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One Team Approach Shapes the Future for Innovative Waikato Manufacturer

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Always looking forward and seeking opportunities to improve, company growth has been a key factor in the success of Waikato based Manufacturing company TRT (Tidd Ross Todd Limited), leaders in truck and trailer parts and service, crane sales and service, and heavy transport manufacturing.

In 2017, and employing 160 people at their 44,000sqm site at Te Rapa, TRT has built a reputation for its unparalleled innovation, expertise and reliability. Today with sites in Hamilton, Auckland, Christchurch and Brisbane, TRT boasts 265 employees across its four locations.

Growth has been built on the innovation of its manufactured product, rapid expansion of its transport parts operation and becoming the New Zealand distributor for Hiab and Zepro. However, through this success TRT has not lost sight of its most important asset – people.

Dave Carden, TRT’s founder and director explains, “People are everything. It’s so easy to go and buy million-dollar tools to do something – which we’ve done repeatedly – but it’s bloody hard to get people to drive it. You’ve got to treat the people in such a way that they want to come and drive it.”

Chief operations officer Lawrence Baker, who joined TRT two years ago as part of the company’s 10-year strategy, is driving this new ‘One Team’ approach within the business.

“This approach is a tangible recognition that our success is grounded in our people.  Therefore, the team’s ability to grow and adapt as we continue on our journey is very important to us.  It’s about ensuring everyone feels valued and recognised as a key member of the team, from encouraging collaboration, providing development opportunities, through to celebrating success, recognition and developing strong leadership across all parts of our business.”

TRTLawrence continues, “A strong family ethic runs through the company, with the people a key focus of all major business decisions, including the decision to keep all manufacturing in New Zealand and minimising outsourcing within the manufacturing process, all to retain roles in-house. Developing career and future pathways is a critical part of the One Team programme,”

“Our ‘One Team’ approach is simple, but it is a journey for the team. The team has identified mentoring as a key component to achieve our ‘One Team’ goals. So, we have called upon the skills coach and mentor Ricki Herbert to help guide this development internally,” says Lawrence.

Ricki Herbert is the founder and managing director of The Ricki Herbert Football Academy. Now based in Cambridge, he is a former New Zealand international, professional footballer and renowned coach – including both the All Whites and Wellington Phoenix.

“Pulling in such a well-known sporting personality who has the experience of having coached and managed national football teams at sports’ top levels, has a special synergy for us.  It’s a practical hands on approach to mentoring our senior team as they develop their careers with TRT,” says Lawrence.

Ricki adds “I have worked with Lawrence to develop a programme that is specifically designed to meet the ‘One Team’ goals. Leaders need to bring their teams on a journey, especially in periods of growth like that which TRT is experiencing. The programme includes group mentoring workshop sessions and one on one mentoring sessions for developing individual leadership skills.”

This philosophy is now being realised within the business in a number of practical ways.  Lawrence explains, “In May, the TIDD Pick and Carry Crane was launched into the Australian market, going head-to-head with a competitor that claimed 96% market share.  It was a brave move, but we had the distinct advantage of being the only company in New Zealand and Australia that manufactures locally. We could completely control the output”.

TRT’s ‘One Team’ approach is also exemplified with individual commitment. Lawrence explains, “TRT has 44 people who have been with the company longer than 10 years, and some as long as 40 years. This loyalty comes from the shop floor and up through the ranks. It is testament to the visionary leadership of the Carden family for more than 52 years.”

The “10 Year” awards were celebrated by TRT at the Wintec Atrium in Hamilton with a dinner on Thursday, 25 October 2019 with around 90 staff and partners, shareholders, directors and the TRT Board in attendance. Ricki Herbert was also the guest speaker.

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