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Firenzo: "I Want to Make the Best Fire in New Zealand"

Since 1974, Firenzo has been driven to make and supply the finest fireplaces in New Zealand. According to founder Peter Hewitson, it’s not about making the cheapest fire. It’s about producing the best fire. For almost half a century, Hewitson has strongly carried this belief alongside his 100% faith in Firenzo products.Simon Thacker, one of the Directors, has been working at Firenzo for 16 years, and the importance of this goal is something that really resonates with him. He understands that...

Earthwoven: Natural, Eco-Friendly Skincare for All!

After suffering long-term from bad skin, and taking note of the damaging chemicals in most skin-related products, Shaleah Lawrence founded skincare business Earthwoven in March of 2022. Her goal is to create and offer an exceptional product range that can be used over a long period of time, without harmfully affecting the environment.Lawrence remains committed to her mission of formulating and delivering safe, long term skincare solutions. According to Lawrence, her skincare range is particularl...

Centrix: The Home of NZ Credit Data

For 14 years and counting, Centrix have devoted their efforts to providing informative credit checks and reporting to many people throughout this country, all with a complete focus on New Zealand. Armed with data on over 4 million kiwi consumers, Centrix has the nation’s largest payment history database, with more information being added consistently.Ross Borrill, a Key Account Manager at Centrix, explains how there has always been a driving goal to provide innovative and unparalleled services...

Franklin Engineering: "Finding cool ways to do things"

Nigel Franklin had a plan. Once he was turning over enough money, he’d leave his job and run his own business full time. That big plan lasted two weeks, before Franklin, who couldn’t help himself, quit, bought a second-hand machine off of TradeMe, and gave his business venture a go.Equipped with a machinist background, Franklin created Franklin Engineering, which manufactures automotive parts under the brand Franklin Performance, and offers precision machining services across New Zealand, wi...

M2 Overland: Ute Systems for NZ Landscapes

M2 Overland are working hard to continue designing and providing adaptable products that fit the needs of fellow New Zealanders, delivering fit-for-purpose ute tray systems and service bodies on time that people can rely on.Nick Langan has been the General Manager of M2 Overland since the start of April 2020. When COVID was hitting people hard, to Langan it was a good time to push the brand and its capabilities, with Brandon Duncan, the Director, wanting to bring something unique to the market.Y...

Classic Sheepskins: Creating New Zealand Sheepskins For Over 50 Years

Staying strong over five decades after its establishment, Classic Sheepskins is now the only owned and operated sheepskin tannery in New Zealand, processing roughly 40,000 sheepskins per annum for a range of purposes, from seat covers to slippers.Kieran Callaghan, the General Manager of Classic Sheepskins, has a sense of pride in the company. Valuing premium products, Callaghan speaks in great detail about the process Classic Sheepskins undergo to maximise quality.The salted sheepskins are suppl...

Guaranteed Flow Systems: Getting the Work Done, No Matter What

29 years on from its establishment, Guaranteed Flow Systems (GFS) has developed from a pipeline and contracting company into a business that delivers water, waste water, and process solutions all across New Zealand, whilst offering continual support for clients.GFS houses a small but highly successful team. Despite only having a group of 15 workers, 5-10 million dollars in projects is turned over by GFS every year.Jackson Zheng, the Commercial Manager of Guaranteed Flow Systems, is very excited ...

Kind Face: Helping People Get Their Beauty Sleep

When lockdown hit, Chris Larcombe was left wondering what he could do to stay in business. After considering the large demand for face masks, he founded Kind Face, a company that has hand cut and hand sewn 15,500 face masks over the past few years.But it hasn’t stopped there. Kind Face has branched out into making products that improve people’s sleep and wellbeing, selling goods like weighted eye masks and pillows. Larcombe also values the environment, and ensures that all of Kind Face’s p...

Mactrap: Keeping our water safe

Because of the obligation businesses have to remove contaminants from any waste they put into water networks, Mactrap’s wastewater separation systems and associated pumping solutions are vital tools for businesses.Taking on the crucial responsibility of creating and selling machines that remove these contaminants, Mactrap, experts in wastewater separation in NZ, manufacture and supply everything from grease and sediment traps to oil interceptors and lint traps.Mactrap helps out their clients, ...

Glenn Jones Art: Capturing New Zealand in all Its Beauty

When Glenn Jones and his wife, Julia, looked for a way to use their unique skills to make a business that would allow them to work from home and spend more time with their children, they ultimately decided to make an art business, Glenn Jones Art, which sells artwork made by Jones that heavily incorporates kiwiana, nostalgia, and the unique culture we have in New Zealand.From images of jet planes soaring in the sky to a humorous depiction of a New Zealander ordering fish and chips, Jones is comm...

Hi-Tec Aerials: Connecting New Zealand, One Aerial at a Time

Hi-Tec Aerials supply aerials and technology to all kinds of people, businesses, and government agencies in New Zealand, improving communications and wireless solutions across the country.Elisha Nuttall, the current managing director of Hi-Tec Aerials, has been looking to bring in some fresh ideas, and take the skills, talents, and experience of the company and apply them to more markets and sectors after joining the company late last year.To Nuttall, it’s very important that he is able to und...

Maker Design Studio: Setting the World Alight

Founded in 2014 by Mat Macmillan, Tauranga-based Maker Design Studio continues to sell a range of lighting products using resources from New Zealand, producing solutions from Drum Pendants to Table Lamps that, according to Macmillan, improve in quality with time.Maker Design Studio has been growing “gradually but steadily”, Macmillan says. He has enjoyed this growth over the years, and is very proud of it considering how challenging his industry is. For Macmillan, this is all a dream come tr...

Untouched World: Caring For People and the Planet

41 years on from being established, Untouched World is still using sustainable practices to produce natural garments that have been worn by the likes of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Peri Drysdale, Untouched World’s founder, stresses the importance of helping people and the environment, instead of being solely focused on growth.Drysdale saw that changes needed to happen around how humans treat the planet, and she has been able to make a successful business that heavily values sustainability a...

Harrison Frames: Doing Business with the Right Frame of Mind

A family business through-and-through, Harrison Frames have been producing a wide variety of picture frames and mouldings for a long time. 60 years on from the company’s establishment, Jack Harrison, the son of founder George Harrison, is so proud that his business is still surviving and thriving to this very day.As well as offering said frames and mouldings, in their factory at Mount Maunganui in Tauranga, Harrison Frames complete a lot of customised work for anyone who is interested. Harriso...

Buy NZ Made buys trademark infringement-spotting software Logo Hunter

Buy New Zealand Made has bought AI software Logo Hunter to help it protect the Kiwi country of origin logo, as well as that of its clients.Buy NZ Made bought the software for an undisclosed price from Wellington-based Arcanum to detect and monitor trademark infringements and unauthorised usage of logos.Executive director Dane Ambler said the investment was expected to pay for itself quickly."We'd see up to 100 infringements of the New Zealand-made logo per year," he said."This investment would p...

NZ-Made CNX win big at Nelson’s Premier Business Awards

Nelson-based CNX, a leading IT technology solutions provider, has been named the Mediaworks Medium Business Award winner at the Nelson Pine Industries Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.The awards ceremony, which took place on February 24th, 2023, recognised the outstanding achievements of local businesses across a range of categories.CNX, a New Zealand Made licence holder since 2020, provides cutting-edge technology solutions to businesses across Te Tau Ihu and Aotearoa and has been instrument...

Classic New Zealand Limited

When was it started and why?1969 to produce the world’s softest sheepskins.What is the most unique/exciting aspect of the business?The only New Zealand owned and operated Tannery.What are you most proud of?We take a waste-product of the food supply chain and transform it into something of high quality, value, and comfort. At Classic, we are driven by our responsibility to nature – to honour and respect, protect and sustain – and our desire to enhance the lives of families across the world,...

Smith Attachments (2012) Limited

Smith Floats - who are we?In late 2021, Smith Attachments had the opportunity to begin manufacturing horse floats. Between our 45 years of engineering experience and Susie Amos’s wealth of knowledge and experience with horses, it was decided that we could make the safest, strongest and best manufactured floats on the market. With this, February 2022, saw the beginning of Smith Floats.What is our history?Smith Attachments didn’t just decide over night that we could build floats - our experien...

Be My Guest: Designed for Greatness

In pursuit of a creative outlet while on maternity leave, Amanda Cookson couldn’t find a part time job that suited her skills, nor one that had flexible hours.Deciding that going back to a full time job was not on the cards, she tried to discuss part time, flexible work that suited her set of skills, but came up empty handed.With that, she chose to completely devote her time to her own business, which was once a small, creative retreat from her corporate occupation, but is now a company that h...

Natures Therapeutics - Q&A

When was it started your business and why?Kia ora my name is Gordon. I’m the Founder and CEO of Natures Therapeutics. Our operations commenced August 2020. Based in Whangarei New Zealand, we manufacture a range of health and personal products. Each product contains at least 1 plant extract traditionally used by Māori.Our health products help relieve respiratory, muscular, joint, and skin conditions. Products are natural - a great alternative to the chemical-based options! Final products ...

Tides Out Maps: Mapping out artistic success

While taking a year off from his engineering job, Matt Peacock’s passion for art, coupled with a friend who kept telling him to turn it into a business, led him to found Tides Out Maps. The business sells handcrafted wooden depth maps based on the waterways of New Zealand. Peacock has found his entrepreneurial fulfilling and is especially proud of just how satisfied his customers are with his maps. What the business has to offer The range of the maps is vast, covering all o...

Drying to be the best

Drying Solutions was born out of a struggle to find a device that could dry macadamia nuts. Sensing an opportunity, co-owners Robert and Paulette set their sights on the nut growing industry, and when that venture proved unsuccessful, they turned their sights to the pet food industry.From there, the business, which provides drying solutions for a wide range of food industries, has grown with increased diversification into various products like fruit, leaves, and mussels.It creates energy ef...

Pasta Vera: A taste of Italy in New Zealand

Phil Bennett found his passion for food as a teenager through his friends, who were bakers and chefs. They introduced him to the idea of getting involved in the food industry himself, and with a fondness for Italian cuisine, he teamed up with co-owner Linda Murphy to make high quality, fresh pasta.The owners’ skills complement each other very nicely. Phil excels in product development, engineering, and sales, and Linda is talented at analytics, finance, and her ability to build strong business...

No pain, no gain for innovative desk start-up

Qualified physio Bart de Vries felt he was doing meaningful work, until he realised he was sending people back to the environments that had injured them in the first place.Disheartened, he decided to give up his career to create “the world’s healthiest desks” back in 2015.“I was sick of seeing people return to the environments that were injuring them.“I decided I should look for a better workspace setup but couldn't find one that did what I wanted.”Seven years on, Limber’s space ef...

Authentic Aleppo soap at its finest

In 2017, while thinking of business ideas, Hasan Chahoud’s son asked him: “Baba, why don’t you start the saboon business?” With aleppo soap being a part of Chahoud’s family business in Syria, and soap making being a long-standing part of his family, he jumped at the opportunity.Hasan Aleppo Soap’s roots come from a rich knowledge of making aleppo soap, and the business now crafts a range of natural and authentic aleppo soaps as well as other health products with a focus on quali...