CPS 2008 Auckland Export of the Year…….. Finalist

Yes back in 2008 CPS entered the Auckland Exporter of the Year Awards. And after a few grueling interviews, we were selected as one of the three finalists from hundreds of applicants. Our main export product is the CPS comparator which I designed way back in the mid-90’s. We exported a few over the years but not until we convinced Crystal Engineering to take it on as a product line did sales really take off.

In the years preceding 2008, before the GFC, we were exporting about 400 units per year to Crystal, whom then sold them to their distributors world-wide. They even developed some pressure gauge calibration software (FastCal) which used our comparator and their digital reference pressure gauge the XP2i. The two major markets for the comparator are oil and gas, and power generation. So big sales into Russia, Canada, US and the Middle East.

Manufacturing in New Zealand has its challenges, but also has its benefits. This is not a price conscious product, which is good. It’s a very niche product, so low volumes which don’t suit big turn-key manufacturing. This item is very much put together by hand, tested by hand, and so on. It came about because I understood pressure calibration – so many manufacturers don’t really understand their customers. From a usability point-of-view its child’s play (my five year old has tested gauges with it), but from a manufacturing point-of-view its not simple or cheap to make.

All our manufacturing is done by GammInCo in Tauranga. Then all the aluminum parts go to Advanced Anodizing in Tokoroa. Again all the anodizing is done by hand, which is an art not a science (to get a colour match), as each part anodizes differently, plus Kirsty picked a very difficult colour – gold. But that colour is what sets it apart from some boring old grey pressure comparators. It looks funky so it’s the star piece of any cal lab. And it also works a treat. Not to mention it does what I designed it too do – test pressure gauges and pressure transmitters, accurately and quickly.

So the highlight back in 2008 was for CPS to be one of the three finalists up on stage at the awards dinner – we didn’t win, but we got so close. I wasn’t their on the night (I was crew on a Super Yacht sailing from Tonga to New Zealand – tough choice but that was a ride in itself – Blog for another time?). So my business advisor and Accountant went along and represented CPS.

Sales of comparators have been steady in recent years and will still sell a few locally here in NZ each year.

Check out the CPS comparator and all its options on our web site, you will see its a very cool way to calibrate pressure gauges.