July 2020 | Page 62

INDUSTRY PEOPLE Super Giant disc harrows have the nickname “bush and bog.” A pile driver deploying a pile. Price-wise, Matt has this to say about Hooper: “They are very competitively priced. People are surprised they can get something that’s New Zealand-made and guaranteed for the prices we offer. “The other thing is that they very rarely fail out on-site, but if something does go wrong, my job is to go out and put it right. Usually the last we hear from a customer is that it’s all going well.” Feedback on the company website attests to this, and it’s a sign you’re doing the job right if you don’t hear back from your client base. Hooper Civil is also part of the Buy New Zealand Made trademark. To use the iconic kiwi-branded labelling you need to buy-in, and it’s only for companies that manufacture in New Zealand. This has become even more significant, again in the wake of Covid-19. The government in particular has pushed to shop local and buy New Zealand made products where practicable. Under the Farm Gear umbrella, there are six products registered, one of which is the Hooper Disc Harrow, that miracle piece of handiwork that can make light of a highcountry field. The New Zealand Made logo is worn proudly by the company and is a point of difference, one that Kiwis know they can trust when associating a product with Kiwi ingenuity. In the future, Matt hopes to have the Hooper range of drivers and harrows on as many civil projects and sites as possible. It’s a realistic goal given the amount of work taking place and the level of trust people have for the products. 60 CAM July 2020 www.cammagazine.co.nz