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MEET THE TEAM
Dave Clapson - Director
Dave Clapson is one of the founders of the MaxiLoda pallet stacking system and is also one of the 3 directors on the Maxiloda Systems Limited company board. Dave is also the principal owner of Gloster Engineering which is one of the 4 engineering companies that produce components for the MaxiLoda. Dave has over 28 years experience at producing and engineering a wide variety of components for a broad range of industries. Dave’s engineering career started off with a 3 ½ year training apprenticeship with Mullin & Noy in 1977. Upon completing his apprenticeship, Dave worked with NEI John Thompson specialising in fitting and turning and other general engineering projects.
After 2 years with NEI, Dave spent 3 ½ years overseas which including getting involved in producing high precision components for the England Defence force. After finishing up there, he travelled through Thailand and Nepal before returning to New Zealand where he took on the production manager’s role with Automatic Turning and Manufacturing (ATM). Dave’s role here including coordinating all work put through the workshop, ensuring delivery times were adhered to and quality control was maintained. Dave remained with ATM for 11 years before Gloster Engineering came on the market and Dave decided to pick it up and run with it. At the time Dave purchased Glosters, it was running out of an extended double garage with 3 team members. Over the years Dave has steadily grown Glosters into a highly successful engineering company with over 20 staff members now producing a wide range of high precision, as well as general engineering, components for a number of both national and international clients. In late 2007 Dave and Glosters came onto the MaxiLoda scene and were heavily involved in the early testing and research stage of the first version of the Maxi Loader. Outside of work Dave likes to spend time with his wife and their two daughters. Dave is also a big fan of wine trails, live music, snow skiing and enjoys being out on the water both fishing and skiing. Hans Kruiswijk - Director 
Hans is on the Maxiloda Systems Limited Board, as well as the General Manager of Gloster Engineering (one of the 4 engineering companies that produce components for the MaxiLoda). Hans is originally from Holland but moved to New Zealand in 1967.
From 1977 to 1982 Hans studied a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in production and operations management at Massey University. Since graduating Hans has had over 20 years management experience in a variety of different companies and industries. Upon graduation he took on a graduate trainee position with Fisher & Paykel in Auckland where he trained in purchasing, planning and marketing before eventually finishing up in material purchasing and processing. After 2 years with Fisher & Paykel Hans moved to the Hardware Manufacturing Company (HMC) where he progressed to Production Manager over 5 years. In 1988 Hans took on a job with Criterion Manufacturing where he was in charge of scheduling and co-ordinating jobs across both Australia and New Zealand. After 5 years with Criterion Manufacturing, Hans took on the task of Operations Manager at Kenson Industries where he was in charge of producing a wide range of automotive interior trim parts. At the end of 1996 the automotive manufacturing industry in NZ folded and Hans moved on to the role of Manufacturing Manager for Washtech Ltd, manufacturing commercial dishwashers. It was here that Hans first met Dave Clapson of Gloster Engineering who supplied machined components to Washtech. In February 2006 Hans joined Dave at Glosters as General Manager and not long after became a Director of the MaxiLoda Systems board. When not working Hans like to spend timeout on the water with his wife and their family at their house at Lake Taupo. Hans considers himself to be somewhat of a petrol head and follows both Formula 1 and V8 super cars. When talking to Hans he says he plays an occasional mean hand of golf and is known to enjoy the odd glass of wine or two. Martyn Newby - Metallugist Specialist  Martyn Newby was involved in early testing and research stages of the MaxiLoda pallet stacking sytem. Martyn is a mechanical engineer and a metallurgist with degrees in engineering and science from The University of Auckland and of The University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has worked for large “metal bashing” companies in the US and NZ and earned his crust for ten years in private consultancy and scientific research.However, nothing satisfied him as much as manufacturing and in particular owning Centracast, a West Auckland foundry. His staff design and fabricate tooling, build casting machines, cast aluminium, magnesium and copper alloys then machine product; most of which is exported. A year or so back Centracast contracted to build a die for the MaxiLoda system. Once the job was done he became curious about the MaxiLoda product, the trucking industry and the group of companies who had come together to build the prototype. When he had an opportunity to invest in the company he snapped it up. He is proud that the MaxiLoda has been profitable from its inception funding itself with no assistance from the government, banks or “venture capitalists”. He is also proud that his partners, suppliers and customers are helping to lead resurgence in Kiwi manufacturing Click Here to see the 5 Step Assembly process |