Stories

1919 Fletcher brochure.

Excerpt from 'The Fletcher Construction Company Limited Of New Zealand' brochure. The brochure was printed in 1921 by J. Wilkie & Co. Ltd. Printers Dunedin.

The Fletcher Construction Company Limited is the name of an old firm, and yet, to be paradoxical, a young firm. Only some ten years ago this concern was busy on its first contracts, only small house building contracts at that, and now to-day, from Auckland to the Bluff, are records of its achievements.

Nothing in building is too big for this company to-day, from the biggest housing scheme to the biggest structures in steel and concrete.

Its first contract amounted to £350, to-day contracts amounting to well over half a million are in course of completion.

This is the history of such an astonishing development: -

Mr. James Fletcher for three years was in the partnership with Mr. Albert Morris, but that was dissolved and the firm then became known as Fletcher Bros., Mr. James Fletcher, Mr. Wm. J. Fletcher, and Mr. J. M. Cameron forming the Company. It was at this stage that big contracts were first undertaken, and from that date a large proportion of New Zealand’s biggest building contracts have been carried out by this Company.

Some two years later the desirability of spreading their wings was felt, and branch of the business was established in Invercargill. Some of the Southern town’s biggest structures were erected during this period.

Again two years elapsed, and the biggest undertaking up till this period was commenced. The City Council of the Queen City of the North decided to erect New Municipal Markets, and the contact was let to Fletcher Bros.

It was in 1916 that the Company was floated into a Limited Liability Company, and an interesting development took place in the reconstruction, quite a number of the foremen employed becoming shareholders.

A year later Wellington was decided on as a suitable place to get busy in, and a start was made on Mr. J. R. McKenzie’s Warehouse in Cuba Street.

During the intervening period it is safe to say that the largest reinforced concrete buildings in the Dominion have been erected by the Fletcher Construction Company.

The City Markets (Auckland), Whitcombe and Tombs, Dominion Farmers’ Institute, Wright, Stephenson and Company’s Wool Stores (Invercargill and Wellington), Creamoata Mill (Gore), are examples of that class of structure.

Ferro-concrete building is the type of construction in which most progress is being made to-day. Development follows development, and to keep pace with the latest on the engineering side as well as the latest in handling concrete means special study and special detailing of part of the staff to cope with it.

Consequently the first of a programme was carried out when Mr. J. S. Fletcher was sent to America to get first-hand information on the subject. Already there are in operation on several of the firm’s large contracts a number of labour-saving devices as the result of investigation in U.S.A. and Britain.

The Engineering side, too, is seeing big changes. New types of construction, involving highly technical experience, necessitated the engagement of a British and American trained engineer.

These latest developments are all in the nature of economizing labour and material, which is a big feature in these days of rising costs.

But activities co-related to the Structural Business have also claimed attention, and so the firm resolved to go into the brick-making business.

A large interest in the Silverstream brickyards Wellington, was secured, and here big developments have also followed.

To supply Auckland’s brick requirements, Avondale Brickyards have also been purchased. Here both firebricks and ordinary clay and pressed bricks are being manufactured; the output being approximately 500,000 a month.

A new steam digger, new clay curing pits and brick drying sheds have been erected, with a consequent great increase in the daily output of bricks.

When in America Mr. J. S. Fletcher purchased complete plant for working marble, including the latest in diamond saws and cardundum planers and polishing machines.

This plant is manufacturing the marble quarried at Motueka, where there is a large marble quarry in which the firm holds a large interest.

From a very early period in the firm’s history it was realised that timber supplies must be secured on the best basis, and a mill was secured in the South Island, and arrangements made whereby all the output of several mills was taken.

This has been further developed with the growth of the business in the north, and the firm is now securing kauri and rimu in large quantities in both Islands.

The question of supplies of steel and hardware has also engaged the attention of the firm, and arrangements have been made in Britian, Canada, and U.S.A. to purchase supplies direct from the manufacturers.

It will thus be readily understood that these methods of securing supplies put the firm on absolutely the best possible basis to do good business for its clients.

That they realise this is clear from the amount of business the firm has in hand, both in the North and South Islands today.

When the Company was re-floated last year it became known as “THE FLETCHER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, LTD,� and the head office was transferred to Wellington, where premises were purchased and are at present in course of reconstruction, making the building thoroughly up-to-date for suites of offices.

An indication of the present activities the firm is engaged in, some of the following contracts are of interest:-

The largest drapery store in the Dominion being erected for Messrs. Milne and Choyce., Ltd., two Banking Chambers for the national bank of N.Z., Ltd., one in Auckland and one in Hamilton, Manure Plant and Stores, and Wool Store Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., two large warehouses – these last being in Auckland.

In Wellington, a Hide and Wool Store and Office Block and a suite of Offices in Willis Street, and Business Premises in Cuba Street, are among some of the activities. Dunedin end is busy with the Soldier’s Club, large alterations and additions to a Factory, a wool and Hide Store, large additions to a starch Factory, McGlashan College, and several smaller contracts.

A feature of the firm’s activities has from the start been its joinery factories, all equipped with up-to-date machinery; the new Auckland factory having the largest floor space of any joinery establishment in the Dominion.

To those with a knowledge of the building trade this side of the firm’s activities will appeal as being essential to expeditious working of its contracts.

In all cases the policy of the firm is to have all its executive staff shareholders in the Company, thus making the business their own. Quite a number of the foremen are also shareholders, thus spreading the interest by giving all working for the concern a stake in it.