Award for Mabers of Morrinsville
The Maber family of Morrinsville recently received the Matamata-Piako District Council Award for Contribution to the Community.
Celebrating 60 years in business, Mabers of Morrinsville have long been on the Waikato farming radar, with roots dating back to 1946.
The award recognises outstanding businesses in the area that go the extra mile and make a significant contribution to the wider community.
When founder Laurie Maber set up an agricultural machinery business based around a commitment to service and back-up all those decades ago, it would probably have been hard to envisage the company today known as Power Farming, which remains privately owned and plays a significant role in the agricultural mechanisation of Australasia.
Following the foundation of Mabers Motors back in the 1940s, soon after leaving school Geoff Maber joined the business. In 1977, Mabers secured the import and distribution rights to Japanese tractor brand Iseki, leading to the formation of Power Farming Wholesale.
Quickly becoming New Zealand’s top-selling tractor brand, the business expanded rapidly and acquired distribution to leading tractor and machinery brands from Europe and North America and built a reputation which had manufacturers knocking at the door.
Today, Geoff Maber oversees a business that encompasses importation and distribution in New Zealand and Australia, with 16 owned and five joint-venture retail businesses in New Zealand and a staff of around 350.
Very much a ‘Mooloo’ company, headquarters for the Power Farming Group still remain in Morrinsville adjacent to the original site, which today employs 80 people between the wholesale and retail businesses.
"For many years the Maber family have, and continue, to make a significant contribution to the local community and beyond," says Matamata-Piako mayor Jan Barnes. "I feel privileged to be standing here in the Waikato, the dairy capital of the world, accepting this award," says the chairman of directors Geoff Maber, who received the award.
"Sadly we lost my lovely dad three months ago, but I know that he would be so proud of us, doing something we are passionate about, as was he."
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