Ingrained Innovation
Established in 1971 in Tamahere by John and Cecile, Alexander Group originally specialises in grain transportation, an industry just starting to flourish. By 1976, producers were starting to export – an opportune time for the Alexanders to gain a Gisborne contract to ship 5,000-ton shipments of grain at a time, 24/7 to Mt Maunganui Port. A time of intense growth, it is also a time of innovation: John Alexander invents a hyper-efficient specialist grain unit, later dubbed the ‘Grain Train’. Different to other trucks, it means contents can be bottom-dumped, an invention that helps the young company secure a three-year contract with Northern Roller Milling (now known today as NRM).