The INTAKS® system was designed by Lew Cleveland, an experienced professional who operated his own scaffolding and edge protection company in Tauranga, New Zealand.
Lew understood first-hand the challenges and constraints of traditional scaffolding and edge protection products. Starting in 1997, he set out to develop a scaffolding and edge protection system that overcame these challenges and constraints and that would improve safety and efficiency on building sites (and make more money for the business owner). After many years of development, the result was the award-winning INTAKS® system.
Given this background, you can be confident that INTAKS has been designed and engineered for, and tested in, real life.
Many design features have been incorporated to make the system easier to use and more efficient. These design innovations are supported by rigorous testing in the workshop and on-site, with testing and independent verification to the relevant Australian and New Zealand Standards.
All proprietary components are manufactured in New Zealand by our supplier partners. Made of tough aluminium and laser cut steel, the INTAKS® system is strong, light, and designed to achieve efficiencies unavailable with other systems.
During our initial call, we have a conversation about why you’re looking into establishing a scaffold and edge protection business, what you want to achieve from owning such a company, and what your indicative budget is for investment. We explain how the business can operate on a small or large scale, with a lot of scope to grow in size if that is what you want.
After your initial call with us, we’ll schedule a face-to-face meeting (or a video call). This allows you to get to know us better and to ask more questions. We find out what life experiences or skills you feel make a good fit for the industry and INTAKS. We discuss at a high level all of the milestones in the process and discuss and explain the investment requirements and ways of financing the business opportunity.
We will then engage with you to discuss the opportunity further and answer any questions you may have. Additional calls can be arranged as required to address any questions or concerns you may have on specific subjects. If you want to proceed further at this stage, we provide you with a two-way confidentiality agreement to facilitate free and frank information exchange. We also set-up a day for you to visit us in Tauranga to view our training yard, warehouse, visit an operating scaffold business and to allow you to get to know us better.
If you decide at any stage that starting-up a scaffold business isn’t really for you, but you’re still interested in purchasing (or leasing-to-own) gear, that’s fine and we’ll be pleased to assist.
This is your opportunity to meet the INTAKS team. You’ll learn how we support you as you set-up your business. The day includes a quick warehouse tour, a visit to our indoor training yard, and a preview of the training and support we provide.
You’ll also get the opportunity to visit the yard of one of our existing customers as well as some job sites to see the gear in action.
We then sit down and discuss your goals and aspirations when owning a business.
Where do you want to be in five years, both personally and professionally?
What areas are you most concerned about?
By the end of the day you should have a good feel for what is involved and what support is available, and be well-positioned to decide on how to move forward. This step may occur at a different time throughout the process depending on what fits best.
Often the longest stage of the start-up process, we provide you with a business plan template to fill out. Our team is available to assist you with developing your plan. As you complete your due diligence, we can help answer questions you might have about various parts of the operation.
The vision of where you want to go with the INTAKS system is created, while insights, opportunity and business knowledge is shared and gained.
Support is offered for all areas of the business plan. We encourage you to speak to current customers to learn more about how their businesses work and their relationship with INTAKS.
We sit down with you to address outstanding questions as you finalise your business plan.
You make the decision to move forward with your new business. You confirm your initial order of INTAKS equipment and we work with you to get your doors open and your business running.
Tasks to be completed prior to opening include organising premises, trucks, tools and equipment, and staff, as well as setting up the administrative side (accounting, banking, insurance, payroll, policies & procedures) of the business.
INTAKS will provide support throughout this process. Initial training can be given across key areas of the business, including sales, quoting / pricing, job preparation, scheduling and management, key practical aspects of scaffolding & edge protection install and dismantle, health & safety, and staff recruitment, management and motivation. In addition, you may choose to complete certain external courses.
Some training will need to be completed at INTAKS’ training facility in Tauranga, while other training may be completed at your location. Initial training should be completed before business operations begin.
When you develop your business plan, you’ll become familiar with your local market area and where the opportunities lie. Typically, our start-up partners focus first on the residential new builds along with maintenance work on existing homes (i.e. re-roofing, painting, etc) – residential scaffolding and edge protection.
As new business owners build their team and capability, they take on larger residential clients and opportunities, such as group home builders and larger architect-designed homes. They can also start working in the commercial edge protection market segment.
Opportunities in more complex maintenance type projects (commercial and industrial) that require access and edge protection solutions provide a further attractive revenue stream for the business.
Whatever you need to discuss, we are here to help. Informal communication can happen at any time, typically more frequently at business start-up (sometimes daily by phone or email). When you have a question about staff, clients, potential clients or a particular job and don’t know what to do, you can contact us.
Although you receive initial training when you start-up your business, you may need refresher or extension training in certain areas. Or new team members may benefit from going through the training. Let us know, and we will help arrange something that works.