Key takeaways

If you want your family business to keep going for generations you need to keep innovating with new products.

Think about joining with other complementary businesses in your industry to market to customers.

The founder of Wellington-based company, T & R Interior Systems, Stephen Thwaite has always been committed to innovation since starting the business 31 years ago, according to his daughter and CEO, Tash.

And they are both excited about launching their latest innovation to an awaiting export market.

For the past four years, T & R Interior Systems, which started as a tile ceiling specialist, has been working on a new wall product made from sustainable New Zealand strong wool. Floc, as it is known, is a range of 100% New Zealand strong wool wall acoustic panels and ceiling panels.

“A product like this is something that Stephen has wanted to see come to life pretty much since he started out,” says Tash, who estimates the Floc range has taken four years of R & D to perfect.

Floc is the first product T & R Interiors has produced with real export possibilities, says Tash, who believes the innovative wall product is a key way to future proof her family business. One of three siblings, she is the only one who joined her father’s company.

The advantages of being a family-owned company

“It’s been incredibly special being involved as his dream came to life. And it’s timely as the world has moved in a more sustainable materials direction,” she says.

What Tash likes about working in her family business, is that she can make quick decisions when the market moves. She and Christchurch-based director Kelvin Walker tend to confer on next steps at the business.

The key challenge for the Floc range has been to make the strong wool product, fire retardant and that’s what the company’s R & D has been working hard at for the past four years.

While the whole team at T & R Interior Systems has been working on Floc, Tash has also hired some key new people to develop and market the product. She has hired a chemist and a business development manager in the last year.

Former Campaign for Wool chair and former sheep farmer Tom O’Sullivan has joined the business as Floc’s business development manager.

“I saw a lot of wool innovation at the Campaign for Wool and some incredible ideas, but Floc really feels like something special,” says Tom.

“It’s a natural, completely biodegradable alternative to the plastic materials we’re used to and something that hasn’t been done before.”

When exporting there are often regulatory hoops to jump through first

Tom’s main focus has been getting an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Floc, which will give the product a global standard credential. The process involves recording its carbon footprint, everything from the sheep to the finished product, and he hopes to secure it in the next few months.

Once they have this credential, Floc can then expand internationally and the most likely early markets will be Singapore and Australia, says the CEO.

Tom and Tash are also keen to build a good market locally for Floc. Customers so far include a number of schools, a university and some banks and government-associated organisations.

With his wool industry contacts, O’Sullivan is co-hosting an upcoming cocktail party for architects and government property decision makers in Wellington together with Bremworth Carpets and Maxwell Rodgers Fabrics.

“The wool industry has been very siloed,” says Tom. “We should all be working together to target global consumers.”

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