Loaders closing landscape supplies service to focus on contracting

General manager Hayden Loader at Loaders Landscape Supplies which closes at the end of March.

Loaders is closing its landscape supplies service to concentrate on its growing civil contracting business.

General manager Hayden Loader said it had taken some months to make the decision to close Loaders Landscape Supplies which has been operating for 21 years.

"It wasn't a decision we made lightly," Mr Loader said.

"When we started that side of the business, we were the only show in town. Now there are other people who do it better and, after a lot of discussion, we decided it was not something we wanted to progress.

"Landscape Supplies was less than 5 per cent of our business and the land is more valuable to be used for the contracting side rather than the retail landscaping side of the business.

"We are going through a growth phase with the contracting business. Having the additional land will improve the housing and storage of our equipment by expanding into the landscape site."

Mr Loader said the company wanted to integrate the three part-time staff at Landscape Supplies into the contracting business.

"People have said they're sad to see it close and that they've enjoyed coming in and talking to the guys," Mr Loader said.

"The landscaping business was well thought-of and very visible around town. We helped with a lot of sponsorships and people are used to seeing the vehicles around."

It is business as usual at Loaders Landscape Supplies until closing day on March 31. However, some specialist products, including barks and mulches, will not be reordered when stock runs out.

Loaders employs 65 staff, including the Landscape Supplies team. Most of the company's major contracting work is for local and central government. They also do residential work, ranging from driveways to service connections, and site works for building contractors.

Currently Loaders is working on the restoration of the Anzac Parade riverbank near the Whanganui City Bridge for New Zealand Transport Agency. They are also doing a large earthworks job at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River Road.