Eighty years of building for Benchmark

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, 28 July 1987, Page 13

Eighty years of building for Benchmark

The Waimarino's new builders' merchants "Benchmark" has evolved from a number of beginnings, one of which is the MSD Spiers history. In 1907 the "Marton Sash and Door and Timber Company was formed, operating from Marton. In 1947 The Tree Farming Forest was started under Mr J.S. Bertram on the West Coast of the Manawatu. This involved converting about 1100 acres of unstable sand dunes into radiata

forest and farmland. For six thousand pounds in 1958, the timber business of W.R. Cherrie of Palmerston North was purchased and railway lease land was acquired in Palmerston North in 1960. In 1962 the company bought A.D.Paterson's

Fielding timber and hardware business. This was followed in 1963 by some major changes including the formation of a public company to replace the original private company. RN Spiers Ltd of Foxton amalgamated that year with

other companies such as Stacey and Company Limited of Wellington, Arthur Body Ltd of Wanganui, King Spiers and Company Ltd Dixon Spiers Ltd, Waimiha Timber Company Ltd, Kernohan Sawmills Ltd, Shannon Hardware Company Ltd and Trunk Sawmilling Company Ltd. A founding director of MSD, Major "Bob" Wilson died on 27/11/64. He had served continuously as a director and was chairman at the time of his death. Major R.A.Wilson DSO is described as having been a man of many talents and having been the driving force that made "Marton Sash and Door" a progressive company. cont'd on p. 14

Eighty years' building

cont'd from p. 13 From 1 April 1965 the company became known as MSD Spiers Limited. Also that year the Pahiatua branch and treatment plant were set under way, a new home improvement centre was opened in Palmerston North, a Hastings branch started operating and Craigwin Developments also joined the group. In 1966 MSD Spiers put in a successful tender for the cutting rights to the Karioi Forest at the base of Mount Ruapehu, This prompted MSD Spiers to build the Tangiwai Sawmill and Treatment Plant. Also that year the new Napier Branch opened, Totara Park Developments Ltd

came into being with a scheme to develop residential sections in the Hutt Valley and MSD Spiers to supply the building materials to the house hungry Wellingtonians. In the mid-seventies a branch was opened at Bell Block in New Plymouth. In 1978 MSD Spiers was taken over by the Spiers group. Subsequently in 1979 the MSD Spiers portion of that group was sold to New Zealand Forest Products Limited. In April this year the separate retail branches of New Zealand Forest Products which are spread about the North Island were united under the one "Benchmark" banner