Our History

HISTORY

In 1980 Simon McIntyre bought a small local firm renaming it Waimea Contract Carriers, which basically comprised a shingle screening plant operating in Waimea River and two repossessed Hinos which were bought from UDC.    After Simon’s apprenticeship as a mechanic in 1969 he could see the opportunity and growth possibilities in transport in the region.

He was contracted to supply several local schools with coal.  Having had a taste for carting wind thrown trees caused by the Wahine storm.   It took some time to break into the log transport business, but after a time he gained a contract with Nelson Pine Industries to cart native beech logs from the West Coast using an old Mercedes-Benz 2624. 

Export markets in the mid-80s grew for exotic timber and Waimea Contract Carriers was awarded the contract, prompting expansion.  The Merc was joined by International S-Line, a Volvo, and a couple of Kenworths - all bonneted trucks.  The S-line and the Volvo were reconfigured to cart short logs such as peeler logs from the Golden Downs to the International Panel and Lumber factory in Greymouth, returning with native to NPI, meaning the truck was loaded both ways.   

Today we have 115 staff and cart more than 1.2 million tonnes of wood a year.