Innovative company moves to Waitakere

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey has praised the initiative of label print firm Philstic Labels for its shift to Te Atatu from central Auckland.

More than 70 percent of Philstic Labels’ 40 staff lives in Waitakere and the shift will now save them the daily trip to Mt Eden.

“This company is clearly ahead of its time. The decision to move came before the oil price hikes, so the staff at Philstic must be hugely grateful they are now saved the costly and time consuming daily commute.”

Costly central city rents were also a factor in Philstic’s move to Te Atatu.

Mayor Harvey, who today opened the company’s premises in McLeod Rd, Te Atatu, said Philstic Labels is an innovative business, especially so because it’s thinking ‘local’ with the move closer to where staff live.

He said Philstic Labels was just the sort of business Waitakere needed more of and that other businesses were thinking along similar lines in that Waitakere was a great city in which to live and do business. Waitakere Enterprise also provides high level client management from the time an inquiry regarding Waitakere as a place to set up comes in through consents to connection to key local people and networks. In some cases companies are given business advice and market information.

Philstic Labels provides labelling for companies such as Fonterra and have developed E Commerce services that enable clients to have labelling for export goods custom-made on line. It has grown from being a print firm making labels to a business providing a range of innovative solutions for manufacturers.

The company’s renovated building in Te Atatu is more than 10,000 square feet bigger than its former premises in Mt Eden to allow for further growth. Last month the company installed a new $1m printing press. As well as 40 full time staff the company regularly employs local casual workers.