Vol. 35, No. 7, February 28, 2019 52 Ingestre Street, Wanganui. Phone 345 3666 or 345 3655, fax 345 2644, email [email protected] 120,000 recycled tyres used every year at Burgess Matting BY DOUG DAVIDSON Carlton and Hylton parks. scooters. One application The advantage of the of this, Russell told the You probably haven’t given Burgess Mat- product, says Russell, “is RCP was at the Panmure ting & Surfacing, based in Whanganui East that it is durable, non-slip, Railway station. “After in the old Railway workshops, a second has a long life and is easy refurbishment they had to thought but more than likely you have ben- to clean. It is also porous either lift the platform or efitted from their range of matting products – water will simply drain lower the train track. In- stead we put in a rubber from schools to hotels, parks and farms. away.” Farmers use recycled ramp at the appropriate When Russell Burgess’s around buildings. rubber matting for their gradient.” father took over the busi- This type of surfacing is dairy milking sheds, keep- The rubber comes from ness in 1951 it was a one normally done on site. It ƽ - retreaded truck and plane product business – tradi- is a process a bit like lay- crete. Its non-slip qualities tyres – not car tyres. Rus- tional rubber doormats ing concrete but the end make it attractive to put on sell explains, “The majori- made from stripped old results, explains Russell the back of utes and four ty of car tyres are of no use tyres. Today it is a range “is an impact absorbing wheelers as well. as car tyres are no longer of products based on surface.” You can see it in Russell adds, “It is also retreaded in New Zealand compression moulding schools such as St Johns used in the acoustics mar- [ from tyre chips seen es- Hill primary, in businesses ket, especially in a hotel Unfortunately most car pecially in playgrounds such as the Country Café where you need to damp- [ but also in farms, homes, on London Street and in en down any noise such as [ ute trays, and in and local parks such as Peat, in a gym, where a 40mm “If a full tyre is buried, it thick layer provides absor- will rise to the surface in bency.” A recent contract about ten years,” Russell was for 7500 sq metres of points out. “Tyres are full Sandra and Russell Burgess \ of air and will expand and says Russell. As it takes trolled heat leading to material from Malaysia, also completed a contract contract.” Consumers pay 200 tyres per tonne this clean energy,” he adds. Taiwan and the USA but for a resort in Fiji and is a fee, normally to a tyre equates to up to 10,000 Russell and his wife we have a national distri- moving into the Austral- company, for their tyres to tyres. However, “New Sandra, who is the Fi- bution and unlike them, ian market. be disposed of. Zealand discards six mil- nance Controller for the we never run out of stock. Other uses includes The company’s require- lion car tyres annually business, have co-owned Our range of products is ramps for entrance ways ments for retreaded truck from our stock of 1.5m the company since 1979, also more comprehen- and reception areas re- and plane tyres, is huge. cars,” Russell says. “There but know they can’t sit sive.” ducing hazards for wheel- “We take 40 to 50 tonnes is a business in Auckland still. Russell says, “We are chairs, prams and mobility a month of tyre chips,” that burns tyres in a con- competing with imported Continued on page 2 RIVER CITY PRESS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 - 1 Check out what’s in this week’s RCP Skipper on the Waimarie at I approached Burgess Matting initially for an article on recycling but the more Russell Burgess told me about 19 years of age what the company did, the more I was im- If you have been on the big ships but that course pressed. So it became a PS Waimarie recently was full. But I enjoy front page article. An- you might have noticed a hospitality work and the other good example of new, young skipper. It is Super Yacht course was a Whanganui company Ronan Marshall and he is only four months and led competing successfully, only 19 years of age. $- not only in New Zealand It all started when Ro- cations.” ; nan was 15 in Sea Cadets. $ and in Australia. !ƾ# ranged from being a bar- Congratulations to skipper with the Waima- ista, doing silver service Ronan Marshall for Doug Davidson, rie, asked Ronan if he to cleaning decks and becoming a skipper on journalist@ was interested in vol- using ropes. It also led the Waimarie at only 19 rivercitypress.co.nz unteering and so he did him to gaining a Marine years of age (page 2). – at weekends and after %!&- There is another story on If you have back pain school as a deck hand. cate, a Launch Masters the Waimarie about the you might be interested Before too long he was &'() Q& in the ‘Possum Fur Pain promoted to the role of which covers safety train- and Cake’ cruises (page Relief Belt,’ being re- the bosun – the person [ 27). If you haven’t been launched in Whanganui who helps to organise [[ on the ferry recently – (page 3). A friend is a the other deck hands While in Auckland, Ro- you should. convert to wearing one so that the skipper can nan was able to stay with Most schools have to and so I’m going to give concentrate on organising his brother, but when he raise funds and most it a trial. I’ll report back the sailing. It was still a was posted to Ohakea, primary schools have on progress. voluntary role. Ronan decided to return a gala. St Anthony’s Congratulations to In January 2017, Ronan home and resume his is doing a Medieval Christina Emery for had left school and had old role as a manager in Fayre this Saturday and organising Pride Week headed up to Auckland *( judging by their willing- (page 25). Whanganui, I to do a course on Super But then the Waima- ness to dress up for the hope, is ready to accept Yacht Cruising. His rie came calling. They photograph, the fayre all peoples of whatever father was a marine radio needed another skipper should be one to go to sex, ethnicity or religion. operator and his brother and as he was half way (page 6). @(( was in the navy and so ƽ working on water was sponsor him to complete very much in the blood. his legal, Maritime and River City Press - Ronan says, “I had Safety Systems exams. email: [email protected] ƾ Ronan says, “It is a two hour oral exam on board boat. You are required to do a range of skills Ronan Marshall, skipper on the Waimarie such as anchor drops, & 120,000 recycled tyres man overboard drills as pick up a job on one. well as berthing’s and O8: departures. be back,” he says. He used every year at +(- would love a life of a cember last year he was winter in the Bahamas Burgess Matting the Skipper (or Captain or or somewhere similar Master) on the Waimarie. and a summer back in Continued from page 1 The ferry is operating six Whanganui skippering There is also a threat from Australian companies who days a week and there are the Waimarie. have been buying up product and taking it to Asia. So three skippers available. He is grateful to Russell has been looking at alternatives to diversify. Although he says, “I’m Waimarie Skippers, One possibility is foam used in car seats and couches really enjoying it” it has ( and they are studying its properties. The company has been “a childhood dream” help and to the Waimarie also worked with Palmerston North based sports gear to work on superyachts. Operating Trust for all !\ So in April he is heading their help. It took 12 months and the product is sold by Obo world- wide. Burgess employs 17 people including Russell, San- dra and their eldest son Jack, who is based in Welling- Do you suffer ton and focuses on installations, sales and marketing throughout the country. The business will continue to be a family business but one which is meeting market from migraines? challenges head on – and from its base in Whanganui. Headaches? Headaches have many causes so do have a medical check-up. If your doctor rules out the more serious Free causes, your headaches may be the result of food in- tolerance or allergy. Those who get a migraine every time they have a glass of red wine will have no dif- until you [ - [ Headaches are not part of life. Why not come and are 18. hear someone share how they discovered the cause of their headaches? Practical help will be given. For more information see our advertisement. Make an appointment today 06 345 3222 Visit us at Victoria House 1a Rutland Street, Wanganui 2 - RIVER CITY PRESS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 ‘Wearing possum fur against your skin can kill pain’ - special offer for RCP readers To celebrate the re- possum fur and develop- covered it also took away I couldn’t do without it. I now he hopes to make it 3 credit card you can order There is just one small launch of Colin Cox’s ing overseas markets.