Being responsible for the health and safety of the team of one of New Zealand’s leading manufacturing companies is kind of like raising a teenager. Or at least, according to Altus’ Health, Safety & Environmental Manager, Sen Chen. Smiling, he notes that delicate balance of tension and responsibility he feels for his staff, much like what a parent feels when their teen is out at night. You can’t simply turn away at the end of the day and nod off - you’re far too invested, and, let’s face it: you care.
Certainly, Health and Safety Advisor, Matt Artz, likens the Altus team to a close-knit family. “I know most of these guys on a first-name basis, at least. I know whether they like rugby or cricket, I know whether their kids still go to school,” he laughs. “So for me, if something happens to one of these people, there is that sense of responsibility.”
Altus, New Zealand’s leading aluminium company, specialises in design, manufacturing, import and export of extrusion and rolled product to all different industries, from construction, transport, marine and more. Supplying both local and international markets, Altus understands how valuable it is to have innovation as the core essence of everything they do, and how their values help create a winning culture for a leading company. Being at the helm of a New Zealand success story that has supplied Kiwi TV shows like The Block, Managing Director Ron Holden cares deeply for the near 560-people that comprise the Altus team.
However, like any worrying parent, Altus quickly realised that they needed to apply their winning formula of innovation and excellence to their internal systems - or face setbacks as a result of hazy, difficult-to-navigate health and safety and risk management systems.