N.Z. firm exports shojis to East

Press, 16 September 1986, Page 21

N.Z. firm exports shojis to East

Exporting shoji doors to the East may seem like another variation on the coals to Newcastle theme, but one New Zealand company has made it a reality. Henry Brooks, Ltd, has established markets for shoji doors and shower doors in Singapore and Indonesia. “They don’t make them like we make them here,” says the South Island manager of Henry Brooks, Mr Dave Mallia. Established in Australia in 1853, the company has hand-written invoices which show it has been operating in New Zealand

for more than 100 years. Five years ago, the New Zealand branch took over control of the company, and its head office is now in Wellington. Henry Brooks was originally associated with the glass trade, and Mr Mallia says that until the 1950 s the company was New Zealand’s biggest importer of glass. Fifteen years ago, the company designed the first sliding shower door in New Zealand. Since then it has branched into wardrobe doors, room dividers and interior doors, and has recently begun importing security doors.