Meeting Notes for 8 November 2018
About 40 members gathered at Hill Laboratories in Hamilton for a vocational site visit.
Roger and a team of employees escorted small groups around the labs describing the various analyses being carried out by the equipment viewed through the glass windows into the ‘clean areas’ manned by technicians and scientists wearing appropriate lab clothing.
Samples are received between 6:00am and 6:30pm, each receiving a unique job number. Once prepared the samples are analysed using the latest high tech equipment costing anywhere from $100k to about $800k with most labs containing at least two of each machine. Almost all testing is automated and the machines work for up to twenty hours a day. Rest apparently is not good for them as start up is when they are most likely to fail.
The lab uses its own standard samples for calibration and most equipment is self alerting for problems.
The business model is that the labs do not collect samples and are therefore not responsible for sample quality or representation, they also do not interpret the results, and all samples are blind tested – no one knows where the sample originated.
The labs were purpose-built in a pre-existing building (New Zealand Post). Planning involving senior technicians and operators took more than a year and the fit-out about another year. The floor was raised to allow drainage and other services to be located in an accessible basement (crawl space) and electricity, air conditioning, gas and other services located above the ceiling with dedicated access ways and 2m of headroom. It was describes as unique in the southern hemisphere and state of the art.
The site employs 300+ with another 60 or so located in Wellington, Christchurch and Blenheim.
Following the tour members enjoyed a superb meal catered for by Roger’s café staff.
Notices:
Armistice at the Lake Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th
Taste Waikato on sale at the Lion’s Market on Sunday 11th
Thanks to all involved this weekend.
Next week’s meeting is at the Gaslight Theatre, please be seated by 6pm. BYO or buy from the bar. Chris Crickett still has about 12 or 13 tickets available, invite your friends and family, lets fill the place.
Garden Festival Sunday 18 November.
FindIt directory, pick up your bundle and map from Shaw Wire Ropes, Victoria Road, Saturday 24 November from 8.30am. Please pick up promptly so the team don’t have to wait around all day. If you can’t be there on time please arrange for someone else to do it or tell Ted Mason or one of the team. Please deliver promptly, but not in the rain. This year’s cover promotes our Taste Waikato book and sales before Christmas are the most important (and easiest).
