Venkat Raman
A multi-million dollar retail development will provide a significant boost to the local economy with suppliers running 24 hour shifts to manufacture materials for its construction.
Work on the Furniture and homewares retailer Nido complex, covering 31,000 sqm area at 158 Central Park Dr, Henderson began in October 2018.
Construction work began in October 2018 and is expected to finish by the end of Spring this year. Called, ‘Nido,’ it will be significantly larger than any other store in the country.
Managing Director Vinod Kumar said that the sheer scale of the $60 million development has put pressure on their suppliers to meet their demand for locally made materials, which has led to further job growth.
Massive work, at night
“To ensure that there is no disruption to local traffic in transporting the 9000 cubic metres of concrete being poured, 1800 truck loads will be delivered to the site in the middle of the night. In addition, 1800 tonnes of structural and reinforcing steel has been ordered. It will account for 15,000 sqm of roofing, 1600 piles and 12,600 lineal metres of purlins and girts,” he said.
Mr Kumar said that ‘Nido,’ a New Zealand-owned Company is proud to provide jobs for 450 Kiwis during the construction phase and will employ more than 200 men and women when the store opens in the coming months.
About Vinod Kumar
Born in Fiji, Vinod Kumar graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Auckland in 1975 and launched his career at Fletcher Construction. After becoming a Permanent Resident in 1987, he brought his family from Fiji and built his first family home in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland. Despite the recession in 1989, he established his first retail business with Mitre 10 in Henderson. The venture expanded rapidly and he continued to invest in the business.
Awards and Accolades
Mr Kumar won in several categories of the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards, including the ‘Supreme Business of the Year Award’ in its launch year in 2008 and again in 2013. At each of the acceptance speeches, he advocated for better facilitation of investors and businesspersons, asking the government of the day and commercial banks for appropriate policies and incentives.
He was also voted twice ‘New Zealand Retailer of the Year.’
