Quality Safety (QSi) supporting Brain Injury Whanganui through sales of industrial hard hats

A Whanganui manufacturer will donate a portion of each sale of its latest product to the Whanganui branch of the Brain Injury Association.

Quality Safety (QSi) owner Brian Bland has bought an injection moulder machine to manufacture industrial hard hats in his Nikki Plastic factory in Pacific Pl.

"Months of hard work of designing and testing later, a certified product is now ready to go to market," quality assurance manager Paula Goudie said.

"An idea was floated to give a portion of the sales from every helmet purchased to the Brain Injury Association Whanganui as, without head protection, a worker could end up with a brain injury.

"When Brian met with the team of mostly volunteers from the Whanganui association, he was overjoyed to be able to be involved with such a wonderful charity helping people and their families to live life after their brain injury."

Brain Injury Whanganui president Nerrily Frith said the association was "absolutely ecstatic" about the Quality Safety initiative.

"We try to put it out there how important brain injury is," Frith said.

"People don't take it seriously enough. Even a simple concussion can lead to bigger things later.

"We feel this initiative is a win-win."

The helmets, which carry a sticker inside saying the purchase will help people affected by brain injury, are being sold around the world. In Whanganui they are available at McDonald Equipment - TradeZone and Corys Electrical.

Quality Safety makes a range of safety-related products including road cones, first aid kits, medical equipment, survival kits and equipment, paramedic/rescue equipment, height safety gear, spill solutions, industrial clothing, general safety gear and signs.

The company won the manufacturing and logistics category at the 2018 Whanganui Regional Business Awards.

"We were so proud to get that award," Bland said.

The judges said they were impressed with QSi's focus on quality throughout their organisation, with systems that monitor and manage the quality of products during and after manufacture, and a culture that ensures staff can achieve their best.

Bland and his family moved to Whanganui in 2001 and established a new base for Quality Safety, a company they had run in South Africa for more than 40 years. The company has national and international clients and employs 40 staff.

Francesca (front), Robbie and Mackenzie Baldwin join Brain Injury Whanganui staff and supporters in thanking Quality Safety's Paula Goudie (fifth from left) and Brian Bland (second from right).