Waikato Chamber of Commerce expands to South Waikato as more businesses settle in the area

The South Waikato District has been growing. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

The Waikato Chamber of Commerce will expand into the South Waikato.

Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good said they made the move due to an increase in businesses settling in the district.

“With many more innovative businesses - especially in the forestry, engineering, home construction, social services and education sectors - establishing themselves in Tokoroa and Putāruru, this has created a demand for better connections with regional, national and global companies.

“We have received a great deal of interest from South Waikato businesses [which] are looking to grow and want better connections with regional, national, and global companies.

“In collaboration with [the South Waikato Investment Fund Trust], our intention is to initiate ... advocacy and lobbying, networking events, social media activity ... and connections with businesses in the wider Waikato region.

South Waikato Investment Fund Trust chief executive Amanda Hema said Swift and the Waikato Chamber of Commerce would complement each other.

“Swift focuses more on local capability development, and the Chamber is able to provide regional, national and international connections.”

To mark the launch, the chamber, together with Swift and Wintec, Toi Ohomai would host an event in the district tomorrow on March 6.

Three Waikato business leaders would be at the event to talk about their journeys.

They are David Hallet, co-founder of Hamilton software business Company-X, Tjay Asiata, chief executive of Hamilton-based human resources company LM4 Group, and Gareth van der Heyden, chief executive of poultry business Better Eggs.

The South Waikato has seen significant growth in recent years and has drawn in several big projects, including the Ofi dairy factory, the Putāruru Country Estate retirement village development and the South Waikato Trades Training Centre Pūkenga Rau.

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