Fletcher Building quitting $60m site, Christchurch developer Wolfbrook's North Island hiring run
Auckland Council values 37-41 Felix St, Te Papa at $60m and shows how immensely under-developed the site is: 5.08ha of land with only 3100sq m of floor area on it.
An aerial view of Winstone Wallboards' new $400m factory in Tauranga. Photo / Supplied
The new Tauriko site in Tauranga is more than twice that at nearly 13ha, showing just how much manufacturing has changed.
Tauriko began production in September 2023, pumping out more wallboard faster and more efficiently than the old plant.
Winstone controls 94% of the New Zealand market and wallboard is heavy to import – so such a big investment made sense.
Colliers' Greg Goldfinch is advertising the vacant wallboard site: 'Occupiers, investors and developers must consider this opportunity, given it's been many years since such a land holding in this precinct was available.'
Hamish McBeath (from left), Stewart Vaughan and David Thomas at the new plant.
The company's Tauriko site is 12.78ha with a massive 6.7ha of floor space on it.
The site was picked with the concept of expansion in mind.
Winstone Wallboards' new Gib manufacturing plant opened at the Tauriko Business Estate in 2023.
At 440m in length, the main manufacturing and storage building stretches nearly half a kilometre and is 110m wide.
The reason it's that long is because of the process of making a wallboard.
The compounds within the plaster need a certain length of time – running for at least 330m at a certain speed – before they enter giant kiln-style ovens to be fired.
About 2.6 million square metres of plasterboard can also be stored in the new plant's main building, bringing manufacturing and distribution under one roof for the first time.
Winstone offers 22 different types of products, including EzyBrace, Aqualine, Noiseline, Wet Area, Fire, Tough, Reverberation Control, Radiation Shielding and Rondo products.
It first started supplying board into the market from Tauriko in early August 2023.
'By the end of August/beginning of September that year, 75% of the board range was being manufactured off the Tauriko line. By the end of December 2023 or the start of 2024, we were in full production with the remaining board range,' a Fletcher spokeswoman told Property Insider.
Winstone Wallboard's history shows it moved into what was in 1971 a newly-built Penrose factory.
That property served the manufacturer for 52 years.
We are due to hear more from Fletcher next month when its full-year result for the June 30, 2025 year is out on August 20.
Wolfbrook hunts north
Christchurch's Wolfbrook Residential has recruited about six staff from Auckland and Tauranga lately.
CEO Guy Randall cited a string of reasons for people heading to his city.
'It's due to lower house prices, less traffic, a perception of less crime, lifestyle reasons and the energy in Christchurch is pretty good. People come down for the weekend to a music festival and go 'let's move here',' Randall said.
Guy Randall is chief executive of Wolfbrook Residential which has its headquarters in Christchurch. Photo / Guy Randall
Wolfbrook has built 1100 new townhouses and apartments but is moving to more standalone places around Halswell.
Property management has become a big business after buying Du Val's book and two others to give it more than 2000 homes to look after.
And Wolfbrook bought its first Queenstown property, at Shotover Country on Ladies Mile where it plans 42 terraced homes, Randall said.
It has built more than 200 new Kāinga Ora homes in the last few years and Randall said when the market turned down, Wolfbrook had picked up all those contracts.
Christchurch remains its HQ and where Wolfbrook is building 70% of its new homes.
Kāinga Ora is no longer in the market for new homes.
'The market is flat but there are always opportunities there,' Randall said.
Far worse than the GFC
When a liquidator says things are bad, you know it's grim.
Gareth Hoole of Ecovis said: 'I've never seen people suffering the way they are.'
The global financial crisis in 2007/08 was mainly property-related, whereas this downturn is far wider and affects more people, Hoole said.
Falling house prices would be a shock to many: 'People always thought property won't go down in value, but guess what? It did.'
Car vending machines
Singapore already has a car vending machine, opened by Autobahn Motors last year. Photo / Telegraph
Eye-catching multi-level glass car vending machines in many countries overseas are yet to arrive here.
Mark Francis of luxury car storage business Matchbox doesn't expect them here soon.
'I have looked at this concept. It's possibly a bit gimmicky and I am not sure if New Zealand is ready for that,' Francis said.
Last decade, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and United States car maker Ford unveiled an unstaffed car vending machine in China's southern city of Guangzhou.
The machines in Asia and North America are often about five storeys tall.
Matchbox members' lounge and storage facility.
Matchbox Auckland.
The Chinese ones had 42 cars, of various models, including the Ford Explorer SUV and Mustang.
Francis and fellow car enthusiast Zlatko Filipchich started Matchbox, which is this country's first members-only luxury car storage building.
It is at Penrose's Great South Rd.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald's property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
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NZ Herald
6 days ago
- NZ Herald
Fletcher Building quitting $60m site, Christchurch developer Wolfbrook's North Island hiring run
Penrose is a valuable site which has hit the market in the downturn. Auckland Council values 37-41 Felix St, Te Papa at $60m and shows how immensely under-developed the site is: 5.08ha of land with only 3100sq m of floor area on it. An aerial view of Winstone Wallboards' new $400m factory in Tauranga. Photo / Supplied The new Tauriko site in Tauranga is more than twice that at nearly 13ha, showing just how much manufacturing has changed. Tauriko began production in September 2023, pumping out more wallboard faster and more efficiently than the old plant. Winstone controls 94% of the New Zealand market and wallboard is heavy to import – so such a big investment made sense. Colliers' Greg Goldfinch is advertising the vacant wallboard site: 'Occupiers, investors and developers must consider this opportunity, given it's been many years since such a land holding in this precinct was available.' Hamish McBeath (from left), Stewart Vaughan and David Thomas at the new plant. The company's Tauriko site is 12.78ha with a massive 6.7ha of floor space on it. The site was picked with the concept of expansion in mind. Winstone Wallboards' new Gib manufacturing plant opened at the Tauriko Business Estate in 2023. At 440m in length, the main manufacturing and storage building stretches nearly half a kilometre and is 110m wide. The reason it's that long is because of the process of making a wallboard. The compounds within the plaster need a certain length of time – running for at least 330m at a certain speed – before they enter giant kiln-style ovens to be fired. About 2.6 million square metres of plasterboard can also be stored in the new plant's main building, bringing manufacturing and distribution under one roof for the first time. Winstone offers 22 different types of products, including EzyBrace, Aqualine, Noiseline, Wet Area, Fire, Tough, Reverberation Control, Radiation Shielding and Rondo products. It first started supplying board into the market from Tauriko in early August 2023. 'By the end of August/beginning of September that year, 75% of the board range was being manufactured off the Tauriko line. By the end of December 2023 or the start of 2024, we were in full production with the remaining board range,' a Fletcher spokeswoman told Property Insider. Winstone Wallboard's history shows it moved into what was in 1971 a newly-built Penrose factory. That property served the manufacturer for 52 years. We are due to hear more from Fletcher next month when its full-year result for the June 30, 2025 year is out on August 20. Wolfbrook hunts north Christchurch's Wolfbrook Residential has recruited about six staff from Auckland and Tauranga lately. CEO Guy Randall cited a string of reasons for people heading to his city. 'It's due to lower house prices, less traffic, a perception of less crime, lifestyle reasons and the energy in Christchurch is pretty good. People come down for the weekend to a music festival and go 'let's move here',' Randall said. Guy Randall is chief executive of Wolfbrook Residential which has its headquarters in Christchurch. Photo / Guy Randall Wolfbrook has built 1100 new townhouses and apartments but is moving to more standalone places around Halswell. Property management has become a big business after buying Du Val's book and two others to give it more than 2000 homes to look after. And Wolfbrook bought its first Queenstown property, at Shotover Country on Ladies Mile where it plans 42 terraced homes, Randall said. It has built more than 200 new Kāinga Ora homes in the last few years and Randall said when the market turned down, Wolfbrook had picked up all those contracts. Christchurch remains its HQ and where Wolfbrook is building 70% of its new homes. Kāinga Ora is no longer in the market for new homes. 'The market is flat but there are always opportunities there,' Randall said. Far worse than the GFC When a liquidator says things are bad, you know it's grim. Gareth Hoole of Ecovis said: 'I've never seen people suffering the way they are.' The global financial crisis in 2007/08 was mainly property-related, whereas this downturn is far wider and affects more people, Hoole said. Falling house prices would be a shock to many: 'People always thought property won't go down in value, but guess what? It did.' Car vending machines Singapore already has a car vending machine, opened by Autobahn Motors last year. Photo / Telegraph Eye-catching multi-level glass car vending machines in many countries overseas are yet to arrive here. Mark Francis of luxury car storage business Matchbox doesn't expect them here soon. 'I have looked at this concept. It's possibly a bit gimmicky and I am not sure if New Zealand is ready for that,' Francis said. Last decade, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and United States car maker Ford unveiled an unstaffed car vending machine in China's southern city of Guangzhou. The machines in Asia and North America are often about five storeys tall. Matchbox members' lounge and storage facility. Matchbox Auckland. The Chinese ones had 42 cars, of various models, including the Ford Explorer SUV and Mustang. Francis and fellow car enthusiast Zlatko Filipchich started Matchbox, which is this country's first members-only luxury car storage building. It is at Penrose's Great South Rd. Anne Gibson has been the Herald's property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- RNZ News
SkyCity sues Fletcher over delays in completing Auckland's convention centre
Photo: RNZ / Danielle Street Casino operator SkyCity Entertainment is suing Fletcher Building for losses incurred because of delays in completing the International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland. The company alleges that Fletcher's breaches of contract, including causing the 2019 fire , constitute negligence and have resulted in the project being more than six-and-a-half-years behind schedule. "The NZICC was originally scheduled to take approximately three years to build, and it has now taken almost 10 ," SkyCity chief executive Jason Walbridge said. "This is a project of key importance not only for SkyCity, but also Auckland and the wider New Zealand economy." SkyCity said it attempted unsuccessfully to resolve these claims directly with Fletcher, and it was entitled to contractual damages of more than $330 million. Walbridge said the NZICC was expected to be handed over in the second half of this year, and due to open in February next year. "We are ramping up for opening, with recruitment for key positions already underway." Fletcher said it had already paid significant liquidated damages to SkyCity under the contract, rejected that it had been negligent and breached its contract, and would vigourously defend the claim. "Whilst the delivery of the NZICC project has suffered from a number of challenges, including as a consequence of the fire and Covid-related impacts, Fletcher Building rejects absolutely that it has breached its contract with SkyCity in the manner alleged," it said in a statement to the stock exchange. "Accordingly, Fletcher Construction will vigourously defend itself against the SkyCity claim for further liquidated damages beyond the capped amount provided for in the building works contract." Niwa captures SkyCity Convention Centre blaze still alight into the night on 22 October. Photo: Twitter / NIWA Weather However, Fletcher said it would book a further loss of between $12m-15m in its next accounts related to the project, having taken a $165m hit in 2024 . It is also suing roofing subcontractors in relation to the fire and pursuing more than $100m from insurers. SkyCity and Fletcher have said the handover of the building was on track for the second half of 2025, with the opening due in February 2026. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
25-05-2025
- NZ Herald
On The Up: The Matua Bar in Tauranga thrives after removing pokies
They say the move has created a new vibe and atmosphere, and has been positive for the Warrington St business and the community. 'So many people say to us, 'It's warm, it's family-friendly, the food's great, with no bright lights and no annoying noise of the machines going off, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching','' Fletcher told the Bay of Plenty Times. 'We get a lot of visitors from England who often tell us this is what English corner pubs used to be like. This is a nice, homely, friendly pub, it's a calm, relaxed place for all ages with nice, tidy bathrooms.' Hazelwood was the bar's duty manager for about five years before he and Fletcher bought the business two and a half years ago. He said The Matua Bar had nine pokies when they took over. They cut the pokies to seven before removing them all at the end of June last year. Customers applauded the move, but not everyone was convinced. 'Some people told us, 'You're going to go under' if we removed the pokies, but that certainly hasn't been the case at all. ' Hazelwood said there had been no negative financial impact. 'We've done better from having the extra dining space, and the food side of the business has also done better, plus our customers are more comfortable not having to put up with the noise of the machines. 'It's absolutely been the right decision. It's been good for our business and good for our community.' Fletcher said there were lots of rules and regulations around pokie machines, and new gaming rules meant they had to check on everybody using them every 15 minutes. Keeping track of people going in and out of the gaming area was 'quite a mission', especially ensuring no children entered the area. 'It was weird having part of your business you're not allowed to advertise or promote. It's like having a dirty little secret, really, and the machines are in the back room with the door closed,' she said. 'I said right off to Jeff, if we buy this place, there is going to be a wider range of non-alcoholic drinks, and we need to encourage more women to come in because it was a very male-oriented pub.' The Matua Bar now has live music twice a week, including a Wednesday night jam session with a resident band, and customers can join in. There was a regular jazz afternoon with Trevor Braunias and a special guest on the first Sunday of each month, plus quiz nights. There is also a chef. A Bellevue resident, who asked not to be named, said he had been a regular customer for 10 years, because of the 'great food', the great vibe, and to socialise with friends. Removing the pokies was like 'lifting a dark cloud' that hung over the bar, and he supported the owners' decision. 'There is definitely a stigma around this type of gambling, and operating a bar with pokies machines under the current gambling regulations has become quite challenging.' Tauranga City Council alcohol licensing team leader Sam Kemp said the owner of the pokie machines removed from Matua Bar was granted consent to move them to another venue. 'However, the new premises owner decided not to take the machines and the gaming licence was lost.' Problem Gambling Foundation advocacy and public health director Andree Froude said it was great to hear of venues replacing pokie machines with other activities and creating more family-friendly spaces. Advertise with NZME. 'We love hearing these stories. It's good for the venue and good for the community. Pokies are the most harmful form of gambling in NZ and designed to be addictive. It's great to see numbers coming down.' Department of Internal Affairs director of gambling regulatory services Vicki Scott said The Matua Bar's gambling licence was one of 109 surrendered nationwide last year. 'Often, surrenders were because a venue changed ownership or shut down briefly before being reopened, many were granted a new licence.' She said there were 32 gaming machine venues in Tauranga operating 445 pokie machines. People using them lost a total of $37.6m last year, compared to 34 venue and 468 machines in 2023, with $39.8m lost. Nationwide, there were 13,855 machines operating out of 968 venues. with more than $1.023b lost last year, down from $1.055b in 2023.
