Interview with Paul Fielding, the Founder and Managing Director of Warmup New Zealand.

Standing outside his headquarters at 483A Rosebank Road, being photographed for this feature is Warmup founder and managing director, Paul Fielding. Warmup began in 1994 when Paul immigrated here from South Africa with his Kiwi wife Julie and is celebrating its 25th anniversary in business this year. “When we started off it was just undercarpet heating,” says Paul. “Now it’s internal waterproofing, integrated underfloor heating, building tiled shower enclosures, Wi-Fi thermostats, insulation boards, undercarpet and in slab/polished concrete heating”.

“Then it was nowhere near as big, now we’re global and source our supplies from all over the world.” Those sources include China, Denmark, Egypt, France, India, Korea and the United Kingdom.

Paul started off in a small factory in Portage Road, New Lynn. Next came larger premises in Bentinck Street, New Lynn then as the growth of the business demanded, another move to Copsey Place, just off Rosebank Road. The last location shift was to 483A Rosebank Road two years ago. Paul: “We have always been a West Auckland-based business and every move we have made out here has been a result dictated by the growth of the company. We find it’s relatively central and has a great community spirit. On a practical level, all our resources are available in West Auckland and if you need anything done, you don’t have to go far. The emphasis of our business is that we’ve been around for 25 years, and in West Auckland for all those 25 years – both things that we are very proud of.”

At 483A Rosebank Road there’s a staff of 26 people, (most of them from the area), important components in the smooth running of the business. Yet it’s not simply an Auckland company. The signage for the Warmup HQ also includes two subsidiaries. Marmox New Zealand specialises in high-quality, cost-effective, easy to use insulation boards, pre-formed shower trays and shower niches. The other, Tranquillity Bathroom Collection, is a European-inspired premium bathroom ware supplier. The bathroom, “a sanctuary, a place of luxury that provides a quiet moment in a busy world” as the company’s website proclaims, is the most complicated part of any house, says Paul. The company’s installers come in after the builder has completed the shell of a new bathroom. “After the builder has fully lined the bathroom we come in and waterproof the entire floor area and shower enclosure and install all key components. A bathroom has more components in it than any other room in the house, which means it’s almost like building a small house within a house. “We do everything in the bathroom to secure your investment and we do all of that in one day completed with a code of compliance certificate.” Warmup is a national distributor, not just an Auckland supplier. “Anywhere in the country, if you dial 0800-Warmup you will be put in touch with one of our 17 distributors.” The company has installed underfloor heating in more than 150,000 homes through New Zealand and Australia. “While all the momentum of growth has come from our existing customers, it’s not just private homes. We supply residential, but also commercial buildings, such as hotels, private apartments, and aged care residences.” All three companies, Warmup, Marmox and Tranquillity, use cutting edge technology to keep up with customers’ requirements, along with guarantees ranging from 10 years to a lifetime. In fact, Warmup was the first New Zealand company to offer a lifetime warranty for its undertile heating. To sum it up, Paul says: “We use technology to enhance your comfort and make your home feel better.”