Innovation drives growth

PREMIUM outdoor solutions company, NZ Louvres, is a Cambridge-based New Zealand-owned and operated business. Combining locally sourced, high-quality materials and componentry with high-calibre workmanship, has been a winning formula for NZ Louvres. “Innovation has really driven the growth we’ve seen – particularly over the last couple of years – as we’ve strived for continuous improvement,” says co-founder and CEO Steffan Haua. “Our focus on diversity, environmental sustainability, and supporting local, has been paramount to our success.” Established in 2013, NZ Louvres began with these values at the grassroots. Working with local suppliers and creating employment opportunities directly in the Waikato region really garnered support from the local community. The deliberate decision to not only embrace but insist on diversity in the team has created a vibrant and inclusive workplace of supported and valued individuals. The workforce – made up of Māori, Pakeha, Pacifica, Dutch, South African, Chinese, and Filipino New Zealanders, aged 19 to 65+ – brings a range of cultures, experience, and skillsets together, a move which brings the versatility and capability critical to the company’s growth strategy. Low environmental impact is another area on which the company has always held a strong focus. Imported aluminum has a high embodied carbon footprint and can be of inconsistent grade. As NZ Louvres product is mostly aluminium, McKechnie® is the obvious choice as New Zealand’s only extruder with a remelt. This means NZ Louvres products are made from premium-grade aluminium with high recycled content and a low carbon footprint. McKechnie® is the only aluminium extruder in New Zealand to achieve third-party Toitū carbon reduce (previously CEMARS®) product certification by Enviro-Mark Solutions Ltd. Other initiatives pursued include refurbishing posts/blades and beams where possible by retouching, repurposing as raw material to produce smaller components, re-powder coating parts for use in other builds, and recycling through Sims Metal Management. The sustainable approach extends from the workshop through to the office, with accounts being digitally sent and stored, and any paper that does make it to the shredder is then given to the local animal rescue. With recent global events and the impact on business continuity, the keep-it-local ethos has proven its worth. Providing employment opportunities in Waikato, and sourcing either New Zealand-made or at least NZ-supplied components, materials, and goods and services has helped ensure stable production and delivery. Partnering with local firms and building strong working relationships keeps the company up to date with best practices and global trends and affords the agility to adapt to New Zealand’s rapidly shifting landscape in the manufacturing sector. NZ Louvres has built a strong network of independent licensees throughout the region too. This spreads the company’s footprint and brings local support to the ever-expanding market. The licensees are from a range of backgrounds including an accountant, shade industry leaders, and even a louvre installer and past employee – both of whom leapt to the opportunity to build their own businesses. . There is demand for more dealers with some regions not yet allocated, and capacity for expansion already in place. NZ Louvres has recently appointed a new business development manager, Todd Lay, to take the lead on further expanding the licensee program into other regions. “We are here, waiting for the right people to knock on our door - people who are wanting to invest in themselves and our brand. In return, we invest in them,” says Todd.