Press Release – SmartGrass


Photo / Supplied

10 SEPTEMBER 2026

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has officially opened the new national head office of SmartGrass, New Zealand’s largest artificial grass installer, at Waimak Junction in Belfast, Christchurch.

Luxon was joined by Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey for the ribbon cutting on Wednesday afternoon, part of a day the Prime Minister spent visiting local businesses in the Waimakariri electorate.

The pair toured the purpose-built office, showroom and warehouse with Managing Director Jack Kennedy and Chief Operating Officer Ashley Pohio, before speaking to around 65 staff, family members, suppliers, customers and local business owners. After the speeches the Prime Minister worked his way around the room, spending time with installers, office staff and their families.

SmartGrass was started in Christchurch in 2017 by Kennedy, then an 18-year-old university student. He and Pohio, both now 27, have grown it into a New Zealand-owned national business with showrooms and warehouses in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, and in-house installation crews in all three cities rather than subcontractors.

Kennedy said the visit was a proud moment for a company that had kept its head office in Christchurch as it grew.

“To have the Prime Minister and our local MP open the building is a big moment for our team. Many of the people in that room have been part of getting us here, and it meant a lot for them to see that recognised,” Kennedy said.

“We started out retrofitting small residential lawns around Christchurch. To now have a flagship facility here, alongside our Wellington and Auckland branches, gives us a great platform for the next stage of growth.”

During the tour the Prime Minister was shown the company’s turf range, which SmartGrass says is the most realistic-looking artificial grass on the New Zealand market. The turf is fully recyclable at the end of its life and drains about five times faster than standard artificial grass, which makes it especially popular with dog owners.

He was also shown the company’s playground underlay, made from 90 percent recycled New Zealand truck tyres by mass, recovered through the Tyrewise scheme, and tried out the new putting green in the company’s reception.

“The Prime Minister peppered us with questions the whole way around. Not only does he have a really good understanding of the sort of challenges we face, he had a surprising depth of technical understanding of our products and process, and in particular our recycled underlay,” Kennedy said.

“For someone who has to be across so much, his depth and how grounded he is really impressed the whole team. He was practically a subject matter expert on our performance underlays for playgrounds and sports courts, because a lot of that material is recycled New Zealand tyres from the Tyrewise scheme.”

Pohio said the company’s growth in schools and sport came from the same place as its residential work.

“Our team are passionate about enhancing people’s enjoyment of their outdoor spaces. That’s true whether it’s a family backyard or a school court that kids can be on every day, year round, whatever the weather,” she said.

SmartGrass supplies and installs artificial grass and artificial lawns for homes, new-build developments, gyms and preschools, along with synthetic turf tennis courts, multi-sport courts, cricket and football surfaces and a wide range of other applications. It carries out a large volume of Ministry of Education and council work at schools and playgrounds around the country, and this summer is working with New Zealand Football to install six FIFA mini pitches in communities across New Zealand.

Kennedy said the Government’s Investment Boost policy had given the business the confidence to invest in growing its vehicle fleet, with the new vehicles lined up in the yard for the Prime Minister’s visit.

“Investment Boost made the decision to bring forward our investment in new vehicles an easy one, and we’re now hiring more installers off the back of it. Policies like this have made a real difference to getting on with growing our business and team,” he said.

Doocey said it was important for local businesses to be heard.

“As a local MP, it’s important for me to bring decision makers, like the Prime Minister, to hear directly from local businesses like SmartGrass.

“Both the Prime Minister and I were impressed by the use of the Government’s Investment Boost to grow the business, which has resulted in the need to employ more people.

“It was a privilege to acknowledge the hard work of both Ashley and Jack in developing a successful business by officially opening the new premises with the Prime Minister,” Doocey said.

More information at smartgrass.co.nz.

Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
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