It was 1985 and Keith Caldwell was living at McCormacks Bay building with his brother Philip. The thought of selling timber rather than buying it apparently entered his head. He had his eye on land which was available at Ferrymead about where Mitre 10 Mega is now situated. However, a section in Dyers Rd also became for sale and noticing the amount of traffic passing this seemed a better proposition.
OUR HISTORY
The 1900s
A Family Venture:
The Beginnings of Dyers Road Timber
DYERS RD TIMBER IS ESTABLISHED
IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
This property had 2 houses on it, one was a not so old bungalow the other smaller and older. Being sandy the section needed a lot of hard fill and an old Bedford truck was bought plus an old tractor with a front-end scoop. While Keith set about building timber racks and organising timber from the West Coast, at the time a lot of red pine was still being used. Philip carted hardfill which consisted of old shingle and broken seal which he obtained for free from road works in McBratneys Rd. They were soon in business! What was now needed was a name and a want for something better. The name Dyers Rd Timber was chosen.
The old established timber supplier Parker and Jones in Churchill St near the Barbados Cemetery closed down and some of their equipment was purchased at the clearing auction.
The two original houses
Clearing the section
The Bungalow and the new shed for the docking saw at the back of the property
THE FIRST OFFICE AND WORKSHOP ARE ESTABLISHED
The bungalow was now being used as the office and Philip with partner Averil moved into the other older house to live. An open shed was built to house a docking saw and a machine for shaping the ends of pickets for fencing. Early on the bungalow was sold for removal to Kingsford St Burwood. A small building was then built that was suitable as an office and a place to stock commonly used builders hardware such as nails, rolls of building paper, bolts etc.
DYERS RD YARD EXPANDS MAKING ROOM FOR PRENAIL WALLS AND TRUSS MANUFACTURING
Gradually the business grew and at one stage there was a temporary shortage of Pine timber due to most of it being exported, logs were then temporarily milled with a portable sawmill.
Early on the section next door to DRT became available and was bought to enlarge the yard, Philip then moved out of the old house and it became a tearoom for staff. Keith’s younger brother Ian and Bill Judkins manufactured a small amount of prenail walls and trusses with some rather primitive gear going off today’s standards.
The second DRT truck, the first was similar but smaller
Older house situated on the left
EARLY TRUSS MAKING AND LOADING
Back in the early days, frame making at Dyers Rd Timber was a hands-on process, with every piece crafted using traditional methods and a lot of hard work. Once completed, the frames were carefully loaded onto trucks, ready to be delivered to builders and construction sites across the region.
A CUSTOM UTE AND TIPPING TRAILER MAKE EFFICIENT TIMBER DELIVERIES
Timber deliveries were made with a Ute and an open deck tipping trailer. This trailer was designed so that it could hold two orders, one order could be tipped off while still leaving the other on. Tipping was achieved by an airbag inflated from the exhaust of the towing Ute. This trailer travelled many miles and carried bigger loads than it was originally designed for. The shackles and springs had to be replaced several times over the years.
Open deck tipping trailer
Airbag being used for tipper on work ute
The first office and showroom at 183 Dyers Rd
SPECIALISED TRAILERS FOR SMALL JOBS, HI-AB TRUCK FOR BIG LOADS
A similar second trailer is still used for smaller orders. These trailers came into their own for deliveries on some of the narrow twisting roads and driveways on the Sumner and Mt Pleasant hills where a larger truck wouldn’t fit. Other larger orders were originally done by contractors until it was considered necessary to purchase their own truck with a hi-ab.
EXPANDING OPERATIONS: THE MOVE TO MACES ROAD
There was another timber sales yard in the area, “Kenneally Timber” on Maces Rd, a few years later they closed the branch and shortly after the prenail frame and truss division of DRT was able to lease their old building and move in.
Pictured – An aerial view of the old yard just before shifting
The old T shirt printing building
The old T shirt printing building
A NEW HOME BASE: ESTABLISHING 291 DYERS ROAD
Approximately 1994 land and building became available on the corner of Dyers Rd and Ruru Rd! This had a substantial concrete building on it that had been used previously by a t-shirt printing firm and proved suitable as a retail showroom with space for offices and potential room for a drive through to be built on the side.
The 2000s
GROWTH AND MODERNISATION IN THE 2000S
The 2000s marked a period of significant growth and modernisation for Dyers Rd Timber. As demand increased, the company expanded its product range and invested in new equipment to streamline operations. A larger fleet of delivery vehicles, including trucks with hi-abs, ensured timely service to builders and construction sites across the region. The business continued to adapt to the evolving needs of the industry, solidifying its reputation as a reliable and innovative building supplier.
THE ITM PARTNERSHIP AND GROWTH
The land around this building was in a fairly rough state and required hard fill and levelling. The original site at No 183 Dyers Rd was still operational and both sites were used until it was finally sold to become home for a landscape supplies business. It was about this time that ITM (Independent Timber Merchants) was formed throughout New Zealand to provide bulk buying power of the best brands and products and could then provide their customers with competitive pricing. Dyers Rd Timber became a member of ITM. In 2011 DRT had the biggest turnover of all ITM members throughout New Zealand! A great achievement by the whole team!
The yard needed to be levelled and consolidated
Clearing the section
Aerial view of new yard in 1996
The new retail and showroom
EXPANDING CAPABILITIES WITH TRUSS MANUFACTURING & SHOWROOM
Around 1997 a large building was built to house the prenail frame and truss operation. In 2004 the prenail frame and truss operation moved to the previously leased building of Kenneally Timber on Maces Rd.
The now empty building became an enlarged showroom with a new drive thru next to it. This building had offices for the management and clerical staff above.
EQUIPMENT HIRE TO YARD EXPANSION
The original building, now empty, was used as a base for hiring out gear that builders used occasionally. However this was not altogether successful as gear often came back broken or mistreated. At the same time timber racks etc were relocated and a large concrete parking area was set up.
The new drive thru
The new building from across the road
A TRUE FAMILY BUSINESS
Some members of the Caldwell family that have and currently work for are Keith’s son Daniel who started in the DRT yard when he left school. Daughters Holly and Celine in retail and Amber in the prenail despatch. Holly was also part of the business and worked from Hamilton where pricing of plans would be emailed to her. Brother Philip has been with Keith since the start and youngest brother Ian spent most of his working life with DRT before his tragic passing in 2011 in the Christchurch earthquake. Other family members include Philip’s daughters Lisa and Megan who have worked for DRT in the university holidays. Chris McIntosh who had been responsible for installing some of the gear in the prenail was later recruited as a supervisor and it turned out that he is a third cousin to Keith. Philip’s brother-in-law Melvin Lange who had previously worked in builders retail also joined DRT. Greg Harmon a childhood friend of Daniel’s was leading-hand in the frame and truss division for many years before setting up the Auckland Frame and Truss division. Keith Thompson who had been a yardman in the old yard returned as a rep. It could truly be called a family and mates outfit.
Around 2002 the empty Fibre-glass boat factory was leased to set up a finger jointing plant. Twisted, knotty or bent timber was cut into short lengths and a machine was then able to cut fingers in their ends so that they could be glued together. At a later stage a small building in Wickham St was leased for assembly of prehung doors, trellising and stand alone cupboards from particle board. As can be seen from the photo of the sign – “We cater for the home handyman”. Because of the coming of Mitre 10 to Ferrymead, and to a lesser extent Bunnings on Marshland Rd, there was less demand by the home handyman and DRT was able to reduce their opening hours and concentrate more on catering for the regular builders.
THE LUNEY’S ERA: EMBRACING INNOVATION AND EXPANSION
In 2007 It was decided to buy the latest machines available (automatic computer controlled saws) for the manufacturing of frames and trusses and have this installed in the back half of the leased Luneys long store building. It wasn’t long before they were making up to 4 houses a day and required 2 and later 3 large trucks with trailers to deliver them. Some loads were to go to the West Coast. This division now known as VIP Frames & Trusses is still run by Daniel Caldwell.
Making pre-nail walls
Extra shed at Luneys
Prenailling and truss making in Luneys building
RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY: REBUILDING AFTER THE 2011 EARTHQUAKE
The 2011 earthquake emptied the shelves onto the floor of the ITM showroom, spilling paint, mixing stock etc. Almost the whole staff arrived the next day to clean up and get Dyers Rd ITM up and trading again as soon as possible. (Video can be seen on our YouTube channel) Two engineer assessments gave the all clear to open to the public within 24 hours of the shock. Almost immediately local people and builders were getting materials for urgent repairs. Business resumed with the help of generators, Portaloos and trucked in water. Overall it was a great effort during a difficult and challenging time.
Dominator doors building in Wickham St
The building seen from Mcs Rd
MOVING TO THE DOMINATOR DOOR BUILDING
The 2011 earthquakes increased the demand for new houses in the Canterbury region and prenail frames and trusses. It was found that Luney’s building would not be able to cope with the demand. A nearby building which had housed the Dominator garage door factory on the corner of Wickham St and Maces Rd became available and although the building had sustained some earthquake damage, this was able to be repaired and after some alterations, some of the pre-nail manufacturing equipment was then moved in November 2012. The rest followed shortly after. Land across the road which had been the site of Pro-Metal needed to be demolished because of earthquake damage, this was also obtained to park trucks and other usage.
Inside part of the building
VIP TRADE: A LEGACY OF GROWTH & INNOVATION
With over 40 years in business, VIP Trade has evolved from its humble beginnings as Northern Buying Group to Dyers Road ITM, and now to VIP Trade. Starting as a small timber yard in Christchurch, we have grown through dedication, industry expertise, and the support of our local community. Each name change has marked a new chapter in our journey—responding to market needs, expanding our capabilities, and enhancing our ability to serve the New Zealand building and construction industries.
From a small, independent operation to becoming part of the ITM group, we embraced opportunities for growth, compliance, and support, ultimately allowing us to better serve our customers. Our most recent transformation to VIP Trade reflects the coalition of 13 VIP Operations under one strong and unified brand, positioned to lead the market into the future. Built on the values of Value, Independence, and Performance, VIP Trade is committed to supporting our “VIPs”—the builders and tradespeople who rely on us every day.
As we continue our journey, we look forward to serving our community with the same passion, innovation, and dedication that have defined us for decades.
The current VIP Trade Establishment