Shipments to New Zealand were slow and irregular and foreign exchange at a premium when in 1915 Sam Wrigley seized an opportunity by establishing a brass foundry in Auckland to serve the needs of the the fledgling building industry. His choice of business was no chance thing. He had been a brass moulder in Lancashire, England, where the industrial revolution had created many metal working industries.
 He became a pioneer in the New Zealand manufacture of builders’ hardware, gradually establishing a reputation for reliability and fair-trading. He carried out architectural hardware contracts for many Auckland buildings, including the Civic Theatre and the former Auckland Railway Station.
Sam was joined in 1936 by his son, Arthur, hence SAM’S SON or SAMSON as the company's brand. During World War Two the business supplied fittings for military buildings and Arthur served in the home guard. The post war years saw the development of a nationwide distribution network, with sales made primarily through hardware merchants and architectural hardware suppliers. Old Sam remained active, doing heavy foundry work right up to his retirement. He retained a keen interest in the business right up to the time of his passing in 1957, at the age of 84.
 For more than 40 years the factory operated a stone's throw away from Auckland’s Town Hall in Cleave Ave. That street is now consigned to history as from soon after the Town Hall's opening in 1908 there were plans mooted to redevelop the adjacent area as a civic centre. Eventually they came to fruition and in 1960 the business accepted an offer of land in Union Street, less than a kilometre away and still in a central location. A new factory was purpose built and remains our home today. (It is pictured on our home page).
Globalisation has created a new business environment for the company. Products developed and sold behind tariff and quota walls have gone. Customers buy their hardware worldwide. The business continues to prosper nonetheless as its customers appreciate its committment to elegant and durable hardware. The depth of customer service is now more important than the breadth of the product range.
Arthur Wrigley ran the business till his passing in 2000, at the age of 78. His son Philip stepped into his shoes after pursuing a career as an economist. In 2001 Beau Regarde Brassware was purchased, expanding the customer base into cabinet makers and furniture manufacturers. We aim to maintain our traditions while offering good service and dependable products. |
