Manufacturing News

The locally-owned Erina branch of the Bank of Queensland is backing the development and marketing of a new environmentally friendly recyclable plastic bottle. Nadalan Enterprises Pty Ltd, which operates a factory at Somersby, is set to revolutionise the bottled water industry with the launch of the most environmentally friendly recyclable plastic bottles in Australia, and offer them at a considerably discounted price to consumers.

Nadalan Enterprises founders, Nada and Alan Redford began the business more than 10 years ago, and were turning over $2.5 million annually producing P.E.T. bottles and closures. Following the economic downturn mid-last year, Mrs Redford said they decided to review their business strategy and products and market their own brand of spring water.

“We have conducted market research over the past couple of years and found that consumers of spring water generally buy in bulk to save money. But the bulk packs they purchase are quite unwieldy in terms of size and weight,” she said. “We also found that 75% of our customers would prefer to buy in bulk if we could deliver it to them in their homes at supermarket prices.

 “We are developing and marketing new bulk spring water plastic packaging that is far more environmentally friendly than the existing products on the market – in everything from material, production, storage and transport to disposal. We’ll be able to reduce the price of a 15 litre bottle of spring water from $11 to $7, delivered to the customer’s home, because of the energy efficient, recyclable materials we’re using.

“It’s great for the customer, great for the environment, and great for our business!” said Mrs Redford. But Mr Redford said the idea wouldn’t have got off the ground without the support of Owner-Manager, Stewart Gall, and his team at the Bank of Queensland, Erina.

“Having a bank manager who understands my business, who has visited us and understands our business strategy and plan, has made all the difference,” said Mr Redford. “We’ve changed our entire operation in one of the most difficult economic periods, but Stewart and his team have been with us all the way.

 “It’s been invaluable to have a close relationship with my bank manager. Without his support, Nadalan may not be where it is today – about to launch a revolutionary product that is both environmentally- and hip pocket-friendly.”

Mr Gall said that it was this kind of business partnership that helped him grow his business too. “As Owner-Manager of my own branch, I can make decisions here in Erina based on my understanding of the local economic climate and my industry knowledge, and I think this is what attracts a lot of my customers to my branch,” he said.

“And because I am a small business owner myself, I understand the challenges and opportunities they face and know that often these have to be acted on quickly. As a result, we have this great relationship where we are helping each other grow our business, which I think is fantastic for the business community.”

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