A record number of visitor pre-registrations; exhibition stands that reflected genuine international innovation; and a high quality seminar program made for a most successful Clean NZ 2012. The industry dinner, which attracted more than 200 industry executives, again demonstrated the unified face of New Zealand’s contracting and supply-side segments.
Clean NZ 2012 was held at the Ellerslie Event Centre, Auckland, on 24 and 25 May. While it was very much a New Zealand industry event, there was a strong representation of Australian industry supply-side executives and a smattering of service providers.
Building Service Contractors of NZ national executive director Brian Young was effusive in his praise for those who supported and organised the event. “We have had a record number of pre-registrations,” he noted when welcoming the industry dinner’s guests.
Young emphasised that without the terrific supplier support Clean NZ would not happen, and he also thanked Kimberly-Clark Professional for its industry dinner sponsorship.
The dinner was notable for the inspiring after dinner speech given by Rob Matthews MBE, a blind Paralympic tandem cyclist and athlete; and the presentation of further education awards.
The two-day seminar program was an education-fest of practical presentations and open forums that covered major industry issues as well as technical system trends.
Clean NZ 2012 kicked off with a high quality seminar session on marketing, conducted by local NZ consultant Simon Cope. For anyone already in business and needing to crank it up in a tough economic environment, this session was invaluable. For those thinking of starting their own business, Cope laid down a practical and proven marketing formula.
The event was given an international flavour with two seminars that involved 3M’s Building and Commercial Services’ global marketing manager for sustainable solutions, Kevin McNulty. Also flying in from the US was IICRC’s CEO Patrick Winters while BSCAA national president Terry Corby involved himself in an industry forum.
The exhibition floor area had been expanded on the previous Clean NZ with stands on the mezzanine level. They captured significant seminar traffic as well as those visitors heading to buy food and drinks.
While both mornings saw a slow start with visitor traffic not happening until about 10am, there was a strong flow all day, both days. As with previous Clean NZ’s, visitor quality was high. Virtually all exhibitors noted that ‘real buyers predominated and there were few to no tyre kickers’.
“We were very pleased with our first organising of Clean NZ,” stated Simon Cooper, Interpoint managing director and INCLEAN publisher.
“Exhibitor satisfaction was very good and the seminar program really delivered education in spades.
“Of course, there are a number of areas we believe we can enhance and the team is already thinking about how Clean NZ 2014 will be bigger and better,” enthused Cooper.
John Garlick Further Education Grant winners
The late John Garlick was not only a very successful industry executive; he was also passionate about training. Hence, the establishment of the John Garlick Further Education Grant for industry executives wanting to undertake studies that will better equip them in their careers.
The 2012 winners were Allbrite Services’ Caine Sowman, OCS’s Yuefeng (Ray) Ruan and Spotless’s Cathy Scott. Sowman will undertake management studies; Ruan will study procurement practices; and Scott will enrol in a Four Quadrant leadership course.
INCLEAN’S Clean NZ image portfolio can be found at:
www.picasaweb.google.com/incleanmag/CleanNZ2012#
More coverage of Clean NZ in July/August INCLEAN magazine.