The Minister of Defence Award of Excellence to Industry 2008
The Minister of Defence Award of Excellence to Industry 2008
The Defence Industry Committee of New Zealand sponsors the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence to Industry on an annual basis. Nominations were called from the New Zealand Defence Force and other organisations with an interest in providing equipment and services to Defence. Eleven nominations were received for the 2008 Awards.
The awards dinner was held in Wellington at the Duxton Hotel on Wednesday 8 October. The Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae was the guest speaker and presented the awards on behalf of the Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Defence.
Category A: Award of Excellence to Industry – Contracts for the supply of equipment or provision of services in excess of $7 million
These awards are for major suppliers of equipment or services to the New Zealand Defence Force or Ministry of Defence and may include major subcontractors or service suppliers.
Category A Winner
Transfield Services (New Zealand) Limited – Nominated by NZ Army for logistic and range management services for the NZ Army.
Transfield Services provides base support including facilities management, for the whole of the Waiouru camp. This is a wide-ranging contract covering stores and vehicle management, catering and many other non-core activities. This site is seen as a leader in terms of base support for the NZDF. The scope is very wide, and performance is exceptionally good. NZDF staff is in no doubt that it is personality driven.
In spite of the contract expiring in two years, the company continues to take a long-term view such as implementing new innovations and investing in equipment. The Army programme makes it difficult to accurately forecast demand on the messes and barracks but Transfield has adequately coped with the issues surrounding this, while working effectively with Army to improve processes.
This is truly a "partnering" contract, with all parties working together to make the contract work. This results in considerable unsolicited innovation, and many initiatives to improve performance and reduce cost. Savings are reinvested in the contract, e.g. hiring more apprentices and seeking to gain better staff through providing employee buses from nearby towns.
Read more about Transfield Services (New Zealand) Ltd at www.transfieldservices.co.nz
Greg Kent, Contract Manager (left) and Steve Webster, Executive General Manager of Transfield Services (New Zealand) Limited receiving the Category A award from Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae.
Category A Finalist
YAKKA Apparel Solutions Ltd (YASL) – Nominated by JLSO, NZDF for the provision of apparel management for the NZDF.
Read more about Yakka Apparel Solutions Ltd at www.yakka.co.nz
Category B: Award of Excellence to Industry – Contracts for the supply of equipment or provision of services below $7 million
This category recognises subcontracting and supplier companies that provide excellent service in a variety of ways.
Category B Winner
Elteco – for services to the Royal New Zealand Navy for through life support contract for IT services on all Navy vessels.
Elteco is a small family business. Peter McMillan has extraordinary capability, is highly and uniquely qualified and has worked for the NZDF for approx 12 years.
The service provided involves an assessment of the electrical issues surrounding almost any NZ Army activity. Peter will review plans before projects commence, will act as project supervisor during construction phases, will review electrical systems for which no documentation exists and produce the documentation and many other similar roles.
Peter MacMillan is a registered electrical engineer, electrical inspector and is licensed as a hazardous goods handler.
Peter is a passionate man who has total customer focus. No matter whom the team spoke to, in respect of the entire infrastructure related nominees, his name came up as having been involved in some way. His stated ambition is to produce the best outcome for the NZDF. Everything the team heard suggests that Elteco is providing exactly that.
Elteco website is under construction.
Peter MacMillan, Director of Elteco receiving the Category B award from Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae.
Category B Finalists
Aeromotive Limited – Nominated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force for CT4E Air trainer support to RNZAF flight training.
Read more about Aeromotive Limited at www.aeromotive.co.nz
Atlantic and Pacific Business Travel (APX) – Nominated by JLSO, NZDF for the provision of travel management services to the NZDF.
Read more about Atlantic and Pacific Business Travel at www.atlantic.co.nz
GHD Limited-Fulton Hogan Ltd – Joint nomination by JLSO, NZDF for services in the design, development and installation of the Moving Target Range Project for the NZ Army.
Read more about GHD Limited at www.ghd.co.nz
Read more about Fulton Hogan Ltd at www.fultonhogan.com
Lyttelton Engineering – Nominated by JLSO, NZDF for services in the installation of the heating system at Waiouru Military Camp for the NZ Army.
Read more about Lyttelton Engineering at www.lytteng.co.nz
SOS Marine – Self-nominated for the supply of Boarding Party Life Jackets, Inflatable Life Vests and Divers Recovery Vests to the New Zealand Navy.
Read more about SOS Marine at www.sosmarine.com.au
Unique Technical Solutions Limited – Nominated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force for services in the development of the Aeromedical Evacuation (AME) capability for the Boeing 757.
Read more about Unique Technical Solutions Limited at www.utecsolutions.com
Category C: Award of Excellence to Industry – New Zealand based Subcontractors to Overseas Prime Contractors
This category recognises New Zealand suppliers who have provided overseas prime contractors with a high level of service and provided the New Zealand Defence Force, through the prime, with exceptional outcomes to the contract.
Category C Winner
SMI Group Ltd – Nominated by BAE Systems Australia (formerly Tenix (NZ) Ltd) for services in the design, construction and installation of the interiors of the inshore patrol vessels for Tenix under Project Protector.
Tenix describes the work as "superb" and "second to none". SMI have been innovative in their design and construction work and in the way they overcame staff shortages.
The construction is innovative; SMI literally construct the floor of a vessel in their workshop, then build the fit out on top of it. That allows the design and construction to be fully tested before it is installed, resulting in a number of improvements before the fit out goes near the ship. In addition it allows parallel manufacture of the vessel and the interior. When one has been built the others are built identically. The first constructed goes into the last vessel, so the patter exists right through the construction phase.
A major innovation was the method of training staff in the difficult employment conditions of Whāngarei. SMI worked with the local polytechnic to develop a course that precisely met their needs. SMI then recruited, through WINZ, 10 students, trained them and employed then to work on the project. Some of these students remain with the firm, others have now gone on to further training to get full trade qualifications.
Read more about SMI Group Ltd at www.smigroup.co.nz
Chris Pickerill, Commercial Supervisor of SMI Group Ltd receiving the Category C award from Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae
Category C Finalist
Heron Technology Ltd – Nominated by NZ Army for the provision of Muzzle Velocity Radar Systems (MVRS) user and technical support and assistance with user and maintenance training courses.
Read more about Heron Technology Ltd at www.herontechnology.co.nz
