The Hastings Opportunity

Hastings is a connected district with a range of industry, talent, and lifestyle opportunities where the thinkers and doers thrive. Open space for head space ensures opportunities for innovation. A base where businesses delivering products and services across the globe prosper.

These industries are making their mark on the world from Hastings:

• Agriculture
• Agritech
• Call centre / Business support centre
• Construction
• Digital technology
• Engineering
• Food and beverage
• Food processing
• Horticulture
• Manufacturing technology
• Professional services
• Robotics
• Viticulture
• Well established as one of the largest apple, pear and stone fruit producing areas in New Zealand, as well as the country’s second largest wine region.

There are copious opportunities for small businesses, industry and individuals alike. Take away much of what makes city life challenging but keep the rewarding things that just make life tick. Take a look at what’s on offer for you.

Latest updates

Inspiring Stories

Industrial/commercial activity at all-time high

Rockit HQ opening ceremony

Industrial and commercial development activity is at an all-time high in Hastings – highlighting the district’s strategic advantages and the level of confidence companies feel about establishing their business here.

The driving force for this activity is our primary sector, and its strength and resilience even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, is being seen in the burgeoning off-orchard/farm support service industries – from food processing to value-added product manufacture, building, rural and engineering services and logistics.

To support this, Council has over the years rezoned 150ha of land classed as unproductive for industrial developments at Whakatū, Tomoana, Irongate and Ōmahu.

A growing number of businesses are taking up opportunities in these areas – a $20m pet food line at Heinz Watties Tomoana, Rockit Global’s HQ and 21,000sqm cool store and pack-house at Irongate, Sunfruit’s pack-house at Irongate, and the Apollo Foods Beverage Plant at Whakatū are just some.

bbi Wood Products – Irongate

At Irongate, bbi wood products is constructing a large distribution centre that will allow the company to process more product to meet the needs of its customers.

bbi Wood Products – Irongate

After starting in 2008 supplying plywood to the packaging industry, bbi now supplies product for a range of civil and commercial projects, from plywood for concrete form work to appearance-grade product to meet architects’ specifications for interior finishing.

Its products are distributed nationwide through building supply stores for the building industry, and it supplies large industrial users such as the packaging industry directly.

Managing director Brendan O’Sullivan says this investment in the new Hastings distribution centre will allow the bbi team to better support its merchant customers’ plywood and decking needs.

“Structural plywood, particularly treated product, is in desperately short supply with the large increase in demand and challenging supply chain. We have a lot sympathy for what the merchants and builders are having to navigate in regards to the supply chain – it’s a very difficult operating environment.”

When this structure is complete in July/August, it will allow bbi to process a lot more product.

This structure uses Laminated Veneer Lumber, manufactured by Nelson Pine – in line with bbi’s wood first approach – sustainable timber solutions that designers and builders can create endless possibilities with.

The aesthetically attractive, warmer feeling structure along with carbon storage, sound absorption properties in noisier environments, and the fact that birds can’t perch on the beams are all added benefits which make it a great solution.

Mr O’Sullivan said a clear span LVL timber building of this size hadn’t been built before.

It has a 45 x 100m internal clear span with 8m and 7m canopies around the perimeter making it slightly bigger than a rugby field.

“We have some more industrial land to develop in the area and are keen to make some smaller sized structures at around 24m and 30m internal clear span, which we think will showcase a good range of sizes.

“There is a positive future for engineered wood products, adding more options to steel for not only the industrial, but also the residential market.”

Other construction-related businesses moving to Irongate include MCL Construction, who have recently completed a new 2,000m² Joinery Workshop, Venta Glazing and Aluminium Joinery, Archant and Lattey Group who are planning to establish a new 5,000m² precast manufacturing facility.

Tumu Group has new buildings available for lease with access off Maraekakāho and Irongate Road. Their design and build strategy will include the use of sustainable engineered timber, similar to that used in the new bbi Wood Products distribution centre. Any businesses interested in moving to Irongate can contact Tumu Group via ben.hamelink@tumu.co.nz

New Zealand Frost Fans Ltd - Ōmahu

New Zealand Frost Fans

Award-winning company New Zealand Frost Fans (NZFF) manufactures FrostBoss® Frost Fans that are used by growers to protect their crops against frost damage and cold injury.

Originally founded as Hawke’s Bay Wind Machines Ltd in 1995 importing wind machines from the United States, it started manufacturing in New Zealand in 2007 andsells directly to growers through its own companies in New Zealand and Australia and through independent distributors in Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey.

In 2018 the factory was expanded, and currently work is underway for a new Blade Factory at its Ōmahu Rd site where it manufactures its Frost Fans.

Chief executive Andrew Priest said the new factory would significantly increase the company’s capacity to service growth in new markets, using state-of-the-art robotic manufacturing methods.

NZFF employs over 80 people globally, and since 2012 has grown from $9 million revenue (38 per cent export) to over $50 million in 2021 (80 per cent export).

Mr Priest said having its base in Hawke’s Bay made sense.

New Zealand Frost Fans - CEO Andrew Priest

“We have a fantastic workforce and the Bay is a great place to live. Many Ōmahu Road neighbours supply inputs such as machining, engineering, laser cutting and electrical components.”

 Across the wider Hawke’s Bay region, he said the company made use of local speciality services such as galvanising, and fabrication of tanks and engine cabinets.

“For exports we ship the machines in 40-foot containers through the nearby Port of Napier. And of course we are close to our Hawke’s Bay customer base of growers as well as having service centres in the Bay of Plenty, Marlborough and Central Otago to provide local support for those growing regions.”

Last year NZ Frost Fans was named ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay ASB Exporter of the Year, and also won the T&G Global Best Established Award. This year the company was proud to be a finalist in the NZTE NZIBA Awards in the Best Established Business category.