Hall of Fame Inductee 2018
Dave Malanaphy
Dave was educated at Taihape District High School and began his long involvement with the transport industry driving for a local Carrier there. In 1967 Dave and his brother Neil started Kimbolton Transport in rural Manawatu which reached it’s limited potential within three years. Seeking greater challenges saw the brothers sell the Kimbolton business and purchase Thames based freight company Parker Wilson Transport which was geographically well placed for growth being close to Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. They changed the company name to Thames Freightlines. Several small acquisitions followed.
Thames Freightlines grew rapidly and successfully, diversifying into cartage of wood products and CKD components for the Thames Toyota Car Factory. In 1979 in a move to further develop it’s wood products activity the troubled Nationwide Transport (in receivership) was purchased. Despite much effort Nationwide was not fixable and the Thames parent company itself suffered quite some time in receivership. The company did survive however and went on to become a major player in the transport arena.
In 1985 brother Neil sold his interests to Dave and Peter Coote and retired in Australia. The brothers remain close to this day. After recovering from the Nationwide setback some significant acquisitions followed including-
1984 Verran Brothers, Thames
1986 Fletcher Transport, Patumahoe
1992 Provincial Heatons Transport
2003 R&L Main Transport, Thames
2004 Total Transport, Taupo
The company’s name was again changed with the purchase of the Provincial Heatons business; the new name being Provincial Freightlines Limited. The re-badged business expanded into log cartage, bulk fuel cartage for Shell NZ (North Island) and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). The latter included customers such as Griffins Foods, Lion Breweries, CHH Tissue etc.
Dave always said the people were the company’s best asset. He also believed in co-operative relationships with other friendly operators, some examples being-
Five Star Freight Group an Auckland based metro pickup and delivery company co-owned by Provincial, United Carriers, Hooker Bros. TNL and Roadfreighters.
A joint venture with Total Transport to manage all North Island road transported timber for CHH Timber Limited. Provincial purchased Total when Matt Purvis retired.
A joint venture with NZL Group to then manage all timber and pulp and paper products for CHH.
A joint venture with Trevor Master’s Log Haulage to manage and transport all of Ernslaw One’s logs out of the Coromandel Peninsula.
A joint venture with Tulloch Transport for warehousing and distribution of Iplex Pipelines with Tullochs doing the South Island and Provincial the North.
In 2007 Dave was diagnosed as having a condition with an unsure prognosis. The family decided to exit the business, selling to a keen suitor, Lindsay Fox. As it happens Dave has survived that condition to date. He was a chartered member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport prior to his retirement.He now owns a forklift importing company.