News

It has been close to 30 weeks since the devastating fire at our Kaiapoi factory but we are pleased to advise that rebuild plans are well underway, and every week our production capability and service improves. In fact, many ranges are back to pre-fire stock levels.

Most of the New Zealand staff who relocated temporarily to Australia have now returned home and are busy running machines in the temporary production facility. Their amazing commitment, along with that of the Aussie team they worked alongside has allowed us to progress much faster than we expected.

We also express our heartfelt thanks to our suppliers – we would not be in this position without their incredible support, from packaging material to machine components.

Some of the incredible machine build team at Kaiapoi

Manufacturing Update

We are very proud to announce that on 18^th July 2022, the first drill was produced following the fire. Less than six months after the fire at Kaiapoi, the old site was cleared, a temporary production facility refitted, and two new machines were custom built and installed with production in operation 24 hours 6 days per week. Truly an amazing feat! A third machine will be in production in September with an additional two machines before year-end.

Meanwhile, planning for the new site in Rangiora is well underway. The new factory design is now complete and has been submitted for planning approval. Building works are expected to start early in the new year. We have received great support from the Waimakariri District Council, the Mayor and his team, who are just as keen as us to see the new plant up and running ASAP.

With our rebuild plan in full motion and continually improving stock levels, the second half of the year will be busier than ever. We are grateful for the ongoing support and understanding from all our customers, we are passionate about manufacturing in Australia and New Zealand and can’t wait to get fully operational again in NZ. We will keep you updated as the various projects progress.

Caption: Drill packing underway at the Maryborough factory in Australia.