Case Studies

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.