We're super excited to be moving into a new studio which will open on the 24th February at Newnham Park Innovation Centre - more space, more fresh air and more innovation. The centre on Newnham Road is home to the Plus Group of Companies, marketer Southern Produce, pure vanilla producer Heilala Vanilla, avocado exporter Team Horticulture and kiwifruit processing company Kiwifruitz. The common thread - smart, innovative, export led businesses.

 

Newnham Park is in Te Puna and is the brainchild of Steve Saunders. Steve and long-time exporter Rob Jeffrey formed a partnership in 2006 with the vision of creating a business park to house a cluster of innovative companies with a focus on excellence in horticulture and food processing. Since opening in 2010 the Park has grown and expanded into new areas and built a reputation for innovation in the Bay.

 

The genesis of moving out of the Mount studio started with a discussion with Steve Saunders after an Enterprise Angels function. Part of our long term vision had always been to either build or move to a place that is a true destination for Innovation. We had been looking for several years to find a place that allowed for all the different things we do, so we had not expected the perfect opportunity to arise. We were fortunate to be able to get in at a critical phase of construction of a new building at Newnham Park, and Steve worked with us to create a compelling space that would enable innovation and promote creative collaboration.

 

There is a whole lot of new technology going into the studio, including a multi-material 3D printer and print server. The space is built for collaboration with six different breakout areas for project work.

 

We're very much looking forward to moving to Newnham Park and being part of the innovative community there. We already have some events lined up with a launch event in April, a Young Innovator Awards 2014 Teachers' Workshop, and an innovation event to be held in conjunction with the Fieldays team in May. We hope to be fully settled in March and are looking forward the the new space and taking on some of the exciting projects we have in the pipeline.

 

We would love to get everyone out for a visit, and think by early March things will be pumping.