The project involved a number of Wanganui companies. Shade NZ carried out the acoustic installation, specialist fastener company Anzor supplied the stainless steel fixtures and fittings, Taylor Engineering supplied and installed the mounting brackets and Stewarts Electrical Supplies provided the PVC piping to cover the wire.
Mark Nevile, account manager for Autex, said the company was founded in 1967 and is now a multi-million dollar business which has expanded into Australia.
Mr Nevile said the company began producing polypropylene carpets, a hard-wearing and ultra violet light-resistant carpet popular in commercial and industrial situations.
"Our carpets are bulletproof. They go into schools, resthomes and the like," he said.
Autex also created polyester-based thermal insulation and acoustic products.
"The application we've done in the Splash Centre was something invented about 15 years ago," he said.
"Years ago, places such as schools used Pinex wallboard covered in hessian fabric but this wall covering replaces that. It can be pinned or stapled on, but the good thing is it reduces noise levels by at least 40 per cent. Essentially this is what we've installed at the Splash Centre."
But the Splash Centre isn't the only area where this acoustic baffling has been installed. Autex has put it up in the War Memorial Centre, and at least two city cafes: Mint and Parnells. Nearly every school in the district has the panelling on classroom walls.
Mr Nevile said the War Memorial Centre installation was done to a minimum level and does not cover all the space. As a result, some sound can still bounce off the ceiling and walls.
"While it's kept the sound levels down in some parts of the hall it's exacerbated it in others. But it all comes down to the budget the council had.
"Across the road at the Mint cafe, they had a hell of a problem with noise there but now they've got these panels installed and it has made a huge difference," he said.
However, he said it was hard getting owners to understand the impact improved acoustics can have on their business.
"It's not cheap, sure, but what we're saying is that cost can be recovered very quickly."
Mr Nevile said NZ was following Australia's lead and moving away from the traditional fibreglass products to more user-friendly polyester ones. Polyester fibre is the same material used in thermal clothing and duvets.
He said Autex had a "special symbiosis" with other contractors working on the Splash Centre.
"The Wanganui District Council was fabulous to work with and the boys from Shade NZ were exemplary.
"They'd never seen the product before. They asked a couple of technical questions and then nutted the whole thing out themselves," he said.
"We're absolutely thrilled and delighted with the result at the Splash Centre. This will be used as an example about what can be achieved."
He said the feedback indicated the installation had been a major success.
"It's turned out to be a very cost-effective form of treatment," Mr Neville said.
