New Zealand Lumber Company - Subsidiary Companies

New Zealand Lumber Company was able to more easily purchase equipment, enter new markets and facilitate the shipping of goods through purchasing several subsidiary companies 

Petroleum Distribution Limited

New Zealand Lumber was the first petroleum distribution agent for BP Oil Company and had three tankers on the road

Palm Beach Motors

Operated from the corner of Maunganui and Matai Road, Mount Maunganui, and included franchises for Mercedes and Morris vehicles, the former being sold to Cable Price in Wellington.

1971 - Russell and Somers (BOP)

New Zealand Lumber held a share in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui , and operated about 20 shipping agencies.

In 1986, Russell and Somers Auckland agreed to take over the travel side of Russell and Somers (BOP), whilst the shipping agencies were merged into NZ Lumber’s Customs Agency Department. 

Spliethoff

NZM&S also had a shipping agency division started after the company entered into a joint venture arrangement with the dated shipping company, Spliethoff.  The service known as SANZ (South America New Zealand) was established to ship dairy products and timber to Peru and Chile. Regrettable, cargo, particularly return cargo, was hard to find, and the calls to Tahiti, Pitcairne Island and Easter Island yielded frequent bad weather and insufficient cargo to enable to service to continue beyond the mid-eighties. 

1972 – The Rorison Company

This company was purchased and included trucks, buildings, land and the Fiat Agency. Part of the land was in Hewletts Road where the BP Truck Stop now stands. New Zealand Lumber based in administrative headquarters there until 1990.

1978/80s – Simmonds Transport and Allan Smith Carriers

By purchasing Simmonds Transport and Allan Smith Carriers in the 1980’s, New Zealand Lumber obtained seven Bedford trucks and several general goods licences, enabling it to enter the Hamilton and Auckland markets, and transport any product type.(Licences covered a set geographic area, and could be bought and sold, although it was necessary to hold a contract first before obtaining a licence.  NZ Lumber had 37 different transport licences in 1969, which were mainly product specific. To change product licences to general purpose require going before a magistrate, which Mr Godfrey did on several occasions.)

From 1988 - RAFFLES

RAFFLES (Rent a forklift from Lumber Equipment Services) provided the opportunity to lease forklifts and equipment from the wharves to other parties when not in use