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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Bremworth rebuilds Napier factory destroyed in cyclone
Bremworth is investing $6 million in restoring its yarn-making facilities in Napier. File photo. Photo: Bremworth Carpet maker Bremworth is rebuilding its Napier yarn plant which was destroyed in Cyclone Gabrielle , opening up 40 jobs. It had already been running a dyehouse onsite, but was now investing $6 million in restoring its yarn-making facilities. It used to employ about 150 staff at the Napier factory, but most of them lost their jobs when the floodwaters hit. For the past couple of years Bremworth has been importing yarn to bolster supplies from its Whanganui spinning plant. Bremworth chief executive Craig Woolford told Checkpoint it felt good to be coming back. "It's a great feeling. The staff they are just beyond themselves... everybody can see a really good outcome for this." The plant should be up and running by the end of October. Woolford said the hunt for staff was currently on, including re-recruiting those who lost their jobs after Cyclone Gabrielle. "We've had quite a positive response from a lot of those people. So where we've been able to, we've started that recruitment process with the people that have previously worked for us that are keen to come back." He said they had also had a great response from the wider community. "We've had a huge amount of people just turning up in the last couple of days looking for work." Cyclone Gabrielle destroyed most of the plant more than two years ago - Woolford said the damage was extensive. "There was about one and a half metres of water that went through the entire plant and you know most of our electrical equipment, all the electric motors, all completely flooded. All the machines were flooded." While the plant was shut, the company had to outsource much of their yarn making. "We've been buying it from places around the world. China, India, Pakistan, you know, all these different places, which is, you know, it got us through, but it's also come with its own issues. "The quality levels that we've got from these external providers hasn't been to the same level of quality we can manage ourselves in house." Woolford said by producing the wool in-house, they were getting better quality as well as saving on costs. "We will save between $3.50 and $5 a kilo if we do it ourselves in house." While they would love to see a higher demand for the product, Woolford said things were steady enough. "The fact that we'll be able to run two yarn plants... [24 hours a day, five days a week] shows that it's reasonably steady." He said wool carpet makes up for about 15 percent of the New Zealand and Australian soft flooring market, but with shifting demand the company was in the process of creating a synthetic carpet too. "Wool is I guess, at the higher end of carpet and a lot of people look at it and think it's a it's a big expense, and sometimes it is, so they opt for a synthetic carpet." Now three months out from reopening, Woolford said it felt great to be rebuilding, and wished they had done it sooner. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
The Panel with Madison Burgess-Smith and Mike Williams Part 1
Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Madison Burgess-Smith and Mike Williams. Starting off, the Panel hears how homelessness and rough sleeping is on the rise across the country and then they discuss the government's move to ban on-card payments in-store, saving shoppers from being stung with surprise fees when paying with contactless technology. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Ban on card payment surcharges: Cafe owner says they'll have to pass on cost
The government plans to ban surcharges on card payments for in-person payments. Photo: 123rf Prices may need to rise at restaurants and cafes due to a ban on credit card surcharges, the sector is warning. The government plans to ban surcharges on card payments for in-person payments. Legislation is expected to be introduced to Parliament by the end of the year, with the ban to kick into effect no later than May 2026. Richard Corney, founder of Flight Coffee and The Hangar cafe, said he would have to pass the cost on to consumers somehow. "Our cafe, The Hangar, paid $17,000 in merchant fees in 2023 for the privilege of using PayWave and other associated services," Corney said. "Yes, it speeds up service and there's value using it, but the solution isn't banning vendors from on charging this expense. What next? They ban cafes from charging a surcharge for opening on a public holiday? Better yet, and while they're putting restrictions on the banks, why not ban the banks from charging for this service outright and save small businesses real money by not having to fund this expense." He said cafes would operate on profit to revenue ratios of less than five percent. "Banks do not - and they're also institutionally paramount functions of our society," Corney said. He said $17,000 was a significant portion of after-tax profit "I absolutely have to on-charge any associated expense with regard to this." The policy seemed out of touch, he said. Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois agreed it would be tough on hospitality businesses operating on tight margins. "These surcharges are genuine costs that businesses must pay. Without surcharges, businesses will need to absorb these fees, further impacting already small margins." She said the announcement had come as a surprise. "We've actively engaged with the Government to outline the financial pressures faced by hospitality businesses due to bank-imposed fees," Bidois said. "While we welcome consumer-focused changes, we are concerned about the lack of consultation on this particular announcement." She said businesses would probably need to adjust their pries. "Removing the ability to surcharge could mean businesses factoring these costs into their overall pricing, potentially leading to increased costs for diners." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
