NZPM GROUP
Alister joined NZPM Group in 2004, when it was primarily Plumbing World and had purchased Patton Refrigeration in 2001. He was appointed CEO of NZPM and CEO of Plumbing World. NZPM is a Cooperative owned at that stage by approximately 800 plumbers. The Group turned over some NZ$170m.
Alister set about changing the culture of the organization and building the trust of the staff and Shareholders alike. He introduced more accountability, and initiated formal processes around a lot of activities. Standards of behaviour and customer focus were greatly improved as well.
A comprehensive Strategic Plan was developed, which highlighted a lack of focus on developing the Patton business and Alister could see there was huge potential for expansion – see the Patton Case Study. This process also highlighted how vulnerable the Group was in Plumbing World to the performance of some key suppliers. They set about reducing their reliance on them through the development of MCD and the purchase of Metrix Imports. MCD is very much focussed on product cost and is thus focussed on suppliers from Asia, primarily China. Initially they focussed on behind the wall product like brass fittings and copper pipe, but in 2007 they launched into the front of wall area with the house brand AstiVita, and then in 2010 forged a relationship with Suriya Toto Indonesia, and MCD became the Toto Distributor for NZ. Metrix was very much focussed on fashion bathroomware out of Europe, primarily Germany and Italy, with iconic brands like Duravit, Dornbrach, Kaldawei and Paini.
During Alister's tenure the quality and capability of staff improved significantly, Shareholders learnt to trust him and thus the company more.
By 2010 they were becoming increasingly constrained by a 15 year old legacy information system and knew it had to change. This is huge for a company like Plumbing World, but a project was launched in 2011, and the company went live with a new ERP system and a raft of new peripheral technology around mobile technology in early 2013. They also launched PlumbMe a TradeMe look alike for the industry, launched a Facebook and Twitter presence, and set up e-texting to their Shareholders. A challenging but game changing project.
In spite of the recession in NZ and the Global Financial Crisis the company maintained strong profitability, and paid the Shareholders healthy rebates. The company was formed in 1964 and has paid out over NZ$100m to its Shareholders in Rebate payments. More than half of that has been in the nine years Alister was at the helm. At the time of his departure Group revenues had grown to over NZ$240m.