Page 12 - HW December 2019

hard news
Looking for short payback on solar investment
Earlier this month, 114 solar panels were installed on the roof of Mitre 10 Te Kuiti. Estimated to produce around 85%
of the store’s annual electricity needs, during testing the system was producing more power than the store needed, meaning a small surplus was being pushed back out to the grid.
While this will be the case most days in summer, says Mitre 10, in winter the store will still rely on the grid to top up its power needs.
Mitre 10 Te Kuiti owner, Vaughan Wheeler (photo above), says the new system is guaranteed to generate power for 25 years, but reckons the investment will pay off within six years.
The solar panels, as well as two large inverters, were installed by SolarKing.
www.mitre10.co.nz
Roofing Industries
acquires Roofman
NZ owned and operated metal roof and cladding manufacturer Roofing Industries and Roofing Industries (Taupo) have acquired longrun manufacturer Roofman Tauranga (Roof Manufacturers), effective 2 December 2019.
All Roofman staff will be retained at either the Tauranga or Mount Maunganui branches and both locations remain open for business supplying longrun metal roofing, cladding and ancillary products across the Western Bay of Plenty.
www.roof.co.nz www.roofman.co.nz
Who’s best in building safety?
ALEXANDRA PARK IN
Auckland hosted the Site Safe Construction Health, Safety & Wellbeing Awards in early November.
Everyone who’s anyone in and around wellbeing in building joined MC Hilary Barry and special guest Mike King to celebrate the best and brightest in construction health and safety.
Here are all the Winners...
• Bettabuilt Safety Innovation Award (Large) – Spiral Drillers Civil
• Dominion Constructors Safety Innovation Award (Small to Medium) – Biggins Interior Solutions
• Mitre 10 Trade Safety Leadership Award – Acrow
• Vero Liability Insurance Safety
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE winners
of the Registered Master Builders Association CARTERS Apprentice of the Year 2019 Competition!
Proudly representing their respective regions, nine finalists from around the country were put through their paces
in interviews and then challenged to create a playground pirate ship for Early Childhood Education Centre charity
BestStart in their quest to win the national title.
In 3rd place was Jay Pope from Mudgway Construction (Top of the South), 2nd place went to Jason Helsby from Catalyst Construction in Auckland, but this year’s Apprentice of the Year is Morgan Wills from Stewart Hanna in Hamilton.
Winning the title of New Zealand’s 2019 Apprentice of the Year,
Morgan is from Hamilton and is currently employed by Stewart Hanna, after completing his training with BCITO.
The Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition is made possible thanks to principal sponsor CARTERS, BCITO and supporting sponsor Building Performance, as part of MBIE.
www.apprenticeoftheyear.co.nz
Safety Innovation Award (Small-Medium) winner, Biggins Interior Solutions’ Steve Leitch with partner Carlene and his uncle, Sir Peter Leitch.
Contribution Award – Bradley
Project Management
• Kalmar Mental Health & Wellbeing Award – FloorRight Installations; Switched On Group; Team Cabling
• Judges’ Special Mentions – NZ Transport Agency, KiwiRail, North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery; and Premium Homes www.sitesafe.org.nz
Introducing the year’s best young builders
2019’s top apprentices (L-R):
Jason Helsby, winner Morgan Wills and Jay Pope
10 NZHJ | DECEMBER 2019
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz