$100 to $1M in five years

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 17

$100 to $1M in five years

A Hamilton-based plastic [film packaging company, [which began its exporting [career with a total of under [sloo in 1972, has posted a record $535,000 in exports [for the financial year just I ended. Not content with this, the company, Trigon' Plastics, Ltd, has embarked on a SIM expansion programme which will enable it to increase exports to an annual target of more than SIM. Trigon’s managing director, (Mr J. W. F. Foreman) said that computerised plant to be installed over the next few months would make the Hamilton manufacturer one of the most modern and efficient of its type in the world. “It is not easy for a private company to fund this type of growth but we must do it if we are to make any significant impact on overseas markets,” he said. Commenting on the effects of inflation in the plastics industry, Mr Foreman admitted that his own companyhad been hard hit by increasing costs of ■ raw materials and internal transport. “The latter is particularly frustrating because of the [ regulations which prevent [utilisation of alternative (transport methods within New Zealand. “We increased our total

sales in the year just ended by nearly SIM but the profit we were able to retain for product development and plant expansion was in fact less than the previous year,” he said. “It’s disappointing, to say the least, when we know we could have saved more than $40,000 this year had we been able to use more efficient transport. “In spite of these problems 1 believe we can, and should, make every effort to improve our output — particularly for export. While in agreement with general business opinion that New Zealand was facing at least another year of financial uncertainty, Mr Foreman considered the manufacturing sector of the local economy should be pressing ahead with a concerted drive for exports. “We must do this to help iron out the effects of over-

seas induced inflation on our country as a whole — and the unfortunate price fluctuations which will always beset our primary products.” Mr Foreman considered a target of New Zealand manufactured exports of SIOOOM, excluding forestry, was “quite realistic and very necessary in the near future.” Announcing the expansion p 1 ans for his own company,

Mr Foreman said new buildings and plant to be installed over the next few months would substantially increase output in a wide range of plastic films to be used here, in Australia, and Pacific countries.

A high quality, six-colour printing press to print a wide range of sophisticated films will assist with packaging and presentation of primary and manufactured exports. “New Zealand and Australian meat exporters are already making extensive use of our products and current plans are to extend our service in this field,” he said. A $lOO,OOO computer system, the first of its type in New Zealand, is to be installed later this year with the primary purpose of streamlining all aspects of production.

Trigon, with plants in Hamilton and Wellington, is to extend its present Auckland warehousing facilities to include bagmaking equipment. And a team leaves this week on an extensive export sales trail.