CEO Insights: Andrew Nicol, Andzac Water Treatment

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your industry in the year ahead?

We are still coming across tremendous industrial inertia, with utilities and private sector companies shying away from new emerging technologies and innovative products. Our ongoing challenge is getting customers to embrace change and actually adopt new technologies. There appears to be an entrenched belief in the 'it's always worked this way forever, so why change the way we do things?' attitude.

We believe there is great scope in achieving huge financial savings for our customers once they adopt change as the new way of doing business.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier?

Through talking to our customers and slowly building our working relationships, we have found, not surprisingly, that their requirements from us as suppliers are no different to what we all need in our 'real lives'.

I think most important is having an honest reputation as a company. There is a real need to be able to work together to achieve the outcomes which work for both the customer and us as suppliers. Having the ability to be flexible and adaptable to customer needs is vital. We are very much the mouse as opposed to the elephant as a company, so we can be pretty much whatever our customers need us to be.

Another point is, when delivering proposals, it is vital to be clear and transparent.

Finally, I believe our customers want an answer to their problem, whatever that might be.

What emerging trends or developing technologies may influence or change the way your industry sector will do business in 2016?

With the ongoing requirement to reduce OPEX and CAPEX, I think that with the development of much improved battery storage and solar efficiencies, we will see an increase in the adoption of solar technology.

Our company has developed our low power consuming aerators to be able to run off-grid. This will be a boon for customers in remote areas and will be a great aid in reducing carbon emissions.

What external impacts do you predict will have the most impact on your business in 2016?

We believe a low Australian dollar will be a huge advantage in allowing us to become an exporter in the coming years. We have previously had interest from overseas markets but have been unable to take advantage of such opportunities due to our strong dollar. Having some stability in foreign exchange rates should be great for all Australian businesses looking to export.

Also, the signing of new free trade agreements with an ever-increasing range of countries looking to do business with Australian companies will hopefully give a leg up to our struggling manufacturing industries.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2016?

Customers are searching not only for improved efficiencies in all operational areas but are also looking for greater levels of service and accountability.

It's no longer a case of just having sales targets as the main goal alone. Offering increased service levels is a little like a quasi-partnering arrangement.

It is vital for our customers to know we will be around for the whole journey and are keen to develop a long-term business relationship. Trust, commitment and confidence in the abilities of all parties is ultimately what we are all striving for.

The idea behind the Andzac Aerator was first born after visiting a water treatment plant in 2009 and noticing a broken-down, low-speed mechanical aerator lying out of action by the side of the pond. Upon learning how power-hungry and maintenance-dependent these machines were, and drawing on his experience as a plumber for over 30 years, Andrew Nicol immediately set about designing an aerator that was far more economical, far more environmentally friendly and just as effective as other aerators on the market.