Marked annually on March 8th, International Women’s Day reminds us to strive for a gender equal world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. At Aliaxis, we believe this is a goal best achieved by working together.
To honour the spirit of IWD, we’ve sat down with a handful of our Aliaxis team across APAC to explore their journeys with respect to diversity and inclusion, and learn from their unique experiences.
As we approach IWD, we hope you enjoy hearing their stories.Here’s some highlights from our chat with Chris Friend, Production Manager at RX Plastics, New Zealand.
Interview with Chris Friend, Production Manager at RX Plastics, New Zealand.
How long have you been at RXP and what’s your current role?
I’ve been here at RX Plastics for about four years in the role of Extrusion Manager.
Tell me about your journey at RXP and Aliaxis.
So, I’ve been at RX plastics since 2020, but I’ve been with Aliaxis since 2012. I started out at the Marley factory in Christchurch, eventually becoming Operations Manager until that factory was closed in 2018. I was able to stay with the company, transferring to Malaysia to help a factory there improve procedures. In 2020, during Covid, I returned to New Zealand and started my role as Extrusion Manager at RXP. I’ve been here ever since.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Besides meeting my targets, what I enjoy the most is seeing the growth of the people on my team. Since I’ve been here at RX, the training part of things is going really well. People are developing and going up the ladder.
Why do you think it’s important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
I think women have been overlooked for a long time – their capabilities, their skills, and their potential.
One of the things that I found when I was in Malaysia was the different cultural attitudes and assumptions about women at work. At one stage we hired two team leaders working rotating shifts, one male and one female. I was a bit worried because some of the men didn’t respect women. She assured me she would be fine, and she did the job really well. One day, it came to my attention that she was getting paid less than her male peer. I followed up on it with HR, asking “So why is she getting less?” Their reply was simply “Because she’s a woman”. That was a bit shocking for me. I elevated the issue, and we got it worked out. But it was a wake-up call for me to always look out for equality.
“I think women have been overlooked for a long time – their capabilities, their skills, and their potential.”
What are the benefits of a gender diverse team?
The women we work with are very precise – especially with paperwork – compared to men. I find, if you look at documentation the women have filed, it’s usually done with a lot more accuracy. Women are very focused, and I think that’s why we’re having quite a good success with more women in the lab. The preciseness of the measuring and the documentation of everything going through the lab has definitely improved.
How can men in business support women and promote equality?
Treat women equally. Have respect for them, think about what you’re saying. Don’t underestimate them. Listen to what they say and what they can do. And it shouldn’t need to be said – but don’t get abusive or harass them in any way.
“Treat women equally. Have respect for them, think about what you’re saying.”
Did you have any female mentors coming up?
Not in New Zealand, but I’m originally from South Africa. So, I worked on the mines over there and my first boss was a woman. And I only mention it because of the role of race in South Africa, but she was a black woman as well. She taught me a lot. She was straightforward… can I say strict on us? It was especially impressive because at that time, in South Africa, within some cultures, it was expected for women to be at home with the children, definitely not managing a workplace. I saw some horrible, disrespectful behaviour from men in the mines, but my manager was a strong woman. It was inspiring.
How does RXP fulfil its promise to support equality and inspire inclusion?
Firstly, at the recruitment and hiring level. When people come for an interview, all we look at is: Can they do the job? We’ve been really lucky. We’ve had a lot of women that have come through and they’re doing really well here. Beyond recruitment, we try to be accommodating to scheduling needs that come up around family commitments or child-care. It may mean shifting you to a new role, but we will do what we can to keep you at Aliaxis.
Do you have any advice for someone thinking of joining the team at RXP or Aliaxis?
There’s so much potential for growth but it doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll get out of it what you put in. If you’re willing to work and do your practical training, you’ll go places. That could be in manufacturing, sales, administration or even overseas. There are opportunities across the Aliaxis brands if you’re open to change.
What are you excited about for the future at RXP?
I figure I’ve got 10 years until retirement and I’m quite happy where I am. It’s been great to see the innovations in the factory – we’re getting new machines all the time. We recently got a new grinder which has really increased our capacity for recycling.
