Southpac Legends

Whakatane-based spray painters ‘Haddocks’ have been keeping NZ trucks looking pristine and shipshape for almost four decades. ‘Goose’ Haddock joined the family business in the mid-eighties and his ‘stand by what we do’ attitude has seen the company grow from a staff of three to twenty- three. Goose is a dedicated craftsman with a passion for the industry and is hellbent on bringing new talent to the business, yet no-one (aside from the IRD) knows his real name - for that, he’s this month’s Southpac legend. 

With a surname such as Haddock, you’d feel that paint spraying and panel beating wouldn’t be Goose’s first career choice, and you’d be correct.

“Our ... ... 

Neil Wood (and his wife Joanne) are the founders of Pokeno-based bulk cartage and earthworks business N&J Wood Ltd. It’s a family run operation that, at its core, hauls feed and aggregate the length and breadth of New Zealand. 

However, not only does this hard-working entrepreneur run an incredibly sharp looking fleet of trucks, but he has also influenced the next generation with his daughter instigating the highly popular Bombay Truck Show. Neil’s latest retirement project involves hundreds of acres of farmland that will house thousands of native trees - and for those reasons he’s this month’s Southpac Legend.

According to Neil, for a lot of people, tru... ... 

Known to most as ‘Scotty’, Andrew Haberfield has not only been putting some of the finest gear in the hands of operators in his area for the past two decades, but he’s also driven and repaired them too. And that (plus many other reasons) is why he’s this month’s Southpac Legend. 

Although obviously very well known around the trucking-industry traps nowadays for his extensive knowledge and hands-on experience, if it wasn’t for Scotty’s parents sticking to their guns, his life could have taken a whole different direction. 

“The deal was, I wanted to drive trucks, but my parents said no way, they wanted me to get a trade behind me,” Scotty recalls. “An... ... 

To many, this month’s Southpac Legend needs little by way of introduction.

With his `Farmer K’ nickname, ‘been there-done that’ breadth of experience and 50 years behind the wheel, this incredibly hard-working trucker retains an unquenchable enthusiasm for the industry. Yes, Peter Richmond is very special indeed.

Peter’s ‘Farmer K’ nickname was given to him by another industry legend, Cliff `Snowman’ Guy. 

“It comes from my days at Total Transport. I used to wear a towelling cap and drove a Kenworth. Snowman said I looked like a farmer, so started calling me `Farmer K’,” says Peter. 

This moniker has even more relevance when you discover... ... 

Peter Elphick, long-time Logging Production manager with Patchell Industries, and until recently a shareholder in the Rotorua trailer maker, is heading into what promises to be a busy retirement.

But though he’s looking forward to the projects he has planned, Peter admits he will also miss the day-to-day contact with people in the transport industry – many of whom have become firm friends.

This month’s Southpac Legend is richly deserving of the Legend title, Peter’s ‘can-do’ attitude helping guide many a challenging project through to a successful conclusion.

Welding and general fabrication have been the constant themes in Peter’s career, yet he says that wasn’t th... ...