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history
The Baker family’s involvement in the transport industry spans over three generations, starting with Walter James (Jim) Baker. Jim had a transport business based in Tai Tapu, selling the company in 1973 to pursue farming.
Gary Baker (Current Owner Director with wife Sally Baker) re-established the company in 1979 as a 19-year-old. Gary started off with an ACCO International transporting general freight. When the contract came under the large umbrella of Mainfrieght, Gary began to transport long-haul throughout the South Island.
Whilst at Mainfrieght Gary established the Ravensdown bulk silo deliveries throughout the South Island, these contracts have now become franchised out to their local regions.
When the owner-driver initiative was introduced at Mainfrieght, Gary wished to remain his own entity and picked up contracts with Champion Flour Mill, and then with Weston Milling to which WJ Baker Ltd. still have a relationship with today after 20 years of working together.
Gary’s eldest son Scott has followed his footsteps, and now runs the daily operations of the business.