Transport & Motoring | George Stocks Humble beginnings Like all good Kiwi success stories, George Stocks comes from humble beginnings. At just 21 years of age, George Stock travelled from England to Australia to take up work with the National Bank of Australia. In 1927, George formed a partnership with a fellow bank employee, Harry Humphrey, and they commenced business as “Manufacturers’ Representatives” trading under the name Humphrey & Stock in Melbourne. By 1930 the business was trading simply as George E. Stock. Soon after, George moved his family to New Zealand and established a New Zealand branch of the business. He closed the Melbourne branch soon after and the New Zealand business began to prosper. George E. Stock (NZ) Ltd grew to
become one of New Zealand’s most respected automotive and industrial product suppliers. George Stock became one of the elder statesmen of New Zealand business. Highly regarded as a man of his word, he had a long and distinguished association with the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and the British Trade Association, serving for 12 years as its president. George Stock died in 1972 and his son-in-law, Jan Okkerse - who had joined the company in 1947 – succeeded him as managing director.
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representative to importer and distributor.
We only import the strongest, most reputable brands, so we’re selling good product and we stand by what we sell.
The business continued to be managed with the high standards of integrity set by George Stock. In 1980, George Stock’s grandson, Wellington Barrister Michael Okkerse, returned to New Zealand from a teaching position in the USA for the purpose of securing the father’s move into retirement. Michael was future of the business and assisting his committed to ensuring that the future of the company should be entrusted to executives who would move the business forward in the new business environment while maintaining the high standards of personal and business integrity set by his grandfather and father.
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Bill Strand, formerly general manager of Repco Automotive and Industrial Sales NZ Ltd and Wibroc New Zealand Ltd, an accessory manufacturer owned by Repco, joined the company in August 1980 and was appointed managing director at the time of the retirement of Jan Okkerse. In July 1982 Brian Foley joined the company. Brian was a specialist in garage and workshop equipment. His extensive experience in that field included various sales and marketing positions with Motor Specialties Ltd. As a result, Brian was well known and respected by many of the world’s leading equipment manufacturers. The company remained wholly owned by the Stock family until 1982 when Michael arranged a buyout of the business by interests representing his family and the families of Bill Strand and Brian Foley. Bill Strand, Brian Foley and Michael Okkerse were appointed as directors. In response to the economic changes of the 1980s, George Stock & Company, as it had by then become known, moved its head office from Wellington to Auckland and began its transformation from manufacturers’
In 1985, following the purchase of its distributor Andrews & Bevan Ltd, by Repco, Stocks established Automotive Equipment (NZ) Limited to market Crypton Diagnostic Equipment directly to the trade. Around the same time, the leading equipment specialists from both Motor Specialties Ltd and Andrews & Bevan Ltd joined the company. Stocks now had the most qualified and most experienced equipment sales team in New Zealand. In June 1990, Stocks purchased W E Lewisham (Merchants) Ltd. Lewishams was a supplier to the automotive and tyre industries, but of particular interest to Stocks was the company’s exclusive agency for Italian Corghi tyre fitting and balancing equipment. Corghi was a world leading brand and was the leading supplier of equipment to the tyre industry in New Zealand. The purchase also brought with it a number of other automotive agencies and products, most being sold directly to the retail motor industry through garages and service stations. In September 1990 Wayne Fowler joined the company as finance director representing his family’s interest in the business. While Stocks Equipment was now established as a major supplier of garage, workshop and tyre equipment, the acquisition of Retread Supply & Development Ltd (“RSD”) in April 1992, with agencies including Rema Tip Top and B & J Rocket, established Stocks as a major supplier of consumables to the tyre industry as well. At the same time, Stocks’ AutoParts Division was expanding rapidly by the focused marketing of key brands, including Camelot (now Transteering), Power Plus and Roulunds, through a strong national network of wholesale resellers. A major strategy at this time was to establish Stocks as a leading specialist in vehicle suspension. The acquisition in August 1996 of the Suspension Division of NZ Transport Supplies Ltd (NZTS) was a major move in this direction. It provided Stocks with the agencies, the support staff and the services for Stocks to achieve that goal. Most significantly, the acquisition brought to Stocks the exclusive agency for the KYB and KONI range of shock absorbers, King springs and SuperPro bushes.
Streamline 81 Treffers Road, Sockburn Phone 03 343 1929 | Fax 03 343 2931
Since its inception Streamline has continued to consolidate it’s position as a niche freight forwarder, specialising in the transportation of general goods, consumable and fragile products on behalf of its large customer base of commercial and industrial clients
FREIGHT
Proud to support George Stocks on their 80th Anniversary
Streamline
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www.canterburytoday.co.nz September/October 2012 | 99