8 | TRANSPORT Normans Growing pains part of journey Kelly Deeks The Normans premises in Hamilton features a 12,000sqm warehouse with food grade storage. In the 2000s, Normans underwent significant change and haulage and storage both grew substantially. But growth was not even throughout the decade, and Charlie describes it as one step forward, two steps back, then eventually another two steps forward. Normans cartage was significantly focused on the South Island during this period, crossing the Cook Strait every Sunday on the Interislander. When Strait Shipping, now Bluebridge, acquired Suliven, a vessel that could accommodate the taller curtain-sided trailers that its original ship, the Straitsman could not, Normans moved all of its crossings to Strait Shipping, becoming its largest customer with up to 15 crossings each week. With the demise of the New Zealand Dairy Board in 2001, and Normans’ existing connections with both the Westland and Tatua dairy co-operatives which remained independent of its successor Fonterra, Normans chose not to join Fonterra’s logistics group and as a result, a great deal of work was lost. “Some equipment had to be sold and a number of staff were let go,” Adam says. Meanwhile, work in the South Island was expanding considerably. This included general freight, taking in agricultural machinery and dairy products, but also featuring diverse products such as wine barrels and yacht masts. Deliveries were made as far as south as Invercargill, with back-loads of milk powder coming from Westland Milk Products at Rolleston. Over this time the fleet expanded to twenty-six units, reflecting the steady growth in freight and recovering some of the ground lost earlier. In 2007, Normans sold its South Island freight business to Freightlines, ending the interisland freight service it had operated for more than 15 years. The depot at Avenue Road developed rapidly throughout the 2000s. Normans’ storage arm expanded to include four RMP-accredited food-grade stores covering 6000sqm. “With increased warehouse capacity, we were able to pursue new opportunities connected to container transportation and “With increased warehouse capacity, we were able to pursue new opportunities connected to container transportation and distribution, including our first Bio Security-approved Transitional Facility for the devanning of import containers.” distribution, including our first Bio Security-approved Transitional Facility for the devanning of import containers.” Additional units were required on the road and the fleet expanded accordingly. Reflecting the growth within the Golden Triangle of Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga, Normans opened a 12,000sqm warehouse in Hamilton in 2014, featuring food-grade storage and a transitional facility. A fifth warehouse and load-out canopy with a combined footprint of 1650sqm was built at Morrinsville in 2018 making the site fully utilised with five warehouses, three load-out canopies, a three-bay in-house workshop, the head office, and about 35 trucks each night. Normans was founded by Charlie and Marie Norman in 1972 and has gone on to thrive.
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