It’s not easy for Kiwi beekeepers out there at present, with many cutting costs as they attempt to keep businesses alive after several years of reduced honey prices. That reduction in spending obviously hits the service providers hard too, so CrystechNZ manager Jamie Grainger takes this opportunity to reinforce to honey producers that they are not going anywhere. They are still adding value to certain honey producers and processors’ business by providing high quality extraction and processing equipment, and consultation – could your honey line benefit from their expertise?
By Jamie Grainger
I must admit, my visits to the honey sheds around the country have been much fewer in the last two years than those preceding them, but my team of engineers and fabricators are still keeping busy and there has been a bit more positivity coming into things in the last six months. At CrystechNZ we are lucky to be part of the wider NZ Manufacturing group, so while myself and our team have considerable expertise in honey processing – from as soon as it comes in the door to it leaving in drum or packed – there are other jobs and industries we can keep ourselves busy with in the downtimes.
So, what does that mean for you as the beekeeper, or honey processor? Our product range, knowledge and skill set will be here at our Tauranga base and serving the whole of the country for the long run. I’m a former beekeeper myself and so this line of work is dear to me. When you engage CrystechNZ to supply honey processing plant, or just call on us to help with an existing honey line, you can be sure of ongoing support for years to come, if needed.
We are not going anywhere – that is a great thing for me to be able to say and back up with action, despite a downturn in honey prices.
Where’s the work coming from?
It’s no secret that there is used honey processing equipment coming up for sale as honey businesses change hands. Therefore, we have seen a drop off in orders of new equipment. There’s still a bit of CrystechNZ gear being fitted into sheds though, as there are obviously huge benefits to buying new and specialised plant, compared to the unreliability of the second-hand market.
With more well-worn honey plants changing hands, we have been able to pivot towards consultation and helping beekeepers gain efficiencies as they familiarise themselves with unfamiliar setups. In April I had a client where the experienced beekeeper and line operator took off on an early holiday and left the boys to it. Things were not going as smoothly as they could though and the honey was coming out with too many impurities in it. I couldn’t diagnose it over the phone, so I jumped on a plane and went and saw them.
That service is beneficial in that I was there for a day, ironed out their problems, and their honey was back to being clean. It removes a huge amount of stress on them when they are needing to get drums out the door to their clients. Plus, it’s not a good look when you are sending out honey in a less than optimal condition.
On some of those older honey lines, the modern concepts are still fairly much the same, but there a definitely efficiencies that we can help people add in extraction, packing and processing. Little changes here and there can make some pretty big differences.
Rewarding Stuff
Making those adaptions and improving people’s honey throughput and the quality of the product gives me a real buzz. I know what it is like in the hives – it is bloody hard work. To have that hard work semi-wasted, when the honey is not coming out of the shed as well as it could be, doesn’t fly with me.
It is very rewarding to go in and help beekeepers make changes in the shed, and then get the feedback that it has made a big difference.
So, whether you need help installing some plant you have bought, getting the honey line working at maximum capacity and quality, or you just need some expertise to look over the whole setup, please get in touch. Reaching out via phone or email is at no cost to you. From there, we can advise and you can decide on the best course of action for your business.
Enjoy a winter break if you can, but remember now is the time to iron out those wrinkles in your processing plant.
