Thames-Coromandel District Council in New Zealand have incorporated Replas bright yellow wheel stops as part of an upgrade to their car parking areas around the Peninsula and are finding they are a successful alternative to other options. The high visibility of the wheel stops means there is no need to purchase models with built-in reflectors, which are frequently dislodged by impact with turning car tyres. According to Scott Farrell, Parks and Reserves Officer at the Mercury Bay office, ‘We have Replas wheel stops installed at high profile parking sites exposed to coastal conditions. We have not noticed any issue with colour fade or fragility’. Scott added that, ‘They are strong enough to take the larger vehicles that use our parks, the price is competitive and supply good’.

Visit the popular Spellbound Caves in Waitomo, New Zealand, and travel along a path made from Replas recycled-plastic Enduroplank™ as it weaves it’s way past glowworm colonies, piercing stalactites and constantly flowing water. So far, more than 80 000 pairs of feet have trod the boards, which are inert and impervious to the moisture that has a constant presence in the underground limestone landscape. Long-lasting and low-maintenance, non-slip Enduroplank has proven to be the ideal product in subterranean conditions and looks just as good today as when it came off the truck nearly a decade ago.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland has a unique landscape featuring one of the most extensive geothermal systems in New Zealand. However, this harsh environment takes its toll on timber sign posts, fences and boardwalks.

The park is currently trialing a Replas 100 mm bollard in an area that is off limits to the public due to its higher than normal ground temperature. Alex Leinhardt from the park says, ‘In some situations within this harsh environment, the life expectancy of conventional timber is less than in other locations’. If deemed a success recycled plastic may be given consideration as an alternative to traditional timber. According to Alex the bollard, ‘has now been in the ground for about a month and is showing no outward signs of deterioration’.

On the last day of the New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) conference, Metal Art—Replas’ NZ distributor—held a prize draw in which the winner had the opportunity to donate a Kimberly Seat to the community organisation of their choice. Winner Walter Miller, Parks Operations Manager, Rotorua District Council, chose to donate the recycled-plastic seat to the Seventh Day Adventist School in Rotorua.

During Auckland’s Sustainable City Showcase Replas recycled-plastic rumble bars provided an environmentally-friendly way to line the cycle path. For those not so keen to take to the bike, a water themed recycled-plastic Beachcomber seat provided a welcome place to rest at the Cloud on Auckland’s waterfront.

Metal Art – NZ distributor for Replas recycled-plastic products – will exhibit its range of innovative products at the New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) conference. Held at the Auckland University from 21-23 November, the theme for the event is Diversity and will explore how the recreation sector is responding to the increasing diversity of the communities we serve. If you are attending this exciting event make sure you catch up with the staff at space 13.

Management of serviced apartments 10Gilmer, in Wellington New Zealand, chose to install a set of 16 distinctive Replas yellow wheel stops to define their private parking area. The 10Gilmer logo and numbered spaces were routed into the recycled plastic with the text painted black.

Colour-fast, hardwearing and environmentally friendly Replas wheel stops are also available in black, grey and blue. In addition to any customised text, they can also be modified to include a range of high-visibility reflectors.

It’s been said that colour is the bright side of childhood. So when South Taranaki District Council, in News Zealand, and its Hawera Community Board set out to install a new playground for the under 10’s at King Edward Park, they wanted a full palette - right down to the park seating. Our Wakefield benches turned a bright idea into reality. For their Wakefield seats, STDC chose blue slats on powder coated lemon yellow frames. ‘The seating is a great hit with the children’, says STDC Contracts Supervisor Nicola Bourke. ‘They are attracted to it as if it were an integral part of their play.’ The slats are made from recycled plastic - milk bottles turned into something the kids, and their caregivers, can use and enjoy. So there’s a sustainability lesson in there too. ‘We are very interested to see how the seats weather and stand up to treatment over time,’ says Nicola. With seating made from a combination of galvanized mild steel powder coated using the latest techniques, and colour-fast recycled-plastic slats that never need painting, the Hawera community can look forward to getting years of use out of their Wakefields, and lots of fun too.

For over a decade now, office equipment supplier Ricoh NZ Ltd has been buying Replas Kakadu seats, which ties in well with the company’s global environmental management strategy. Ricoh actively encourages customers to recycle their used toner cartridges through a free collection box programme, where 100% of each recovered cartridge is recycled. Ricoh demonstrates their support for recycling by supplying customers with Kakadu seats to help promote environmental awareness. ‘Ricoh supports recycling in a major way,’ says Margie Barriball, Sustainability Advisor. ‘The Replas seats are a great example of what can be done with recycled plastic manufactured into functional and durable furniture that stays looking good for a long, long time.’ As well as placing Kakadu seats in its New Zealand offices, Ricoh provides them to some major customers, including schools and government departments. ‘Yes, the seats are a great promotional tool for the company and what we stand for. Most importantly however, they are highly practical pieces of sustainably produced outdoor furniture, available for people to use for years to come.

Of all the casual dining places along Jackson Street in Petone, NZ, there’s one that really stands out. The ever-popular Go Bang Café recently upgraded its outdoor seating, using standard Metal Art table and seat framing topped by Replas recycled-plastic slats.

Designed with a mixture of profile sizes and colours that nicely match the café’s existing decor, Go Bang’s new seating is an innovative recycled-plastic solution that has people talking. ‘Every morning when we put the tables and seats out, passers-by ask about the material used,’ says Go Bang staff member Sophie. ‘We like explaining they are made from recycled plastic.’

For Go Bang's owner Jason Hall, it’s a win-win. ‘We get a lot of good comments from our customers, and staff are proud of the bit they are doing for the environment.’ The equivalent of 6,900 two-litre milk bottles went into the furniture that now adorns Jackson Street outside Go Bang Cafe.