Tumu has recently marked its 50th year in business – a milestone for our family-led group that has grown from a small timber yard in Dannevirke, into a diversified family of businesses serving communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
It was 1975 when Hugh O’Sullivan and his wife, Pam, started the business in Dannevirke. Within a few years, he and his family had established Tumu Timbers in Hastings at the current Maraekakaho Road site, although it was just 1ha compared to the sprawling 10ha site of today.
By now, son John O’Sullivan was involved in the business and in 1988 the first building supplies store was established in Dannevirke, later to become one of six Tumu ITM stores (now sold). More wood processing and manufacturing businesses followed and then in 2010, Killarney Capital was born.
Fast forward to today, and Tumu is led by John and his brothers Brendan and Barry, alongside strong leadership teams. The business has grown further with interests in the property, retirement, import and distribution sectors.
Underpinning our growth are values that encourage enduring relationships – with customers, partners, communities, and each other. Those values show up through community investment and not-for-profit initiatives, particularly The Evergreen Foundation and Building Futures, a training pathway for young people entering the trades.
Alongside the anniversary, we unveiled a refreshed brand identity. The new logo is inspired by connected building blocks – a nod to how their people, businesses, partners, and communities come together to create amazing things.
“For five decades, good people have been at the heart of growing good businesses at Tumu,” said Barry. “Our refreshed identity reflects how connected we are with each other and with the communities we serve, and our commitment to growing the common good for generations to come.”
“We’ve always diversified for the right reasons: to create quality jobs, back local industry, and make decisions that are good for the future,” added Brendan. “This milestone is a chance to say thank you to our teams, customers, and partners across the country.”
To mark the anniversary, Tumu celebrated staff and special guests, and released a short video highlighting the people, businesses, and communities that make up the wider Tumu family. Watch the video here.