Barry and Leanne Robertson founded Quantum Pacific in 1999. Now their three children, Tayla, Georgia and James, and Barry's father, Colin, all work for the business.
Barry and Leanne Robertson founded Quantum Pacific in 1999. Now their three children, Tayla, Georgia and James, and Barry's father, Colin, all work for the business.
When Barry and Leanne Robertson founded their cleaning supply business, Quantum Pacific, back in 1999, the thought of their three kids, as well as Barry’s father working for the business seemed unimaginable.
Yet today, the family business has been running for 26 years, cleaning households across the country while managingto fly under the radar.
The business has three brands under its portfolio, including Active, eco Planet and Ceraclen within the cleaning, laundry and dishwashing categories.
“A lot of people don’t understand that we’re New Zealand-made. They think that we’re this large multinational from overseas,” Robertson said.
“But no, myself and my wife started the business basically two days after my first daughter, Tayla, was born.”
Robertson had always wanted to get into a business, drawing inspiration from his grandfather who had his own business.
“I was working for my opposition at that stage, and everything was being imported,so I thought, ‘Well, why not try and start something here and build something that we can grow on?’”
Quantum Pacific has three brands under its portfolio, including Active, eco Planet and Ceraclen within the dishwashing, laundry and cleaning categories.
So he and wife Leanne set about achieving that goal, developing and launching their longest-running brand, Active Dishwashing Products.
Four years later, the Robertsons launched Ceraclean to capitalise on a big multinational brand withdrawing its product from the marketplace.
Four years later the business added its eco Planet product which utilises plant-based ingredients.
Robertson believes the business’s nimbleness has been the key to growing so quickly.
“I think just having everything manufactured here and having the support of all our staff and everything like that.
“We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve been able to do that and remain nimble in the marketplace because we don’t have to go to the decision makers. We can make that decision as a family and, if it makes sense, and we can get all the staff involved as well, we go forward with it.”
Robertson says a lot of the business’s competition comes from overseas, particularly China, and with that comes a cheaper formula.
“We have to be efficient in what we do in our production process. These big multinationals can buy products on a global scale, whereas we’re just for New Zealand.”
Most of the brand’s packaging comes from New Zealand materials, although some raw materials have to be imported into the country.
As the technology has become available, the business has made use of New Zealand kerbside recycled plastic to make its bottles.
Originally operating out of a factory in Penrose, it moved to Mt Wellington before again scaling up to its current site based in Manukau around three years ago.
Robertson believes the business will be able to work out of its current location for the next five to 10 years, with roughly 70 staff working on site.
With a company as large as Quantum, Robertson said offers had certainly been made to try to take ownership of the business.
“We’ve had approaches through the years. And look, it would have been, even for myself, it would have been a lot cheaper to go and manufacture in China or sell, but that’s not what we started the business for.”
Instead, Robertson said remaining Kiwi-owned and operated was crucial, believing it is not just his family in the business but the 70 families of his employees.
Barry Robertson, co-founder of Quantum Pacific, has employed his father, Colin, to work on the factory floor's sachet machine for roughly 20 years.
One particular employee certainly catches the eye, Robertson’s father, Colin.
At 85 years old, nothing appears to be slowing him down, and it hasn’t stopped him from wanting to work.
“It keeps him young. I’ve managed to convince him to cut down his hours now, but that was hard work. He still comes in five days a week at eight o’clock in the morning and he goes home at 11.30am. He loves it and the staff love him being in here.”
Robertson said working on the factory floor helps give Colin purpose.
Despite the interesting relationship of being his boss, Robertson said the pair have never had an issue, instead choosing to focus on the job at hand and supporting each other throughout the journey.
Perhaps the most exciting thing for Robertson is how the next generation is getting involved.
His three children are all working in some capacity for the business, with Robertson sharing that they wanted to be part of it.
Eldest daughter Tayla helps run production on the factory floor, daughter Georgia helps with the sales and marketing for the business, while son James works as a sales representative on the road.
“We started the business to be made in New Zealand and be a family business and support New Zealand, and also give something for my kids to keep running with ideally. I’ve been fortunate enough that they’ve wanted to continue it on and want to keep going.”
As for the future, Robertson is hopeful that his children can take over the business one day and keep its character as a family-owned business.
“I’m fortunate that I’ve got all the family in the business now, and we’ve got a great group of people working for us and great customers and really good support for the trade.”
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
