Humble Beginnings

imgjd In 1947, John Dalton established his own business as a sand and shingle merchant. The nation was rebuilding rapidly and John recognised the necessity and potential of supplying a commodity that was in high demand. John and Francie Dalton enjoyed an excellent business reputation which exists to this day. Their son Neil Dalton, followed in his father’s footsteps and continued the family owned and operated business.

Today, with the assistance of Neil’s son Matthew, Daltons not only supply sand and aggregates, but also an extensive range of top quality horticultural products such as specialty fertilisers, pumice, granulated bark and mulches, bark fibre, coco fibre and a large variety of other growing mediums and specialised mixes.

Daltons products are continually being developed and tested for both domestic and export markets, and Daltons continue to be the preferred supplier for many commercial growers and nurseries throughout New Zealand.

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History Timeline

1947 - 1957

• John Dalton establishes his business in Matamata

• Purchase Fordson Tractor - fitted loader & grader blade

• Builds up to a fleet of four trucks

• John converts an Insley Excavator to a mobile crane

1958 - 1967
• Lays “milk tanker” farm roads for NZ Dairy Co.
• Builds Service Station & Workshop at TePoi
• General goods carting from Mount Wharf to Matamata
• John Dalton builds his innovative self-loading truck
• John Dalton does all crane work for Matamata Council
• Purchased the Matamata Sand Plant and moves the business to the present site at Hinuera Road, West

1968 - 1977
• Daltons wins the contract to supply 22,619 cubic yards of washed sand for the Kaimai Tunnel (over a 7 year span)
• JD’s son Neil Dalton joins the business
• Potting Mix manufacturing commences
• Due to innovation and diversification, the business continues to engage in rapid yet stable growth

1978 - 1987
• Bagging Operation begins
• Acquires contract to get bark off the Mount Maunganui Wharf
• Bark processing plant is built at Matamata
• Sales Representatives and Bagging Truck goes on the road
• Retail depot opens at Mount Maunganui

1988 - 1997

• First export shipment of Potting Mix sent to Noumea

• Neil Dalton designs a Bark Fibre machine utilising “in-house” technology and innovation, perfecting a process many others have tried unsuccessfully to develop • Introduce new Sand Plant technology greatly enhancing processing quality and efficiency

• Colin Parker joins Daltons General Manager

• New integrated bark crushing plants expands bark processing
• Lab testing set up
• Many new horticultural products released and has since won numerous top quality awards
• New logo and marketing image launched
• Packaging facility is built covering 1500 square metres, bagging robotics developed and utilised

1998 - 2010
• Retail depot at Mount Maunganui is relocated to a large premises
• Drying machine made specifically for drying bark for export
• Engineering team designs and builds an innovative potting mix conveyor-fed rotation mixer
• Automated filling and stacking machinery introduced for packaging retail products
• Neil’s son Matthew Dalton and son in-law Dion Edgecombe join business
• Supply arrangement entered into with Pacific Wide for export products
• Second manufacturing plant in Northland started
• Daltons website goes on-line