History
History
Where do we start? Doing justice to 89-odd years of NZI history is a daunting task.
If you're the bite-sized executive-summary type, then please see below.
If you want a real-deal historical record (1924-2008), then try the brilliantly-written article which appears in Temuka Through The Years, published in 2009. To download the full (6MB) NZI article click here.
NZI HISTORY - SHORT VERSION
We became New Zealand Insulators when National Electric (NEECO) took over the Canterbury Pipe & Tile Company in 1924. Tiles, pipes, bricks and some insulators had been made on our site since Joseph Whitehead established the Temuka brickworks in 1868 - quite a legacy, which we treasure.
Using the clay deposit found in the Kakahu Valley and with NEECO's capital/distribution - insulator production got into full swing.
In 1930, NZI's 3rd Manager Arthur Toplis also diversified into producing pottery. Toplis, a skilled potter, got Temuka Pottery going on a commercial scale with a contract to supply electric jugs, and later the Railways crockery. Arthur Toplis can take credit for New Zealand's much-loved brand Temuka Pottery.
The 1930's Depression hit NZI hard but during WW2 NZI was declared an 'essential industry' by the Government and insulator volumes grew quickly.
The Thomas Street site was partially destroyed by fire in 1950, which meant the business could rebuild and install next-generation electric kilns. The expanding New Zealand economy in the 50's & 60's saw infrastructure spend, and NZI's workforce grew to around 250.
In 1966 Cable Price took over NEECO (and therefore NZI) who phased out making tiles in 1970, but pivotally engaged Jack Laird of Nelson to revive the pottery product range in 1971. It was Jack Laird who designed the iconic brown Riverstone series which made Temuka Pottery a household name in New Zealand. We had specialist shops and sales reps supporting a significant pottery enterprise. But the cultural cringe of the pink-and-grey 80's saw to the decline of the Riverstone (and other) designs.
Variously we were then owned by Brierley Investments (1988), Skellerup Group (1993), and the ill-fated Maine Investments (1996). Across the 80's and 90's NZI had some boom years, and was split into three divisions with the Low Voltage division having it's own site in Ashburton. The business at peak employed more than 400 people, and many many staff stayed with NZI for their entire working lives.
So far however, the 21st Century has been difficult for New Zealand Insulators. Well-organised importers dealt a telling blow to NZI's market share. And rightly or wrongly, following 80-odd years of being the only show in town, we decided to stand our ground on price. It proved to be an expensive call, with sales declining quickly and some 200 jobs being lost - as NZI failed to compete against cheaper imports. Temuka Pottery also lost the contract for Crockpot liners in 2002. The company retrenched several times, closing the Ashburton site in 2007, closing the Temuka Pottery Shop in 2009, shifting Wholesaler clients to sister company ESC in 2010 - shrinking to annual sales of NZ$6.5million with just 35 staff.
From $18mill sales to a third of that in eight short years. It's a credit to NZI's unique strengths that we've been able to survive such a dramatic decline.
Late 2010, under Greg Howell's guidance, we made the fundamental decision to stand our ground, retain our manufacturing capability in South Canterbury, to remain a long-term local NZ producer.
During 2011, we then made some important moves. New catalogue, product range additions, extended North Island sales representation, competitive market pricing, investing in our factory, building our skill base, adding DTR polymer insulators to our range - we worked very hard to get NZI back on the front foot.
We're not crying about having lost market share, we've set off to see if we can't win some back.
And we've had good success, thanks to our client base willing to pay more-for-more and supporting the Temuka-made NZI brand.
Through 2011 & 2012, production staff in Temuka grew from 28 to 48 as we responded to the increasing demand. Factory volume is up 31% year-on-year (2012 v 2011), with several more factory positions added in Jan/Feb this year.
Which brings us to 2013, our 89th year. We're part of Tom Sturgess's Tiri Group www.tiri.co.nz and enjoy supportive well-funded private ownership. Our updated NZI 2013 Catalogue was released in January, showcasing a comprehensive product range which we're promoting this year. Our product positioning is now only top-end NZ & global brands, backed up by overnight delivery for both North & South Islands.
NZI has re-positioned itself, turned decline into growth, and put our clients at the centre of our business. There is more to do, but we're definitely making headway.
You may have heard - it isn't easy being a local New Zealand manufacturer at present.
But key individuals in the electricity industry understand it is vital we retain a NZ manufacturing base.
Like them, if you're in a position to assist NZI, please do.
Where do we start? Doing justice to 89-odd years of NZI history is a daunting task.
If you're the bite-sized executive-summary type, then please see below.
If you want a real-deal historical record (1924-2008), then try the brilliantly-written article which appears in Temuka Through The Years, published in 2009. To download the full (6MB) NZI article click here.
NZI HISTORY - SHORT VERSION
We became New Zealand Insulators when National Electric (NEECO) took over the Canterbury Pipe & Tile Company in 1924. Tiles, pipes, bricks and some insulators had been made on our site since Joseph Whitehead established the Temuka brickworks in 1868 - quite a legacy, which we treasure.
Using the clay deposit found in the Kakahu Valley and with NEECO's capital/distribution - insulator production got into full swing.
In 1930, NZI's 3rd Manager Arthur Toplis also diversified into producing pottery. Toplis, a skilled potter, got Temuka Pottery going on a commercial scale with a contract to supply electric jugs, and later the Railways crockery. Arthur Toplis can take credit for New Zealand's much-loved brand Temuka Pottery.
The 1930's Depression hit NZI hard but during WW2 NZI was declared an 'essential industry' by the Government and insulator volumes grew quickly.
The Thomas Street site was partially destroyed by fire in 1950, which meant the business could rebuild and install next-generation electric kilns. The expanding New Zealand economy in the 50's & 60's saw infrastructure spend, and NZI's workforce grew to around 250.
In 1966 Cable Price took over NEECO (and therefore NZI) who phased out making tiles in 1970, but pivotally engaged Jack Laird of Nelson to revive the pottery product range in 1971. It was Jack Laird who designed the iconic brown Riverstone series which made Temuka Pottery a household name in New Zealand. We had specialist shops and sales reps supporting a significant pottery enterprise. But the cultural cringe of the pink-and-grey 80's saw to the decline of the Riverstone (and other) designs.
Variously we were then owned by Brierley Investments (1988), Skellerup Group (1993), and the ill-fated Maine Investments (1996). Across the 80's and 90's NZI had some boom years, and was split into three divisions with the Low Voltage division having it's own site in Ashburton. The business at peak employed more than 400 people, and many many staff stayed with NZI for their entire working lives.
So far however, the 21st Century has been difficult for New Zealand Insulators. Well-organised importers dealt a telling blow to NZI's market share. And rightly or wrongly, following 80-odd years of being the only show in town, we decided to stand our ground on price. It proved to be an expensive call, with sales declining quickly and some 200 jobs being lost - as NZI failed to compete against cheaper imports. Temuka Pottery also lost the contract for Crockpot liners in 2002. The company retrenched several times, closing the Ashburton site in 2007, closing the Temuka Pottery Shop in 2009, shifting Wholesaler clients to sister company ESC in 2010 - shrinking to annual sales of NZ$6.5million with just 35 staff.
From $18mill sales to a third of that in eight short years. It's a credit to NZI's unique strengths that we've been able to survive such a dramatic decline.
Late 2010, under Greg Howell's guidance, we made the fundamental decision to stand our ground, retain our manufacturing capability in South Canterbury, to remain a long-term local NZ producer.
During 2011, we then made some important moves. New catalogue, product range additions, extended North Island sales representation, competitive market pricing, investing in our factory, building our skill base, adding DTR polymer insulators to our range - we worked very hard to get NZI back on the front foot.
We're not crying about having lost market share, we've set off to see if we can't win some back.
And we've had good success, thanks to our client base willing to pay more-for-more and supporting the Temuka-made NZI brand.
Through 2011 & 2012, production staff in Temuka grew from 28 to 48 as we responded to the increasing demand. Factory volume is up 31% year-on-year (2012 v 2011), with several more factory positions added in Jan/Feb this year.
Which brings us to 2013, our 89th year. We're part of Tom Sturgess's Tiri Group www.tiri.co.nz and enjoy supportive well-funded private ownership. Our updated NZI 2013 Catalogue was released in January, showcasing a comprehensive product range which we're promoting this year. Our product positioning is now only top-end NZ & global brands, backed up by overnight delivery for both North & South Islands.
NZI has re-positioned itself, turned decline into growth, and put our clients at the centre of our business. There is more to do, but we're definitely making headway.
You may have heard - it isn't easy being a local New Zealand manufacturer at present.
But key individuals in the electricity industry understand it is vital we retain a NZ manufacturing base.
Like them, if you're in a position to assist NZI, please do.
