New owners of Water Mart, now Straight Flush, Ngaire and Jeremy Mansfield. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
KAREN COLTMAN
[email protected]
Three staff who lost their jobs when Water Mart Wairarapa went into liquidation last month have been employed by new owners Ngaire and Jeremy Mansfield who bought the company last week.
The husband and wife team put an offer in to buy Water Mart back in 2017 but after doing some research on the company, withdrew their offer.
The couple has taken over the Water Mart client database but ditched the name.
Ngaire said she talked with the staff she wanted to re-employ, and all were pleased to have Straight Flush as the new name for the company.
The Mansfields own Straight Flush Plumbing Ltd, which is based in Ngauranga in Wellington.
“We have a couple of branded vans available already, and the team are keen to move on and put the Water Mart brand behind them,” Ngaire said.
“I’m thoroughly impressed at how these individuals have conducted themselves through extreme uncertainty, and it’s our pleasure to bring them on board.
“They are part of your community and will work hard for you.
“We were keen to get on with it quickly because the phone had stopped ringing when the word got out about the liquidation of Water Mart. The phones are back on, and we are in business.”
Ngaire said she and her husband intended to rebuild the business and were planning to take on an apprentice when they could.
“There is so much work on at the moment, there is no reason why any plumber should be out of work in Wairarapa, and it’s very exciting to be here,” she said.
The couple has three children, one with special needs and managing autism and he is cared for in Hohepa, Hawkes’ Bay.
“We have a strong interest in disability issues and were quite possibly the first family to bring a service dog to lunch at the Kuripuni shops,” Ngaire said.
The service dog helps their son and is different from a guide dog for visually impaired people.
“We drive up to Hawkes Bay to be with our son regularly and so will be in Wairarapa frequently to maintain a supportive presence for our staff in the region.”
Jeremy is a certifying plumber gasfitter with more than 25 years in the industry, holding past roles on the executive of Wellington Master Plumbers.
Ngaire has a background in banking and administration, serving nine years at National Bank before starting Straight Flush.
She has more recently finished an appointed director’s role with New Zealand Plumbing World Co-operative and is a member of the Institute of Directors and Entrepreneur’s Organisation.
Straight Flush won NZ Master Plumber of the Year in 2014, and were finalists in both the Wellington Gold Awards [2015, 2018] and the Wellington Regional Business Awards [2016, 2019].
Water Mart contact numbers have been transferred to Straight Flush Wairarapa.
The most reliable email to use is: [email protected]
