Sale marks Gibbons’ construction exit
Nelson firm Gibbons has sold off the last components of its construction division, bringing to an end the family-run business’s long involvement in construction.
Gibbons Group confirmed the sale of its cranes and stressed concrete panel plant to local transportation specialists Lift N Shift, and said it would now focus on its property investment and forestry interests.
Gibbons’ construction arm had merged with New Zealand’s largest privately owned commercial construction company, Naylor Love, 18 months ago, forming the unincorporated joint venture Gibbons Naylor.
Gibbons chief executive Scott Gibbons said Gibbons Naylor was a wholly owned subsidiary of Naylor Love, in which Gibbons was a procurement partner.
‘‘Essentially we have disposed of our construction arm to Naylor Love,’’ he said.
The third-generation family business would now specialise in property investment and development, including design, procurement of land, and tenants, he said.
‘‘We have been moving in this direction for a number of years now.
‘‘We’ve decided to specialise in an area,’’ he said, instead of ‘‘being all things to all people’’.
Gibbons thanked customers for supporting the crane business and stressed concrete panel plant in Ta¯hunanui, which Gibbons Group and contractors had used to realise ‘‘interesting projects’’ and prominent buildings.
Lift N Shift general manager Steve Eggers said taking on the cranes and manufacturing plant was a ‘‘natural extension’’ to his business. Lift N Shift had worked with Gibbons since 1982, moving concrete panels made at the plant using the company’s own fleet of 12 smaller truck-mounted cranes.
‘‘We’ll carry on their legacy ... delivering the product and putting it up, and making it,’’ Eggers said.
The 100-tonne and 60-tonne cranes would be relocated to the Lift N Shift yard in Venice Place in Ta¯ hunanui.
The stressed concrete panel plant would continue to operate at its Beatty St yard in Ta¯ hunanui, under the day-to-day management of Brett Steer.