4 | TRANSPORT Normans Normans celebrates 50-year milestone Kelly Deeks Normans is now a major player in New Zealand’s transport and storage industry, with 80 staff employed across various divisions of the business. to page 6 Now celebrating the huge milestone of 50 years in business, Normans has evolved from its modest beginnings to become a trusted leader in New Zealand’s general transport and storage industry, with a fleet comprising 40 trucks and 80 staff employed across various divisions of the business. “Over the years, and amid all of the developments we’ve made, Normans’ core values have remained unchanged,” says Normans managing director Adam Norman. “We still value the same commitment to excellence and focus on customer service, and we still have the same can-do attitude that has marked our work from the very start.” “We still value the same commitment to excellence and focus on customer service, and we still have the same can-do attitude that has marked our work from the very start.” Founded by Charlie and Marie Norman in 1972, they say their first 10 years in business were not for the fainthearted. Charlie borrowed $2500 from his mother to buy a 1966 117hp two-stroke diesel Commer, which he used on his first job carting logs from Tairua’s Pepe Valley through to Mount Maunganui wharf. Charlie carted one load each day, loading himself with a drag line and scissor attachment. “After 12 months, the logs stopped overnight due to a drop off in export demand,” Adam says. “There was an urgent need to pick up more work as the truck payments still needed to be met.” Charlie heard about some beech trials in Nelson studying the regeneration growth rate. He flew down and picked up a 16-month contract at Radiata Transport and when it ended, he sold the truck and pursued an opportunity to invest in a transport business in the far north. Unfortunately this didn’t pan out, and three years later Charlie and Marie were completely broke. In court, competing carriers argued the couple were unfit to hold another goods licence, and their company licences were dissolved. Heading south, Charlie and Marie found an opportunity to purchase several livestock transport licences covering Taupo to the North Cape. “In the 1970s, it was illegal to compete with rail for general goods, and cartage companies were unable to travel more than 40 miles from their depot. However, the same rules did not apply to livestock.”
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