All Black hero saves business, jobs

Ali Williams with girlfriend Casey Green. Photo / Herald on Sunday

It's the equivalent of a last-minute, match-winning try. All Black Ali Williams is now a hero off the field, playing a role in saving his furniture business and up to a dozen jobs.

Williams, a 20 per cent shareholder in SuperFurn Furniture, has been instrumental in finding an Australian investor to help bail out the fledgling chain.

Stores in Manukau, Pukekohe and Henderson, which had been earmarked for closure, will now stay open. Stores in Dominion Rd and Glenfield, which closed last weekend, will not reopen.

SuperFurn director Paul Gapes said the investment, as well as cost cutting, had allowed the company to clear almost all its debt and enter arrangements with creditors.

"I must admit there have been a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of negotiating, lots of ups and downs but we have battled through and we have got there," said Gapes.

"We were doing extremely well and then the recession hit us. We struggled a bit but we have managed to get through the nosedive thankfully. We really thought we weren't going to get out of it."

He said the new investor - a major Australian furniture store - wished to remain anonymous, but was helping with finance and sourcing products.

SuperFurn, which sells cutprice goods, sources furniture from China, Vietnam, Malaysia and locally.

Gapes said the company had removed its head office function. "We have had some people leave through natural attrition ... We are keeping costs to a minimum. I think we have lost only three to four staff and we have saved 12 positions."

Gapes was full of praise for Williams' work. As well as helping secure the new investor, he played an important role in motivating staff and helping market the company.

"He's such a well-known figure ... he gets involved and he works."

Williams had also accompanied Gapes to China on one business trip. "He's awesome ... he's so popular over there."

Williams was a reluctant hero, refusing to comment in detail about his role. Saving jobs was "the whole reason why I did it", he said.