The Unsung Heroes of 2020

2020 is no doubt going into the history books as a year to remember. Amongst all the chaos and unknowns, the pandemic did provide some valuable insight into several of New Zealand’s backbone industries. The wider public learnt of the important mahi (work) that is put in by hardworking kiwis in industries like transport, which kept the country moving during the restrictions. In this post – we at Teletrac Navman want to highlight the industries that deserve some more recognition for the important role they played in keeping people employed, informed, and effective responding to the Covid-19 pandemic throughout 2020 and moving forward in 2021.

The forestry sector

This industry was the first to take a hit back in February 2020, with an extended holiday break in China for the Chinese New Year and Covid-19 lockdowns that saw logs stockpile, alongside sawmills and wood processing plants grinding to a halt. The economic effects came when the industry was only just recovering from a crash in log prices in late 2019.

The forestry sector accounts for 6.7% of regional Gross Domestic Product. It plays a vital role in providing jobs and income to keep our smaller towns full of life. The Government allocated $100 million to help redeploy workers. The industry and those working in it had to quickly learn and take on important new roles in local roading and maintenance, hazardous tree removal, and conservation activities.

Small business owners

Drops in sales, issues with supply chains, forced closure due to restrictions, shift to online stores, or sorting out IT for staff working at home – there’s been a myriad of challenges for small businesses this year. There’s approximately half a million small business in NZ, representing a whopping 97% of all firms.

However, all over the news there are stories of resilience and generosity. Small businesses have rapidly changed their business model – such as Hyper Meat, the combination between meat supplier Neat Meat, that predominantly supplied restaurants and Hyper Ride, an outdoor sports clothing brand with a large customer base and distribution capabilities. And other businesses donated time and resources to help those less fortunate – such as Auckland gym owner Richie Aholelei, who turned to volunteering when his gym was shut down.

Truck drivers

Truckers were under a lot of pressure this year to get goods to supermarkets across the country, ensuring the shelves were continually restocked. Before the pandemic hit, the wider public were unaware of the fact that 93 percent of New Zealand’s freight is transported by trucks. In spite of being desperately needed, truck drivers faced challenges meeting basic needs on the road during the March lockdown, with the closure of public toilets, cafes and tea rooms along the routes they travelled.

However, a silver lining was the newfound appreciation and recognition from the public, who realised the importance of truck drivers and that they are the reason why we have stocked shelves in the supermarkets!

Port workers

To cope with pandemic-related disruptions, players in the maritime sector adjusted their operations, finances, sanitary and safety protocols as well as working practices and procedures. Port workers and customs officials played an essential role in keeping trade moving, helping us to navigate through the crisis.

Ports are high-risk areas at the best of times with heavy containers, large machinery and vehicles. They are also a crucial link in the supply chain for almost every sector in New Zealand. The added risk of Covid-19 – and the fact that port workers still undergo regular testing – make port workers another group of unsung heroes.

Media and industry bodies

Our nations’ journalists and industry bodies adopted a clear and informative communication approach and continuously provided relevant information to the public. With the world around us changing day by day, journalists and industry bodies had a monstrous task to track and report the many changes, announcements and vital information happening at once.

Publications such as NZ Trucking, Transport Talk and NZ Truck and Driver for the transport industry, or Contractor for the civil construction industry, provided regular and vital updates on their digital channels and print media. Industry bodies worked overtime as advocates to government and advisors to struggling businesses. These two sectors continued to keep people informed whilst, for the news outlets, in particular, facing major losses from advertisers.

Preparing for 2021

These are only some of the unsung heroes out there who helped us all get through 2020 largely undamaged. As the new year approaches us, and your industry starts to look at ways to deal with many of the new changes brought on by the Covid-19 restrictions, and future proof your business with the latest technology – know that our goal at Teletrac Navman is to help New Zealand’s backbone industries stay up-to-date with the latest advances in technology to help the country compete on the world stage. Our team is always ready to support your business in uncovering new efficiencies and reducing costs with your vehicle tracking system.

Until then, have a well-deserved Christmas and New Year holiday!