Iconic Auckland sparmaker taken over by NZ Rigging

by Cris Brodie and Sail-World on 20 Apr 2010 After forty years in business, iconic sparmaker Fostermasts, New Zealand's oldest spar making and rigging business, has been purchased by New Zealand Rigging.

Formed in 2002, and having expanded steadily ever since, New Zealand Rigging is New Zealand’s largest locally owned and operated yacht rigging and sparmaking business, providing spar and rigging services worldwide.

The company is run by two Directors, Cris Brodie and Richard 'Bart' Bearda, who both come from a background working as riggers in various Volvo Ocean Race campaigns. NZ Rigging provides the full range of spars from dinghies to superyachts, and works with both aluminum and carbon spars, including new spar building and rigging plus servicing existing rigs.

Fosters is one of New Zealand's oldest sparmakers, having been founded over 40 years ago, and originally operated out of A. Foster and Co's premises in downtown Auckland, before moving to a new factory in Mt Wellington, in the mid '80's.

The company changed its name to Fostermasts in 2005 and continued to work in conjunction with A. Foster and Co - which in turn has recently been purchased by Harken.

The managing director of NZ Rigging Richard Bearda served his apprenticeship at Fostermasts, and NZ Rigging is privileged to be able to continue the proud tradition of service to Fostermasts extensive customer-base throughout New Zealand and the Pacific

The Fostermasts' name will continue with NZ Rigging being a brand in its own right with many products familiar to those in the marine industry. They are also the importers of Profurl furling systems and NZ Rigging will continue to support this product.

Fostermasts brings to NZ Rigging a library of over 600 rig plans for many of New Zealand's keelboats and trailer yachts, in many cases the only copy in existence!

NZ Rigging now offers New Zealand's widest range of one piece alloy sections as well as an extensive range of carbon masts to suit boats from Starlings to 80ft plus racing and offshore cruising boats.

Retention of the Ronstan, Holmatro and Reckmann agencies will allow NZ Rigging to offer all customers a one stop shop for all their mast, boom and rigging needs whether it be a full package or a kit-set option.

During the next month, Fostermasts will be moved from their premises in Mt Wellington and integrated with NZ Rigging's premises on The North Shore.

Please feel free to contact the Cris, Bart and the team at NZ Rigging for all your mast and rigging needs, phone (649) 480-8090

Websites:
www.nzrigging.com

www.fostermasts.com