Over the last year of hell due to COVID-19, climate change, and challenging economic factors, businesses and communities have been deep diving into the inner sanctum… adapting and pivoting, master planning and strategizing. They’ve come to realize that people today are no longer satisfied with a run-of-the-mill answer. They crave innovation and creativity and smart, next-level thinking. Whether it’s a state that has had to rethink its power infrastructure, or a developer bringing ‘something different’ and exceptional to the market, or a university training the workforce of the future, it’s about moving away from the same old repetitive model that matters going forward.
This month’s Business View Oceania showcases prime examples of visionary thinking, particularly in the realm of facilities management. In Australia, alone, the facilities management (FM) industry contributes over $32 billion to the nation’s GDP each year and employees more than 200,000 people – impressive numbers that emphasise the importance to economic stability and growth. FM sectors cover security, compliance, cleaning and maintenance, sustainability and resilience, health and safety and wellbeing, and strategic operational planning.
The Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA) does stellar work representing and supporting the professionals and organisations who manage Australia’s built environment. During the early part of the pandemic, they spent a good amount of time helping government understand what the industry was doing, what they were capable of, and how they could assist in managing and recovering from the impact of COVID on the operation of buildings and facilities.
Since its inception in 2004, Sydney-based Cerno Group has earned a fine reputation for a highly-integrated approach to property. Their custom-tailored, client-driven service covers the gamut of sectors retail, industrial, fit-out, commercial, education, mixed-use, hospitality, clubs, health, aged care and seniors’ living.
In New Zealand, RCR Infrastructure Limited is expanding its services to include future-tech engineering solutions such as EV chargers, thermal imaging smart building solutions, commercial solar installations, smart grid and AI solutions. The recent acquisition of Dataguard NZ incorporates hi-tech ‘future energy’ capabilities into RCR’s national infrastructure service offering.
Meanwhile, Urban Maintenance Systems (UMS-NZ) is proud to compete with the big players in the market, while carrying on the family-owned tradition of genuinely caring. The company looks after just under a quarter of the City of Auckland’s assets, including five million square metres of turf in sports fields and parks (120 playgrounds), plus servicing 450 buildings.
And kudos to PPCS Facility Services. The New Zealand firm that celebrates its 30th anniversary in September 2021 had found success through a spirit of independence and commitment to sustainability, safety and quality that sets it apart from competitors.
In the sustainable forestry sector, Juken New Zealand excels at supplying advanced and innovative wood products from their forest estates for domestic and international customers. Anticipating more overseas building techniques coming to New Zealand in the not-too-distant future, Juken is poised to move forward by challenging their current way of thinking.
It’s a new brave new world out there, my friends. With Autumn comes cooler, colourful days ideal for breathing deeply and relaxing outdoors. Enjoy the season and the read!
Lorie Lee Steiner
Editor-in-Chief
