The Canterbury engineering business with trained staff who never want to leave

An unwavering commitment to upskilling its people has helped keep tool maker Sutton Tools (NZ) out in front despite a string of setbacks including an earthquake, a pandemic, and in 2022, a fire that gutted their Kaiapoi factory. Now though, the future looks brighter than ever with a brand-new factory in Rangiora and a forward-focussed masterplan that will drive expansion and power up their knowledge base.

Sutton Tools manufactures its high-quality cutting tools in Rangiora, as well as at two sites in Victoria, Australia before exporting them globally.

Adopting a proactive approach to training has been a critical factor in their success, and a long-standing partnership with industry training organisation Competenz has been pivotal to this work. For over 30 years, Competenz has collaborated with Sutton Tools, offering apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities to enhance skills and engagement.

Production Manager Brian McCallum has spent just shy of 25 years with the company and in that time, he has completed a string of Competenz programmes including a New Zealand Certificate in Workplace Health & Safety Practices (Level 3), a National Certificate in Competitive Manufacturing (Level 4), and a National Certificate in Manufacturing (Metal and Related Products) (Level 3). Currently he’s working towards his NZ Apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering (Trade) (Level 4) – Fitting and Machining.

“I went to Sutton for work experience when I was 17 and I never left,” says Brian. “In that time, I’ve been given lots of opportunities and done lots of different things within the company, including gaining qualifications and temporarily relocating to Australia after the fire to help with running one of the manufacturing plants in Melbourne.”

With a myriad of development and career prospects - and a highly supportive, encouraging employer - he can’t see a reason to ever leave.

“I love the company culture here and the way they respect and value their employees. It sounds cheesy, but we’re like a family, and that filters down. People feel valued when they’re getting these opportunities, and that adds to our output as well. People want to come to work, sick days are reduced, and productivity increases.”

Sutton Plant Manager Glenn Morgan has been with the company for 32 years and is a driving force behind the company’s workforce development. For him, it’s not just good business – it’s personal.

“To me it’s all about personal growth,” says Glenn.  “I look at a person like Brian who is extremely intelligent and is capable of achieving anything, and this is a way to upskill him. He’s a production manager now and he’s been a team leader and everything else, but if the place fell over and he didn’t have a job – not that it’s going to – he needs qualifications to back up his experience. For me it’s about ‘how can we help this guy in life’?

“It’s such a shame to see untapped potential. In some companies, people do such a good job in one area that it’s just easier for their employer to keep them there, but that’s not what I’m about. We want good people here, so the more we can accommodate them and make them happy, the better.”

In the 30-plus years Sutton has been working with Competenz, Glenn says they have trained hundreds of staff through Mechanical Engineering apprenticeships and training in Manufacturing, Competitive Systems and Practices, Distribution, Workplace Health & Safety and People Management. Competenz Training Advisor Euan Main supports Sutton Tools with their apprenticeship training and it’s a role that is particularly dear to his heart.

“I have a close connection with Sutton because that’s where it all started for me as an engineer. Back in the 1980s I worked there as a fitting and machining apprentice, so now I’ve come full circle,” says Euan.

“Sutton Tools is a real success story – they’re an export company that sells to the world yet they come from a small town. They’ve adapted and kept pace with the markets and they have a great team environment. Many people are not aware of what this company does or produces for New Zealand, but their new factory is state-of-the-art in terms of engineering and they’re always open to upskilling and advancing people’s careers. In fact, two of my current apprentices already have degrees in engineering!”

But apprenticeship training is just one piece of the puzzle. Competenz Account Manager Denise Burton also collaborates with the organisation to identify traineeships that align with operational needs and employee development goals. A traineeship is a short, structured programme that combines practical and technical training to provide people with a formal qualification. Typically taking six to 24 months to complete and ranging from entry level to advanced, traineeships can address general business and workforce needs, like leadership or health and safety, or key technical skills required by industry.

Denise enrols learners into relevant programmes, provides pastoral and academic support, and maintains regular communication with workplace supervisors to ensure smooth progress.  

“Traineeships provide a valuable alternative to apprenticeships, delivering foundational knowledge and skills that can also serve as a stepping stone to higher-level qualifications,” says Denise.

The impact of this often shorter, job-relevant learning is far reaching, building confidence and reinforcing knowledge for the learner, while improving productivity and workforce capability for the business, and contributing to a more skilled and motivated workforce for the industry as a whole.

“Partnerships like the one we have with Sutton Tools truly make a difference. This is an organisation that is genuinely committed to the development of their staff, and there’s a real culture of care and investment in their people. When employers are actively involved in supporting training, learners thrive.”

Rebecca Hall is one of those learners. The Packing Coordinator is currently enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) Level 3, which is delivered through Competenz by their subcontractor Upskills. It’s a qualification that’s giving her the skills she needs to excel in her role – and achieve her goals.

“I’ve always wanted to be a team leader and having this qualification will help me push for it. The course is teaching me so much, deepening my understanding of the role and giving me the tools I need to be good at it. It turns out being a good leader is different than what I thought it was!”

Being encouraged to upskill makes Rebecca feel valued and – just like Brian – she sees herself building her career at Sutton Tools (NZ) well into the future.

“I started working at Sutton Tools when I was 18 and I’ve been here for 12 years. My mum has been here since she was 18 too, and my nana also worked here for a bit. It’s fair to say, it’s a pretty good place to work!”

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