New Zealand Prime Minister John Key gave dental manufacturer Triodent his seal of approval at an unveiling ceremony last month to launch the company’s major expansion project.
Mr Key had been invited to open the Triodent Innovation Centre, the first stage of the company’s plan to build a new headquarters in Katikati, New Zealand, about two hours’ drive south-east of Auckland.
The Prime Minister unveiled a sculpture to commemorate the event.
Appropriately, it was made using the company’s new titanium laser sintering machine, which will be used to manufacture core Triodent products.
The new headquarters will bring all of Triodent’s New Zealand operations, including manufacturing, administration and international call centre, on to one site for the first time since early 2007.
A new factory is scheduled to open there in late 2010, with the administration wing to follow.
Speaking to invited guests at a garden party on the planned site, Mr Key said achieving success in the world market was ‘ultimately about doing things a lot smarter’.
‘I want to encourage New Zealand companies to do the things that Triodent is doing, and that is blazing a trail in international markets, being creative and investing in science and research and development, because that is the future of New Zealand.’
Triodent founder Dr Simon McDonald was delighted to welcome Mr Key to the opening.
‘This is a special day for me personally and it is a great honour to host the Prime Minister in this wonderful country I am privileged to live in.’
Dr McDonald said 2009 had been a memorable year for Triodent, not only for the numerous awards won but also in the way the company had consolidated its position and set out the path for a strong future.
‘It has been a hard year for world-wide business but we have weathered the storm better than many and we will be the better for it. We have greatly improved many of our systems this year and made some big decisions that will bring huge benefits as we mature. With the advantage of our business agility we have been able to respond quickly to the conditions and, despite the increasing complexity of our operations, we are as focused on our goals now as we have ever been.’
Dr McDonald assured guests that Triodent would not be resting on its laurels, and more innovative products would follow in the path of the V3 Sectional Matrix System, Triotray and Griptab.
