Taranaki Truck Dismantlers
Bruce Marsh (right) and partner Sheree with some of the crew
Tagged and ready to send
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Bruce Marsh (right) and partner Sheree with some of the crew
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Tagged and ready to send
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Some people have the X factor, and this is what the land owner must have seen when he leased space to Bruce Marsh twelve years ago.
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Dismantling the myth
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In 2000, armed with years of industry experience, Marsh decided to write his own destiny and start up a truck dismantling business. With minimum capital and a lot of enthusiasm, Marsh approached Mike Brown who had some yard space available in (what was) the ex-Subaru assembly plant in Waitara, Taranaki. Brown must have seen the glint in the impending business owner's eyes, and granted some favourable lease terms for the new venture. With the lease also came some stern no-nonsense words from Brown which, shall we say, described the innovative use for a steel-capped boot should Marsh or anyone else in his employ behave inappropriately.
Twelve years on and Taranaki Truck Dismantlers now owns the four-acre site and has moved on to become one of the biggest suppliers of used parts in the country. The small garden shed that was the original office now sits off to the side, replaced by a number of large storage buildings, along with another currently under construction.
Marsh says the worldwide web has made the dismantling industry more readily available, not just for selling parts, but also for purchasing trucks to be wrecked. It also means people outside New Zealand can view products outside normal business hours. This does not mean the telephone has become redundant as the good old copper wire still brings in a lot of business to the dismantling yard, as was noticeable during our visit with the constant ringing of the telephone.
To help the company go about its daily business, Marsh is assisted by his partner, Sheree Robbertsen and a staff of eight. With quick customer contact so important, a minimum of three staff look after enquiries and the all-important company website.
Stored in the large buildings is a vast array of carefully arranged truck parts. One particular building has ceiling-to-floor racks of engines and gearboxes. To make sure everything works as it should when sold to customers, the business also rebuilds engines and gearboxes to on-sell as reconditioned units. Other buildings store windscreens, alternators, doors and everything else imaginable by the hundreds. There are even a large number of bug deflectors tucked away on a high shelf.
Another popular item is truck cabs. At any one time, Taranaki Truck Dismantlers can have over 80 cabs in stock which, like all its products, are available to be shipped anywhere in the country or abroad. We are told the new building under construction will soon house more truck cabs in an effort to keep everything in the best condition possible.
With the company not specialising in any one particular brand, walking around the yard is a bit of an eye-fest as there are many different types of trucks in the ultimate recycling operation, waiting for their date to be shipped to new owners. As well as the expected numerous Japanese brands on show, there are also a number of Volvos, Freightliners and Kenworths scattered throughout the large yard, with even a Mack Ultra-Liner that would have been king of the road in its heyday.
As well as purchasing off the internet, Marsh is always on the lookout for trucks to be dismantled. He frequently uses deer hunting trips to locate and buy trucks tucked away on backblock farms — no truck worth dismantling is immune to Bruce Marsh's keen gaze.
On the day of our visit, regular customer Cappy Butler had just purchased a spare battery and was happy to share his knowledge of the strong growth of Taranaki Truck Dismantlers over the past twelve years, saying he has been well looked after in his dealings with it.
As well as truck parts, there can also be found a number of 4x4s and buses ripe for the picking. One particular bus had the entire side cut out of it and sent to a customer, only to be told by the customer he had ordered the wrong part — but that's a whole other story.
For more information contact Taranaki Truck Dismantlers on 0800 878 251 or t_t_d@xtra.co.nz.
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