The Horowhenua Company Ltd (THCL)

The Economic Dashboard to September 2024, is now available on our website. GDP registered the tiniest growth (0.1%) in Horowhenua over the year to September 2024. On a per capita basis, GDP is well down on the previous year as Horowhenua’s population grew 1.6% over the year to June 2024. The district’s population reached 37,700 in 2024, up 6,000 over the last decade. After accounting for population growth and inflation, real spending per capita in Horowhenua was down 2.5% over the year to September 2024. Looking forward, our economy faces opportunities and challenges, shaped by global and domestic factors. Globally, U.S. tariff proposals create uncertainty. The impact on New Zealand will depend on whether they result in higher consumer prices in the U.S. or reduced export prices, and the extent to which Chinese exports are diverted to other markets. In the best case, such shifts could make some products cheaper in New Zealand, but risks to global trade remain significant. #Horowhenua Horowhenua District Council Read more here : https://lnkd.in/gyZ4GsSu

Last Thursday we held our final Electra BA5 event for 2024 calendar. We had the pleasure of hosting Brad Olsen JP, Chief Executive and Principal Economist at Infometrics, in Levin. A familiar face and a trusted voice in economic forecasting, Brad shared his insights on the current economic landscape and what’s ahead for 2025. With optimism on the horizon, Brad highlighted the "green shoots" emerging in the economy, reminding us of the importance of resilience with the nations catchphrase of "stay alive to 2025". Brad's passion for leveraging data and insights to create opportunities and solutions resonated strongly, offering valuable perspectives on both national trends and local opportunities for Horowhenua. We’re excited to welcome Brad back in the future for more updates as we work together to seize the opportunities 2025 will bring! *Our local economic dashboard will be available on Friday on our website. Thank you Horowhenua District Council and Sam Jennings for our emcee for the night, steeping in for Bernie Wanden. #BusinessAfter5 #EconomicInsights #Horowhenua

We have been busy this year and we are looking forward to sharing our Enterprise Drive Development update at this week's Electra Business after Five event, on Thursday night! Our Electra BA5 speaker is a familiar face, Brad Olsen JP, who is the Chief Executive and principal economist at Infometrics, a nationally recognised economic intelligence and forecasting services. We look forward to welcoming him back to Horowhenua for his latest economic update for the district and his insights into how the economy is doing as we head into 2025. Photo: Vicki Timpson, Obvious Brand Partners doing the mahi Tickets $10 https://lnkd.in/gwaPWynd

When we set up the Horowhenua New Zealand Trust it was always with a goal of helping our wider community. The biggest concern of the district's residents even above the economy is access to healthcare services. We are 50km away from our regions hospital in (Palmerston North), while 8,500 residents (about 25%) aren't registered with a local GP. This week the Trust announced we would through investments and grants commit to over $1.6m into healthcare access and support. This includes $1.5m investment in the build of a healthcare hub facility in Levin, $100k to help fund two health shuttles (Horowhenua and Foxton Beach Community Health Shuttle Trusts) to assist residents in transportation to and from Palmerston Hospital and other health services in the district, and the funding to build a dedicated first-aid room in the Horowhenua Centre. I wanted to acknowledge these fine community organisations doing the mahi that we are delighted to support, The Horowhenua Company Ltd (THCL) team who just make amazing things happen for our business community and Trustees past and present that have got us to this point. Brendan J Duffy ONZM, JP, Catriona Finau McKay, Vicki Timpson, Melissa Hanson, Hendrix Warren, Renee Cohen, Cam Lewis, Sarah Everton, Philip Harper, Ron Turk, Stuart Pescini, Jo Mason, Rebecca Kilsby-Halliday, Troy Hobson, Bernie Wanden, Monique Davidson, David McCorkindale, Evan Kroll, Andy Wynne, Piri Tukapua, Larry Ellison, Sandy Chan, Te-Aroha Jennings, Sarah Ryan, Justine Street

November Foxton Small Business Catch-up Pop-in to the new Kawhe and Kai cafe located in Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, anytime between 9.30am and 11am on Monday 25th November, to meet other local business owners and talk about business. Email Renee Cohen if you would like to join in : renee@thcl.nz

INTRODUCING OUR NOVEMBER SPEAKER  Our November Electra BA5 is the final one for the year and is being held Te Takeretanga o Kurā-hau-pō on Thursday 21st November.   The speaker is a familiar face, Brad Olsen JP, who is the Chief Executive and principal economist at Infometrics, a nationally recognised economic intelligence and forecasting services. We look forward to welcoming him back to Horowhenua for his latest economic update for the district and his insights into how the economy is doing as we head into 2025. As an economist, Brad is passionate about using data and insights to drive solutions and outcomes that will benefit people, by understanding what is happening locally, and where there are emerging opportunities. He also brings this passion to his community, where creating meaningful change for people is the goal to strive towards. Brads particular skills lie in economics, community engagement, and governance – “the numbers, the people, and the boardroom. All three of these combine to allow me to help shape strategic directions which make a fundamental difference to people’s lives". Tickets available here : https://lnkd.in/gwaPWynd

Last Tuesday, the team at THCL had the privilege of an exclusive pre-opening tour of Tatum, and the transformation was nothing short of extraordinary. Having last visited in December 2023, we were blown away by the dramatic changes—new buildings, a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, and the luxurious renovation of the historic house. The house itself is a masterpiece, its transformation a blend of timeless elegance and modern comfort. Downstairs, the charm continues with Devonshire cream teas served the old-fashioned way, complete with cream baked in the oven. Tomorrow marks the grand opening of Tatum, a versatile venue that will not only serve as a stunning wedding destination but also host conferences. Adding to its charm is a new café restaurant named Jamboree, a nod to Tatum’s rich scouting history. Wayne Bishop, the owner, and Catherine Hunt, the event centre manager, personally guided us through the expansive grounds. We toured the soon-to-be glamping site, which is set to elevate camping with a touch of luxury. We viewed the revamped Dell and the impressive Pavilion, which can host up to 200 guests. Wayne shared his excitement about the upcoming golf driving range, which is planned to open by next summer. Wayne spoke of the at the next phase of development—a bespoke retirement village that promises to be quaint and charming, perfectly aligned with the vision of Tatum as a multi-functional, community-focused destination. The future of Tatum is certainly bright, and we can't wait to see how this unique venue continues to evolve! Photo : Vicki Timpson left to right- Catherine Hunt, Wayne and Bridget Bishop (Wayne Bishop Group) with new chef Ray Parimathawut.

Last week at our Electra BA5 event, we were fortunate to hear from Amber Taylor, co-founder of ARA Journeys, at Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom in Foxton. ARA Journeys is an award-winning digital tech studio blending indigenous stories with cutting-edge AR and VR to bring history to life through captivating experiences. Amber started the day speaking to students from Waiopehu, Horowhenua, and Manawatū Colleges about the future roles in the tech sector, covering opportunities for developers, artists, and gaming testers. She currently hires student testers to "break" new games in the testing phase. Amber shared her journey into tech, from inserting coding on a Commodore 64, which sparked her passion for software, and later to launching ARA Journeys. One of their games, The Journeys of Manu, is similar to Pokémon Go, encouraging players to explore their surroundings and uncover hidden statues and can be played in up to 200 global locations. Before Amber's presentation at BA5, we hosted an exclusive session for a small group of local business professionals, where they discussed everything from visual animation and AI to youth engagement and Māori business. The interactive setting sparked valuable insights and connections among the group. Amber’s presentation at the Electra BA5 event was eye-opening, highlighting the global opportunities for NZ businesses in the gaming sector. Her personal story of resilience—from growing up in South Auckland to her 18 years working at AUT and gaining her degree—was truly inspiring. ARA Journeys, rooted in culture yet forward-thinking, continues to push the boundaries of AR gaming for modern explorers. Guests were truly inspired by Amber’s journey and the exciting future ahead for ARA Journeys. Thank you to emcee Bernie Wanden - Horowhenua District Council #TechInnovation #AR #VR #MāoriBusiness #GamingIndustry #ElectraBA5 #Inspiration

Join us at Tatum, for the final Women in Business Networking lunch for the year. This time we will hear from Catherine Hunt, Manager of Tatum and learn about the vision behind the parks transformation. Tatum is the newest restaurant, wedding and conference centre in the district, (formerly know as Tatum Park). Tatum is located on SH1 in Manakau. This event starts at 12.30 - 2.00 pm on Friday 29th November, 2024 and will be opportunity to look around the facility and then share dining platters in the Jamboree restaurant, named after Tatums National Scouting history! We are look forward to seeing you at the luncheon to celebrate the year! Tickets $35 and available here: https://lnkd.in/eCA79z3r

Construction of new Health and Wellbeing Hub for Horowhenua begins A significant step toward enhancing community health services in Horowhenua was taken on October 18th2024, with the official dawn blessing of the site of a new primary healthcare facility site at 15 Durham Street, in Levin. The site blessing, conducted by the Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, was followed by a groundbreaking ceremony. The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, Mayor Bernie Wanden, local MP Tim Costley, MP Dr. Vanessa Weenick, Think Hauora and Te Whatu Ora -Mid Central. The directors from Horowhenua Development Limited (HDL) and project leads Catriona Finau McKay and Melissa Hanson, Horowhenua NZ Trustees and staff from The Horowhenua Company Ltd also attended. The Health and Wellbeing Hub will be a vital resource for the community, with general practitioners, radiology services, and limited tenancies will be available for compatible healthcare services. “Our strategy is to build a fit for purpose, high quality facility to address the growing health needs of Horowhenua residents”. Catriona Finau McKay said. “This journey has been long and we are only here now because of the great support we have had from our partners. In particular we are grateful to Medispace who have supported us from the beginning of this project with sound advice making the model of care central to design. We also visited a wide range of existing facilities to learn what works (and what doesn’t) ”. Antony Young, chair of the Horowhenua New Zealand Trust, a co-investor in the development said, “expanding access to medical and healthcare services has to be a priority for our district, particularly given our population growth. Our belief is that this will be a valuable facility for the community.” The building has been designed with guidance and advice from Muaūpoko Tribal Authority and reflects a holistic approach to health. The land for the hub was purchased by HDL from the Horowhenua District Council, under a commitment to develop a primary healthcare facility. Planning discussions involved collaboration with key stakeholders including iwi and local healthcare providers to ensure the new facility will meet the community's needs.  HDL were the developers of Enterprise Drive, Levin, which was centred around catalysing investment in the area. The project has already delivered substantial benefits to the local economy, including job creation and increased business activity. In alignment with the HNZT Group’s commitment to community growth, the profits from Enterprise Drive development have enabled this facility to be built. The construction of the facility is being carried out by well-known local company Homestead Construction Limited, with a completion date anticipated in late 2025. Early preparations have already begun, including site fencing and site preparation works.