Inventive duo did not stop at building one hot tub

Dan Young calls Stoked Stainless an ‘‘accidental business’’. ‘‘It certainly was not the intention to go into business at all,’’ he said.
It started when Mr Young and fellow company director Andrew Horton decided they would make a hot tub for themselves about 10 years ago.
They worked at an engineering firm and their expertise was in stainless steel; they had made wine tanks and dairy tanks which had gone all over New Zealand.
There was some friendly rivalry between the pair as they made one each. Eventually, friends and family saw the finished products and were impressed. They were soon making hot tubs for other people.
Mr Young was made redundant from his job in 2016 — it was a slightly daunting time but, equally, it ‘‘fuelled the fire to make a decent go of Stoked’’.
‘‘There’s nothing like a bit of pressure to motivate you sometimes,’’ he said.
So he got stuck into Stoked full-time and, a year later, Mr Horton left his job and joined the business full-time.
At that point, they were making hot tubs in their garages, each with a worker.
There were four of them in the business in 2017 but growth had been ‘‘huge’’ over the past four years, once they had time to spend on the business. Working full-time had taken it to another level.
Their first product was a hand-crafted, wood-fired stainless steel and cedar hot tub. They had since diversified, realising not everyone had the time to get a fire on, so they designed an electric version which looked  the same as the wood-fired one.
They also developed a range of baths, having identified that not everyone had a space for a tub, and had three bath versions: plain, wood-fired and electric.
Wanaka-based Stoked Stainless now had 18 staff, including part-time employees, and had branched into Australia, sending about two or three containers across the Tasman a month.
The ramifications of the arrival of Covid-19 in New Zealand last year were initially ‘‘horrific’’.   Just two units were sold in March when normally it would have been two units a day, and there were also several cancelled orders.
It was ‘‘definitely a nervous time’’, Mr Young recalled.
But fast forward several months and, with many holidays cancelled, there had been a shift in people’s mindsets as they realised they needed to look after their own environment and also make it a bit more comfortable. Cue the purchases of new cars, e-bikes and hot tubs.
The most recent lockdown had had little effect on the business, which ostensibly carried on as usual.
Stoked Stainless’ plan was to focus on Australia, where it had an agent, while also satisfying demand in New Zealand. There was a desire to ‘‘not overdo it’’ and go global, even though tubs had been sold to Belgium, Italy, Canada and the United States.
There was also a focus on a new product: a plunge pool, which was a good solution for those who did not want to excavate  for a swimming pool.
Being proactive and innovative was important — ‘‘that’s what Kiwis do I think ... all No8 wire’’, Mr Young said — and the core purpose of the business was to provide customers with relaxation and enjoyment. If the team had an idea outside that, then they would refer back to their mission and, if it did not fit,  they did not do it.
Global logistics issues, caused by the pandemic, had caused issues with shipping and getting raw materials. Stoked Stainless had software which forecast what materials were required, so the business could give suppliers plenty of notice to ensure materials kept coming, Mr Young said.
Both he and Mr Horton worked well together, both taking different roles in the business; Mr Young looked after the digital side, while Mr Horton took care of the analogue side.
They might live in a stunning part of the country but they did sometimes forget to ‘‘stop and look up at the mountains’’, he said. Being miles away from ports and major cities meant they tended to pay ‘‘the Wanaka tax’’ when it came to freight.
Featuring on the Deloitte Fast 50 index, in 31st place, and being the fastest growing manufacturing business for Dunedin and the lower South Island was a nice reward for the team’s hard work.
They had not had a chance to celebrate it yet, but there was an intention to have ‘‘a few cold ones’’ when the business shifted to new premises in Wanaka next Friday.
That move, to a purpose-built facility in the town’s industrial area, which included a showroom, had been about five years in the planning. It took about three years to get title for the land and 18 months to finalise the building process.
By the time they moved in, the place would be virtually at capacity, given the growth had not been forecast when the build was first planned. It would be a bit different from working from a five-bay shed, halfway between Albert Town and Hawea — and the garages where they initially started.