Company

Moving Freight Across New Zealand with Expertise Since 1971

Our story

Five decades of solving the hard loads.

From a grain run in Tamahere to New Zealand’s foremost dangerous goods carrier, each chapter started with a customer problem and a better way to move it.

1971–76

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).
Late 1970s

Smarter Cartage

By the late '70s, a new Kiwi crop is also beginning to show potential. A call from Jim Delegat of Delegat Wines sees the dawn of Alexander Group's expansion into the New Zealand wine industry.
Carting bulk grapes from Gisborne to Auckland, again an innovative response is called for. Bulk grape is straight off the harvest, tipped straight into the truck. The journey from Gisborne to Auckland means the grapes can be 70% liquid by the time they arrive in Auckland.
To solve the issue, the company partners with engineering company Transport and General Ltd developing a special tail board that seals the body of the truck and the tail door, an invention that becomes the future of this type of aluminium truck bodies.
To this day, this innovation is still used in the industry.
1980s

A Bumper Crop

By the mid-80s the grain industry is slowing. Following an extended stint travelling overseas with their young children, the Alexanders return to New Zealand and promptly pick up where they left off, signing a contract with Corban Wines in 1984.
This relationship - and those formed with other New World wine pioneers Montana, Delegat, Babich and Nobilo - continues throughout the decade, which sees the company not only responsible for grape cartage, but also finished wine, firmly establishing Alexander Group as a fixture in the viticulture industry.
Significantly, the 80's also sees Alexander Group start to diversify, carting ethanol from Edgecumbe to Auckland and other destinations for the NZ Distillery Company via the use of specialised tankers, a forerunner of things to come.
Developing an ethanol tanker in 1982 is a major turning point for the company, establishing their presence in the bulk tanker industry which continues to this day.
1990s

A New Venture

A new decade sees Alexander Group continuing to drive New Zealand's wine industry forward, with an average of 80-90 million litres of wine and grape juice transported per year. It's a decade that also sees the fruition of their earlier venture into ethanol cartage.
The fleet continued to evolve with the addition of BLU500, a 1995 Freightliner FLD120 that became a symbol of the era. This legendary truck has since been brought back to life in a meticulous anniversary restoration project.
The company is also acknowledged for its impressive entrepreneurship in 1997, winning the BNZ Small Fleet Operator of the Year Award.
By 1999, conversations with Shell culminated in Alexander Group securing a deal much larger than anything they've done before: delivering all of Shell's retail, commercial, farm, aviation, oil and LPG product in the South Island, setting the wheels in motion for what followed.
2000s

Setting The Standard

The 2000's is a time of extraordinary agility and responsiveness for Alexander Group.
Proving their merit, the company becomes a transport contractor for the South Island, taking over bulk retail delivery and consolidating fuel transport into one 24/7 multi-function fleet with centralised scheduling.
Awarded BOC's South Island bulk distribution in 2002, by 2005 the company also acquires the North Island contract effectively securing all bulk cryogenic gas deliveries throughout New Zealand.
Later in the decade, the company establishes the origins of their intermodal arm - a coastal shipping and ISO handling depot in Marlborough for wine inter-island transfers. In 2008, Alexander Group is awarded the NZTA Road Transport Innovation and Safety Award.
2010s

Continuously Delivering The Goods

By 2012, newly awarded with BOC's inter-island ISO handling contract, Alexander Group is supplying 100% of BOC's New Zealand bulk deliveries and Elgas' South Island LPG deliveries. In rapid succession, in 2013 the company is awarded further BOC distribution contracts in cylinder distribution.
In 2014, the White Caps Shipping Service is established, a customised end-to-end domestic and international shipping business. It proves so efficient, an ISO handling depot is set up in Glenbrook to service the Pacific Islands.
2020s

Growth, Expansion & Sustainability

Following COVID-19, Alexander Group emerged stronger, securing a bulk LPG distribution contract with Rockgas. Shortly after, Air Liquide Bulk and Packaged Gas contracts grew their portfolio, alongside diversification into a new sector with refrigerated shuttle runs for Inghams.
In the 2020's, the group innovates with sustainability at the forefront. In 2025, a Volvo FL Electric truck was introduced to service Air Liquide's compressed gas cylinder deliveries.
Later that year, a hydrogen dual-fuel truck trial got underway, underlining their commitment to decarbonising heavy freight.
At the end of 2025, Alexander Group acquired Monex Holdings, a specialist in bulk petroleum, chemical, solvent, and oil transport. The acquisition expanded their hazardous liquids capability, cementing their position as NZ's foremost dangerous goods transport and logistics provider.
[…] Alexander Group remain innovative and responsive to customers' changing needs and supportive partners for companies who strive for sustainable solutions.

Supporting our community

Going the distance for our communities

Our trucks cover a lot of ground, and so does our support. We back the causes, clubs and people that matter to our team, from men's health and grassroots rugby to making sure the next generation of Kiwi drivers gets home safe.

It's the same commitment we bring to every load: show up, do the right thing, and own it together.

Blue September

We match staff fundraising for Blue September - which help support prostate cancer awareness, early detection initiatives, and vital support services for men and their families across New Zealand. We raised over $9k in the 2025 campaign.
Platinum Sponsor of Melville Rugby Club

We proudly support Melville Rugby Football Club as a Platinum Sponsor, helping fund club operations, facilities and grassroots rugby programmes that benefit local players and families.
Safe Start - Youth Driver Programme

We sponsor 8-10 young drivers each year to attend the Drive to Survive programme run by National Advanced Drivers School. This programme helps new drivers develop critical safety skills, hazard awareness and defensive driving techniques to reduce risk on the road.
Community Sponsorship

We also support our people in giving back to their communities.
We welcome sponsorship applications from our staff for causes that matter to them, including kid's sports teams, charity events, emergency services and local school or club fundraising initiatives.

Become one of us

See current roles
BLU500 Restoration Project

Bringing Fleet Number One back to the road

Why Alexander Group

Less risk. Lower cost. Better control.

Alexander Group helps organisations take control of their critical transport. Our work is focused on four outcomes that matter to operations, procurement, safety leaders and executive teams.

Less risk

We reduce exposure through specialist equipment, trained people, clear systems and disciplined execution.
Lower total distribution cost

We design transport models that reduce waste across the network.
More reliable planning

We help customers move from reactive freight management to planned, visible and repeatable operations.
Better data

We help customers understand what is happening, where risk sits and where improvement is possible.

Metrics that matter

The proof is in the numbers

When it comes to numbers that count, we believe in transparency and accountability. We bring the scale, structure and shared ownership of objectives to keep our clients moving forward.

150 Staff

Embedded teams across scheduling, systems and reporting.
Top 6% globally

Driver Evaluation scores through Scania ProDriver.
11 Locations

Strategic hubs supporting nationwide reach.
85 Specialised trucks and trailers

Configured for critical freight.

Crew member in hi-vis working at the rear of a gas tanker

Our Values

Loyalty is a round trip

Critical transport solutions depend on the decisions people make before, during and after every goods movement. Alexander Group customers work with people who understand the freight, the route, the risk and the responsibility.

We are practical. We are accountable. We look ahead. We own the outcome together.