Commercial Donaghys centenary this year

Press, 28 July 1976, Page 18

Commercial Donaghys centenary this year

i Donaghys Industries,! ‘Ltd, the Dunedin-based [rope and specialty food [manufacturer, celebrates [its centenary this year. ' I It does so against a back-; ■ground of a recently-; [announced increase of 53.0 'per cent to .$760,000 in group jnet profit in the year to; (March 31, and considerable ; iexport success in the market-, ■ing of specialty foods. The company traditionally' has been a rope manufac-- [ turer, producing both natural - i and synthetic ropes, cords and braids to meet a variety iof markets. The strong de-i mand in the agricultural and, commercial fishing sectors is i . now supplemented by a range lof rope-products designed [especially to meet the major! which is taking; place in boating and sailing.: ! The move into specialty; (foods—particularly pates and! (soups—has been more recent. and the group has had success in markets in the {United Kingdom and the i Pacific.

! In New Zealand, Donaghys (initially concentrated its marketing efforts in the catering industry. However, the ini creasing trend for home entertaining has influenced development. and now smaller ! packs of pates, oysters. ’lsmoked eels, crayfish, and 1 scallop. are being sold 'Through supermarkets, and '(grocery stores. ! ! A further development for ithe company is the restructuring of management. Mr N. (J. B. Craig, who has previously held senior-manage-[ jment positions with Ford j Motor Company of N.Z., Ltd. land E.M.I. (N.Z.) Ltd, and as I ■(a director of both companies,! {has been brought into the I I newly-created position of; managing director, thus form-, ■ling a direct link between the!

board of directors and the executive. Donaghys Industries. Ltd, began in 1876 when Mr John Donaghy started a small rope making plant in Dunedin. He was joined by his brother, Michael, in 1878, when they purchased land in south Dunedin and moved their works Ito the company’s present site in Macandrew Road. M. Donaghy and Company, Ltd. was registered as a public company in 1889. In 1895. the company was ! restructured and Donaghy’s Rope and Twine Company, Ltd, was formed. ■ However, with the diversijfication into other lines, the (name was considered too restrictive, and in 1968 the (name of the company was (changed to Donaghys Industries, Ltd.