Business Beat: Laser-focused on pets’ recovery

FRANK NELSON

A new, non-invasive way of helping pets recover after injury or surgery, or to ease painful conditions such as arthritis, is now available in Blenheim.

At Paw Energetics, Stacey Brown uses laser therapy to stimulate the natural healing process. A high-tech machine generates light waves carefully calibrated for each "patient” according to weight, thickness of fur and the specific medical issues.

Stacey, a registered vet nurse who trained on the machine while working in Rotorua, says laser therapy is considered ideal for cats, dogs and other small pets and is also being used successfully on horses.

“The laser helps the animal heal itself,” she says. “It’s such a valuable tool. I would say the laser will help heal a wound 50 percent faster than the body on its own.”

The much-anticipated arrival of Joe’s Garage in Marlborough now seems firmly on track.

“It’s looking pretty positive … you will have a Joe’s Garage in Blenheim this year,” according to Lucy Whelan, a director of the nationwide restaurant company.

She says the company is closely scrutinising expressions of interest from two candidates hoping to take over the Blenheim franchise. Whelan also confirmed the restaurant will be located in the Westwood Business Park where work is currently underway preparing the vacant premises adjoining the Noel Leeming outlet.

Destination Marlborough general manager Tracey Green says it’s troubling that the province takes a reputational hit every time mechanical issues and other problems disrupt the Cook Strait ferries.

“It’s not great for our brand and not great for the South Island,” she says. “It’s a real concern because … if we don’t have that reputational reliability, then people just make an assumption that it’s not worth travelling, and we don’t want that.”

While she regards the new ferries as a “massive positive,” she’s not entirely convinced they will be able to completely handle the volumes of passengers and freight predicted by the end of this decade.

Recent reports that New Zealand wine sales to China and South Korea have jumped by 47 percent and 92 percent, respectively, in the past year suggest the industry’s attention may be turning increasingly towards Asia.

However, that strategy is nothing new to Cirro Wines, a family winery and vineyard near Renwick founded by David Tyney in 2009. He said Cirro first sent a single pallet to China in 2012; today, the winery exports container loads to the same market.

David, who runs the winery with brother Adam, said Cirro exports two-thirds of production - primarily sauvignon blanc - to Asia, mainly China, where it fetches higher prices than in markets like Europe and the U.S.

Since 2012, David has also worked in China as a consultant with Chinese wineries. Trips there every few months, plus speaking some Mandarin, have helped his understanding of the cultural nuances of doing business in China.