Page 50 - HW July 2022

then as now
Then as Now – July 2012
YOU MIGHT WELL ask, what’s the point in looking back a “mere” 10 years?
Well, for those of you who haven’t been in the industry that long, it’s an education.
For hardware channel long termers, it’s a reminder that things haven’t always been as they are today.
Take dwelling consents. As reported in our July 2012 magazine, in April 1,230 residential buildings had been consented, including
271 apartments, townhouses & units, or a mere 22% of the total...
Fast forward to today and April 2022’s consents which feature no less than 2,066 multi-unit consents within a bumper total
of 3,719 residential consents, intentions to build apartments, townhouses & units having jumped to over 55% of the total...
10 years is a long time in anyone’s book... Take Fletcher Building.
Back in September 2012, with the company looking for a different direction, after six years as CEO and MD, Jonathan Ling was
succeeded
Fletcher’s into a more profitable era.
Back to the middle of 2012 again, when we find Brent
Waldron leaving Carters after two years as Chief Executive. Succeeding Stu Munro in 2010, Brent took the Carters post
having come from Anglo American Metallurgical Coal and Downer EDi, and had been CFO at The Warehouse and at the Forestry Corporation of NZ before that.
North Island Regional Manager Paul Bull would take Carters’ reins until 2014 when 30-year Carter Holt Harvey veteran Mike Guy was announced as CE, a post he has now held for the last almost eight and a half years.
Paul Bull these days is Chief Executive Officer at Signature Homes, Stu Munro is CEO at Jennian Homes and Brent Waldron is currently CFO of Bulk Commodities back at Anglo American in London.
by Mark
Adamson,
then Chief
Executive
of Fletcher
Building’s
Laminates
& Panels
division, and
fresh from
successfully restructuring Formica.
Five years later, with Fletcher Building having just downgraded its earnings guidance for 2017 thanks to the scale of losses at the Construction division’s Building + Interiors business unit, Mark Adamson would be succeeded in the interim by Formica Group CEO Francisco Irazusta.
In November 2017, current CEO Ross Taylor came on board, armed with an extensive background
in engineering and construction including time leading firms like UGL, Tenix and 20 years at Lend Lease.
Five years later, despite it’s fair to say probably that Ross has led a slimmer
Brent Waldron – one of the few recent Carters chiefs not to turn to group home building...
Back to 2012 again, we find Mike Bishop newly announced as BuildLink’s Group Support Manager and aiming to bring a “fresh and energetic approach” to the group in support of Director Kevin Marevich.
Also one of the original ITM movers & shakers, Kevin parted ways with BuildLink in 2020 while Mike, after leaving BuildLink as GM in 2019 after eight years,
is now General Manager at Paintsmart Group.
Mike Bishop was BuildLink’s new Group Support Manager 10 years ago. He left in 2020 as GM.
48 NZHJ | JULY 2022
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz
Brit Mark Adamson was succeeded by current Fletcher Building CEO Ross Taylor in 2012.
Experienced former Carters
and Grove Mitre 10 manager Simon Burden is the current BuildLink GM.
Back to our July 2012 magazine which has Mitre 10 CEO John Hartmann saying a good start to the construction season means Mitre 10’s 2012 upgrade and expansion programme was right on track with four new Mitre 10 MEGA stores set to open by the end of the year.
First up would be the 7,200m2 Whangarei MEGA store,
while heading towards October completion dates were the new 7,700m2 Manukau and 11,000m2 Hornby MEGA stores, followed by Rotorua in December.
John Hartmann was the cooperative’s CEO 2010-2013. After seven years leading True Value Company in the US, John is now Chief Operating Officer at Bed Bath & Beyond and President of buybuyBaby.
Store-wise, 10 years on, even 2012’s 11,000m2 Hornby
MEGA today pales by comparison with the Hargreaves’ expanded Westgate MEGA which boasts over 15,000m2 of retail alone.
Big is good, then as now.