LEADING HEAVY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS

NZ RUGBY WORLD CAUGHT UP WITH PORTER GROUP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER DARREN RALPH TO HEAR ABOUT THE NEW MAJOR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GALLAGHER CHIEFS AND CHIEFS MANAWA.

Porter Group have joined forces with the Chiefs Rugby Club as a major sponsor of the Gallaher Chiefs for the 2023 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season and beyond. The partnership will see the Porter Group brand feature on the left sleeve of the Gallagher Chiefs playing and training jerseys of the teams, and extensive field and stadium signage for all Chiefs home games. The previously titled WEL Networks Stand on the Eastern side of the FMG Stadium Waikato has also been renamed the Porter Group Stand as part of the new partnership.

So who are Porter Group and why the Chiefs Rugby Club?

WHO ARE PORTER GROUP?

The Porter business was first established in the Waikato in 1945 by Arthur Porter when he began building roads and winning civil engineering contracts in New Zealand. Arthur began importing heavy equipment and parts, establishing the Porter name and laying the foundation for the Group’s core business. Fast forward more than 75 years in business, Porter Group now has over 50 locations and is one of the largest privately owned heavy equipment identities in New Zealand and Australia as well as operating significant business in California.

Porter Group supplies world-leading brands of heavy equipment through sales and rentals. Across all of their locations, the focus remains the same as it was at their inception; providing quality machines for their customers.

Every division within Porter Group supports the core business, and this clear focus is key to the Group’s continuing success:

● Porter Equipment sells new and used machines.

● Porter Hire rents machines.

● The Porter Parts Division supplies parts.

● Porter Mechanical repairs and services machines.

● Porter Haulage Team efficiently transports the machines.

● Porter Finance provides a full range of machine financing options.

● Porter Access provides further complementary products and services.

With over 40 branches across Australia and New Zealand, Porter Group very much pride themselves on being a complete service provider. As well as doing all of their own importing and logistics, they also control the

supply chain right from the manufacturer right through to the end of the machines lifestyle. Quite simply the aim is to deliver a complete customer experience.

Arthur Porter would be proud of his legacy as Porter Group continues to be 100% owned by the Porter family who still reside in Hamilton. In fact, there are still a number of third generation Porters involved in a range of levels and facets of the business.

PARTNERSHIP PARALLELS

When looking at partnership parallels between a heavy equipment company and a Super Rugby club you do not need to look far when comparing the reliable and hardworking character traits of the Gallagher Chiefs and Waitomo Chiefs Manawa. Players such as Brodie Retallick, Samisoni Taukei'aho and Sam Cane as well as the explosive power of World Cup winning Waitomo Chiefs Manawa captain, Kennedy Simon. Powerful machines and powerful players.

Going further than face value, one key parallel that can be drawn between both businesses are that they are both performing on the world stage at home and internationally. Both brands have matured a lot in the last couple of decades becoming respected brands in their industries. When the opportunity arose, Porter Group chose to align themselves with this well-known sporting brand to carry the Porter Group message way beyond their normal captive audience.

Porter Group COO Darren Ralph said: "As long-time supporters of the team, we have tremendous respect for the brand and we’re delighted to be aligned with the Gallagher Chiefs for this Super Rugby Pacific season. There are many parallels that we can draw between our business and the Chiefs Rugby Club, not least of which the international reach and brand recognition throughout New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific."

Chiefs Rugby Club CEO Simon Graafhuis acknowledges that the aligned values between Porters Group and the Chiefs Rugby Club make this an exciting partnership. "We are excited to be announcing the new sponsorship partnership with Porter Group. They are an iconic local company that has done amazingly well on the international stage. The two organizations have very aligned values, and we look forward to a long, successful partnership."

While the location of both businesses being in the Waikato does make things easier logistically, the Porter Groups presence both nationwide and in Australia also make the Super Rugby connection a strategic one. The Chiefs Rugby Club represents, and is 50% owned by, the central North Island Provincial Unions, made up of Counties-Manukau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, King Country and Thames Valley which aligns with the national nature of Porter Group with many important customers across the Chiefs region, New Zealand and Australia.

PORTER GROUP HIRE IS HERE TO HELP

The importance of family and community were paramount to Arthur Porter and this continues to this day with Porter Group engaged in various outreach across the country.

Most recently with the devastating flood damage that has impacted communities throughout New Zealand, Porter Hire are doing their bit to support recovery efforts. During

March and April, 5% of all proceeds from new machine hires utilized in clean-up efforts across NZ were donated to flood relief funds.

Porter Group also do an annual program where they donate proceeds of machine hire to Breast Cancer awareness utilizing a couple of pink diggers that they put out on hire to raise funds. They also have an ongoing sponsorship for the Hamilton Boys High School First XV which has been in place for the previous eight years.