Climate: Raising the Heat in the Business

Name: Sam and Lee Tyson
Business: Climate
Year Founded: 1956 and altered in 2010
Industry: Energy
Location: Taranaki
Icehouse Programme: Owner Operator Programme, 2012
Increase in turnover: 100%
Increase in FTEs: 125%

“In November 2010, we purchased Climate. Climate has specialised in the design, supply, and installation of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems in the Taranaki region. We service everything we install (as well as other existing HVAC systems) and have a team of expert installers.

We are defined by our commitment to raising the standard of indoor climates in homes, schools and businesses so people can live a more comfortable, healthy and productive life indoors. We do this by providing straightforward, honest advice and by installing the best systems available.

In 2012 we set ourselves a goal to increase turnover from $2m to $5m by 2017. Last year we added solar micro-generation to our system range as we saw it as a great opportunity to jump into a growing market in New Zealand. However, the growth we are predicting will not be enough to get us to $5m in the next couple of years.

So in early 2014, to gain greater growth, Climate expanded its expertise and servicing offerings by purchasing Anchor & Ellis, a Taranaki company well known in the plumbing, gas fitting, and drain laying industry. This has created a commercial maintenance division for Climate where we will be looking after schools, rest homes, businesses, and industrial sites, along with our domestic clients. We now define ourselves as “indoor climate, plumbing and solar professionals”. This acquisition has given us an immediate $1m increase in turnover and by amalgamating the two businesses under the same roof we will be able to maximise reductions in our overheads. There will also be great advantages with our labour resources in being able to utilise them in both areas.

If you had of asked us three years ago when we first bought Climate, whether we could ever imagine ourselves taking over another business so soon after we purchased Climate, we would have said “no way!”

With the support of the Capability Development Voucher Scheme we have been able to take part in the Icehouse Owner Operator Programme. Every two months we drive up to Auckland from New Plymouth (5 hours) to meet with our coach, meet with our Action Group, and attend an all-day seminar the next day. Through this program we have gained the confidence and insight in how to progress our company.

We have learnt the importance of building a positive culture and finding the right people for the job. We have created a vision for our business that is guiding us in all our daily decisions. Our goals have kept us on track, and allowed us to focus on what is important instead of getting caught up in the busyness of the business.

Without the program I believe we would still be floundering as a very small business trying so hard to keep our heads above water to make ends meet. Instead we have brightness of future; we genuinely care about our service to our customers and are able to provide a positive, thriving work environment for our team of 18 (started with 8). We want to especially thank The Breakthrough Company for their support in contributing to the cost of attending the program – it’s been legendary!”