17/04/2025
A pervious news article.
Family firm celebrates 40 wonderful years.
Careful thought has been put in to how Morrinsville based Odlum Group might celebrate 40 years of business.
When a company is founded by one man who works hard to develop it, employing good hard working people such as himself to help it grow, it's no wonder that his memory is cherished and celebrated.
Jac (Bob) and Raewyn Odlum started underground cabling back in 1983, trading then as Piako Trenching. A decade later Odlum Cable Installers Ltd was incorporated and in ensuing years business expanded into the Bay of Plenty region.
Then in 2008, their son Mark joined as a fellow director, forming Fibre Networks NZ Ltd, pioneering the early installation of fibre in to homes.
As part of recognition of the 40 year celebration, Mark changed the name of the company to Odlum Group Limited 2022.
When the rollout of fibre was drawing to it's conclusion and keen to continue to adapt to a changing market, the decision was made to shift to water reticulation and pipe installation.
After many years at the helm Raewyn decided it was time to retire in 2017, the same year Jack sadly passed away. To assist in this transition, daughter Jennie Odlum-Bale came into the company's directorship and today Jennie and Mark lead a team of 40 dedicated to three waters civil infrastructure construction - potable water, storm and waste water management.
Within the broader Odlum Group network of business a total of approximately 100 people are engaged. So with a significant business anniversary to celebrate this year, rather than having a birthday party, Mark came up with a rather unique and very special way to commemorate the company's founding and to remember Dad.
'We just didn't really feel that a party was appropriate and Mark came up with the idea of trying to source the first truck Dad started the business with, a 1962 International, buy it, bring it back to the yard and restore it and that's just what he's doing right now' say's Jennie.
While Raewyn has retired Jennie says she's very much present as a mentor and support. One of the key strengths of the business is the difference between brother and sister.
'Mark is very much like Dad, full of innovation and out of the box ideas, whereas I look at what's best for the business to get involved with with and do the number crunching, HR, Health and Safety aspects, as well as the strategic planning' says Jennie.
One of the good things about Odlum Group is that the people can come into the company at entry level. It's just a good attitude to working well in a team that's important.
'We put all our staff involved in the civil works through Connexis Infrastructure training, through their licence grades and encourage them to progress within the company'.
This emphasis on care of staff plays through in good retention figures, with a significant portion of staff having been with the business long-term.
Odlum Group concentrates the bulk of it's work in the Matamata, Morrinsville, Hauraki/Thames areas.
Each council has it's own way of procuring contractors for civil projects in it's domain and Jennie says a focus for her is to spend considerable time preparing tender documents to submit.
For Jennie, Mark and the team out and about working on various projects, there's a great sense of pride in what the business has achieved these past 40 years.
'When the truck is all s***k and span and painted in the company colours, it's going to be a wonderful day for us all.
