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Source: Fraser Jeffery -
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There has been plenty of talk about a human exodus from Christchurch but one local manufacturer is committed to staying put.
Plastics and rubber manufacturer Elastomer says it does not want to go anywhere else, despite the difficulties of operating in a city rattled by frequent aftershocks.
"For us it's important to stay. We've got staff to support and a business to run," sales and marketing manager Andy McNicholl told TVNZ today.
The company's Bromley premises and machinery were damaged in the big February quake and then again on Monday during the series of big aftershocks.
"The building sustained a little more damage but mostly it's the machinery and equipment that's done a little bit of a jig around the manufacturing plant," he said.
The company - which produces seals, cables, tubing and other rubber products - needs to have the plant checked again by engineers but McNicholl says they are absolutely determined to staying put if they can.
He says morale is still high among staff, despite the tough conditions in many parts of Christchurch.
"They are very keen to get in behind the clean up and they are committed to the business."
Following the massive February quake, the company was featured on ONE News when some of its approximatey 80 staff members set up a temporary manufacturing plant in the boss's garage to ensure they could fill orders for clients like Electrolux.
Now, McNicholl says the latest aftershocks are just a "small setback" that will mean the company is running at a lower capacity for a few days.
However Elastomer does already have product on its way to fill orders for overseas customers and some stockpiles of finished goods at its other facilities in Auckland and Thailand.
McNicholl and the managing director Tom Thomson were part of the government-funded New Zealand Trade and Enterprise trips to reassure export markets after the February quake.
He says being on the ground with important customers in Australia and South Africa was vitally important.
"There's nothing like the credibility of turning up and sitting across the table from customers and giving them assurances and confidence that we can continue to supply," he told AMP Business.
He says the company has needed to contact those customers again following the latest shocks but it was easier to restore confidence the second time around.
The exporter is also facing issues unrelated to natural disasters and described the high kiwi dollar as a "double-whammy".
"We have had price increases on raw materials that we buy from overseas. Those have been offset a wee bit by the high dollar but our competitiveness is definitely affected for exports".
Despite all of these challenges, McNicholl says Elastomer is committed to Canterbury.
"We'll get through this one and continue to make repairs to the building and deal with anything else that comes up."
