New Allied boss makes changes
25 February 2015
LEADERS: Allied Industrial Engineering new chief executive Kelvin Wright and business owner Paul Raethel.
Photo suppliedKAWERAU company Allied Industrial Engineering (AIE) says it is taking a more customer-focused approach to the way it conducts business.
Chief executive Kelvin Wright said the first thing he did when he took over his role in August last year was call on customers to find out what their experience of AIE was.
He said that was an instructive experience.
“I listened very intently and have added a lot of what I learned into my strategy development process” Mr Wright said.
“We are making changes to the way we interact with customers through our commercial team.
“I found customers who were big AIE fans but also people who found AIE’s strict costing process too arduous and inflexible.
“We are changing that.”
Mr Wright said AIE had now become more competitive and responsive.
He said when he first investigated the company before taking the job he found AIE had the most advanced and well-thought-out workshop in the country.
The team was made up of highly skilled engineers, Mr Wright said.
“AIE had a history of completed projects that would be the envy of most.”
Mr Wright said most importantly explanations about how project problems were solved during the pressure of a breakdown, or when vital scheduled shuts were happening, had been quite remarkable.
“I also found people were positive about the return of founder Paul Raethel as full owner of AIE.
“Paul and I are on the same wave-length about getting back to basics, infusing integrity into all that we do and ensuring customers both large and small know they are valued.”
Mr Wright said AIE had been the quiet achiever of New Zealand business for some time but had perhaps been too quiet about its story.
Strategically the company was consolidating its core business and expanding in the areas of hydro and steam turbine work, he said.
AIE will also be pursuing more component manufacturing.
Mr Wright has been involved in engineering for most of his working life.
He initially qualified as a tool maker before working in a range of engineering roles, and also as a commercial pilot for a few years.
A keen sport fisher, he has almost completed an MBA through Massey University.
Source: Whakatane Beacon