CRAIG Smith started his wool industry career as a 17-year-old and over the past 31 years has carefully picked a journey that has progressed him along the supply chain.
Growing up on a sheep and beef farm in Central Hawke’s Bay Smith started working in the industry as an apprentice wool classer.
After completing the five-year apprenticeship he got a university diploma and following six years in stores in Napier he landed a job as a wool representative with PGG Wrightson in South Canterbury.
Throughout his career Smith has worked overseas in top-making mills and with wool exporters.
“I’ve always had a passion for wool and always made choices in my life to ensure I could work my way through the steps to gain broad experience right across the supply chain from the sheep’s back to the finished product.
“I have spent a lot of time around the world. At the moment my Air NZ app, for the first time in a couple of decades, is empty with no international flights and nothing anytime soon as we work out of covid-19.”
Smith highlights the international relationships he has formed as being key to his work, especially in the lockdown.
“Yes, we have the technology to be in contact but the long-term relationships have been invaluable in ensuring business can carry on and be done with the rest of the world.
“Perhaps this is the time to reset and look for the way forward.”
Smith was the first New Zealander appointed to the global executive committee of the International Wool Textile Organisation and has been heavily involved with the Campaign for Wool, a global project initiated by Prince Charles.
In his day job he is general manager of Canterbury-based Devold Wool Direct, a Norwegian outdoor clothing company with relationships around the world.
Devold is about getting fully vertical, buying in contract greasy wool that is processed in its state-of-the-art mills in Lithuania, where fibre arrives as yarn and comes out as retail-ready garments.
“It’s all in-house and it’s all around quality and that’s key – quality raw product, quality right along the supply chain and a quality finished product,” Smith said.
Devold has a sheep to shop strategy prompting desire to go back even further to know where its wool came from and has developed direct supply contracts with NZ growers. Some products have a swing tag bearing the name of the farm the wool came from.
“We have a quality product and we can do that with NZ wool but we need to do it better.
“There’s some gaping holes to fill, not at the grower level but in promotion of the quality fibre that NZ farmers are producing.”
Smith said to be given the chance and backing of NZ’s wool industry to be its voice is humbling and exciting.
The council champions the cause of wool.
It is an association of organisations engaged in the production, testing, processing, merchandising, spinning and weaving of wool.
“It’s an honour to have the position, humbling at a time like this but very exciting,” Smith said.
As chairman Smith will work directly with all sectors of the industry from farmers, shearers, test houses and wool scours to merchants, brokers and exporters as well the Government.
Smith said the system in NZ works well taking wool from farms to the scouring and testing process.
The biggest challenge is getting customers to recognise wool is not only the best product in the world but the best fibre and that comes down to education.
“That’s the bit that’s missing in the link – education and promotion.
“I am keen to keep growers updated as to what is happening in the wool sector and in doing so I will work directly with all sectors of the industry as well as Government to make sure we keep the sector moving.”
The lockdown has seen all industry stakeholders really come together and given him hope and enthusiasm everyone is going forward in the same direction, Smith said.
He believes there will be opportunities for the wool industry in the wake of the pandemic and he is keen to highlight the openings in the sector for young people.
“People are pushing the reset button.
“There is opportunity now to challenge wool and put it into products that have never previously been looked at.
“The way we promote wool – let’s challenge wool and see what we can really do if we promote it.”
Smith said wool leaving the farm to the point of sale is fine.
“We can’t do that better any other way.
“Promotion is the fracture in the supply chain and that is the one key thing I want to make the Government clear on.
“I want to challenge the ministers as to why Government is not backing NZ wool.
“Why are we not using NZ wool in government buildings and state houses.
“We need Government to get on board and start promoting itself in the use of NZ wool in governmental buildings.
“Why is it not subsidising the use of wool in fire insurance and not promoting wool insulation.
“If the Government is not backing wool how can we expect consumer uptake?
“Smarter marketing needs the backing of Government.
“We can’t do it as a wool industry. We have the people but we need the backing of Government to help promote alongside us.”
Smith is eagerly awaiting the release of the long overdue Wool Working Group report, initiated by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor in June 2018, hoping there might be some answers to set a new normal for the industry.
“We just have to be smarter and get out there and challenge the norm.
What does that look today?
“No-one knows,” Smith said.
