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ROAD MATERIALS WORKGEAR is facing a bright future at their new Dunedin premises, with fourth generation ownership now at the helm.
With a steadily growing business, recent changes at Road Materials Workgear in Dunedin offer a launchpad for good things to come.
Following the fourth generation of the Owen family taking the reigns, the company has consolidated the three aspects of its operation into new premises at 6 Birch Street.
It’s a big move for the workgear specialists established in 1956, and with Dunedin roots stretching even further back.
For the previous six decades Road Materials Workgear has traded from a Forth Street premises that was added onto numerous times. It had become less than ideal says Roger Owen, who stepped back from running the business two years ago.
Along with an improved retail space, the significantly larger and more modern new premises are large enough to also accommodate all of their warehousing, distribution, and production requirements.
After a period of considerable growth, the directors of the company had spent a lot of time looking for the ideal new premises. Birch Street ticked all the boxes in terms of space, visibility, location, and even carparking.
‘‘The profile’s quite good here,’’ managing director Calum Wenlock says. ‘‘It’s quite well situated between North and South Dunedin. We service a lot of the commercial industrial area over here as well, so it’s well placed for that.’’
Having purpose-built a new site for their Central Otago branch in Cromwell four years ago, Road Materials Workgear had the perfect blueprint for what they wanted in Dunedin - and they’re very happy with the outcome.
Now the company is even better equipped to serve its expanding base of clients. And it’s that great service that has led to much of their recent growth.
‘‘It’s been largely driven through natural growth,’’ Calum says. ‘‘A lot of it has been word-of-mouth. It’s been customers who have moved, or friends of customers who have heard good things. We’ve also been fortunate with customers who have come across from some of our competitors.”
Relationship building has been core to their success since the business began as a small Dunedin company in the mid-1950s. Focusing on creating connections with customers has led to them dealing with a broad spectrum of businesses, from sole operators up to 5000 employees. But as Roger explains, they all demand good quality products for a fair price.
He and wife Anne purchased the company in 1997, becoming the third generation of Owens to run the business.
Septimus Owen had founded New Zealand Highway Constructors Ltd in 1928, importing bitumen from the UK to Dunedin. That company ceased trading in 1952, before Road Materials Ltd was established several years later, continuing to supply bitumen but also moving into workwear.
‘‘We started supplying businesses with overalls and boots 65 years ago,’’ Roger says. ‘‘We then went into jeans, which were cut dead straight, no style involved at all, but they wore really well. And from there we just expanded the clothing range.’’
Now that extensive range incorporates workwear, footwear, branded uniforms, and safety PPE. Road Materials Workgear is now in the capable hands of the fourth generation of Owens. Siblings Ben, Michael, and Alison and her husband Calum bring a diverse array of skills to the company.
As they’ve done previously, Road Materials is being nimble in meeting the demands of its many customers. New brands, trends and ever-evolving safety standards mean their range of products and services are constantly being updated.
In 2026, the business will mark its 70th year of operation, having undertaken significant transformations and enjoying numerous successes along the way. The team is hopeful that the establishment of their brand new Birch Street site has laid the foundations for even greater success to come. Stay tuned!
6 Birch Street, Central Dunedin
