Christchurch Interior Architecture Company Takes on the World

A Christchurch-based commercial interior design company servicing clients around the world has taken out a prestigious Champion Canterbury Business Award.

Redesign Group was named Champion Global Operator in the small enterprise category earlier this week.

Established 12 years ago, the 10-strong team not only services clients throughout New Zealand, but globally throughout South East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Australasia. 

One of the largest contracts the company has undertaken was the design and construction of the Mumbai International Airport foodcourt in 2008 for global airport food and beverage operators HMS Host.  This led to developing more than 24 food and beverage and retail sites at the Indira Gandhi Delhi International Airport earlier this year.

Last month the company celebrated the launch of the first Domino's Pizza store into the Vietnam market.

Designed by Redesign, the first Domino's Pizza store officially opened in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. In its first two days’ of operation, it registered sales making it the highest turnover in the world for the weekend.

Redesign Managing Director Jo Pennycuick said it was a flagship store for Vietnam with a planned 20 more stores nationwide.

“We’re working extensively with our client who is one of Vietnam's major food and beverage and retail operators,” she said.

“They have the rights for Domino's Pizza and two other major fast food chains not yet seen in Vietnam. We’re also currently working with them on food and beverage outlets, including Domino's, in three major airports in Vietnam.

Redesign is opening an office in India in January 2011 as the company continues to grow.

“With the set up of an office in Delhi we’ll be able to service our clients throughout the South East Asia region,” said Ms Pennycuick.

The Delhi based office will be the second international office for the company – in September Jasmine Sumer moved to Kuwait and runs an office facilitating work throughout the Middle East regions.

“We also just travelled to Baghdad where we are proposing a new housing system to potentially re-build major areas of Iraq. There’s 30 years’ work ahead of us in just this one contract if it moves forward.”

Ms Pennycuick said the latest business award demonstrated that a relatively small Christchurch business could be successful on a global scale.

“Yes it’s been very hard work but it’s so rewarding,” she said.

“I’d like to encourage other New Zealanders to recognise that there’s a huge world out there, and if I can do it, then other people with insight and drive can do it as well.

“We are out there promoting New Zealand and the talent we have in this small country, so if we can be an inspiration to others then I’m pleased.

“It was a huge achievement for our company to break into the Indian market, but now we’ve established good networks we’d be happy to work with other business people or exporters who might like to work with us to target that market.

While the company is busy with work in many areas of the globe it hasn’t forgotten its New Zealand roots.

It is currently working on ten food and beverage sites in Christchurch International Airport.  The first three are scheduled to open this month, with the remainder opening in 2011 before the Rugby World Cup.

Full details of the Redesign portfolio are available on its website www.redesign.co.nz