When William Winstone first started transporting goods in 1864, little did he know that 150 years later, the company he founded would literally create New Zealand cities from the ground up.
A division of Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure, Winstone Aggregates is now New Zealand’s largest supplier of aggregates with 26 locations nationwide. Annually we can extract 4.5 million m³ from the ground. That’s one loaded truck and trailer leaving one of our quarries every 35 seconds.
Timeline
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1859
Englishman William Winstone, age 16, arrives in Auckland and finds work as a farm labourer.
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1864
William Winstone purchases a horse and cart and begins distributing coal around the waterfront and streets of Auckland.
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1869
William and his brother George form W. & G. Winstone Ltd, an Auckland-based company with an initial capital of £630. The business operates from premises in Customs Street, supplying coal and firewood.
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1870
While obtaining stone for the New Zealand Insurance Company’s building in Queen Street, William Winstone is seriously injured in an unexpected explosion at the company’s Mt Eden quarry.
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1872
W. & G. Winstone secures the contract to demolish Point Britomart to form a level area for Auckland’s first railway station. The spoil is placed along the Mechanics Bay foreshore to form Beach Road.
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1882
Brick and stone stables are built in Stables Lane, Upper Symonds Street to house more than 200 Clydesdale horses.
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1891
George Winstone’s son, George Junior joins the business.
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1904
W. & G. Winstone is dissolved and its assets transferred to Winstone Limited.
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1905
The company acquires the schooner-rigged scow Rangi, the first of a series used to transport sand, shingle, coal and other materials from the Hauraki Golf, Coromandel and Waikato to Auckland.
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1924
William Winstone dies and is replaced by the first non-family member, F.G. Baskett.
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1929
Wellington building supply firm W.A Chote Ltd is acquired and merged into the organization.
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1930
Winstone Ltd acquires full shareholdings in Gib manufacturer NZ Wallboards Ltd.
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1932
George Winstone Snr dies and George Junior fills his role of chairman.
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1936
Winstone Aggregates establishes the Mt Wellington Quarry in Lunn Avenue with a view to replacing the company’s city quarries.
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1942
Cartage firm J.J. Craig is acquired.
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1949
An office is established in London for the purpose of arranging cement shipments and other international business.
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1953
A plant to manufacture Vibrapak blocks is established at Three Kings scoria depot.
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1964
Winstone Ltd celebrates its centenary by listing on the New Zealand Stock Exchange.
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1970
Portland Cement is acquired in a joint venture with Golden Bay Cement Ltd.
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1973
Winstone Ltd purchases Dimond Industries Ltd, a manufacturer of roll-formed steel products.
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1988
The Winstone group of companies is purchased by Fletcher Challenge. Brierley sells Winstones Ltd to Fletcher Challenge for $444 million. The company already has a significant investment in the quarrying and ready mixed concrete industries with Firth Industries. The merger of Firth and Winstone creates the largest aggregate manufacturing company in New Zealand.
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2000
Winstone Aggregates becomes part of Fletcher Building Limited Fletcher Challenge restructures, selling its Paper and Energy divisions and establishing separate companies focused on the remaining sectors. Fletcher Building is formed to manage the businesses and in 2001 lists on the NZX and ASX.
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Today
Winstone Aggregates is New Zealand’s largest aggregate company with 26 locations nationwide and extracts 4.5 million cubic metres of aggregate from the ground every year for roading, building and industry. A loaded truck and trailer leaves a Winstone Aggregates quarry every 35 seconds.
