Whether it be automotive, marine, industrial, protective, wood finish or decorative, Wairau Paint Centre (WPC) has all the paint, sundries and equipment to get the job done on time and on budget.
Pam and Peter Crispin opened the doors in the back unit of 90 Wairau Road in 1993, as they saw a gap in the market to offer specialised paint products to the Auckland market. '’In the first week I wondered what we’d got ourselves into, but we persevered,’’ says Peter.
Their children, Bridgette, Gretchen and Will have been involved from the outset. Whether unpacking stock, delivering orders to customers with the help of a Wises map, or sweeping the floors, it started as a family affair. “We gave them jobs to do so they learned the importance of hard work. They all went off and did their own thing and despite vowing and declaring they’d never get involved, they all came back and now play key roles in the running of the business. We’re extremely lucky,” says Pam.
As the business grew, there was a need to expand; they moved to the front retail space and now occupy the entire building. Supported by their key brands and accompanying high-performance coatings, they built their reputation based on expert colour matching, solution-based technical expertise, and honest reliable customer service which saw them supplying the top automotive refinishers, cabinet makers, industrial spray painters, boat builders/painters and many other industries across the wider Auckland region.
‘’Mum and Dad, made the decision to diversify across multiple industries in the early days, and this has held us in good stead in this day,” says Will.
Another huge part of WPC’s longevity and success has been their wider team. “The majority of our staff have been with us for many years, some from the beginning; they’re all like family to us and have been integral in building long term relationships with our customers. Without our staff, WPC wouldn’t be here today, they are the lifeblood of our operation," says Peter.
In 2015, an opportunity beckoned in the north. With Pam and Peter having been born and raised in Whangarei and splitting their time between Auckland and Northland, where the majority of their family still resides; Whangarei Paint Centre was born.
“It was a natural fit and gave us the ability to service from the Bombays to Cape Reinga with the efficiency of pooling our resources,” says Peter.
Like everyone, WPC rode the Covid wave and adapted accordingly. “It wasn’t easy on anyone. Our main focus was not only keeping the lights on and retaining our team but also our staff and customers' wellbeing and personal circumstances," says Will. "However in hindsight, Covid times were relatively easy in comparison to what occurred with the Anniversary weekend floods.’’
Wairau Paint Centre was hit hard. “We had 1-1.2 metres of water come through our entire operation and lost virtually everything. Nothing could have prepared us for that. We spent the first three weeks in gumboots and gloves. Our team have been absolute troopers and have gone over and above; we couldn’t ask for a better team in such a crisis,” says Will.
“We just put our gumboots on and got it done," says Gretchen. “Gutting the shop and working out of Portacoms for six months was challenging, but when the time comes you do what you have to do to survive. Our Whangarei team was also critical in helping us remain operational.”
WPC’s family, friends, customers and suppliers rallied behind them. ‘’We were pretty much on our knees and the assistance we received, the messages of support, the offers to help was pretty humbling. There are too many people to thank, but they know who they are,’’ says Peter.
‘’We came out the other side through real determination and the silver lining out of all of this is the brand new showroom and upgraded facilities which have allowed us to future-proof our operations. The shop is looking amazing; we’re really proud of it. Everyone was part of the rebuild and we all know what it’s taken to get here,” says Will.
With new brands such as the American workwear brand Carhartt being stocked, as well as a variety of new brands and product lines, WPC is bolstering up for a big push ahead.
“We've got some pretty exciting stuff in the pipeline,” says Will. “We’re constantly looking at ways to innovate and provide world-leading products and solutions to our customers, while still sticking to our roots. We’re certainly not a big corporate and don’t pretend to be. We like to keep things pretty simple: we look at business as being all about partnerships; our customer's success is our success and vice versa.”
‘’The flood has definitely given us the opportunity to pause and reflect," adds Bridgette, "and it’s important to celebrate. We Kiwis aren’t very good at that. It's pretty inspiring what mum and dad have built and now to have role in that is pretty rewarding."
“Honestly, when we look back on the last 30 years of this journey it’s pretty inspiring," says Pam.
“Passion, determination, and teamwork drives success and that right there is where the magic happens, ” says Peter.
Wairau Paint Centre is launching an exciting promotion: spend $50 in-store from 11 October and go into the draw to win the ultimate summer prize pack valued at $3500*. Pop along to the store on Saturday 9 December when they will be giving away instant prizes, hot specials and will draw the big prize pack with the Rock radio station for more information please follow their Instagram & Facebook pages! Terms and conditions apply
