Two companies that have been an integral part of the Canterbury engineering and transport sectors for more than a century have been brought together.

AB Equipment and NZ Trucks, both owned by Auckland-based Equipment Holdings, have moved to a new 30,000-square-metre, purpose built base in Hornby, on Christchurch's south-west edge.

The facility, it says, comprises one of the largest single sites for commercial machinery and truck sales, service and support in New Zealand.

And Equipment Holdings CEO Peter Dudson says the move is very timely: "This is an exciting venture for both businesses, which had outgrown their current sites in Christchurch. The new state-of-the-art facility allows us to better serve our customers, provides room for growth and gives our team a workplace to be proud of."

The history of both AB Equipment and NZ Trucks, under their former names of Andrews and Beaven and International Harvester, is entwined with that of Canterbury.

AB Equipment's history extends back to 1878, when Andrews and Beaven began business in Christchurch, manufacturing and selling agricultural equipment. The original staff numbered 18. Fast forward through 139 years and a name change, and AB Equipment now has 420 staff across 20 sites, from Invercargill to Whangarei – and holds agencies for a wide range of equipment in the materials handling, construction and forestry sectors.

AB Equipment employs around 40 staff at the Christchurch branch and the company says its new building will allow the team to continue the introduction of technically-smart diagnostic servicing equipment.

NZ Trucks had its beginnings as International Harvester in Christchurch in 1912, selling and servicing agricultural and construction machinery and trucks. In 1957 the company moved its head office and assembly plant to Blenheim Road. In the 60 years since, it has had several owners and a name change…and has expanded to six sites across NZ and 150 staff.

The Christchurch branch has around 90 staff and a 28-lane facility allowing easy flow for truck servicing, including a dedicated VTNZ lane to provide a one-stop-shop for customers. It's the largest facility in the NZ Trucks network.

Backing up its truck and equipment servicing operations, NZ Trucks holds an exclusive national distributorship for HIAB and Jonsered loader cranes, Zepro, DEL and Waltco tail lifts, Jonsered and Loglift log cranes, MultiLift demountables and Moffett truck-mounted forklifts. The company is also an agent for the Bucher Municipal range of rubbish and recycling compactors and truck-mounted and compact sweepers.