20 June 2002
2002 WestpacTrust Manukau Business Excellence Awards
Rayglass Boats Wins Manufacturing, Export And Business Of The Year Award
Rayglass Boats of Pakuranga has won three coveted awards at this year’s 2002 WestpacTrust Manukau Business Excellence
Awards; Cock & Bull Excellence in Manufacturing Award, Excellence in Exporting Award and taking supreme honors with the WestpacTrust
Business of the Year Award.
Recognised within the industry as New Zealand’s most progressive and innovative marine builder, Rayglass manufactures
custom-built fibreglass boats at a ‘world class’ manufacturing facility. The judges found that Rayglass Boats excelled
with its unique design and manufacturing techniques that achieves maximum manufacturing flexibility. Of particular note
was Rayglass Boats quality standard, which has been independently adapted from the auto industry.
The boat building export market is highly competitive both locally and overseas however, Rayglass Boats excels on all
levels. In three years, Rayglass has quadrupled its export production. The brand is registered in the United States,
Australia and UK and strong off shore markets have been developed in USA, European and Asian markets. Recognised as the
finest Trailer Boat company in New Zealand (both by size and reputation), the company anticipates a $20 million turnover
in 2003.
Five years ago Rayglass Boats moved 50% of their business in leisure boats to commercial work and focused on the
northern hemisphere to ensure it was “summer all year round.” This meant that the business was no longer seasonal and
the benefits were apparent immediately.
Rayglass Boats currently employs 45 staff and subcontracts to approximately 20 businesses at any one time. This includes
stainless steel work, upholstery, glass and electrical requirements.
2… 2002 WestpacTrust Manukau Business Excellence Awards
RAYGLASS BOATS WINS MANUFACTURING, EXPORT AND
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
The company has developed a unique market position based on a vertically integrated structure by handling a wide range
of functions in-house including manufacture, domestic distribution, retailing and service management across all aspects
of its operations.
They have an unrelenting commitment to customer satisfaction and credit their strict policy of having ‘no unhappy
customers’ as the main factor influencing successive purchases.
Rayglass Boat’s immaculate showroom and factory, ambience, quality control, structure and financial capabilities were
all highlighted by the judges as contributing factors towards choosing them as the WestpacTrust Business of the Year.
Chosen from the winners across all categories of the WestpacTrust Manukau Business Excellence Awards, Rayglass Boats was
found to have excellent processes in place and was noted by judges as being “a most remarkable business.”
Tony Hembrow, managing director of Rayglass Boats comments; “After winning the Emerging Exporter Award in 2000, it gave
us great pleasure to go through the entering process and realise just how far we’ve come. We look forward to developing
with Manukau in the future”.
ENDS.
Prepared on behalf of the WestpacTrust Manukau Business Excellence Awards by Goode Communication.