Scanpower sheds three plumbers

Scanpower in Dannevirke is making changes to its plumbing and electricity divisions.

Dannevirke's customer-owned company, Scanpower, is shedding its small plumbing division as part of a restructure of its electrical and plumbing business.

"Three staff in the electrical division will move from the town base to our Oringi head office and the three plumbing staff will transition to Hawke's Bay company Turfrey's from May 1," Scanpower chief executive Lee Bettles told the Dannevirke News.

All three plumbers have received job offers from Turfrey's.

The decision to close Scanpower's small plumbing division was a result of increasing competition, he said.

"Market conditions forced the change on us," Mr Bettles said.

"It's far easier for guys to become self-employed these days and a lot of the people we trained have gone out working for themselves, which has been good for them.

"The obvious solution was for us to transition this division to Turfrey's, with no job losses."

Closing the Dannevirke base and relocating the electricians to Oringi fitted with Scanpower's core business, whereas the plumbing division wasn't a logical fit with the company, he said.

"Turfrey's is the best option for the three staff to remain working and in the meantime it will be business as usual and we'll be aiming to make the transition seamless, supporting staff and ensuring continuity of service."

Mr Bettles said with so few people paying their accounts over the counter in Dannevirke, the cost in maintaining that counter service couldn't be justified.