Commerce Commission Case to Be Defended
The following is a statement by CFG spokesman Cavan Forde:
“We continue to defend the allegations of misrepresentation made by the Commerce Commission relating to their Inquiry
into autoclaved aerated concrete (ACC) panels sold in New Zealand.
“We were the first in New Zealand to introduce AAC systems into the domestic construction industry. All Supercrete
systems are of the highest quality and independently CodeMarked or Appraised as NZ Building Code compliant. Customers
can remain assured that these systems meet the highest standards.
“These are historical allegations and we are confident that when the facts are fully aired the directors will be
vindicated.”
[ ENDS ]
Background Notes to Editors:
• Mr Forde introduced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) 75mm panel into NZ in the mid 1990’s. Originally sourced
from CSR Australia, the product was sold in NZ as Hebel. About 1999 a competitor introduced a new 50mm panel from China,
it was cheaper, lighter and was soon accepted by the building Industry.
• In 2008 CFG began importing a 50mm AAC panels from China under its own Supercrete brand. The product was sold as
part of a complete Wall cladding system called Supercrete 50, this system comprised of Hebel Supercoat Coatings and
Supercrete 50mm AAC panels. CFG manufactured Hebel Supercoat and exclusively owned the New Zealand IP for both brands.
These panels were packaged and branded Supercrete when supplied to their Distributors.
• From 2010 to late 2012 Supercrete 50 panels were manufactured for CFG by CSR Hebel and were dual branded by
agreement. The NZ building Code of Compliance Appraisal was in the name of Supercrete and owned by CFG.
• To give their New Zealand customers price options and create a point of difference CFG sold both the Supercrete
50mm and the Hebel Supercrete 75mm panel as separate wall cladding systems. To meet NZ building Code Compliance both
wall systems had to be coated in CFG’s Hebel Supercoat coatings.
• Both systems were coated in Hebel Supercoat and the word Hebel is frequently used in the building trade to
describe all AAC product.
• The majority of NZ AAC suppliers source their panels from the same Chinese factory, with the key difference
being the install methodology, coating system and branding.