Firm quits 'unaffordable' Tauranga

An established boat builder is packing up in Hewletts Rd - driven out of Tauranga because of the high lease.
The family-owned AMF Boat Company set up here 27 years ago and has operated on airport-owned land in Hewletts Rd for eight years.
"The problem is the airport lease - it is just ripping us apart, after it doubled a few years ago," said managing director Brian Collings.
"The council-owned airport values the land at more than $300 per sq m based on a sale at the peak three years ago and they are not going to back down."
Several landowners on the southern side of Hewletts Rd met airport executives in a bid to get the lease reduced.
AMF, which also has a factory in Wanganui, paid a total lease of $100,000 a year, increasing from $75,000, which included using a 600sq m building.
The company can move back to Wanganui into a 1000sq m building for a third of the price.
It was a no-brainer for Mr Collings.
The packing will be finished by the middle of next week. The staff that peaked at 14 was reduced to six and they were offered jobs in Wanganui - two are moving.
"It just doesn't stack up operating here based on the land leases. Tauranga is regarded as one of the most unaffordable places and it's so true," he said.
"It's just not conducive to what we are doing and the council needs to wake up, not dream about what might happen."
Mr Collings said his company sold most of their boats off the internet to customers around the country.
"Being in Hewletts Rd doesn't mean we are seen by potential customers," he said.
"They took away a lot of our frontage when the road was re-designed and we can't display boats properly.
"The council is absolutely obsessed with policing the bus lane and this stops people from pulling in.
"A bus might come by once an hour.
"A truck driver pulled out on the bus lane from our property and stopped to check his load to make sure the straps were tightened, as required by law. He ended up with a $150 fine for using the bus lane."
Mr Collings said Hewletts Rd looked like a ghost town.
"The amount of dirt and dust that flies around ... some of the yards aren't sealed ... it's filthy."
AMF became renowned for its aluminium custom-built quick response vessels (QRV), which can reach speeds of up to 50 knots.
During the past 18 months, AMF has built rescue vessels for the Hawke's Bay, Gisborne and Canterbury Coastguards, as well as custom-made boats for private clients.
The company was established in Tauranga by Paul Sharratt and his daughter, Jodi, after he spent 20 years building aluminium boats in Wanganui.
Jodi's husband, Mr Collings was running Rivercity Marine in Wanganui and switched to building AMF's Pro-Sport (production) Series - 5.8m to 7.7m aluminium trailer boats for fishing and recreation use.
Mr Collings moved to Tauranga five years ago, then bought the AMF business in October 2007.
Now, they are ready to integrate the business back in Wanganui - the QRV vessels and custom-made boats being built alongside the Pro-Sports in the same factory.