“One of my biggest drivers, both personally and professionally, is sustainability,” says Sarab Sira, Business Development Manager for Project Floors. “I came into this role in February with a focus on sustainable procurement of products in the building industry.”
With his background as a flooring professional and business owner, Sarab is excited to bring deep sector knowledge and big-picture thinking to the Project Floors team. “I’ve been in the flooring industry since 2018 when I relocated to New Zealand from Australia. My wife and I launched our own flooring company, but after about four years, we realised our beautiful daughter was growing up too quickly and we wanted to spend more time with her.”
They sold the business and Sarab spent the next couple of years working as the General Manager of a waterproofing company, introducing systems and procedures that helped the business to double in size and revenue. “What was missing for me during that time was the connection with people; as a GM, you’re locked in your office most of the time. I stumbled across the advertisement for a new BDM at Project Floors and was lucky that they were willing to make space for me alongside existing BDM Ryan Flaxman.”
While he’s learning the ropes in the distribution side of the industry, Sarab’s primary focus is on promoting sustainable flooring products, particularly in the education sector. “In my previous roles, I have been heavily involved with schools, the Ministry of Education and contractors working in the education space. With Project Floors, I have been able to continue this work and liaise with stakeholders such as principals, property managers, architects and government bodies to ensure that we’re putting sustainable flooring solutions into the next cycle of school renovations and new builds. I’m currently working on four key school projects: Avondale Intermediate, Glenfield College, Farm Cove Intermediate and Ferguson Intermediate.”
In particular, Project Floors is working with a ground-breaking carpet fibre called THRIVE® Matter which, Sarab says, is a perfect fit for schools. “THRIVE® Matter is one of the newest, most innovative flooring products to land in New Zealand. Jade Patel, [Project Floors CEO and Founder] has been at the forefront of bringing this product to market here. THRIVE® Matter is the only carbon-negative carpet fibre in the world. By breaking down the waste carpet to a molecular level, we can reinvent it into 6 and 6.6 nylon and remake the carpet and carpet tile, without using any red-list ingredients. This enables us to divert some of the 1.6b kilograms of carpet waste that goes into landfill each year and use it to create naturally healthy carpet products that are good for personal well-being, kids and the environment. Yes, THRIVE® Matter is a sustainable flooring material with exceptional environmental credentials, but it also meets the needs of a dynamic school environment with superior ergonomic performance, insulation and noise reduction.”
Sarab takes a holistic view of his role, he says, and he brings to Project Floors a commitment to making both their products and their business more sustainable. One way they’re doing this is by strengthening their relationship with Amotai, Aotearoa’s supplier diversity intermediary that connects Māori- and Pasifika-owned businesses with potential buyers. “It was Jade’s Māori and Pasifika background, and her unique experiences as a female CEO, that drew us to register with Amotai. Through that partnership, we are able to strengthen our business, make it more financially sustainable, and continue to diversify and engage with different communities across New Zealand. A key part of my role is to work out ways to grow Project Floors by engaging with Amotai-registered buyers, as well as strengthening and diversifying all of our relationships in this realm. This partnership has provided us with tender possibilities with a mixture of government and private-sector projects that are using the Amotai network to really open up and engage further with businesses like Project Floors.”
As he settles into his new role, Sarab is eager to reintroduce himself to the industry he knows so well. “I’m already known to flooring contractors and professionals; now I’m excited to establish and build relationships with architects and designers prior to the construction phase. I want to open doors to those conversations before any construction begins and help industry professionals utilise these amazing, innovative, sustainable products that we’ve brought into the New Zealand market.
“With Jade’s leadership, Project Floors is going against all of the current market challenges. We’re deeply committed to transforming the flooring industry to make it more sustainable, and we invest heavily in this every year. As I raise my daughter and look to her future, I am excited to have the opportunity to do more for New Zealand’s building industry and create better outcomes for the next generation.”
To learn more and connect with Sarab, visit https://projectfloors.nz/, email sarab@projectfloors.co.nz, visit the Project Floors Design Hub (55A Barrys Point Road, Takapuna), or meet Sarab and Jade at the New Zealand School Board Association Conference in Wellington from 6-9 June, 2024.
