Marshall Industries managing director Tom Marshall is well aware of the hype around artificial intelligence but, as far as he is concerned, people remain at the heart of his business, just as they have over the past 90 years.
Mr Marshall is the third-generation at the Southland-based firm, which has played a pioneering role in New Zealand’s roofing industry while also protecting homes, farm buildings and commercial properties through decades of growth, change and Southland weather.
While he took over as managing director in 2005, his connection began long before that. He worked in the factory alongside his father Peter and the firm’s founder — his grandfather Owen — during his school holidays.
This weekend, the company marks its 90th anniversary with a gathering at the Winton race-course, a chance to recognise the people behind the work, including employees, suppliers and customers.
"Over the years, there have been generations of tradespeople, apprentices and team members who have taken pride in the work they do," he said.
‘We are very grateful for the support we have received from the community and the construction sector across Southland and Otago."
The firm was originally established by Owen Marshall as a plumbing business, known as Owen Marshall Plumbing Ltd, after he completed his apprenticeship.
Following World War 2, during which the business was closed, Mr Marshall started playing around with long-run metal forming for trays, roofing and spouting.
In a national first, continous spouting systems were developed and 20 machines were manufactured locally which were then distributed across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
That was a breakthrough that changed how roofing was manufactured and installed across New Zealand, setting a new standard still widely used today. In the 1990s, the company exited plumbing and continued with roofing.
After completing his studies, Tom Marshall headed overseas, where he gained valuable experience in other fields as an engineer.
He worked as a project manager in water and wastewater systems in the likes of Australia, Singapore and Indonesia.
But when he and his wife had three children — with a fourth on the way — and the next project was in Afghanistan as part of war recovery, the decision was made to return to Invercargill.
That decision worked out well in terms of succession of the business, as he took over as managing director from his father. Successive generations had adapted to the changes that happened in the economy and the needs of the industry and other industries, he said.
Each generation had faced different challenges, whether it was World War 2 and its aftermath, the 1987 stockmarket crash, or the Covid-19 pandemic.
The key things about doing business in Southland were the long-standing loyalty — relationships remained important — and that while the region did not tend to go through massive booms, it also did not go through massive busts.
The rural sector was an important part of the economy, that was a driver for what happened in the region, and there were also "a lot of good mainstays", including Tiwai Point aluminium smelter alongside timber, meat and milk processing. Invercargill’s engineering capability was also "second to none", he said.
From a one-man plumbing business in 1936, Marshall Industries now has 44 staff across two locations, manufacturing everything from roofing and fabrication to bespoke engineering solutions in both Invercargill and Gore.
"We can’t build the country without people," Mr Marshall said.
Mr Marshall is president of the New Zealand Metal Roofing Manufacturers Association, which represents most of the country’s metal roofing fraternity and develops and promotes industry standards and research for metal roofing and cladding.
As with previous generations, there was no pressure on his four children in terms of succession planning. While it was very possible a fourth-generation might continue, it was not an expectation, he said.
Like their father before them, his children had worked in the business during school holidays, as had the children of general manager George Wishart, who began his career with Marshall Industries at 16, stepping into his first role straight after leaving school.
Mr Marshall recently went hunting in Fiordland for the roar with his Perth-based son, and it was the opportunities for those sorts of outdoor activities that Southland was so good for, he said.
With hunting, boating, fishing and "sports galore", it had been a great place to bring up a family, and the facilities for both sport and community were very good. Plus it was still an affordable place to live, despite property prices increasing.
"It’s an attractive place for a whole lot of reasons," he said.
Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey said businesses reaching milestones like 90 years highlighted the strength of the region’s local economy.
"Marshall Industries is a great example of a Southland business that has grown alongside the region and contributed to its development over many decades. Businesses like this are an important part of the fabric of our community," she said.
