QUESTION: Would N Z's manufacturer of lead paint test kits be interested in selling our DIY-sampling kits? - 05 Oct 2007 New Zealand

 I have recently found your website and have been impressed, because we both work in the same area. I am New Zealand's manufacturer of lead paint test kits which I have been doing for the last fifteen years. I spend some time educating people, the public and paint professionals in the danger of lead paint. I was interested that Australia is importing lead paint test kits. Because I am in this business I feel that it would be good to make contact. As it happens, I will be in Sydney from the 7th November until the following Monday. If this is of interest we may be able to get together. Bill Irvine.

ANSWER: 05 Jun 2009

Dear Bill,

My sincere apologies that I did not read your email (below) until now. I have just tonight sent the following request to our webmaster: Could you please include the new email address  and the following blurb on our products page for http://www.test4lead.com: "Test4Lead manufacture and supply to paint stores throughout New Zealand, lead paint test kits so a painter can find out if a paint surface has lead content. A sample of paint is obtained by making a slanted cut across the paint surface so each layer of paint is exposed. A drop of  5% sodium sulphide solution is applied. If there is lead in the paint layer, it will turn black. This kind of test should be used by experienced professionals who take proper care of the kits and use a magnifying glass to ensure the result is correct."

I wonder whether you might be interested in setting up our type of kits in New Zealand? We sell DIY-Sampling kits - I'll send you an Info pack which talks about them - through which the purchaser collects samples and posts them to a Sydney lab. The lab emails us the result which we forward to the purchaser. Do you think there could be a market for such a kit in New Zealand and do you have a relationship already with any lab (our lab gives us a Charity rate because we are a charity) and would you be interested in the idea? We'd be happy to give you all the written components of the kit, especially if you could make an occasional donation to our Fund if you are successful in making a profit out of kit sales. I look forward to hearing from you (though I'm going away on holidays all next week) and again apologise for the delay in replying to you and missing the opportunity to meet with you.

Yours Sincerely
Elizabeth O'Brien,