Ute and van fit-out specialist Hale Manufacturing is expanding its focus from primarily fleet work to include selling to dealers and retail customers.
HaleMan is also starting to use social media channels; an area it hasn’t ventured into before.
A lot of Hale’s focus has been on fleet business, says Automotive Division general manager Jon Blewett. “One of the things we’ve learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic is that we need to diversify and not have all our eggs in the one basket.
“We still have a focus on the fleet market, it’s our bread and butter, but we’ll be promoting (our products) to retail customers as well.”
Covid made 2020 quite a tough year for Hale, Blewett says. “The lockdowns hurt everyone, and we suffered a fair bit through it. We had to adapt to a changing market from mainly being a fleet specialist.”
Because of the challenges thrown up by Covid, 2020 was a year of change for Hale.
“We took the opportunity to focus and improve on what we believed our weaknesses were and we worked on production flow and efficiencies in the factory,” says Blewett.
“We put our effort into improving efficiency so that we can handle more capacity without sacrificing quality. With the improvements we’ve made, I believe we’ll be able to be more productive than we’ve ever been.”
Hale Manufacturing is the sole importer and distributor of Alpha products in New Zealand, and stocks the Thailand-based manufacturer’s full range of canopies, as well as a selection of Alpha hard lids.
HaleMan also carries a large range of van accessories, ute accessories, and spare parts, says Blewett.
“We carry an extensive range of shelving, roof racks, flooring, and custom interior solutions for commercial vehicles. We have a range of towbars, front bars, ladder racks, and a variety of specialised lighting. We also custom fit pull-out drawer systems, laptop holders, dual battery systems, and more.’’
Alpha brand canopies are available from Hale for all mainstream utes – Ford Rangers, Mitsubishi Tritons, Toyota Hiluxes, Nissan Navaras – and the range now includes canopies for the recently released new Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50.
Relatively new to Hale’s catalogue is a range of lockable hard lids for ute cargo trays. Designed and made by Alpha, the new SC-Z lids feature a sail design, which Blewett believes makes them exceptional.
“There have been roller hard lids and one-piece units with sports bars, but nothing like Alpha’s sail design. To have a sail on a hard lid is something that’s unique.”
Hale has previously supplied the lids by special request, on indent, but is now carrying them as stock items. They’re going really well.
Standard features of SC-Z hard lids include stainless steel hardware, locks and hinges; a lined charcoal-coloured head liner, and central locking using the ute’s key fob.
The lids have a tailored non-drill fitting system, a colour-matched ABS spoiler with titanium-coloured ABS side fins, and an automatic interior light.
Another feature is the smooth effortless opening/closing mechanism supported by powerful twin gas rams and central locking ensures ease of operation.
The lids are fully weatherproof and have been tested to ensure loads and cargo remain dry.
“A major advantage of lockable hard lids is that they offer greater security,” Blewett says. “Goods are out of sight so remain safe and secure.”
Hale’s automotive business is split between ute and van fit-out – “it’s about 50/50,” says Blewett. “We’ve started doing a lot more custom work with van fit-outs.”
Recent work has included fitting out tyre service vans for HyperTyres, which is building a fleet of mobile tyre workshops based on Renault Master vans. The Master is the biggest van the French brand sells in New Zealand, slotting in above the Trafic.
“HyperTyres’ vans provide onsite tyre fitting, wheel balancing and other tyre-related services. They do tyres for passenger and light commercial vehicles,” Blewett says, “and repair alloy wheels.”
Hale has fitted out a couple of HyperTyre vans that are on the road already and is working on more.
The Renault’s cargo areas are fitted with shelving, small tyre-fitting machines, wheel-balancers, air compressors, inverters, battery banks and tyre racks. Reinforcing work is done on the cargo area walls, so items can be attached to them.
Blewett thinks van fit-outs are a part of the business that will keep growing.
“We’re doing some fit-outs on the new Mitsubishi Express for various dealerships, and we work with Hyundai iLoads, Ford Transit Customs and Toyota Hiaces. We do Transit jumbos also, but the numbers aren’t as high.”
Hale Manufacturing has been part of the New Zealand light commercial vehicle fit-out industry since 1953 and has worked in Auckland and Wellington.
It has formed strategic alliances with major vehicle leasing companies and vehicle dealers and has become a key supplier to some of New Zealand’s largest fleet operators.
