Craig Martin has worked at Kitchen Creators for 20 years. Photo / David Haxton
Craig Martin has worked at Kitchen Creators for 20 years. Photo / David Haxton
In a designer kitchen shop in Paraparaumu, Craig Martin is busy piecing together cabinets, cupboards, benchtops and other kitchen paraphernalia.
There’s a lot happening, with various staff members working hard to complete their various tasks.
But there has been a special break among the team to honour Martin.
In celebration of his 20 years at Kitchen Creators, his managers and colleagues put together a morning tea for him, with a chocolate cake that he said was delicious.
His co-workers even made up a card for him, which had cheeky messages like “A life sentence is shorter” and “Can’t believe you have put up with us for so long” written in it.
It’s an industry he’s been in since leaving school after the fifth form (Year 11).
Martin started in the industry in 1985 at his father’s cabinet-making business in Auckland, M and J Martin Limited - which has since closed down - where he worked for nine years.
After his father sold the business, he worked for the new owners for a bit, before eventually moving down to Kāpiti and working at Chatswood Kitchens.
He was there for three months, then when business started slowing down, Kitchen Creators owners Craig Wattam and Pat Thomson offered him work.
Martin was “on loan” there for a week, but never left.
There are a few kitchens that stick in your mind.
Today, he’s one of the most experienced employees at Kitchen Creators and is a bit of a jack of all trades.
He might spend one day looking at plans on computers, and other days could involve anything from training his colleagues, running the cutting machine, making the cupboards and more.
“There’s not much I can’t do.”
Martin said the industry has changed drastically in his time there, the most significant change being the addition of the computer numerical control (CNC) machine, which is used for cutting the cabinet pieces out.
When he first started, Martin said they used to cut everything by hand with a saw and drill all the holes by hand, but now the machine does it all for them.
All they need to do is assemble the unit from the pieces.
“It’s vastly different.”
Martin said his favourite part about his job is seeing the finished kitchens and the happy customers.
They manage two kitchens a day, most of which are just basic white designs, Martin said.
However, there have been some kitchens that have stuck with him.
He recalled one kitchen they made for a woman in Paraparaumu Beach, which he thought was quite flash, with its big bifold lift-up doors.
“There are a few kitchens that stick in your mind.”
And while white seems to be the trend now, Martin said the colours going through the workshop are always changing, and they can do virtually anything a customer may want.
