Meet the Team

Kim co-founded KlipTank in 2009 and become owner in 2021, after returning to New Zealand from the United States.

For 26 years overseas, Kim worked in the oil and gas industry across the Middle East and US.

His forte is starting greenfield units, which he did for his own flexible hydraulic hose business in the Middle East, Turkey, Singapore, the United States, Oman and China. His grown-up children still reside in the United States.

Kim returned to New Zealand to be closer to extended family and is now involved in the day to day running of KlipTank, with big plans for the expansion of the business.

From KlipTank’s home in Tauranga, he is now looking forward to guiding the company’s growth in the area of water security and providing water storage solutions for fire safety, potable water, horticulture and waste-water.

A redesign of KlipTanks products and manufacturing processes since 2021 has also allowed for flat packing of the tanks into containers for export.

He is extremely proud of what the hardworking KlipTank team has achieved and is looking forward to recruiting more great people.

Outside of work he has a passion for motorcycles, boats, and muscle cars and is a firm believer that the correct number of toys you should own, is one more than you have.

Ruan and his family moved to New Zealand from South Africa 5 years ago, bringing with him extensive experience in mechanical engineering and a proven track record in completing projects on time and within budget.

He is currently the General Manager at KlipTank, recently promoted from being Operations Manager where he still manages the day-to-day operations of KlipTank and leads the team. He is focussed on seeing projects through to completion and working in unison to achieve KlipTank’s short and long-term goals.

Ruan started his career as a Fitter & Turner tradesperson at a power station in South Africa before studying for a national diploma in mechanical engineering.

He then moved to Malvern Engineering Works in Johannesburg as an estimator and project co-ordinator, and later worked as production manager, manufacturing mine process equipment. He then became project and maintenance manager for Mertech Marine in Cape Town, a company which manages ships that retrieve redundant telecommunications cables & equipment from the seabed and mechanically disassemble & recycle the materials.

Since moving to New Zealand, he’s worked for HCD flow conveying, Baytext as Aluminium WS Engineering Supervisor, PFS as PE doing ASME pressure vessel and piping projects and Fabworx engineering PM including leading the Structural project to install 80 tonnes of steel at the new Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa in Rotorua.

Ruan is a family man with two children and enjoys weekends on the beach, in the backyard and biking or walking local trails. He has found a great network of other ‘Saffas’ in the Bay, including close friends who have become like Kiwi family.

Richard joined the KlipTank team as salesperson in 2022, having spent five years in the solar power industry.

At KlipTank he enjoys the family culture in a locally-owned business that’s not too big to care, where the big bosses listen to the new guy.

He believes KlipTank has a lot of potential for growth, with a global push towards water conservation putting pressure on industries to acquire and store water.

While traditionally storage tanks sold in New Zealand were for dairy effluent, Richard’s focus is now on national and international sales of KlipTank’s patented unique flat pack water tanks which offer easy logistics capabilities for export.

Since joining the team, much of his focus has been on increasing offshore sales in the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Rarotonga.

When he’s not at KlipTank, Richard enjoys going drone beach fishing with his children, aged 13 and 15. He also enjoys playing golf and is growing the KlipTank business by supplying tanks to courses across New Zealand.

Kevin is the newest member of the KlipTank sales team, having joined in July 2022.

In a former life he was a registered nurse, before spending 25-odd years as a pharmaceutical sales representative. He’s also had sales roles in animal health and selling commercial engines, pumps, generators and mowers for Briggs and Stratton.

At KlipTank he loves selling an innovative Kiwi product in an industry that is vital to the New Zealand economy. For Kevin, the best part of the job is the ‘call a spade a spade’ approach in the farming and rural community and the refreshing nature of their ‘what you see is what you get’ mentality. He also enjoys working with a great team at KlipTank.

Being “born and bred” in Tauranga, in his earlier days (longer ago than he’d like to think) he was a National Titleholder for the 400m Hurdles and has supported his children through their sporting endeavours (to which all three have represented NZ in their chosen sports). With three adult children he is finally freeing up time for himself.

He enjoys travelling throughout New Zealand and abroad, hunting and even more so cooking and eating the rewards, craft beers (all beers if he’s honest), wine and most forms of motorsport (rally, in particular). He also likes fishing but he’s not very good at it and doesn’t have enough mates with boats!

Anything to do with KlipTank design is James’ domain – his focus is on product improvement, increasing efficiency and designing new additions to the range. He loves simplifying complicated things – making them more cost effective and efficient, while being functionally better at the same time.

James studied product development at Massey University and his passion for design led him to KlipTank six years ago, where he loves having the rare chance to work with a product that’s designed and manufactured in one Tauranga factory.

A lot of tank accessories have been redesigned over the time James has been on board . He was also involved in the 2021 re-design of the KlipTank construction method. These revolutionary changes removed the requirement for specialised machinery and staff on each install site, opening the door to the export market.

James loves the close-knit family culture and banter at KlipTank, where each of the team is making a big difference with what they do.

When he’s not designing tanks or spending time with his young family, James can be found on a board of some kind – surf, snow, wake – even skateboarding which he still loves, but admits he could be getting a bit old for.

As workshop manager, Hylton oversees all the tank and accessories manufacturing, ensuring they are built to spec, on time, and with all the components required to ensure the installation team can do their jobs on-site.

He’s the ‘go-to’ man for anything happening in the workshop, where he believes in being on the floor with his team of four, not in the office, creating a workshop culture he’s proud of at KlipTank.

The company’s longest serving team member, Hylton moved to KlipTank 12 years ago, having spent nearly two decades working in manufacturing, sales and supervisory roles for furniture company Design Mobel.

Since joining KlipTank he’s witnessed huge growth in the company and seen a lot of technical changes to the tanks, making them more efficient to produce and erect. 

When he’s not in the workshop you’ll find Hylton enjoying some speedway action or getting away for the weekend in his caravan. He recently took up a bit of cycling as well – although he sadly wasn’t allowed an electric bike.

Hylton’s favourite saying has shifted in recent years from “Friday, pie day” to “A lamb burger a day keeps the doctor away.”