History
The journey of KlipTank
- 2007 – KlipTank inventor Neil Peterken creates a KlipTank prototype and begins testing.
- 2009 – KlipTank is launched into the New Zealand market.
- 2010 – KlipTank first appears at the National Field Days. The Bay of Plenty Times reports on dairy farmers turning to an innovative, prefabricated tank system, designed and manufactured in Tauranga, for a quick, efficient and long-term solution to their effluent storage requirements.
- 2012 – First trussed roof covered KlipTank installed.
- 2012 – First dairy effluent Kliptank installed with a floating cover to exclude rain catchment.
- 2012 – First KlipTank sold into Australia.
- 2013 – First KlipTank sold into Pacific Islands – Fiji, Rarotonga, Kiribati, Samoa.
- 2013 – First KlipTank sold into Hawaii.
- 2013 – First KlipTank installed on peat.
- 2014 – First KlipTank sold into Chatham Islands.
- 2014 – First KlipTank firewater tank constructed in a confined space building cavity.
- 2014 – First KlipTank installed using a “floating pad” foundation on very deep peat.
- 2015 – First KlipTank sold into Thailand.
- 2016 – KlipTank releases the KlipJet oxy aerator stirring system which allows the tank contents to be stirred and aerated effectively treating the waste liquid prior to irrigating on to pastures or disposal into council sewerage or waterways.
- 2018 – First KlipTank sold into Papua New Guinea.
- 2018 – First “Stacker” KlipTank – 6m high used to provide expanded volumes on restricted footprint sites.
- 2020 – The KlipTank team head to Winton in the deep south to install our largest ever tank. A 5.6 million litre open top tank that is 49 metres in diameter and 3 metres high.
- 2021 – KlipTank is purchased by existing director and shareholder Kim Henderson and NZNG Fund No 1 Ltd.
- 2021 – The KlipTank construction method is re-designed. These revolutionary changes remove the requirement for specialised machinery and staff on each install site, opening the door to the export market, increased efficiency during manufacture and installation therefore improving capabilities for KlipTank and its clients.
- 2022 – KlipTank won the tender to deliver 280 KlipTanks to the United Nations (UN) for rainwater harvesting in the Marshall Islands, located between Australia and Hawaii. This three-year project to increase the resilience of water supply and storage in the outer islands and atolls is led by the United Nations Development Programme. KlipTank’s flatpack design means our tanks can be shipped to the Marshall Islands, offloaded into small boats and delivered to remote communities for the storage of precious drinking water.
- 2023 – KlipTank launches the unique floating tank cover – the cover goes up and down with the level of the liquid, eliminating evaporation making it well suited to storing firefighting, irrigation, and usable water.
- 2023 – KlipTank launch their new Lifestyle Tank™ range for water security on horticulture lots and lifestyle blocks.
- 2023 – KlipTank form a relationship and partnership for distribution of Tank Vision Tanks from Australia. Providing a steel bolted tank solution for a comprehensive water tank storage solution for a range of industries who seek on-site water security such as healthcare, retail, residential, industrial, mining and data storage facilities.
- 2024 – KlipTank reach a milestone of producing over 1000 tanks to the New Zealand and international market.
Meet the team
Kim HendersonDirector
Kim co-founded KlipTank in 2009 and become owner in 2021, after returning to New Zealand from the United States.
For 26 years overseas, Kim worked in the oil and gas industry across the Middle East and US.
His forte is starting greenfield units, which he did for his own flexible hydraulic hose business in the Middle East, Turkey, Singapore, the United States, Oman and China. His grown-up children still reside in the United States.
Kim returned to New Zealand to be closer to extended family and is now involved in the day to day running of KlipTank, with big plans for the expansion of the business.
From KlipTank’s home in Tauranga, he is now looking forward to guiding the company’s growth in the area of water security and providing water storage solutions for fire safety, potable water, horticulture and waste-water.
A redesign of KlipTanks products and manufacturing processes since 2021 has also allowed for flat packing of the tanks into containers for export.
He is extremely proud of what the hardworking KlipTank team has achieved and is looking forward to recruiting more great people.
Outside of work he has a passion for motorcycles, boats, and muscle cars and is a firm believer that the correct number of toys you should own, is one more than you have.
Ruan MeyerGeneral Manager
Ruan and his family moved to New Zealand from South Africa 5 years ago, bringing with him extensive experience in mechanical engineering and a proven track record in completing projects on time and within budget.
He is currently the General Manager at KlipTank, recently promoted from being Operations Manager where he still manages the day-to-day operations of KlipTank and leads the team. He is focussed on seeing projects through to completion and working in unison to achieve KlipTank’s short and long-term goals.
Ruan started his career as a Fitter & Turner tradesperson at a power station in South Africa before studying for a national diploma in mechanical engineering.
He then moved to Malvern Engineering Works in Johannesburg as an estimator and project co-ordinator, and later worked as production manager, manufacturing mine process equipment. He then became project and maintenance manager for Mertech Marine in Cape Town, a company which manages ships that retrieve redundant telecommunications cables & equipment from the seabed and mechanically disassemble & recycle the materials.
Since moving to New Zealand, he’s worked for HCD flow conveying, Baytext as Aluminium WS Engineering Supervisor, PFS as PE doing ASME pressure vessel and piping projects and Fabworx engineering PM including leading the Structural project to install 80 tonnes of steel at the new Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa in Rotorua.
Ruan is a family man with two children and enjoys weekends on the beach, in the backyard and biking or walking local trails. He has found a great network of other ‘Saffas’ in the Bay, including close friends who have become like Kiwi family.
Ian JamiesonSales Manager
Ian Jamieson joined KlipTank 10 years ago, bringing with him an extensive sales and business background in the IT and mechanical engineering industries. He has owned his own businesses in both fields and has an extensive formal education in engineering, including a degree in process engineering.
Ian’s wide ranging, technical skill set lends itself well to KlipTank’s philosophy of solving problems for its customers and being solutions-focussed.
He particularly likes working with New Zealand’s vital dairy industry and has found farmers to be excellent businesspeople who display incredible resilience.
He enjoys building strong relationships with his customers and getting to know their businesses – including their storage requirements – which are often planned years in advance.
He also has a Farm Dairy Effluent Design & Management Certificate from Massey University, allowing him to assist farmers with dairy effluent system design and storage calculations for consent purposes.
Outside the office, Ian is a self-confessed motorsport nut – coming from a long line of engineers with petrol in their veins. He enjoys motorsport engineering, riding his vintage motorbike and motocross. He also plays music, loves to travel and enjoys a good wine - particularly French.