As the owners of New Zealand’s largest aluminium joinery business, the Plaw family has hatched big plans for the future of its manufacturing empire.
Controlled by Mitch Plaw, who inherited Architectural Profiles Limited (APL) from his late parents Ian and Val, APL is being moved lock, stock and barrel from its old Hamilton base to a greenfields site near Cambridge.
Best known for its Vantage brand, APL obtained a private plan change in double quick time from the Waipa District Council and will develop – reportedly at a cost of more than $100 million – a 56ha industrial park on the site of the old Bardowie Farm that will become the new base for APL’s 460 employees.
In addition to building a state-of-the-art and vertically integrated aluminium extrusion, anodising and manufacturing plant, APL also plans to build its own glass production factory. Apparently for quality control purposes, the move has understandably hurt its current supplier, Metro Glass, whose shares slumped dramatically after APL announced its intentions.
Because of the potential demand for housing in the area, Mitch Plaw has also joined forces with fellow Cambridge developers Matthew and Mike Smith, registered as the 3MS of Cambridge GP Ltd, to subdivide 40ha of nearby land that a 3MS council submission says “aligns with the Cambridge character and landscaped reserves that will encourage recreation.”
Well known for their philanthropy, especially when it comes to sport, Mitch and his wife Kate are both Olympic Council members and proud sponsors of the Vantage Black Sticks Men and Women, the Gallagher Chiefs, Hamish Bond, the Avantidrome, Cycling New Zealand and many others.
In what has been described as a new era for New Zealand showjumping, the Plaws have also developed a world-class equestrian facility on their 243ha Takapoto Estate, which straddles a three-kilometre stretch of Lake Karapiro.
The Plaws own an award-winning Angus beef stud, and additionally farm deer and sheep. The property has a unique range of birdlife attracted by years of native plantings. For the second year running, the Plaws’ private winemaker, Andy Anderson, won gold at London’s International Wine and Spirit Competition for his Takapoto pinot noir though the success was tempered by news that 49-year-Anderson has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Known to be very sociable, the Plaws alternate their busy lives between Takapoto and their $19m Remuera home and also enjoy cruising the Pacific in their sleek 34m aluminium yacht Sassafras, which can accommodate eight guests and five crew.
2018: $120 million