Waikato Business News February/March 2020

L-R APL Managing Director Mitch Plaw & CEO Craig Vincent
APL in Hautapu is Foster Construction’s
biggest project to date: the new state-of-theart
47,000m² manufacturing facility is almost
half a kilometre long and over 100m wide. It
features the latest technologies in construction,
hybrid mechanical services, electronic LED
lighting and manufacturing machinery.
It will be operational by the start of April 2020,
effectively 12 months since the start of the
project.
A family-owned business, APL is visionary
in reducing their environmental impact,
determined to set an example as a large
industrial company ‘doing their bit’ for the
environment. So, their main objective here was
to create a truly sustainable building which
would see the business through at least the
next 50 years, says CEO Craig Vincent.
“Our new facility incorporates what we’ve
learned over the last 25 years to ensure
our business can grow significantly and
comfortably” says Craig.
“It’s important to us that it’s built in an
environmentally friendly way and will be
operationally efficient. We’re also creating a
truly inviting place for people to work in.”
He adds that the Foster team “have done
something amazing” in delivering the project.
“We turned the foundations in April 2019 with
critical construction works undertaken over the
wet winter months. Despite very challenging
weather conditions, Fosters managed to pull
it off and we started installing the plant in
October, right on schedule.
“We’ve worked with the Foster Group for the
last 25 years because we always get a great
result. We enjoy the process and the people.
“We’re not building an average warehouse;
we’re trying to create an architectural
statement and a sustainable workplace with
the highest quality finish. Fosters understand
our expectations and they deliver.”
APL Hautapu is on track to achieve a Greenstar
rating, which denotes world leading design,
construction, operation and fitout – a healthy
place for people and the environment.
FOSTERS.CO.NZ . 07 849 3849