“We may not appear to achieve much in a day, but we achieve a lot in a lifetime”.
An interim review of the last 15 years at Interlink, from the beginnings to its current state.
2008
The idea for a reclaimed timber business arose when Matthew travelled in Brazil in 2008 and viewed many railway sleepers lying alongside the track while on a train from Curitiba (southern Brazil) to the Eastern coast; subsequently hiring a translator to find out who was responsible for removing and replacing sleepers on that railway network.
He found that the typical South American bargaining method of starting extraordinarily high (USD 20 a sleeper) was outrageously high to even comprehend making a counteroffer, so Matthew continued his travels. However, the ball started rolling, and small steps started transpiring. Several months later (now in Montenegro, Eastern Europe). The name for a business began to form, “Interlink”, derived from the essence of a company “linking products and people together”.
2009-2013
The business idea kept bubbling away after Matthew arrived back in New Zealand. In April 2009, Matthew contacted the NZ railway network to find out what they had available. Unsurprisingly, he found the initial value of NZD 14 a sleeper, much more palatable than that of the South American source.
So, Matthew purchased a single used railway sleeper, hired a UTE, and went off to sell his new idea of supplying railway sleepers to garden centres.
Starting off in Wellington and heading northwards, each store owner was appreciative but not interested, and Matthew was told to ‘come back and see them when he was up and running’. ‘
However, at Mitre 10 Masterton, positive feedback was received; this was not a sale but advice – “You will need to speak to our head office in Auckland”, was the statement from the trade store manager. So, with the details for the National Mitre 10 Trade Category Manager in hand, Matthew contacted Graeme Wallace, who had just taken up the role. Timing is everything, as Graeme’s role was to grow Mitre 10’s offerings to its customers, and the used railway sleepers were of interest to Graeme. However, it was indicated that if Mitre 10 listed Matthew’s sleepers, the supply would have to be national.
This was way beyond Matthew’s initial expectations. However, it was too good an opportunity to miss, and Matthew signed the supplier agreement contract with Mitre 10 in 2009, which is still in effect today.
What have we done logistically in our 15 years so far?
In 2009, Interlink started by utilising PBT Transport depot Palmerston North to hold sleepers for Interlink and working closely with the operations manager at PBT ‘Mario’. Mario allowed Interlink to bulk load in sleepers, store and dispatch from PBT’s depot as individual M10 orders came in; This worked well. However, the turnover was less than $400k, and Matthew took only a 60k salary (not so great).
Matthew developed the business and was able to increase the reclaimed sleeper supply. However, it is a finite source, so with various ‘pivots’ and ‘thinking outside the box’ he continued to source this finite product with limited success. (reclaimed timbers are not abundant in supply; they are primarily one-off supply situations)
To obtain a better supply, Matthew looked further afield, and it was the Rustic Australian hardwood sleepers from across the ditch that were added to Interlinks’ product list. These were popular due to their natural durability (no chemical preservation treatment), which is in line with Matthews’s environmental awareness and protection of the environment ethos. The Australian hardwood sleepers worked well as they are very much ingrained in the NZ psyche as a quality product, from historic use in New Zealand on bridges and wharf warehouse structures since the 1800s.
2014-2016
This new Importing side of the business started with stock going into Auckland due to the only NZ commercial-sized heat treatment facility being situated in Auckland. At this time, it was optional to fumigate or heat teat reclaimed timbers on arrival into New Zealand; however, as Interlink became well experienced and after a separate party had a significant biosecurity issuewith railway sleepers, it was discussed with MPI that the industry should be consistent across the industry and shortly afterwards heat treatment was made mandatory in 2014 (less fumigated methyl bromide into the atmosphere is a good thing for us all.)
2017
As things developed, more transport depots were utilised across the country; then, in 2017, Interlink helped a Christchurch-based timber kiln business become heat-treated certified, and now Interlink was also able to import directly into the South Island.
This Christchurch facility also became the primary yard for Interlinks storage and national dispatch. The occasional exporting of reclaimed timbers also occurred into Japan, Fiji, Tasmania, and as far away as the UAE.
As Matthew and his team gained experience and recognition in the landscape sector, Interlink moved into the building sector, pitching to architects, designers, and builders on big residential and commercial projects. This resulted in Interlink being nominated as the preferred supplier for many designs and tenders.
Store trade supply was also extended to Placemakers in 2013, Bunnings in 2017, ITM and Carters in 2022, and a number of independent trade retailers.
2018
From 2018 onwards, it was a big couple of years for Matthew and Interlink, as staff were taken on board. Then, as we all know, COVID hit, and the ‘staycation’ term came into effect, propelling Interlinks’ local domestic sales into higher volumes.
However, post-COVID, with the border opening and the cost of living rising, that fleeting trajectory changed quickly, and a further significant pivot occurred to reduce volumes and overheads and focus more closely on bespoke and carbon reduction-focused projects, sourcing more locally and working closer with critical customers and designers.
2024
Jumping forward to 2024, Interlink now has a separate business called Interlink Timber Solutions, solely focused on the bespoke one-off designs that projects, big and small, are seeking, from barn doors, exposed trusses, internal linings and commercial fit-outs, unique creations, urban furniture and more. While the original sleeper business still continues to this day
Logistically, the two combined businesses now have 6 locations around New Zealand.
- A small office in Wanaka and an associated storage yard there.
- Ashburton holds large, in-dimension rustic reclaimed beam stock (as these take up quite a bit of room and take time to find the match with a customer).
- In Christchurch, is import and sleeper dispatch yard for national distribution.
- In Marlborough, a small yard
- BOP Interlink is supporting a small growing facility for heat treatment in the North Island, by importing into this location.
- In Auckland, a transport company where storage and local Auckland and northwards dispatches can occur easily
Interlink works and relies on many transport companies to store and deliver orders. It is proud to work alongside some great individuals and businesses.
Looking forward, the reclaimed market, according to the international survey, is a growing and developing industry; however, with a finite supply of reclaimed timbers nationally and internationally, prices are increasing, and so are onward sell prices. This is making reclaimed timbers a challenge to work with, but Matthew finds this challenge is what drew him initially to the reclaimed timbers business and still does (if it were easy, everyone would be doing it).
Plus, it is the beauty of what designers, builders, artisans and individuals can do with reclaimed timbers that is so rewarding, with some extraordinary and fantastic ideas and designs being created; this is what inspires and keeps Matthew and Interlink going.
