Kiwi hatching big boatie egg

By FIONA ROTHERHAM

When Black Magic sailed in the last America's Cup, few would have known that the hatch on board was made by a small New Zealand manufacturer, Weaver Marine.

For this cup, Team New Zealand's boat builders produced their own extremely lightweight hatches.

But Weaver Marine provided hatches for all the support craft, from the police vessels to the charter boats. It also supplied some hatch components to the challenging syndicates.

The Auckland marine company says about a third of this year's 30 per cent increase in its $1 million turnover is directly related to the America's Cup.

It helps to have both a quality product and industry contacts. Managing director Clive Brown was shore manager for the unsuccessful 1992 Kiwi challenge in San Diego and was involved in two previous America's Cup campaigns.

"I gave up defeated after that," he said.

Mr Brown then joined Weaver Marine. He now owns the company 50/50 with founder Brian Weaver, who is the typical "do it yourself with No. 8 fencing wire" Kiwi inventor.

In the mid-60s, Mr Weaver started a surfboard business with sterling 1.10 in the basement of his West Auckland home. The council forced him to go into commercial premises a few years later.

The move to hatches came about by accident rather than design when he was building his own boat in 1976. Unhappy with the quality and price of the hatches available locally, Mr Weaver thought he could do better.

Once again, his basement became a production line. Surfboard production dwindled as the hatch business grew and shifted into a Henderson factory.

Weaver Marine is a niche marketer, providing small runs of custom-built hatches its larger overseas competitors cannot be bothered making.

The company is now at the crossroads many small manufacturers face when demand outstrips ability to supply.

"As you get larger and larger you have to look at expanding into bigger premises, more technology and automation. Over the next 12 months we'll have to make that call," Mr Brown said.

Weaver Marine has a virtual stranglehold on the domestic market, servicing most of the country's pleasure boats.

Around 40 per cent of its turnover is exports - Mr Brown concedes that needs to increase if the company is to grow. Australia is its main market but it sells to countries from South Africa to Chile and Norway. Having hatches on board America's Cup and Whitbread boats is a strong selling point to overseas customers.

New Zealand's marine exports are expected to hit $250 million this year compared with $170 million last year.

"The New Zealand marine industry is already well recognised overseas. Defending the America's Cup is the crowning glory that will give New Zealand a higher profile at future boat shows," says the executive director of Marex, Lane Finley.