From mining supplies one hundred years ago to high technology

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 39

From mining supplies one hundred years ago to high technology

Established in Dunedin in 1886, R. B. Denniston and Co. Ltd, started out as suppliers of mining equipment. Later they branched out into power transmission and also became importers cf engineering, woodworking and allied equipment. The company’s founder was Robert Blair Denniston, the eldest son of a Scottish ship owner. He was bom in Glasgow in 1840, and emigrated to New Zealand in 1862 where he became prominent in his first love —• mining engingeering. After working in the Otago goldfields for 12 months, he joined the rush to the West Coast gold fields, remaining on the Coast for about six months. Three years later he joined the Government survey party under the leadership of Dr Hector, and was principally engaged in prospecting for gold. He remained with the Government for eight years during which time he visited various parts of New Zealand. The coalmining town of Denniston, 20 kilometres from Westport, was named after him. He is credited with having discovered the mine and having designed and supervised the cable tramway. He became the first manager of the Westport coal companf in 1871 and chairman of directors of the compaiy when the Coalbrookedale mine opened in 1880. When he established his business in Dunedin in 1880 as a mining and consulting engineer, he paid particular attention to colliery work in Otago. He imported mining equipment and to this day miners’ picks, shovels and handles are stocked and sold »y the company. Peter Gray joined the firm in 1890, becoming manager in 1904. He remained manager till his death in 1944. It was at this time two relatively young men who were to have a dramatic effect on the growth of the company, became associated with R. B. Denniston. One was Mr Gray’s son, Colin, who was appointed to the board and eventually became chairman of directors, and the other was the new manager, Martin Mackinnon, who had joined the company as errand boy in the mid--19305. ( These two men guided the company out of the post war period of stringent control and regulations into prosperity, to the stage where branches were opened in, invercargill in 1956, f Christchurch in 1967 and Timaru in 1969. From 1955 onwards, greater emphasis was placed on the marketing of power transmission equipment involving such items as electric motors, gear reducers, transmission and conveyer chains, flat and vee belt drives and pulleys, clutches, var-

iators and ball and roller bearings. The company quickly built a reputation for dealing only in quality goods at competitive prices, backed up by adequate stocks and salesmen who knew their products.

Martin Mackinnon travelled regularly overseas to ensure access to top agency lines and the company soon became associated with such well known brand names as Crofts, Carter Gears, later to be replaced with VarSpe, Gates, Tsubaki, Norton, Kobo, Precision, Nachi, Asahi, and Bonfiglioli. The fact that goods came from the United Kingdom, Europe, America, India, Japan, Taiwan and Australia ensured that the company not only kept up with modern day trends, but was also able to take advantage of exchange rate fluctuations and import duty concessions. In June, 1975, Martin Mackinnon retired as general manager and was immediately appointed to the board of directors. His successor was Fred Galbraith who had joined the company as a sales representative in 1956 and who, after seven years of selling, was made Mr Mackinnon’s understudy in 1963. The company continued to prosper, and in February, 1981, the Dunedin warehouse moved from Moray Place to South Dunedin, occupying premises known as Wardens supermarket which had a 30-vehicle car park, a complete contrast to the congested Moray Place entrance of the old warehouse. Head office remained at Moray Place, but further growth plans pointed to the need to build a new complex. The South Dunedin branch site had ample room for expansion, and so it was decided to develop the site further, build a separate head office and extend the facilities to include new offices for the personnel at the same time. The redevelopment was

undertaken by Downer Development, Ltd, and gives the head office a suite of offices, plus a computer room, library and excellent staff facilities. The branch warehouse has had previous office space included into its storage area with the addition of new offices which overlook the company’s car park.