PlaceMakers

Fletcher Distribution Limited

Trading name	PlaceMakers
Industry	Retail/DIY Building Supplies Trade Building Supplies Hardware Store
Headquarters	Auckland, New Zealand
Number of locations	62(2011)
Key people	Dean Fradgley (Chief Executive)
Products	Timber Hardware Plumbing Farm fencing products Trade Electrical supplies Hand and Power Tools Kitchen and Bathroom Paint Landscaping products Aggregates Frame & Truss
Parent	Fletcher Building Limited
Website	http://www.placemakers.co.nz

PlaceMakers is the trading name of Fletcher Distribution Limited, the retail trading arm of Fletcher Building in New Zealand. PlaceMakers also manufactures wall frames, roof trusses and structural components at various frame and truss operations. PlaceMakers origins begin in August 1981 as part of Fletcher Timber Limited's retailing operations within the Manufacturing and Merchandising Sector of Fletcher Challenge Limited.

The beginnings of PlaceMakers start in 1954, when Fletcher Sales & Services Limited was established to sell builders supplies and timber produced by the rest of the Fletcher Holdings Group companies. First established in Penrose, it was intended that the company would expand to have branches strategically sited throughout New Zealand.

Later in the same year the Fletcher Holdings Limited subsidiaries involved in timber production or processing were merged to form Fletcher Timber Company Limited, and the Fletcher Sales & Services Limited name changed to Fletcher Hardware. J & A Wilkinson, supplier of hardware and building materials, Dunedin was acquired.

In late 1960 Lumbermart opened. Located in Penrose the building materials supplier was the first of its type in New Zealand and operated for 30 years without major alterations. In early 1961 Fletcher Timber was operating retail outlets at Penrose (Lumbermart), Hamilton (Claudelands), Upper Hutt and Porirua.

In 1963 the company of RC Horsley was acquired. In the North Island the names of all outlets were changed to Fletcher Merchants, while in the South Island they were absorbed into the operations of Butler Bros Limited, another Fletcher Holdings Group company. In 1967 all the merchandising operations were merged into Fletcher Merchants Limited.

In 1970 Fletcher Merchants Limited became a division of Fletcher Timber Company Limited after a Fletcher Holdings Limited re-structure. In 1972 timber retail outlets were operated at Lumbermart, Hamilton, Tauranga, Ngongotaha, Carterton and Tawa.