December 2022 - Bay of Plenty Business News

More documents

Recommendations

Info

26 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS December 2022 LAW Why more top lawyers are moving to Cooney Lees Morgan A growing desire to combine career and lifestyle opportunities means Bay residents and businesses now have access to some of New Zealand’s sharpest legal minds and courtroom operators. Our region’s enviable weather and lifestyle, combined with the hefty and challenging legal work on offer at Cooney Lees Morgan, is attracting an increasing number of highly-skilled lawyers to Tauranga from a variety of backgrounds. The firm continues to recruit top talent and now employs well over 100 staff who handle significant deals and clients on a nationwide scale. CLM recently spearheaded a $300m property partnership between Tauranga-based Classic Group and the New Zealand Super Fund; administered Zespri’s $350m annual grower licensing project; advised multiple Councils and private employers on how to implement mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policies; and appeared before the Court of Appeal to represent clients regarding Resource Management case law of national significance. It’s that reputation and capability that caught the eye of Greg Stringer who is a former partner of a prominent Auckland law firm. He has spent his entire 30 year career working in South Auckland, going head-to-head with renowned KCs and senior lawyers in the High Court and Court of Appeal – and has now relocated to Tauranga to work at CLM. As a child, Greg spent a year living in Ohope, near Whakatane, and has always loved the Bay of Plenty. “Tauranga just really appealed because it’s a growing place. It’s a vibrant city that has some really good work, but also has the outdoor lifestyle aspects like the beach and tramping which I love. Cooneys has a good culture, good systems and is a modern firm. “I always use the analogy that a good law firm is like a good pub quiz team – you have to have a range of experience and ages to get a good mix. They also have a great range of high quality work which was important to me as well. I want to continue to be challenged and keep growing as a lawyer.” As Special Counsel at Cooney Lees Morgan, Greg is now working across the firm’s family law, civil litigation and local government teams, collaborating with his new colleagues and mentoring younger lawyers. “I’m able to react quickly and can cover anything because I’ve worked across so many different areas. I’m a safe pair of hands and can add value, and it’s a good symbiotic relationship – I can do the sort of work I want to without the pressures of being a Partner, and can enjoy being part of a great team as well.” The chance to enjoy the Bay of Plenty lifestyle is also what drew Robbie Bennett to Cooneys in April this year, leaving behind a role at a top tier law firm in Auckland where he spent the previous five years. He is now a Senior Associate in Cooney’s Property & Development Team and advises clients on a range of property and commercial matters including large-scale property sales, acquisitions, leasing arrangements, developments and syndications. During his eight year career, Robbie has acted for a number of clients in deals worth well in excess of $100m, and Cooneys continues to provide him with high-quality, challenging work. “There is definitely the opportunity to become involved in complex legal work and large transactions here. I’ve also enjoyed the challenge of becoming a more well-rounded lawyer and advising clients on a wider range of legal matters, such as funding and corporate structural aspects rather than just pure property work. I’ve become more involved in clients’ whole end-to-end business rather than just one aspect of it which is very satisfying.” Greater lifestyle opportunities and Auckland’s high house prices also contributed to Robbie’s decision to relocate to Tauranga with his partner, Becky. But ultimately, the opportunity to work at Cooneys was too good to pass up. “Cooneys has a really good reputation and it’s a good opportunity to build my practice and my career. There’s a supportive and collegial atmosphere and everyone gets on well.” Having grown up in Hamilton, Robbie is GREG STRINGER, Special Counsel and ROBBIE BENNETT, Senior Associate, Cooney Lees Morgan excited to now live in the Bay of Plenty and is looking forward to his first summer as a local. “I’m definitely enjoying the region’s lifestyle opportunities and a more relaxed pace of life. A round of golf or a morning walk with our dog are my ideal ways to unwind.” CLM’s CEO Cecilia Burgess says the arrival of Greg and Robbie are just two examples of the depth of legal talent now available at the firm to support growing Bay businesses and private clients. “Cooneys has been pivotal to the growth of Tauranga for more than a century. We’re proud to continue providing that vital legal support and have all the expertise on hand to help our clients thrive and achieve their goals.” Tyler Buckley Ocean Swimmer + Associate Lawyer
December 2022 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 27 MANUFACTURING Opportunities in manufacturing The traditional perceptions of manufacturing as an industry primarily focused on mass production have become outdated. While materials and assembly – bashing steel, fitting parts – is still the crucial function of a manufacturing company, to prosper in a modern business environment requires a wider scope of work characterised by a commitment to innovation within each major business function. MICHAEL SIEVWRIGHT CEO Trimax Mowing Systems With the introduction of our welding robots, we’ve been able to transition a valuable skill set into a role with less physical demand and increased longevity. Our welders can train, develop, and extend their careers, and Trimax can provide more opportunities for a wider workforce.” Today’s manufacturing landscape contains a multitude of diverse roles – and with them, a wider range of opportunities for employee development and retention. Trimax Mowing Systems in Greerton, Tauranga has adopted such a holistic view in their company structure, incorporating design, engineering, sales, service, marketing, business development, and distribution along with their production capabilities. Michael Sievwright, CEO of Trimax Mowing Systems, summarises: “Trimax is a customer-driven company that manufactures, not only a manufacturer.” Here Michael outlines three key strategies that set Trimax apart from their manufacturing contemporaries. Embracing process and technology “In the New Zealand manufacturing environment, we have to invest in effective process and automation. Developing thorough standard operating procedures, designing for manufacture, and incorporating automation are essential for us to advance in the competitive global market.” Driving acceptance for new processes, especially in a company like Trimax that has been actively in production for over 40 years, can sometimes pose a challenge. Working with the operations team to communicate the reasoning behind the changes and the benefits that they bring to the company, as well as encouraging active collaboration from team members throughout the integration process, has allowed Trimax to successfully integrate new systems with eager cooperation from experienced staff. Trimax emphasises automation as a tool and an investment not only for production but for staff development. The recent incorporation of welding robots in the New Zealand factory has been successfully implemented with this longterm upskilling approach. “Welding is quite physical. With the introduction of our welding robots, we’ve been able to transition a valuable skill set into a role with less physical demand and increased longevity. Our welders can train, develop, and extend their careers, and Trimax can provide more opportunities for a wider workforce.” The addition of some automated work functions has also allowed Trimax to increase their productivity. “The robots are allowing our team to achieve two to three times the output that we could achieve with traditional welding alone, and the machinery isn’t even running at full capacity.” Applying globally learned lessons Trimax’s target customer bases are closely connected to their land, placing inherent value on the ability to be physically close to their markets. The focus on relationship building and collaborative problem solving throughout the Trimax sales process also necessitates a fixed local presence in the locations where the company plans to grow and expand their business. Since the mid-1980s, Trimax has established a global infrastructure that includes local staff and facilities not only in New Zealand but also in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. “We have facilities in those countries. We manufacture in those countries. But New Zealand is still a core part of our business and operation. Through our internal knowledge sharing we’re able to bring value from our experiences in other markets back to our operations in the Bay of Plenty, and vice versa.” The Bay of Plenty has a surprisingly high concentration of high-value manufacturing businesses. We can grow our region’s capability by coming together as a community to share our knowledge and best practices.” Trimax hosts their engineering team and knowledge base here in New Zealand, serving as a centralised hub for their global operations. Steady communication with their international facilities enables Trimax to centrally incorporate beneficial developments across all their locations and promotes a consistent customer experience no matter where in the world a customer is based. This global consistency is especially important due to Trimax’s high global export volumes. With manufacturing facilities firmly established in three out of four of their major markets, product can be moved around the world to meet global demand without concern over differing manufacturing methodologies or quality between mowers produced in different factories. Planning for continuous development The outlook for New Zealand’s manufacturing sector is constantly evolving as new technological and procedural developments gain traction. Staying at the forefront of the industry entails a high level of vigilance to up-and-coming trends and the foresight to understand how new technologies might be applied within the framework of Trimax’s business. In such situations, the development of a community of practice can be mutually beneficial to all those involved. “The Bay of Plenty has a surprisingly high concentration of highvalue manufacturing businesses. We can grow our region’s capability by coming together as a community to share our knowledge and best practices.” Most important is maintaining the right mindset. Recognising that there is always room for improvement and remaining open to the possibility of finding a better way prevents companies like Trimax from getting stagnant and increases the agility of the overall business. Trimax underscores this tenant through one of their main pillars of culture: Stay curious and humble.
Page 1 and 2: DECEMBER 2022 VOLUME 6: ISSUE 12 WW
Page 3 and 4: December 2022 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINES
Page 9 and 10: Turn to page 5 BBN-November-2022.in
Page 25: December 2022 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINES

December 2022 - Bay of Plenty Business News

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?