A final gloss

By ROBIN BAILEY

Ron Brown is one of the larger-than-life characters of the New Zealand marine industry. For the past 40 years he has been travelling the country talking technology and demonstrating the correct application of new products.

The journey has taken him to boatyards and boat clubs, boat shows and builders' sheds from Bluff to Kaitaia. He has been there for the breakthrough developments that have built the industry into one of our leading exporters. And along the way his genial, down-to-earth approach has cemented friendships on the factory floor and in the boardroom.

Brown's story really begins when a pair of New Plymouth World War II veterans began making products for the nation's hairdressing salons. Peter and Logan Colmore-Williams founded Sonata Laboratories to make shampoos, sprays and other hair care products. After acquiring an agency for the giant German brand Wella, they soon had a dominant place in their specialist market.

The operation moved to Auckland in the early 60s, where the brothers quickly became hooked on sailing.

Brown takes up the story: "They realised there was an opening for specialist marine finishes and there was an existing synergy. The ingredients of hair products are pretty similar to those that create paint. With Peter as the inventor and innovator, they formed Consolidated Chemicals and launched the Epiglass brand.

"At that time designers like Richard Hartley and John Spencer were coming up with lightweight plywood boats that could be built by the do-it-yourselfer. Epiglass introduced the glass cloth and resin technique that allowed the boats to be given a tough and professional finish.

"Traditionalists from the putty and caulking brigade were sceptical of the new method, so the company took the message to the grass roots with demonstrations of product and application techniques. That's where I came in, joining the sales team and going on the road."

Brown says product training had a lot to do with the company's success. Everyone had to thoroughly understand the products before being let loose on the public. The company was moving quickly, with Peter Colmore-Williams developing something new on a Monday that would be on the market the following week. The learning curve for all hands was steep.

Early on Epiglass became heavily involved with sponsorship in yachting and powerboat racing. The company also poured resources into club activities and supported offshore campaigns, including helping Chris Bouzaid to win the One Ton Cup. In 1981-82 the company backed New Zealand's first America's Cup venture when a chartered boat was sailed in the world 12m championships in Sardinia.

"This sort of activity helped to establish the brand and introduce our product range internationally," says Brown. "It was the start of what quickly became a valuable export market."

In the late 70s and early 80s the company underwent a series of ownership changes, including a takeover by Healing Industries and later being on-sold to New Zealand Steel and Tube.

Brown had a couple of years out of the marine coatings industry, before being headhunted by Resene Group owner Tony Nightingale to help to expand that company's specialist marine products division under the Awlcraft and Altex brands.

Today they are the biggest in the business, with Brown managing the pleasure boat side of the operation. That includes everything from runabouts to superyachts. He still does the hands-on stuff in the field and contributes technical articles to the specialist boating press but finds the top end of the market taking up more and more of his time.

That's not surprising when the sums are taken into account. The company won the contract for the painting side of the refit in Britain of the 1933 J-Boat Velsheda. Nine specialists were sent over to do the job. It cost $180,000. Another is the Ed Dubois 37m superyacht now being finished by Fitzroy Yachts in New Plymouth. That's worth $233,000.

Contracts such as the big Dubois yachts are detailed in a specification that covers every aspect of the job, including the weather. Each stage has to be ticked off according to the spec or the warranty is invalid.

Brown: "This sort of contract is par for the course in all aspects of the superyacht industry. It is essential if New Zealand is to consolidate its reputation as one of the world leaders. We are getting the contracts, and we have companies like High Modulus and Navman that are acknowledged as being the best. We need to get everything right to ensure continued growth."

He pays a final tribute to sailor Neville Crichton, for helping to put New Zealand's superyacht industry on the world stage. Since building the 95ft Chanel in 1985 he has built six more up to 135ft. They are all sailing and racing around the world, showing the local industry's strengths on the water.