The crushing and aggregate supply company was established in the North Otago town 67 years ago, and managing director Murray Francis said its new office and workshop development at the northern entrance of Oamaru was a demonstration of its commitment to the area for another 67 years.
Mr Francis said the business planned to move its Oamaru base from Caledonian Rd to the new purpose-built 3000sqm premises on State Highway 1.
Kiwi Concrete, which is part of the Road Metals group, would also move from its Regina Lane base to the new site, he said.
The company had been looking for a new site with better access and visibility, and wanted to combine its operations with Kiwi Concrete.
Project manager George Kelcher said the building pad had been brought up to height last week, and power lines running past the entrance were being moved underground.
Work to develop the entrance, which would look similar to that of the North Oamaru Business Park, just south of the new Road Metals site, would get under way this month, he said.
The foundations would start being laid later in February, or early March, and Mr Kelcher expected the project would be completed by the end of the year.
Road Metals was established by the late Stan Francis, Mr Francis’ father, in 1955 as North Otago Road Metal. Since then, the company has expanded to Christchurch, Twizel, Kaikoura and Central Otago and now employs more than 200 staff across the South Island, including about 50 in Oamaru.
