Over Fifty Years in Maturation
The reputation that Robinson Construction enjoys for expertise in major building construction work stems from humble beginnings. They have always displayed a consistent thread of reliability, sound performance, professionalism and cost-effectiveness – but probably most importantly an amicable human touch. That touch in turn derives from the principal of the initial company – Ian Robinson.
In 1963, together with his new wife Shirley, this amiable man with the ready warm smile formed the first of the companies bearing his last name in I.W. Robinson Limited.
Ian and Shirley’s new business started as so many Kiwi building businesses do, on a shoestring, tendering principally for small house contracts. Its base was their home at 28 Glenroy Crescent. Over the first seven years commercial work was limited and the business only employed a few men at the most during those times.
As time went by, though, Ian tendered for smaller commercial work and started to diversify.
In 1971 I.W. Robinson Limited was granted the contract to build the new Redwood Tavern, which at the time was in a totally new style for the province. Branching out into a major new commercial venture and style of construction opened Ian’s eyes to the diverse range of commercial work available.
In 1975 Ian also engaged in tendering for commercial contracts for refurbishment work for older commercial premises in Marlborough, one of these projects being with the law firm Gascoigne Wicks.
The performance of that contract occurred in a manner that has since become a hallmark of the Robinson construction companies in that the refurbishment had to be conducted while a major legal firm carried on its activities. Those activities required the company’s employees to respect the need of the legal firm for client privacy, and a reasonable level of quiet sufficient to enable discussions with clients, telephone communications, dictation and secretarial processing of dictation. All of that was able to be achieved through the relaxed but respected relationship Ian enjoyed with his employees, and the high level of co-operation and competence those employees displayed.
Fast Forward – Present Day
Mark Watson became General Manager of the Robinson Construction Group in March 2023. Mark joined Robinson Construction in 2005 and has been a key senior member of the Group, along with being project manager on many of our significant projects. Mark’s wealth of knowledge and expertise within the construction industry, and experience as Robinson Construction’s former Operations Manager and Group Health and Safety Manager stands him in good stead for his new role.
Brothers Phil and Nick Robinson, who followed in their father’s footsteps and continued the family tradition, remain actively involved in the company. Phil as Quantity Surveyor/Director, and Nick as Construction Manager/Director.
Partly due to the company’s long standing presence in the industry as well as its many high profile construction projects, Robinson Construction is now a firmly established Marlborough company with a solid reputation.
This reputation has seen the company recognised nationally numerous times over the years.
Robinson Construction remains a proud member of the Marlborough Master Builders Association, a membership that started in 1963.
