Company explores new horizons
Being adventurous requires boldness as reporter Mike Bain discovers at Viking Kayaks, for our Business Matters series.
A former Waikato dairy farmer’s ‘‘great leap of faith’’ to move from cows to kayaks has proved successful.
Grant Montague loves salt water kayak fishing, so he made a kayak in the shed of his dairy farm one day.
One kayak led to another and four years later he established a factory making Viking Kayaks in Matamata.
Eventually Montague and his wife Karen sold their dairy farm to focus on the new business adventure.
‘‘The cheque from the dairy company arrived regularly which was always reassuring,’’ said Montague.
‘‘There was a time in our new business, we wondered if we could pay our own salaries let alone employ a staff of 21 in total.’’
The couple were surprised at how quickly the kayak business grew.
The Matamata factory has been expanded to three times the size of its original footprint.
A further manufacturing base has since been established in the Sunshine Coast, Australia.
The Viking Kayak brand embraces the Norseman attitude of exploring new horizons.
‘‘Exploring is what a kayak is about,’’ said Montague.
Viking Kayaks has established export markets in Australia and the US.
‘‘We have dealerships throughout Europe, Ireland, the United Kingdom, South Korea and the South Pacific,’’ said Montague.
‘‘As a fisherman who enjoys adventure, our product is designed so customers can be adventurous.’’
Revealing his secret to success, it’s about ‘‘being passionate about what you are doing’’.
But he knows passion doesn’t always translate into profit.
So to stay ahead of market trends, he employees people ‘‘smarter’’ than him to work in different areas of the business.
Montague and his business enjoy supporting Matamata rugby and fishing codes, as a way to give back to the community.
He also employs school Do you have a story for our Business Matters series? Send in your ideas and suggestions to reporter Mike Bain: mike.bain@fairfaxmedia.co.nz students during the week who show initiative and want to work.
‘‘This helps them in many ways, from learning skills and providing self-esteem,’’ Montague said.
Montague said he had no plans to move the business away from Matamata.