In the mid 1970s the building of the hydro-electric power canals and dams in the South Island, among other large concurrent projects,required specialised earthmoving machinery on a scale hitherto unknown to New Zealand contracting companies.
Import licences restricted the companies eligible to meet demand, and these suppliers imported machinery into NZ in record volumes. Scrapers, tractors and bulldozers were deployed over hydro-electric schemes, open scale mine sites and large infrastructure projects. Here was a market place where machinery buyers could benefit from regular info on supplier products and it was a natural reaction to publish a monthly magazine for those in the contracting business. Thus Contractor magazine was born.
First published in October 1976, ‘The Contractor’, as it was first titled, continues to handle this brief. To celebrate our fortieth birthday we are running a special feature in our October issue which will showcase the content and advertisers from the first edition.
Give-away copies
If you would like a copy of our fortieth birthday magazine email us at admin@contrafed.co.nz with 40 Birthday Offer in the subject line and provide your name and postal details.
