Tue, 22 Sep 2009 7:22p.m.
Here in New Zealand, we have a company which is a world leader in building large-scale aquariums. Their name is Marinescape – it may not be familiar, but there's a good chance you've enjoyed their work.
They have designed and constructed 23 aquariums in nine countries, beginning with Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.
"I guess Kelly Tarlton's was the 'Model A' of motor cars, and now what we're doing is akin to flying to the moon," says Ian Mellsop, Marinescape.
Aquarium technology has come a long way since 1985. It was Mr Mellsop's first, after he and business partner Kelly Tarlton had decided they'd had enough of underwater engineering.
"I remember one morning we were both about 40 years old. It was cold in the middle of winter and we were putting on our wetsuits to carry out some underwater construction and we decided this wasn't a long-term occupation."
Despite Mr Tarlton's death, Mr Mellsop continued with the new business, going on to build another 23 aquariums in nine countries. And there are more to come.
Kay Arnold is Mr Mellsop's wife and business partner. Look around their house and you can see the fruits of their international labour. But Ms Arnold says they would never have succeeded in countries like Russia and China without being tenacious, adaptable and very patient.
"You have to stay there and build up the trust with the people," she says. "I've watched other countries trying to succeed in these difficult lands. They reason they don't succeed is they're not prepared to put in the time and the effort that we've put in. They think they can go to a country like China and take something. You can't do it. That will never work."
Son-in-law Nicholas Traviss is an architect for the company. All five of their children have had a hand in Marinscape's success.
This week their groundbreaking aquarium will open in Istanbul.
"World's largest panorama tank," says Mr Mellsop. "It's basically four metres by 32 metres in around. And you're completely surrounded by coral tropical reef."
Built in the basement of Europe's biggest shopping mall, the main tank holds 4.5 million litres of water and is creating a stir on Turkish television.
The exotic locations, the success, lifestyle - it appears the aquarium industry is a gold mine. However out of every four opportunities they chase they may only succeed in securing one or two.
"I've never felt it was glamorous," says Ms Arnold.
Although still directors of the company, Ms Arnold and Mr Mellsop are leaving more and more of the on site work to the family. But they're far from retirement, having just begun a new line in eco-designed aquariums.
"We're using the materials a lot better," says Mr Traviss. "We're creating healthier and happier environments for fish as well."
Other projects are being planned in North Korea, India, and South America.
But the $100 million fit-out for the design in New York, covering eight floors of a 40-storey building, will add extra kudos to a Kiwi company already world leaders in their field.
"Being New Zealanders and being from New Zealand and having a New Zealand-fronted company had served us extremely well," says Ms Arnold, "whereas if we'd been based in Britain I'm very sure we wouldn't have got a lot of the work we ended up with."