This year, Contractor magazine celebrates 50 years of being a voice for the civil construction sector. During this time, many magazine labels have come and gone, but Contractor has endured. This is testament to its quality, relevance and to the sheer determination of a small but talented team who bring the magazine to life, writes Alan Pollard, Chief Executive of Civil Contractors New Zealand.
The strength and growth of Contractor magazine, not surprisingly, mirrors the strength and growth of the industry association representing New Zealand’s civil construction sector.
CCNZ is recognised as the trusted, reliable, and credible voice of the civil construction industry. From its first incorporation as the New Zealand Contractors Federation in 1944, to its merger with Roading New Zealand in 2014 to become Civil Contractors NZ (CCNZ), to today representing over 500 contractor members and 340 associate members, and through its network of 12 branches across New Zealand we keep our members connected, informed and engaged.
Communicating with members across all parts of the country is challenging. CCNZ uses multiple channels of communication, but right up there in importance and impact is our industry publication, Contractor magazine.
We know from industry surveys that the magazine is popular with members. I have also visited Infrastructure and Construction Ministers in their offices at the Beehive, and there in their reception areas has been a magazine stand with Contractor displayed front and centre.
Many members display blown-up images of past magazine covers and articles on their office walls. Even though we are in the digital era, members still demand hard copy magazines to put in their reception areas or staff rooms for their teams to read and keep their finger on the pulse of important industry issues – and rightly so.
For CCNZ, Contractor magazine offers so many strategic advantages. First, the readership demographic is varied, reaching members, politicians, clients and delivery partners. That offers an excellent communication platform, aimed at getting information to the right person at the right time and in the right way to make the right decisions or have the right impact.
Second, the magazine enables CCNZ to put forward a range of information to readers, be that industry or technical updates, analysis of local or central government policies or decisions, member profiles, opinion pieces and the like.
Third, Contractor is a vehicle to challenge thinking. Either through editorials or opinion pieces, these contributions challenge politicians, clients and members to think differently and objectively about a given matter or situation. It means we can take a ‘deep dive’ into critical issues.
And as Henry Ford famously wrote: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Contractor has, over the years, done an excellent job at challenging the norm and holding decision-makers to account.
Fourth, Contractor provides our industry suppliers, sponsors and supporters a point of access to our members. CCNZ could not deliver the value expected from our members without the generous support of these groups. Providing them with an opportunity to grow their own businesses through the relationship with our contractor members supports their business development activity and ultimately business success.
While acknowledging the contribution that all have made to the success of the magazine since it was founded back in the ‘70s, I want to acknowledge Alan Titchall’s particular contribution. Alan acted as critic and conscience of our society on behalf of the civil construction industry, holding the role of Editor at Contrafed Publishing for the past 19 years, including the last 10 as Managing Editor of Contractor, until retiring in May this year.
He helped develop Contractor magazine (and other titles) into the hugely influential industry voice it is today. He built long-lasting relationships with politicians, councils and government departments.
While happy to be controversial when needed, Alan has always remained focused on representing the best interests of his readers and of CCNZ. Right up until his retirement, he continued to work with tenacity to secure the future of Contractor magazine as the publication for New Zealand’s civil contractors.
His successor, Natasha Jojoa Burling, has now taken the reins, and I’m looking forward to working with her and the rest of the team (David Penny, Charles Fairbairn and Tracey Asher) in the future.
Congratulations to Contractor magazine, and the Contrafed team, for 50 years of service to the civil construction industry. Who knows what the next 50 years will bring, but I am confident that, in whatever form is appropriate for the times, Contractor will still be there serving our industry with distinction.