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CLIENT NEWS - Spring Sheep’s toddler formula first to market in Malaysia

Spring Sheep Milk Co. has launched a premium sheep milk formula for toddlers in Malaysia – the first of its kind in this market. Gentle Sheep® Premium Toddler Formula is the company’s first product in its Early Life Nutrition (ELN) range for infants and young children. Spring Sheep is well-known for delivering nutritional products made with premium New Zealand dairy ingredients. The company launched its first product, whole sheep milk powder, in New Zealand and Taiwan in 2016. This was foll...

PR TIPS - Is your shop window gathering dust?

BY HEATHER CLAYCOMBWhen I was a little girl growing up in the US, one of the special activities my grandmother and I would do together is shopping at the largest department store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania – Watt & Shand.One of the most exciting parts of those regular shopping excursions was the anticipation of seeing the huge shop windows – some as large as eight to ten metres long – and the fashion stories told through the creative mannequin displays. Christmas was an especiall...

CLIENT NEWS - Type 1 diabetic takes on challenge for charity

Type 1 diabetic Ricky Winikerei is taking part in a nationwide fitness challenge to help raise money for Diabetes NZand educate people about the condition.  The 39-year-old Waikato-based musician was diagnosed three years ago with diabetes. This week he started Anytime Fitness NZ’s 28-day Winter Kick-Start Programme at the franchise’s Cambridge club. The campaign aims to raise $30,000 to combat our country’s fastest growing health issue. All proceeds from the sale of a special e...

CLIENT NEWS - NZ junior team jetting off to the VNEA World Junior Pool Championships

New Zealand’s top junior pool players will take their game to the world next week, cueing off against the best in the sport at the VNEA World Junior Pool Championships. The team of 10 are aiming to top last year’s four winning titles when they compete against 300 other juniors from Canada and America, in Sioux City, Nebraska. The team ranges in age from 9-year-old Pukekohe identical twins Harlem and Tyler Hoggart, competing in the under 13 age group, to 21-year-old Hone Tito from Hamilton. ...

CLIENT NEWS - Te Waka appoints new Strategic Partnerships and Projects Manager

Waikato’s regional economic development agency Te Waka has appointed a new Strategic Partnerships and Projects Manager, Michelle Hollands. Hollands brings strong strategic business experience to the organisation, having spent the last five years as General Manager (Regional Leadership) at Sport Waikato. There she worked across government-funded projects, using funding from local authorities and central government (via Sports New Zealand) to deliver opportunities for people in the community to ...

CLIENT NEWS - Competition in real estate auction rooms in Hamilton heats up

Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says after a brief hiatus in activity for real estate auction rooms in Hamilton, competition is heating up again. “During the first half of the year, investors had pulled back from the residential housing market in Hamilton.  And the city’s auction rooms certainly felt this effect. “With fewer buyers in auction rooms, fewer vendors were taking their homes to auction. But over the past month or so we’ve seen those investors coming...

CLIENT NEWS - Campaign encourages Kiwis to get active for a good cause

Anytime Fitness NZ and Diabetes NZ have joined forces to help Kiwis get active this winter and raise $30,000 to combat our country’s fastest growing health issue. Anytime Fitness NZ’s 28-Day Winter Kick-Start campaign starts on Monday, with all proceeds from the sale of a special eBook going to Diabetes NZ. Anytime Fitness NZ Chief Executive Richard Ball is challenging New Zealanders to get active, while helping Diabetes NZ support people affected by diabetes and raise awareness of the cond...

CLIENT NEWS - Farmers consider Transition feeding for smoother calving and better production

GrainCorp Feeds is educating dairy farmers about Transition feeding this calving as a tool to help improve cow health and lift milk production. GrainCorp Feeds General Manager Daniel Calcinai says the Transition period covers the four weeks before and after calving and is a critical time for the dairy cow. “The transition period is a brief but critically important period where as much as 80 per cent of disease costs are generated, and an average of 4 per cent of animals have to be culled from...

CLIENT NEWS - Ngaruawahia High School pool team on their way to the national competition

With the national secondary school pool competition just around the corner, one Waikato team from Ngaruawahia High School is training hard for the tournament to beat their larger school rivals. Physics teacher Murray Elgar is in charge of the team of 14 students and has been involved in cue sports at the school for five years. The students train every week on their three school pool tables and at the local Masséclub in Hamilton, with Mr Elgar transporting them there and back in the school van. ...

CLIENT NEWS - Noted scientist David Gill joins Cannasouth to drive first products to market

Cannasouth has appointed David Gill as Product Development Manager, who will take responsibility for bringing the company’s first medicinal cannabis products to the market. Gill comes to Cannasouth after more than a decade with animal health multi-national Argenta, where he was the Chief Scientific Officer for the past seven years as head of Argenta’s innovation division. Previously he was Argenta’s Research and Development Manager, leading a team of 37 scientists. Gill started his career ...

HMC NEWS - HMC recruit brings strong agribusiness experience to the team

Kate Robinson (nee Webber) has joined the HMC Communications team as senior account manager, bringing with her sound knowledge and experience in agriculture. Robinson has more than 22 years public relations experience in both agency and in-house communications roles. She and HMC managing director, Heather Claycomb, met more than 15 years ago early on in their PR careers. “I’m excited to be back working with Heather again,” says Robinson. “She has built her business from the ground up wit...

CLIENT NEWS - Service delivery a key focus for new AB manager

CRV Ambreed’s new National Artificial Breeding Manager has his sights firmly set on keeping the company’s farmer customers happy. Craig Scott joins the CRV team from pregnancy testing company Ultrascan Limited, where he was the national franchise manager for two and a half years. He says delivering “gold standard” service to farmer customers that meets their expectations must be a core focus of the CRV’s AB delivery business. Scott believes CRV already has a great reputation for its...

CLIENT NEWS :Ground Broken on Hands on for Habitat Project in Ngaruawahia

Habitat for Humanity Central North Island has broken ground this afternoon on the ‘Hands on for Habitat’ project in Ngaruawahia, which aims to raise funds for Habitat’s home repair programme. The project involves the build of a new high-quality home in the River Terraces development in Ngaruawahia, to be auctioned off once complete. Major sponsors of the ‘Hands on for Habitat’ project, in attendance at the event, include  Anthem Homes, Mitre 10 Mega Hamilton and Lodge Real Es...

CLIENT NEWS - Māori economic development plan refresh to benefit Waikato communities

The refresh of the Waikato region’s Māori economic development action plan Te Whare Ohaoha will provide a clear roadmap towards a prosperous region, according to Te Puni Kōkiri (Waikato-Waiariki) and Waikato’s regional economic development agency Te Waka. The refreshed Waikato Region Māori Economic Action Plan and Agenda – Te Whare Ohaoha was unveiled by Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta at a stakeholder event today (Friday 14 June) in Hamilton. It outlined a series of actions ...

CLIENT NEWS - New Zealand crowned 2019 VNEA Pool Teams World Cup Champions

New Zealand has won the Teams World Cup at the 2019 VNEA World Pool Championships, beating their opponents Germany at the competition held in Las Vegas. Having lost to Germany in the final three years ago, New Zealand fought their way to set-up a re-match, this time coming out on top. The team, made up of Jimmy Henry, Chris Bowman, Manfield Kwong, John Harrison and Roldan Largo, all hail from Auckland and play at the same Massé club together. “We play all the time, know each other’s game we...

HMC NEWS - HMC appoints new account manager

Hamilton public relations agency HMC has engaged a new account manager – marketing communications lead, Rosie Harris, to join its account management team. Harris has built experience over the past few years in the marketing and communications industry in Auckland, recently shifting to Waikato.She was most recently employed at consumer marketing agency Commando Ltd, starting as an account executive and moving up to account manager level within two years.In this role Harris worked across a range...

CLIENT NEWS - Dutch pool player Marco Teutscher one to watch in New Zealand

Dutch native Marco Teutscher has already proven himself as one to watch on the global pool scene, and now the world-ranked number 61 is playing with a silver fern on his sleeve. The 27 year-old made a splash at the US Open 9 Ball championships in Las Vegas last month when he defeated tournament favourite, 2018 Mocconi Cup MVP Skyler Woodward, finishing the competition 17th overall out of 256 players. And while he plays at global tournaments under the flag of the Netherlands, he’s become an ado...

CLIENT NEWS - Waikato medicinal cannabis company launches public share offer

Medicinal cannabis research and development company, Cannasouth Limited, has lodged a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for an initial public offering (IPO) of new shares to raise up to $10 million. Cannasouth is the first New Zealand medicinal cannabis company to use a regulated offer to raise new capital. The offer opens on Monday May 27 and is expected to close on Friday June 14. Following completion of the offer, Cannasouth will list its shares on the NZX Main Board and in doing so, will be...

CLIENT NEWS - Suppliers needed to meet global demand in booming sheep milk industry

On the back of significant growth during the 2018/2019 financial year, sheep milk producer Spring Sheep Milk Co says the timing has never been better for farmers looking to get involved in the industry. Spring Sheep business manager Thomas Macdonald says international demand for New Zealand sheep milk products is strong, and he’s noticed more farmers making inquiries about converting their dairy farms to sheep milk. “Heading into our fifth dairy season we are noticing a lot more intere...

CLIENT NEWS - Hamilton’s Knowledge Sector Strengthens Housing Market

Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke sums up Hamilton’s strong housing market with one statement, “Hamilton just keeps on going.” He says, “In January Hamilton experienced a record median house price and March wasn’t far behind.  Historically April sales normally pull back a bit, but not this April.  Sales are still strong and prices are buoyant. “Now, with the lower OCR and bank interest rates following suit, we are seeing increased interest from homeowner...

Techweek Waikato 2019 - CLIENT NEWS

Organisers of Techweek Waikato 19 are encouraging Waikato’s towns and communities to head to a local event to see the technology talent on offer in their own backyard, as the week-long tech showcase gets set to kick off later this month. Running 20-26 May, Techweek Waikato 19 regional coordinator Jannat Maqbool says they’re taking technology on the road in an effort to engage Waikato’s smaller towns and communities with the innovative technology and talent being developed on our doorstep. ...

CLIENT NEWS - Creative Waikato Searching for New CEO

Creative Waikato today announced it will embark on a search for a new CEO.Headquartered in Hamilton, Creative Waikato was established in 2012 and works to build capability within the region’s creative sector. It provides support to artists, connects organisations to encourage collaboration, promotes Waikato’s creative sector and is an advocate for the arts community.The news of a CEO search follows the resignation of inaugural CEO, Sarah Nathan, whose last day with the organisation will be 5...

CLIENT NEWS: Unique pasture spray may hold the key to reducing on-farm environmental impacts while increasing production

The technology behind a product successfully used to improve kiwifruit health and productivity for the past ten years is now available to help pastoral farmers mitigate environmental impacts on-farm while increasing pasture yield and milk and meat production. Biozest is a pasture spray that has been scientifically proven in research trials to improve the productivity, resilience and quality of pasture. Paddock and farm-scale trials over the past decade have shown Biozest-treated pasture can incr...

HMC NEWS: Celebrate Milestones With PR Pizzazz

This year and last were big years of celebration for Waikato organisations.  Have you noticed how many commemorated major anniversaries over the past 18 months?  Last year National Fieldays was 50 and Gallagher Group turned 80.  And this year McCaw Lewis turns 100 while CRV Ambreed and Lodge Real Estate both turn 50.  A few not-for-profits are also celebrating with Habitat for Humanity Central North Island turning 25 this year and Balloons Over Waikato surpassing their 20th....

HMC NEWS: Something's new around here

After 15 years, we thought it was about time we freshened up the HMC brand. You’ll notice we’ve changed our logo and we’ve also changed our name and website. This isn’t a change for the sake of change. Our team has thought long and hard about the transformation and there are five key reasons behind the new look: The solutions HMC offers go beyond one word. Don’t worry – sparking change through clever communications is still at our heart. But as...