Plumbing Connection 1-2015

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4 0 PLUMBING CONNECTION AUTUMN 2015
flow factory. Needless to say, he was thoroughly impressed
with their extensive facilities and approach to their daily
work activities.
“We were given an unbelievable reception by the Noritz
team. We met with the 88 year old founder of the business
and got to meet the Noritz Board. While it is publicly listed,
the founder is still a significant shareholder and active in the
business. We had a great chat with him.
“The scale of the factory is something I’ve never
seen before. To say it is massive would be an incredible
understatement. You can’t see it all in a day and this is just
the main factory. It has a series of multi-storey buildings
spread across 30 acres. There were 17 production lines in
the main factory alone and you think to yourself that Noritz
has got another 14 factories around the world.
“We were so impressed with their manufacturing
capability and their undeniable commitment to quality.
Customers in Japan told us that it regarded as the premium
brand over there. Justifiably, Noritz has got an incredible
amount of pride in both their product and their operations.
They’re simply world class,” Simon exclaims.
With that in mind, it’s obvious that Dux will leverage from
their sheer scale. They will also begin to supply continuous
flow and a range of commercial hot water products that they
have previously lacked. It’s a win-win situation at the end of
the day.
“They have over 500 R&D engineers and a five storey R&D
centre at the Akashi site. We walked through it with our jaws
on the floor. It was like the Disneyland of hot water. Nothing
was off limits to us and let me tell you that they have some
amazing products in development.
“We also spent a lot time with the factory teams. It
seemed like every corner we turned around exposed us to
another piece of machinery worth millions, which we had
always wanted, but couldn’t afford because of our smaller
size. Now we can leverage that scale to support better built
products.
They don’t just bring size and technology to the party
either as their work ethic and communication approach is
second to none too. And it is in the areas of communication
and employee engagement whereby Simon believes Dux
management can learn and adopt new practices.
“On their first trip, the senior management addressed the
whole Dux factory. They stood at the door and introduced
themselves to every worker on the shop floor as they
entered and then gave a short presentation on their plans.
The factory stood up and cheered at the end. Dux is a pretty
big employer in regional NSW and our workers have a lot
invested in our business. Like me, they think that Noritz is
the best possible partner for Dux in Australia.”
So what can we expect from the company in the coming
future?
“It’s very much business as usual,” Simon explains.
Dux
Noritz
IMAGE 1: Noritz Japan’s R&D centre at the Akashi site.
IMAGE 2: The Moss Vale factory from above. IMAGE 3: Aerial
view of the Akashi factory in Japan.
“They bought the shares of the company so that
everything like ABNs and business names are completely
unchanged. They have a long term view of the market and
want to work closely with our key customers, suppliers and
employees to grow the business. The focus is very much
about leveraging Noritz’s technical capabilities to build
better and more competitive tanks in Australia and also to
introduce new and better water heaters.
“It’s a very exciting time and we’re thrilled that it coincides
with our 100 year anniversary in 2015.”
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INDUSTRY MOVEMENTS