board. At least 70% of structural steel volume is now coming from certified members.
HERA looks forward to sharing access to emerging research and approaches to improving and evaluating the sustainability credentials of steel. We are also keen to connect with like-minded organisations to develop best-practice initiatives and coordinate information sharing across the globe.
Dr Troy Coyle brings more than 20 years’ experience in innovation management across a range of industries including materials science, medical radiation physics, biotechnology, sustainable building products, renewable energy and steel. She is a scientist with a PhD (University of NSW) with training in journalism and communications
The information and opinions within this column are not necessarily the views or opinions of Xpress Engineer NZ, NZ Engineering News or the parent company, Hayley Media.
The USA: a big prize but beware of false assumptions
I believe one of NZTE’s great strengths is the in-market expertise we’re able to call on, and it was my pleasure recently to talk to one of these experts in a key market for New Zealand manufacturing exporters – the United States.
Albert Costilo, a business growth advisor in NZTE’s Washington office, talked me through the challenges facing New Zealand businesses looking at this market, and while none of this is rocket science, it provides real pause for thought for those thinking about the United States as an export destination.
The prize is big, of that there is no doubt – but we’re not the only ones who see this, and that means expectations from local partners are high, and competition is perhaps more stiff than anywhere else in the world.
Potential partners can therefore afford to be discerning and have very high expectations in terms of post-sales support, digital marketing and proactive engagement – companies that fall short of meeting these expectations will be quickly replaced.
Amongst the most damaging assumptions is that the United States is one big market. It’s not. It is a collection of smaller markets defined largely be geography that have differing commercial conditions, competitive landscapes, and regulatory settings. Exporters that are not clear on their targets, from geography down through to market segmentation and customer persona, are at risk of a very time consuming and costly search for a proverbial needle in the haystack.
And while we share a common language, the United States is not just a bigger version of New Zealand. Albert and his colleagues see too many New Zealand companies who underestimate market entry planning, and simply expect market conditions in their chosen niche to be the same as operating domestically. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether it be underestimating the time, financial cost or drain on human capital, or just adapting existing offerings instead of actually designing for the market, these repeated mistakes cost New Zealand businesses a huge amount; and as with any competitive market, you only get one chance to make a first impression. For more information, myNZTE is full of resources to support manufacturing businesses operating in or looking to enter the USA. Check it out.
BIGGER, BOLDER… JUST BETTER
NEW CHEMFREIGHT SPECIALIST FLAMMABLES STORAGE WAREHOUSE PROJECT TO BE GAME CHANGER
The soon-to-be opened $20 million project – dedicated to flammable storage classes – will add five million litres of storage capacity to 100% Kiwi-owned company Chemfreight, growing flammable storage capacity to over 8,000 pallet spaces. This will provide better service to existing storage clients and, in turn, allow new storage customers in the packaged market to partner with the company.
Specialist non-hazardous and hazardous chemical storage and national transport services provider Chemfreight has announced its $20 million warehouse is set to open in the coming months. The new warehouse is an addition to an impressive existing Stonedon Drive Major Hazard Facility (MHF).
General manager, Joseph Price, says of the current project: “It started back in 2015, where we challenged ourselves to design and build a chemical storage facility with a full reinforced concrete roof that would set the benchmark in size and capacity for Type D buildings.” The facility also had to exceed the regulatory requirements for the safe storage of flammable substances while satisfying council resource consent and building consent requirements.
“We had to go for scale, and we’ve achieved what we set out to do. The design process was comprehensive and exhaustive, incorporating safety in design (SiD) practices right from the outset,” says Price.
He says it is an extremely exciting time for a company that has gone through much growth and transition in recent years; constructing the latest specialised facility and adding a fourth chemical store solely dedicated to flammable substance classes 2 and 3. Chemfreight has built all four flammable stores from the ground up.
“Our total investment in this latest development for flammable substances is significant and further demonstrates our long-term commitment to customers and servicing a complex market with very high regulatory barriers to entry. This will be the fourth dedicated flammable storage facility we have built, being the largest it certainly was not without challenges.
“The engineering and complexity involved to be able to meet the various building and HSWA regulations, including seismic and incident control as well ensuring it would still remain operationally functional and be commercially successful were all part of a nearly six-year design and consenting process.”
When opened, the new flammables facility will provide much needed supply capacity to the market and is an extension of the company’s sprawling Upper Tier Major Hazard Facility strategically located in East Tāmaki.
“The facility will service the North Island with overnight transport services to provide a next-day delivery service from Northland to Wellington. Chemfreight are a national 3PL operator with three MHF locations, two MHF facilities are in Auckland and the third MHF chemical storage complex is in Christchurch and services the South Island,” says Price.
The company operates a fleet of a dozen company-owned trucks that provide a daily delivery service for the wider Auckland and Christchurch metro areas with an overnight national network through selected transport partners, providing an intra-island overnight service for dangerous goods. The Chemfreight truck fleet is equipped with GPS monitoring and tracking and also carry chemical pump over capabilities for hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals.
The new warehouse started construction mid-2021, partnering with Macrennie Commercial Construction and engineering firm Holmes Consulting.
With its full concrete wall and roof construction, the store is classified as a ‘Type D building’ under the current regulations, being the most secure and the highest rated classification – essentially a pair of cavernous reinforced concrete bunkers totalling 4,000m2 of fully racked floor space. The concrete roof, in parts, will be more than half a metre thick. The steel-reinforced concrete roof section weighs in at close to 6,000 tonnes.
“For the 3PL industry, the scale of this flammable storage facility and the technology deployed is cutting edge and will support the safe storage and handling of packaged flammable liquids and gases in the New Zealand national supply chain.”
Price joined Chemfreight six years ago and in that time the business has strategically maintained a low profile while it has undergone substantial structural and process changes. The approach has paid dividends with market demand and strong customer growth resulting in the family-owned company doubling in size. The Chemfreight team now numbers 100-strong, partnering with more than twice that many clients. Many clients, explains Price, have been with the business for “decades resulting in mutual growth and success”.
Price is focused on customer outcomes. “We don’t have any business development or sales staff. We choose to focus and invest in delivering a high-quality 3PL service to our customers and not focus on trying to sell it.”
Chemfreight has been operating in the same sector now for nearly 35 years and is capable of drawing from a depth of experience. The company has formed a reputation of operating class-leading facilities – delivering an excellent 3PL supply chain service to attract new business while retaining its existing clients.
It has facilities that can process up to 100 in-bound containers per week across its multiple secure MPI accredited premises, with all goods stored indoor under cover.
Being proactive within the market is a facet strong within the mantra of the company with innovation at its forefront. In 1989, Joseph’s father Harry Price founded the business with the vision and foresight to be the first storage provider to specialise in hazardous storage for the packaged market; while there were bulk services available, the packaged market was the vision. Today, Chemfreight has quietly grown to be a substantial provider of hazardous storage services for the New Zealand market.
The new specialised storage facility will store products that are deemed as flammable and therefore hazardous for storage under regulations. These include industrial and household solvents such as methylated spirits and acetone, other alcohols and cleaners, ethanol-based hand sanitisers, paints and stains, resin and fibreglass related products, butane and other flammable gas canisters, hazardous flammable consumer aerosols such as hair spray, deodorant, and household items such as spray paint, lubricants and other flammable propellant-based spray products.
As part of its full service offering to the market, the company operates a separate, fully-certified and dedicated food storage facility, also a significant non-hazardous chemical storage, and chemical toll blending operation to round off a comprehensive suite of 3PL services for the packaged chemical market.
TEAM TRAINING AND WELL-BEING
In addition to keeping the staff well trained, Chemfreight continuously undertakes risk assessments and reviews their safety procedures. Team safety is paramount and Chemfreight invests heavily in training each year that delivers thousands of hours of targeted skills to its staff. But, Price says, there is more to safety and well-being than just training: “Staff safety and well-being doesn’t end when you walk out the door, everyone has challenges and factors influencing well-being outside work, Covid has been challenging on many levels in the critical worker sectors.”
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE A PRIORITY
Chemfreight takes pride in having a substantial HSEQ function – team members hold qualifications or experience in organic chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, occupational health, auditing and a range of health and safety areas.
“We need to understand what we actually store and handle, to enable us to identify and assess the risks involved and how we can mitigate them; how to handle products safely and ensure we can store them safely,” Price says.
Price, a former regulator himself with a background in financial market risk and compliance, says, “Regulatory compliance can be viewed as meeting the requirements of the legislation, which is the bare minimum required. At Chemfreight, we look to manage the overall risk and that includes regulatory compliance as a part of the wider scope of how we manage our business risk; we aim to set our bar at a higher level.”
While he had grown up around the business, Joseph only became involved in the business at the age of 38 – coincidentally the same age that Harry founded the business. In that six-years, it is clear the passion in this family business is very much alive and evidenced by its advancement since Joseph joined the management team. Having a background in tax and insolvency, the chartered accountant has spent most of his career in professional services, spending seven years in London working in restructuring and insolvency followed by a number of financial management roles in the private and public sector. It is this foundation that has provided Price with the skills that Chemfreight now benefits from.
STRONG INVESTMENT
The business has invested heavily in plant and machinery and has completely replaced its truck fleet over the last five years, as well as acquiring an additional two dozen fork trucks to bolster its already substantial material handling fleet to 50 units.
A digital transformation is underway, too. This will provide Chemfreight customers not only an excellent operational service but a cutting-edge digital service. A substantial focus has gone into 3PL software specifically for hazardous substances logistics.
The future for this company looks very bright, with a number of land and property acquisitions secured that have locked in long-term future development growth and continued expansion.
TOLL BLENDING
Fortunately, Chemfreight has the versatility and flexibility to diversify into other services. Its toll blending service manufactures chemicals, storing and distributing them through the Chemfreight network.
With the ability to blend up to 5,000 litre batches and with four blending tanks, the company can manage the entire packaged chemical supply chain from start to finish. Additionally, a small bulk service can deliver chemicals to site, pumping them into the customer’s vessels, before the clean up and taking away of empty drums or IBC tanks.
THE FUTURE
Chemfreight has been operating in East Tāmaki for 33 years and it seems highly likely that this exceptional family-owned business, under the second generation of the Price family, will be operating for another 30 years.
Price credits the continued success of Chemfreight solely down to the hard-working group of 100 staff and teamwork.
“Chemfreight was a successful 3PL business long before I joined the management team here. We are a family business and family, along with teamwork, are core values of our firm.”
The new warehouse storage facility – yet another feather in the family cap.
WITH ITS FULL CONCRETE WALL AND ROOF CONSTRUCTION, THE STORE IS CLASSIFIED AS A ‘TYPE D BUILDING’ STORE UNDER THE CURRENT REGULATIONS, BEING THE MOST SECURE AND THE HIGHEST RATED CLASSIFICATION
Part of the Chemfreight fleet of vehicles that ensures exceptional delivery standards
On-gun fume extraction is one of the safest and most effective methods of controlling welding fume, capturing it directly at the source while following the welder as they move (unlike other LEV).
However, in the past it’s been too heavy, too bulky, and can impact the shielding gas leading to porosity issues. But not anymore!
AWS has teamed up with Translas, Dutch on-gun fume extraction specialist, to launch an industry first: a range of lightweight, manoeuvrable, and ergonomic extraction guns that deliver the highest capture rate on the market (up to 98%), while leaving the shielding gas completely unaffected, boasting a 100% duty cycle.
Some of the largest welding businesses in Australia and NZ are already locking in Translas demos to experience this new technology. If your company would be interested in experiencing this industry game changer, visit the link below to learn more and set-up a free demo.
A partner that values your customers as much as you do
Watson Marlow has come a far way since their inception some 65 years ago. Today, this FTSE100 powerhouse comprises 10 leading brands, each a specialist in niche fluid transfer technologies. The company services an array of industries including mining, wastewater, and food and beverage.
Beyond its market share and concise understanding of fluid technologies, Watson Marlow’s clear differentiator is its customer-centric approach
“We are problem solvers. Our people around the world are specialists in the work they do, and the company is structured to empower and support our customers,” says Elie Elazar, regional sales manager (ANZ).
In its search for a trusted partner, Elazar says that Watson Marlow looks for companies that treat its customers “as their own”, and adds that quick turnaround, exceptional service, and quality products are crucial to ensuring a successful partnership.
Enter Bonfiglioli.
A partnership is born
Among its portfolio of premium brands is Bredel. Bredel hose pumps and hose elements offer high reliability and low maintenance for high-flow, high-pressure duties.
“We were in search of a second partner for Bredel to diversify our database. We were looking for a partner that offered local assembly and expertise,” he says.
This led Watson Marlow to Bonfiglioli. One of the world’s prominent gear box suppliers, Bonfiglioli caught Bredel’s attention because of its established footprint and ability to service customers across the globe.
Harry Singh, NSW sales manager for Bonfiglioli Australia believes that the partnership was solidified by closely aligned values and a customer-centric approach to business.
“We both focus on quality and customer service. We treat Watson Marlow’s reputation as our own and always go the extra mile. Customers can rest assured that when they deal with us, their gearbox is backed by a dedicated team, superior service and a warranty.”
The brief was to assemble Bredel pumps on behalf of Watson Marlow in various sizes (40, 50, 65, 80 and 100).
“After assembly, we supply and install our 300 series planetary gearmotor to drive these pumps. These particular pumps can be found in various sectors that require pumping application such as mining, construction and water treatment plants.”
Singh adds that the 300 planetary series was specifically selected to align to an international agreement that the companies already had in place. “This product is tried and tested around the world and delivers a seamless roll-out for maintenance, spares and repairs.”
Due to its high torque output and long service life, Bonfiglioli also supplies an inline planetary HD gearbox to drive the pump.
“Selections can be made by size without changes to the pump. The product is available on various rations from a .37 to 15kW motor and speeds can be easily set depending on the pump requirement.”
When the partnership began, the Bonfiglioli team was thoroughly trained and supervised by Watson Marlow’s engineering services manager; however, it soon became apparent that Bonfiglioli could operate efficiently on their own.
Elezar says: “The Bonfiglioli team can independently assemble and perform the necessary quality tests to ensure that the customer receives a fully operational product with all guarantees and warrantees in place. Customers can rest assured that we can validate their warranty and service their product. This is exactly why quality is so important to Watson Marlow. We need to trust our partners to deliver work to the same quality standards that we subscribe to, to ensure continuous operation for our customers.”
Moving forward
“We look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership as we continue to grow our local market share” says Singh.
Elazar adds: “Bonfiglioli were quick to deliver and keen to assist. They offer good service, product availability and the technical expertise required to deliver a complete pump solution for our customers.”
New H-Glide structural bearing sets deliver 1600-tonne capacity
New structural bearings capable of supporting more than 1600 tonnes of compressive load per set are being introduced by Hercules Engineering for extremely high stressapplications.
The latest Herculon HLD-FF 8000 sliding bearings – which can be used in sets of two – incorporate a sliding layer of globally proven fibre-reinforced and incompressible H-Glide engineering plastic with excellent friction coefficients from 0.05 – 0.1.
Such outstanding sliding characteristics and load-bearing performance – even in compact or wet spaces – are invaluable to infrastructure developers, engineers, architects, and specifiers because lower coefficients of friction will transfer less stress onto the load-bearing structural components as the bearing does its job of protecting them against surrounding movement, says Hercules engineering manager, David Booty.
The new HLD-FF bearings are the largest H-glide bearings the company has ever made, though even-larger capacity bearings can be custom-manufactured for extremely long low-maintenance life spans of up to 100 years typically requested by industry.
“With their incompressible H-Glide sliding layer, these bearings can withstand extreme point pressures of 350-500 megapascals, depending on bearing design and application,” says Booty.
“This remarkable performance – which is up to 40 times greater than conventional water-resistant and non-lubricated fibre-reinforced elastomeric bearing pads – is complemented by the material’s ability to function well in a variety of environments including, but not limited to, damp or underwater applications,” says Booty
Applications range from compact high-stress commercial, industrial and resources applications involving architecture and design, construction, infrastructure, energy, food and beverage, mining, manufacturing, maritime, oil and gas, safety, water and wastewater applications and other uses involving exposure to aggressive environments.
Irene Kaur – a much needed Kiwi role model for STEM industries
Growing up Kiwi electrical engineer Irene Kaur wished she saw more female role models within the engineering industry. She hopes that she will inspire others to try this more traditionally male dominated path.
Part of the attraction that is needed is to create a culture and ethos that are welcoming to women, and although Kaur is breaking new ground, she doesn’t see herself as knocking down barriers for women when she goes to work.
Her role involves occasionally leading training sessions where often she is the only woman in the room – but she says it doesn’t faze her.
“I represent myself how I would want somebody to train me. I don’t get nervous, I am there to do a job. It’s about delivering technical knowledge, and from my perspective gender shouldn’t come into it.”
She admits even in today’s modern society sometimes not everyone is completely receptive to having a female leading from the front in the industry. However, she approaches it from a classroom point of view; where everyone is “equal and you wipe gender completely out of the equation”
Kaur’s background is in manufacturing, consulting and product design. The electrical field appealed to her (as opposed to civil and mechanical engineering) because it is a more conceptual and less visible science, with many streams for professional expansion including software engineering. She was the type of child that took household appliances apart to try and put it back together. She has since broadened her reach into various portfolios for the global Schneider Electric brand, including motor control, power solutions, EV chargers, and also has responsibility for product development, consultation and marketing, given the highly specialised nature of the products.
“Looking at engineering as a field, men have always dominated and been the role models, from mechanical to electrical to civil and right up into the big tech companies. There haven’t been many women at the forefront, and critically, not much promotion of women either. We need to promote our female engineers so there are more role models for girls and young women to look up to and aspire to. I didn’t see another female engineer who was right at the top of the field and talking about technology, and we need that to inspire kids and show them that women belong in the profession and are capable, and to continue to change and challenge bias – whether conscious or unconscious.”
She says, “There aren’t a lot of females in the engineering world, that’s the truth of it. There is a lot of work still to ensure that as an industry engineering ensures it opens its doors to more flexibility and diversity. Let’s change the narrative. It’s not about being anti-men, or pro-female, it’s about engineering being open to all people from all walks of life and experiences.”
She advises young women in STEM to look for work cultures that actively give equal opportunities to all genders.
The STEM movement – now active in education sectors in many countries – is designed to attract more girls and women to fields that have traditionally been defined and dominated by men. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics have in the past had a lack of appeal to females as a career opportunity, due to it being seen as a male-dominated field, lack of awareness and promotion as a viable career opportunity for woman. As of today, the percentage of female graduates in electrical engineering at the University of Auckland shows the imbalance still remains persistent, making up only 29% in 2021.
“One of the biggest issues in our industry is that the company culture is incredibly tough on women, there is still stereotyping. Schneider is really good at stopping that from happening; women have a voice and a strong leadership team. My advice to any woman going for an interview for an engineering role is to ask the questions straight: How are female engineers treated in this organisation? What are the core values of your company? You have a choice to change the system, to look for a firm that accepts you and is open to actively developing and supporting female engineers to success.”
In light of the clear inequity, many organisations are taking it upon themselves to look at how they can better support females and diversity in the workplace, including looking at key initiatives like flexibility, equal opportunities, ongoing training and support Schneider Electric has been named as one of the 25 companies engineering students most want to work for, based on a global survey (conducted September 2020 to May 2021) by Universum of 84,000 students from 10 of the world’s biggest economies.
Schneider’s inclusive work policies support gender equity by helping employees to better manage their work and personal lives – for example, through flexible work or providing family, care and bereavement paid leave. Schneider also seeks to ensure equal pay across comparable groups of employees and reduce the pay gap between women and men to less than 1% by 2025.
Master of Civil Engineering evening
In any evolving industry, you must continually learn. With that in mind the University of Canterbury is holding a Master of Civil Engineering Information Evening on Wednesday May 25 from 5–7pm.
Whether you are looking to upskill or specialise, learn advanced technologies and methods, or to increase your knowledge base from experienced engineering professions with strong industry connections this is the event for you.
It’s a chance to meet the lecturers who will mentor you, learn about the range of master degree programmes available and chat about the benefits of taking time to further qualify yourself.
By attending, you will be able to sit in on one or more of the seminars on architectural engineering, fire engineering, or engineering construction management; and take a lab tour.
If you’re not in Christchurch, or can’t make it on the night, you can sign up for a variety of free online webinars.
Master of Engineering programmes include:
For more information click here…
Understand the Health & Safety at Work Act in NZ
By Craig Carlyle, director at Maintenance Transformations
The Health & Safety at Work Act lays out a series of guides, codes and insightful best practices around which every health and safety measure should be based. In particular, the Act provides businesses with an understanding of who is responsible, what they should do, and how they should act in situations in which health and safety is at stake.
So, what exactly are the responsibilities of businesses in New Zealand under the Health and Safety at Work Act?
Reasonably identifying the hazards and risks of the business.
While most hazards and risks are obvious, it’s not always clear what might be dangerous and what’s not. Partnering with a responsible and reliable third-party like can be tremendously advantageous for businesses who want an objective assessment of potential hazards and risks.
Establishing a system to manage risks and hazards long-term
It’s not enough that business leaders simply be aware of the risks and hazards present in their business. Appropriate action must be taken to ensure a comprehensive system is in place for avoiding and responding to hazardous situations. Workers should be included in the development of health and safety programs – in fact the Act requires it. According to the Act reference guide, “workplaces have better health and safety outcomes when workers have a say about health and safety. Workers are the eyes and ears of the business and know where the health and safety pressure points are.”
Ensure workers have the competencies and training required to do the job safely
While this may seem obvious, many businesses struggle to know just how competent and well-trained their workers are until something goes wrong. Businesses should not wait for something to go wrong. Instead, businesses should partner with their workers and external sources to better grasp the level of safety their workers employ in their work. They should also carefully assess their current training programs, and analyse whether they are adding value to the protection of their business and their workers.
Responsibilities for workplace incidents
Okay, but what happens if something does go wrong? When something does go wrong, WorkSafe will triage their response based on the following criteria:
* Does the business have a health and safety system in place?
* Was the hazard properly identified?
* Was/were the victim(s) made aware of the hazard?
* Was/were the victim(s) inducted?
* Was/were the victim(s) trained and competent in the task?
If your answer to any of these questions is “no”, then you likely have a problem. If you can firmly answer each question with “yes”, however, WorkSafe will be more incline to partner you in resolving the issue at hand.
Craig Carlyle is director at Maintenance Transformations. His expertise lies in the practical application of maintenance and health and safety management systems in the workplace. He is also a life member of the Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ.
The information and opinions within this column are not necessarily the views or opinions of Xpress Engineer NZ, NZ Engineering News or the parent company, Hayley Media.
Filing amended pleadings after the limitation date
By Stuart Robertson, partner and Victoria Bortsova, solicitor
It is often the case that the original claims made in Court are amended as a case develops. The High Court decision in ‘Body Corporate 355492 v Queenstown Lakes District Council [2022] NZHC 687’ provides useful guidance into how the courts apply the limitation provision under the Building Act 2004 (Act). If you are late, your amended claim could be struck out.
Section 393(2) of the Act provides that no relief may be granted in a civil proceeding which relates to building work if the proceeding is brought after 10 years or more from the date of the act or omission on which the proceedings are based. The plaintiffs (the Body Corporate and individual apartment owners) were suing various parties as to defects in their building. On 22 February 2019 the plaintiffs filed a sixth amended statement of claim introducing claims relating to structural and watertightness of the bathroom pods.
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) filed a strikeout application alleging that this amendment could not be accepted as it was filed more than 10 years after QLDC was last involved in the project. The court had to determine whether this amended pleading was essentially a new cause of action, making it time barred under the Act for being outside the 10-year limitation period, or merely enlarging on an existing claim with the addition or substitution of new facts, so not time barred.
The decision
The court considered Parliament’s intention behind the limitation provisions under the Act. It found that the word “proceeding” under the section means “the proceeding as it exists at the time the longstop is said to apply.” To determine whether the pleading is “fresh” or “new”, the court held that one must look at whether the pleading contains something that is “essentially different”.
On the facts here, the court found that the bathroom pods claim was an addition of new facts that were fundamentally different from the previous (within time) claim filed by the party. This made the bathroom pods claim a new cause of action that was outside the allowable limitation period of 10 years.
QLDC’s strikeout application succeeded and the plaintiffs were barred from suing for the defective bathroom pods.
Key takeaways
Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for specific professional advice on any matter. No warrant or guarantee whatsoever is given as to the accuracy of any information contained in the article, nor is any liability accepted for any actions taken based on this information.
The sustainable future of steel in construction – the latest steps
By Dr Troy Coyle, HERA CEO
Sustainability in construction, particularly reducing carbon emissions, is a hot topic in New Zealand. Government-led initiatives such as Building for Climate Change are directing change within the sector. This framework proposes to set mandatory reporting and measurement requirements for whole-of-life carbon emissions, including from the materials used in construction, the construction process, construction waste, and the disposal of a building at the end of its life, which will form part of the NZ Building Code and associated regulations.
So, what are the latest steps being taken to secure a sustainable future for steel in construction?
This month HERA, in partnership with Ekos and thinkstep-anz, launched a new zero carbon steel program for steel products, Hōtaka Whakakore Puhanga Waro. This is a major step forward in making steel in construction sustainable in line with a broader drive for carbon emissions reduction, and yet more proof of the steel industry’s momentum towards a fully sustainable future.
HERA is now in the process of developing Australasia’s first material passport, which will involve research to identify roadblocks and barriers to the reuse of structural steel. It will also investigate the role of a data platform in facilitating steel reuse. A material passport decision-making framework will be developed, with aim to facilitate the reuse and repurposing of steel, adding more value to steel’s place in the circular economy.
We also recently commissioned an assessment of the economic impacts of adopting Construction 4.0 (Industry 4.0 adapted to the construction sector) in New Zealand. The study showed that Construction 4.0 adoption would lead to a 0.5 to 1.0% increase in GDP, worth $1.2 to $2.5 billion within five years. HERA has already developed capability in Fabrication 4.0 (through our fab4.0lab), and now we are looking to do the same in Sustainability 4.0 as part of our broader Construction 4.0 research program.
Meanwhile the Sustainable Steel Council has developed a certification program based on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Living Standards Framework (LSF), which looks at sustainability in terms of intergenerational wellbeing across four capitals: financial, human, social, and natural. The steel industry was the first sector in New Zealand to use the framework to assess its own economic contribution, and the industry has used the LSF as the basis for developing the Aotearoa Steel Industry Transformation Plan, with New Zealand Steel and many of the steel industry associations already on board. At least 70% of structural steel volume is now coming from certified members.
HERA looks forward to sharing access to emerging research and approaches to improving and evaluating the sustainability credentials of steel. We are also keen to connect with like-minded organisations to develop best-practice initiatives and coordinate information sharing across the globe.
Dr Troy Coyle brings more than 20 years’ experience in innovation management across a range of industries including materials science, medical radiation physics, biotechnology, sustainable building products, renewable energy and steel. She is a scientist with a PhD (University of NSW) with training in journalism and communications
The information and opinions within this column are not necessarily the views or opinions of Xpress Engineer NZ, NZ Engineering News or the parent company, Hayley Media.
The USA: a big prize but beware of false assumptions
I believe one of NZTE’s great strengths is the in-market expertise we’re able to call on, and it was my pleasure recently to talk to one of these experts in a key market for New Zealand manufacturing exporters – the United States.
Albert Costilo, a business growth advisor in NZTE’s Washington office, talked me through the challenges facing New Zealand businesses looking at this market, and while none of this is rocket science, it provides real pause for thought for those thinking about the United States as an export destination.
The prize is big, of that there is no doubt – but we’re not the only ones who see this, and that means expectations from local partners are high, and competition is perhaps more stiff than anywhere else in the world.
Potential partners can therefore afford to be discerning and have very high expectations in terms of post-sales support, digital marketing and proactive engagement – companies that fall short of meeting these expectations will be quickly replaced.
Amongst the most damaging assumptions is that the United States is one big market. It’s not. It is a collection of smaller markets defined largely be geography that have differing commercial conditions, competitive landscapes, and regulatory settings. Exporters that are not clear on their targets, from geography down through to market segmentation and customer persona, are at risk of a very time consuming and costly search for a proverbial needle in the haystack.
And while we share a common language, the United States is not just a bigger version of New Zealand. Albert and his colleagues see too many New Zealand companies who underestimate market entry planning, and simply expect market conditions in their chosen niche to be the same as operating domestically. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether it be underestimating the time, financial cost or drain on human capital, or just adapting existing offerings instead of actually designing for the market, these repeated mistakes cost New Zealand businesses a huge amount; and as with any competitive market, you only get one chance to make a first impression. For more information, myNZTE is full of resources to support manufacturing businesses operating in or looking to enter the USA. Check it out.
BIGGER, BOLDER… JUST BETTER
NEW CHEMFREIGHT SPECIALIST FLAMMABLES STORAGE WAREHOUSE PROJECT TO BE GAME CHANGER
The soon-to-be opened $20 million project – dedicated to flammable storage classes – will add five million litres of storage capacity to 100% Kiwi-owned company Chemfreight, growing flammable storage capacity to over 8,000 pallet spaces. This will provide better service to existing storage clients and, in turn, allow new storage customers in the packaged market to partner with the company.
Specialist non-hazardous and hazardous chemical storage and national transport services provider Chemfreight has announced its $20 million warehouse is set to open in the coming months. The new warehouse is an addition to an impressive existing Stonedon Drive Major Hazard Facility (MHF).
General manager, Joseph Price, says of the current project: “It started back in 2015, where we challenged ourselves to design and build a chemical storage facility with a full reinforced concrete roof that would set the benchmark in size and capacity for Type D buildings.” The facility also had to exceed the regulatory requirements for the safe storage of flammable substances while satisfying council resource consent and building consent requirements.
“We had to go for scale, and we’ve achieved what we set out to do. The design process was comprehensive and exhaustive, incorporating safety in design (SiD) practices right from the outset,” says Price.
He says it is an extremely exciting time for a company that has gone through much growth and transition in recent years; constructing the latest specialised facility and adding a fourth chemical store solely dedicated to flammable substance classes 2 and 3. Chemfreight has built all four flammable stores from the ground up.
“Our total investment in this latest development for flammable substances is significant and further demonstrates our long-term commitment to customers and servicing a complex market with very high regulatory barriers to entry. This will be the fourth dedicated flammable storage facility we have built, being the largest it certainly was not without challenges.
“The engineering and complexity involved to be able to meet the various building and HSWA regulations, including seismic and incident control as well ensuring it would still remain operationally functional and be commercially successful were all part of a nearly six-year design and consenting process.”
When opened, the new flammables facility will provide much needed supply capacity to the market and is an extension of the company’s sprawling Upper Tier Major Hazard Facility strategically located in East Tāmaki.
“The facility will service the North Island with overnight transport services to provide a next-day delivery service from Northland to Wellington. Chemfreight are a national 3PL operator with three MHF locations, two MHF facilities are in Auckland and the third MHF chemical storage complex is in Christchurch and services the South Island,” says Price.
The company operates a fleet of a dozen company-owned trucks that provide a daily delivery service for the wider Auckland and Christchurch metro areas with an overnight national network through selected transport partners, providing an intra-island overnight service for dangerous goods. The Chemfreight truck fleet is equipped with GPS monitoring and tracking and also carry chemical pump over capabilities for hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals.
The new warehouse started construction mid-2021, partnering with Macrennie Commercial Construction and engineering firm Holmes Consulting.
With its full concrete wall and roof construction, the store is classified as a ‘Type D building’ under the current regulations, being the most secure and the highest rated classification – essentially a pair of cavernous reinforced concrete bunkers totalling 4,000m2 of fully racked floor space. The concrete roof, in parts, will be more than half a metre thick. The steel-reinforced concrete roof section weighs in at close to 6,000 tonnes.
“For the 3PL industry, the scale of this flammable storage facility and the technology deployed is cutting edge and will support the safe storage and handling of packaged flammable liquids and gases in the New Zealand national supply chain.”
Price joined Chemfreight six years ago and in that time the business has strategically maintained a low profile while it has undergone substantial structural and process changes. The approach has paid dividends with market demand and strong customer growth resulting in the family-owned company doubling in size. The Chemfreight team now numbers 100-strong, partnering with more than twice that many clients. Many clients, explains Price, have been with the business for “decades resulting in mutual growth and success”.
Price is focused on customer outcomes. “We don’t have any business development or sales staff. We choose to focus and invest in delivering a high-quality 3PL service to our customers and not focus on trying to sell it.”
Chemfreight has been operating in the same sector now for nearly 35 years and is capable of drawing from a depth of experience. The company has formed a reputation of operating class-leading facilities – delivering an excellent 3PL supply chain service to attract new business while retaining its existing clients.
It has facilities that can process up to 100 in-bound containers per week across its multiple secure MPI accredited premises, with all goods stored indoor under cover.
Being proactive within the market is a facet strong within the mantra of the company with innovation at its forefront. In 1989, Joseph’s father Harry Price founded the business with the vision and foresight to be the first storage provider to specialise in hazardous storage for the packaged market; while there were bulk services available, the packaged market was the vision. Today, Chemfreight has quietly grown to be a substantial provider of hazardous storage services for the New Zealand market.
The new specialised storage facility will store products that are deemed as flammable and therefore hazardous for storage under regulations. These include industrial and household solvents such as methylated spirits and acetone, other alcohols and cleaners, ethanol-based hand sanitisers, paints and stains, resin and fibreglass related products, butane and other flammable gas canisters, hazardous flammable consumer aerosols such as hair spray, deodorant, and household items such as spray paint, lubricants and other flammable propellant-based spray products.
As part of its full service offering to the market, the company operates a separate, fully-certified and dedicated food storage facility, also a significant non-hazardous chemical storage, and chemical toll blending operation to round off a comprehensive suite of 3PL services for the packaged chemical market.
TEAM TRAINING AND WELL-BEING
In addition to keeping the staff well trained, Chemfreight continuously undertakes risk assessments and reviews their safety procedures. Team safety is paramount and Chemfreight invests heavily in training each year that delivers thousands of hours of targeted skills to its staff. But, Price says, there is more to safety and well-being than just training: “Staff safety and well-being doesn’t end when you walk out the door, everyone has challenges and factors influencing well-being outside work, Covid has been challenging on many levels in the critical worker sectors.”
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE A PRIORITY
Chemfreight takes pride in having a substantial HSEQ function – team members hold qualifications or experience in organic chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, occupational health, auditing and a range of health and safety areas.
“We need to understand what we actually store and handle, to enable us to identify and assess the risks involved and how we can mitigate them; how to handle products safely and ensure we can store them safely,” Price says.
Price, a former regulator himself with a background in financial market risk and compliance, says, “Regulatory compliance can be viewed as meeting the requirements of the legislation, which is the bare minimum required. At Chemfreight, we look to manage the overall risk and that includes regulatory compliance as a part of the wider scope of how we manage our business risk; we aim to set our bar at a higher level.”
While he had grown up around the business, Joseph only became involved in the business at the age of 38 – coincidentally the same age that Harry founded the business. In that six-years, it is clear the passion in this family business is very much alive and evidenced by its advancement since Joseph joined the management team. Having a background in tax and insolvency, the chartered accountant has spent most of his career in professional services, spending seven years in London working in restructuring and insolvency followed by a number of financial management roles in the private and public sector. It is this foundation that has provided Price with the skills that Chemfreight now benefits from.
STRONG INVESTMENT
The business has invested heavily in plant and machinery and has completely replaced its truck fleet over the last five years, as well as acquiring an additional two dozen fork trucks to bolster its already substantial material handling fleet to 50 units.
A digital transformation is underway, too. This will provide Chemfreight customers not only an excellent operational service but a cutting-edge digital service. A substantial focus has gone into 3PL software specifically for hazardous substances logistics.
The future for this company looks very bright, with a number of land and property acquisitions secured that have locked in long-term future development growth and continued expansion.
TOLL BLENDING
Fortunately, Chemfreight has the versatility and flexibility to diversify into other services. Its toll blending service manufactures chemicals, storing and distributing them through the Chemfreight network.
With the ability to blend up to 5,000 litre batches and with four blending tanks, the company can manage the entire packaged chemical supply chain from start to finish. Additionally, a small bulk service can deliver chemicals to site, pumping them into the customer’s vessels, before the clean up and taking away of empty drums or IBC tanks.
THE FUTURE
Chemfreight has been operating in East Tāmaki for 33 years and it seems highly likely that this exceptional family-owned business, under the second generation of the Price family, will be operating for another 30 years.
Price credits the continued success of Chemfreight solely down to the hard-working group of 100 staff and teamwork.
“Chemfreight was a successful 3PL business long before I joined the management team here. We are a family business and family, along with teamwork, are core values of our firm.”
The new warehouse storage facility – yet another feather in the family cap.
WITH ITS FULL CONCRETE WALL AND ROOF CONSTRUCTION, THE STORE IS CLASSIFIED AS A ‘TYPE D BUILDING’ STORE UNDER THE CURRENT REGULATIONS, BEING THE MOST SECURE AND THE HIGHEST RATED CLASSIFICATION
Introducing Translas On-Gun Welding Fume Extraction Systems!
On-gun fume extraction is one of the safest and most effective methods of controlling welding fume, capturing it directly at the source while following the welder as they move (unlike other LEV).
However, in the past it’s been too heavy, too bulky, and can impact the shielding gas leading to porosity issues. But not anymore!
AWS has teamed up with Translas, Dutch on-gun fume extraction specialist, to launch an industry first: a range of lightweight, manoeuvrable, and ergonomic extraction guns that deliver the highest capture rate on the market (up to 98%), while leaving the shielding gas completely unaffected, boasting a 100% duty cycle.
Some of the largest welding businesses in Australia and NZ are already locking in Translas demos to experience this new technology. If your company would be interested in experiencing this industry game changer, visit the link below to learn more and set-up a free demo.
For more information visit https://www.awsi.com.au/translas-on-gun-fume-extraction
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