Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

Big export prospect for small Papanui firm

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) SYDNEY, October 22. A chance participation in the Sydney engineering exhibition last month seems likely to result in a multi-million dollar export deal with Australia for a small Christchurch electronics firm.

The firm is Matthews-Grant Dynamics, Ltd, of Papanui, whose export sales manager, Mr N. L. Matthews, has achieved spectacular success since coming to Australia with an electronic solid-state speed controller, which is used in electric motors.

The main application for the device is in underground electric locomotives used in coalmining. Mr Matthews estimated < tndav that firm orders worth!

$500,000 were written in the week of the exhibition. Since then, Mr Matthews has captured the interest of big coalmining companies in I the Australian eastern J states, and he expects busi-

ness to reach as much as s3m in the years ahead. The controller is manufactured at the firm's Papanui factory under licence to a British-based American firm, Sevcon Engineering, Ltd. “We had planned a new factory at Papanui, but now [we will have to at least Idouble our estimates,” Mr IMatthews said. The company now i employs a staff of 15, but I this too will have to be

doubled, and a production! line process installed, toi keep pace with the new i orders. Advantages Mr Matthews said thej main advantages of the New; Zealand-made device were that it gave a smooth ride, was 99 per cent efficient, with no drain on batteries, and was virtually mainten-j ance-free. The boom in coalmining in! Australia, resulting from rapidly increasing oil prices, j had undoubtedly helped him! in his sales drive, he said. However, the company j nearly'did not take part in the exhibition. “We are only a small; company, only three years j old, and I can’t spend too | much time away from the' factory,” he said. Help praised Mr Matthews was quick to pay tribute to his two fellow directors and the New! Zealand Consulate in Syd-‘ ney, which arranged the I exhibition and has helped I Mr Matthews in his dealing! this month. “My directors, Jack Henj derson and David Cooper, of, ‘ Cooper Henderson Motors, ’ are two hard-working, dyna- . mic men who have backed . me to the hilt,” he said. ’ Mr Matthews said , although he was having r great success in Australia, . he could see no reason to establish a manufacturing ’ plant there. “It is a labour-intensive manufacture and while we import transistors, the rest of our materials are New Zealand-made. “We can handle the business from New Zealand and I don’t see any advantage in coming here unless we 3 strike tariff barriers.” Mr Matthews already has 't the South-East Asian, Inn donesian and Chilean mary kets in mind. And when >t coalmining is covered, he will aim for the fork-lift 1- truck market, for which the n speed control device is also designed.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19741023.2.26

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 3

Word Count
477

Big export prospect for small Papanui firm Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 3

Big export prospect for small Papanui firm Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 3

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert