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Claude Eggers had a workforce of Silviculture contractors whose employment was commissioned by the New Zealand (NZ) Forest Service. In 1976, the NZ Forest Service budget saw a two year period where they were unable to employ the contractors. Claude, not wanting his workers to go without work had to think quickly about alternative employment options.
C.B. Eggers Ltd purchased machinery to establish a temporary production unit in the Golden Downs Forest. It produced peeled (“raw”) posts and strainers out of Pinus Nigra. Logs were purchased from the forest, cut to length, peeled and bundled. They were then on-sold to saw millers, who treated them and sold them to ‘stock & station agents’, as well as directly to end-user customers.
Production at the Golden Downs yard grew over the two-year period, with Robert Eggers working for his father after school and during holidays in both post production and accounting.
Robert Eggers left his tertiary education and purchased a log loader. The early 1980’s saw Robert progressively purchase the business from Claude. Robert has since driven the growth of the company, changing the focus from being a raw post producer to creating the finished product that could be sold directly to the end user.
In 1984 the company was renamed Goldpine Industries Limited.
Expansion into retail seemed the next obvious move for Robert and in 1989 Goldpine purchased Rakaia Timber and Hardware, renaming it to become Goldpine’s first retail branch. From that day on, the retail network grew steadily in the South Island.
In 2003, this retail network continued to grow throughout New Zealand with the opening of Feilding, Masterton and Hastings Stores in the North Island. There are now 10 stores in the North Island and 22 in total. Robert and the team are keen to expand further throughout the North Island.
During this time, with strong research and development focus, the Golden Downs production Yard made rapid technological advances in the creation of the “perfect post and pole”.
Goldpine is a young, progressive and professional company leading New Zealand in the manufacture and retail of rural outdoor timber products. A strong future growth is anticipated for the company – a vision held strongly by the CEO Robert Eggers and the senior management team. It is a vision that will continue with the same enthusiasm that has been demonstrated over previous years.
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