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CLIENT NEWS - Fosters awarded contract for Waikato Innovation Park expansion

After a competitive tender process, Hamilton-based Foster Construction Limited has been awarded the contract for the Waikato Innovation Park expansion. Waikato Innovation Park received resource consent in November to extend its size by more than 30%. Fosters was one of three firms who tendered for the project, which will add 2,900sqm to the business hub. This building is the sixth of sixteen planned for the site. Waikato Innovation Park CEO Stuart Gordon says Foster’s reputation for quality, c...

CLIENT NEWS - CRV urges farmers to be proactive about managing facial eczema

As mating season draws to a close and the hot, humid weather sets in, CRV Ambreed is urging dairy farmers to be proactive about managing facial eczema (FE). The call comes following an investment by The Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) Sustainable Farming Fund to support the Facial Eczema Action Group – made up of veterinarians, dairy farmers and rural professionals – to explore ways of raising awareness of FE so that more farmers take preventative action. According to a recent study l...

CLIENT NEWS - Duplexes in Hamilton are developer and investor property du jour

Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says one of the developer and investor trends for 2019 has been the rise in demand for duplexes in Hamilton. “This year we have certainly seen a marked increase in the number of duplexes being constructed right across the city. In fact, according to the Hamilton City Council, the number of consents issued for duplexes has risen from just one in 2014 to 139 in 2019. “This is due to the fact that the style of property suits both developers...

CLIENT NEWS - From Super Rugby to super gym – top global franchise appoints NZ marketing boss

Ex-Super Rugby marketer Vanessa Parker has joined one of the world’s top global franchises as its chief marketing officer for New Zealand. Based in Hamilton, Vanessa joined the Anytime Fitness NZ team last month. Her move comes after 7 years as Marketing Manager for the Chiefs and then as Marketing and Membership Manager for the Blues. Vanessa says the parallels between the Super Rugby and fitness industries meant the transition was a logical one. “Super Rugby and attendance at live sport ...

CLIENT NEWS - Farmer education top priority for new GM

Educating farmers in Asia and South America about using innovation and technology to drive profitability is a priority for Gallagher Animal Management’s new General Manager. Darrell Jones has propelled himself from the green pastures of the Waikato to the international stage, tasked with growing business for Gallagher in New Zealand, Asia and South America. Jones has been with Gallagher since 2001, starting out as Territory Manager for the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato. Jones is a father of t...

CLIENT NEWS - Angus Haslett appointed first international boss of CRV global

CRV Ambreed managing director Angus Haslett has been appointed CEO of CRV’s global artificial breeding business, making him the company’s first ever international CEO. Kiwi born and bred, Mr Haslett will succeed Roald van Noort, who has successfully led CRV for over 12 years. Mr van Noort will step down as CEO and Chairman of CRV’s Executive Board on May 1st 2020. Mr Haslett joined CRV in 2009 as Managing Director of the Business Unit Oceania and most recently managed the USA operation. H...

CLIENT NEWS - Raglan Coconut Yoghurt receive funding boost

A Raglan coconut yoghurt business spreading joy in a jar has received a funding boost as it looks to expand and build a new factory, with the help ofWEL Energy Trustand the Ākina Foundation. Raglan Coconut Yoghurt, established by Tesh Randall and fiancé Seb Walter, is one of three Waikato social enterprises that have received Impact Investment Readiness Grants to help grow their businesses. The funding is part of a $50,000 Impact Investment Readiness Grant WEL Energy Trust has provided to impa...

PR TIPS - Don’t be a Drew and other PR lessons

Some of the top news stories at the end of 2019 – globally and here at home – have provided us with a few great lessons in public relations.  I realise not everyone lives life through a PR lens, so if you’ve missed these, let me bring you up to speed. The Swarbrick Reverb I’m naming it the “Swarbrick Reverb.”  It’s not just a PR lesson, but perhaps also a new physics theory that’s emerged in the age of social media.  What am I referring to?  That would be the...

CLIENT NEWS - Accolades for the Waikato’s most eligible bovine bachelors

Two of the Waikato’s most eligible bovine bachelors have been recognised for their services after fathering more than 43,000 daughters between them across the country.  Jersey bull Degree and Friesian bull Macca have been inducted into CRV Ambreed’s Hall of Fame for their services to the New Zealand dairy industry. The accolade comes as part of the breeding company’s 50th birthday celebrations. “For a bull to be inducted into the Hall of Fame he needs to have made a significant con...

CLIENT NEWS - Fine Homes Tour raises $118,500 for three charities in 10th anniversary year

Hamilton’s Fine Homes Tour has raised $118,500 for three charities, announced last night at a presentation evening following a successful event held on Friday 8 November. The event, sponsored by Lodge Real Estate, was introduced to Hamilton in 2003 by Christine Couch and Jane Hargood. This year was the 10th anniversary of the biennial event. The three charities receiving a share of the funds raised are the Child Cancer Foundation, Look Good Feel Better and Stroke Foundation Waikato. This year,...

CLIENT NEWS - Top pool players win ‘Anywhere in the World’ trip

Three star pool players have won an all-expenses-paid trip to a pool tournament of their choice, anywhere in the world. Massé’s ‘Anywhere in the World’ tournament winners Marco Teutscher, Ronald Lopez and Marvin Padrigo were announced at Massé Hamilton over the weekend, following intense competition throughout 2019. The winners triumphed over 268 other players across Massé’s five clubs, playing 14 weekly 8 Ball tournaments, 12 weeks of 9 Ball tournaments and 11 weeks of 10 Ball tourna...

Blog: Five powerful Facebook ads targeting options you didn’t know existed

It’s old news that advertising on Facebook and Instagram is a cost-effective way to reach new and existing customers to grow your business. Facebook's mind-blowing, granular targeting options ensure that your ads reach the people who will be genuinely interested in the products or services that you're offering. But if you’ve ever set up a Facebook ads campaign, you know the targeting options across the categories of demographics, interests, behaviour, page connections and re-marketing can be...

CLIENT NEWS - Dairy farmers strike gold across the country

Five lucky farmers have struck gold this mating season, each winning $2000 after finding a special straw in their artificial insemination (AI) bank. CRV Ambreed inserted five golden straws into five AI banks - three in the North Island and two in the South Island - as distribution of semen straws started ahead of spring mating. The promotion was part of golden anniversary celebrations, recognising the company’s 50th year of proven performance. All the straws have now all been found and the w...

CLIENT NEWS - Hamilton house prices rachet upward as market strengthens

Hamilton’s residential property market continues to strengthen and sale prices continue to surprise the city’s agents, sellers and buyers. While Hamilton’s median house price hasn’t hit the $600,000 milestone yet, it is very close with the Real Estate Institute of NZ (REINZ) reporting it was $585,000 for October. Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says, “It’s been difficult in recent months to predict the final sale price of many of the homes coming onto the Hamilt...

CLIENT NEWS - Learning Matters receive launch funding to help NZ kids

An online literacy programme designed to help children with learning differences like dyslexia will be launched with the help of funding fromWEL Energy Trust and the Ākina Foundation. Learning Matters, established by Hamilton mother and teacher Carla McNeil, is one of three Waikato social enterprises that have received Impact Investment Readiness Grants to help grow their businesses. Learning Matters will receive $10,000 worth of professional services to seek investment to launch its online lit...

CLIENT NEWS - Providing employment opportunities for refugees around New Zealand is the new goal of Hamilton’s Home Kitchen

Providing employment opportunities for refugees around New Zealand is the new goal of Hamilton’s Home Kitchen, as it seeks to expand with the help of WEL Energy Trust and the Ākina Foundation. Home Kitchen, established by Waikato social entrepreneur Tania Jones, is one of three Waikato social enterprises that have received Impact Investment Readiness Grants to help grow their businesses. Miss Jones will receive $20,000 towards seeking investment to expand Home Kitchen nationwide and investiga...

CLIENT NEWS - WEL and Akina funding partnership announcement

Waikato businesses founded to do good, have received a major boost with a $50,000 funding partnership announced between WEL Energy Trust and impact development organisation the Ākina Foundation. WEL Energy Trust has provided a $50,000 Impact Investment Readiness Grant to Ākina, to support three Waikato social enterprises and grow the social enterprise landscape in the region. The first three grant recipients are Raglan Coconut Yoghurt, Learning Matters andHome Kitchen. They will now work with ...

HMC NEWS - From spare bedroom to award winning PR firm – HMC turns 15

What started out on a whim in a spare bedroom has grown into an award-winning public relations firm, helping companies across the country get noticed and gain respect. Hamilton-based HMC Communications celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Its founder and managing director Heather Claycomb says having the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives is what gets her out of bed every morning. “I love making a difference,” she says. “Life isn’t worth living if the world isn�...

HMC NEWS - Leading PR agency becomes a social enterprise and donates 100% of profits to charity

Hamilton public relations agency, HMC, announced today that it has become a social enterprise and is now donating 100% of its profits to charity. HMC director Heather Claycomb says HMC’s charity of choice is All Good Ventures, a New Zealand registered charity. “My husband, Rod, and I started All Good Ventures last year.  Through that charity we fund and mentor emerging social entrepreneurs who want to start a business and use that business’s profits to help people living in deprivatio...

CLIENT NEWS - Waikato region invited to feedback on wellbeing targets in upcoming community conversations

The people of Waikato are being asked what they think of a set of 17 wellbeing goals designed to help address the big issues facing the Waikato region by 2030. The Waikato Wellbeing Project, with oversight from the Waikato Plan leadership committee and led by WEL Energy Trust and Waikato Regional Council, is the first of its kind in New Zealand and is designed to create a more environmentally sustainable, prosperous and inclusive Waikato by 2030. The project will identify specific targets that a...

CLIENT NEWS - Waikato Innovation Park targets Auckland tech companies to make the move south

Hamilton’s Waikato Innovation Park has received resource consent to extend its size by more than a third as it seeks to lure Auckland companies to the growing Waikato technology hub.  Stuart Gordon, CEO of Waikato Innovation Park, said Innovation Park’s expansion provided immense opportunity for the Waikato region, Hamilton already home to New Zealand’s fastest growing tech sector.  “Our region has already produced globally successful companies working in hi...

CLIENT NEWS - Cannasouth expands with 60% strategic stake in Midwest Pharmaceutics NZ Limited

Cannasouth has today entered into an agreement to acquire a 60 per cent shareholding in Hawkes Bay-based Midwest Pharmaceutics NZ Limited for a purchase price of $1.32 million. Cannasouth Limited successfully raised NZ$10m in its IPO to develop and grow a sustainable medicinal cannabis business in New Zealand. Cannasouth CEO Mark Lucas says the acquisition of Midwest is a significant milestone for the company. “Together with the recent Cannasouth Cultivation Joint Venture, we have now implemen...

CLIENT NEWS - Waikato’s top business leaders gather to mark Te Waka’s first anniversary

Te Waka celebrated its one-year anniversary at an event on Friday alongside nearly 200 business and community leaders. Te Waka chief executive Michael Bassett-Foss, says he is pleased with what the organisation has accomplished in such a short time. “We have distributed $500,000 of capability funding from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and facilitated $5.6m of research and development funding from Callaghan Innovation to businesses in the region. A further $25m of research and development ...

CLIENT NEWS Exclusive deal cements Quantec’s long-term presence in China

An exclusive 20-year deal with China-based Holon has cemented Quantec’s long term presence in the Chinese market. This watershed agreement will see Quantec supply a growing volume of its Immune Defense Proteins (IDP®) product to Holon for use in its mother baby health and nutrition products. Holon is a premium distributor and a significant player in the Chinese mother baby supplement market – worth approximately NZ$4.2 billion. The immunity products channel within this market accounts for...

CLIENT NEWS - Happy 50th CRV! Industry comes together to celebrate

Celebrations are underway this week at CRV Ambreed as it celebrates its 50th anniversary, culminating with a special gala dinner tonight at The Atrium at Wintec in Hamilton. Earlier this week, more than 50 business and industry leaders joined the CRV senior management team and their Dutch executive colleagues from the Netherlands to mark the occasion. CRV chairman Peter Broeckx, chief executive Roald van Noort, and chief operating officer Huib Jan Kransenberg will also join more than 200 staff,...