Cameron Shaw spent NZ$1.5 million on a German-made Weinig Conturex joinery machine two years ago. This is the only one of its kind in Australasia but has allowed Renall Windows & Doors to expand its manufacturing business. Sources: Stuff NZ, The Sunday Star Times
With this machine Mr Shaw, the managing director of Renall, has moved into a new niche producing insulated timber window joinery, built to fit double and triple-glazed windows.
With the popularity of insulated building solutions on the rise, the new window business is opening up.
“There was very little interest in double glazing until about five years ago, and then suddenly people started to think about insulation,” Mr Shaw said.
“We increased our business by 50% last year and we are looking to do the same again this year.
“We think there is enormous potential for this particular product.”
Founded in the mid-1970s, Renall Windows & Doors went into receivership in 1992 and Shaw purchased the distressed business.
At the time the company was involved in timber milling, timber drying, scaffold plank production and mouldings.
He abandoned unproductive areas of the business, and switched the focus to specialising in high-quality door products and high-tech manufacturing.
Timber-framed window fittings have been out of favour in New Zealand since the 1970s as Kiwis switched to less drafty aluminium joinery. But since the 1990s European construction began switching back to timber when digital technology enabled manufacturers to create weather-tight insulated joinery.
Mr Shaw, who regularly visits overseas trade shows for ideas and inspiration, saw an opportunity.
“Timber is the holy grail of joinery, and I absolutely believe that as Europe goes in that direction New Zealand will follow.
“There hasn’t been a high quality product available in New Zealand until now. We could win some ground back from people who have given up on the idea of timber joinery because in the past it hasn’t been of a high enough standard,” he said.
The company’s Weinig Conturex machinery cuts wood to precise measurements, which allow for the extra weight and width of double and tripleglazed windows.
The technology has not only enhanced the accuracy of work but also reduced production time.
“If you are in the timber joinery business in Europe and you don’t have this technology then you’re not in the business, it’s that simple. I thought, ‘we’ve got to transform the business or die’,” Shaw said.
“Now we can make a double-hung window and frame in about 15 minutes and it will take a normal joiner about 15 hours to do that. The results from our machine are virtually perfect.”
But efficient production hasn’t led to staff losing their jobs. Increasing demand for Renall’s products has seen Shaw expand his staff from 11 to 15 in the past year.
Although the door manufacturing side of the business has remained static, timber window frames have grown steadily, and after two years now account for 18% of the company’s business.
Shaw’s biggest challenge is changing preconceived ideas about timber window framing.
Homeowners have largely driven sales of Renall Windows & Doors’ products that are predominantly built from laminated and weather resistant New Zealand pinus radiata.
The construction industry has been a harder sell. Around 95% of new homes are built with aluminium joinery, and the industry has been slow to change, Shaw said.
The company has employed a sales rep devoted to talking to architects about their products.
“It’s about spreading the word that the only limitations of the technology are that the piece of wood can’t be more than 4.5 metres. That being said, we can actually join two pieces of wood together,” he said.
There is potential for the company to export to Australia but at the moment it is focusing on making inroads in the local market.
“Australia is further behind than New Zealand in this … We actually sold our old machinery – the one we bought in 1997 – into Australia two years ago.
“I heard that when that equipment crossed the water it was the highest-tech timber joinery making machinery in Australia.”
