JC Fletcher II
Date established
25 Dec 1914
Date closed
19 Aug 2007
History
James Muir Cameron Fletcher was born on December 25, 1914 in Dunedin. He was educated at Waitaki Boys' High School and Auckland Grammar and then qualified as an accountant (ACA). In 1931 he joined South British Insurance Company Ltd in Auckland and left in 1937 to join the Fletcher Construction Company. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1939.
After the establishment of Fletcher Holdings Ltd in 1940, James Fletcher became company secretary and was appointed Managing Director in 1942. In 1942 when James Fletcher became Managing Director, Fletcher Holdings had approximately 300 employees, the annual turnover was oard2.2 million ($4.4 million). After his retirement turnover had increased to $662 million by 1990]
In 1972 he was appointed Chairman (as well as Managing Director) of Fletcher Holdings Ltd. He was succeeded by his son, Hugh, as Managing Director in 1980 but remained Chairman.
James Fletcher was knighted in 1980 for services to industry and the community. He has also been Chairman of Pacific Steel Ltd, Marac Holdings Ltd, British Petroleum (NZ) Ltd, Forest Investments Ltd and Lusteroid Holdings (NZ) Ltd and Deputy Chairman of Tasman Pulp and Paper Company Ltd and South British Insurance Company Ltd. Directorships have included Australian Newsprint Mills Holdings Ltd, Auckland and Intercontinental Properties Ltd, Dalgety NZ Ltd, Alcan (NZ) Ltd, Nylex (NZ) Ltd and Hikurangi Forest Farms Ltd.
He has also been a member of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, New Zealand Committee.
Following the merger of Challenge Corporation Ltd, Fletcher Holdings Ltd and Tasman Pulp & Paper Company Ltd he was named President of the new company, Fletcher Challenge Ltd which became a legal entity in January 1981. Sir James remained President of Fletcher Challenge Ltd until his retirement from from the board of directors in November 1990, having reached the age of 75
Sir James Fletcher is a former president of The Auckland Racing Club and Auckland Chairman of the New Zealand Blood-stock Breeders Association. He has been Vice President of the Auckland division of the NZ Cancer Society and a member of its executive for many years.
One of his many achievements was the establishment of the Tasman Pulp and Paper Company Ltd. Against all odds the first paper machines were built in New Zealand and newsprint produced. Also in the 1950's, James Fletcher and Fletcher Holdings Ltd had a leading role in the establishment of New Zealand's first steel mill, Pacific Steel. Sir James Fletcher was Chairman of Pacific Steel from 1962 until 1987.
Sir James brought to his 53 years of business practice in New Zealand an international vision. He travelled widely, met many business leaders. He recognised the advantage of New Zealand's resources provided the country and worked hard and long at their development. His first major international project was the expansion of Auckland's wharves in 1950. He brought two leading U.S. construction companies into a partnership with Fletcher's, which saw new methods and a forward-looking approach applied to the largest port development in New Zealand.
More so than any other industrialist, he successfully concluded a series of joint ventures with large overseas companies. He helped to introduce factoring of debts and merchant banking and founded Marac Holdings Ltd. He has been associated with the foundation of other major industries. James Fletcher was the strategist behind the important company changes and expansion from the 1940s onwards, an enthusiastic advocate of the Fletcher Group's participation in projects that furthered national development. Thus the company was involved in the establishment of many new industries in New Zealand - including particleboard, readymix concrete, linseed and rapeseed oil extraction, long run roofing, wire drawing and galvanising.
James Fletcher pioneered welfare schemes such as the wholly subsidised superannuation scheme for construction workers and introduced a medical scheme for employees, before medical insurance was begun.
Sir James Fletcher was the recipient of The Order of New Zealand in 1997 for services to business.
In 1997 he was also inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.
Sir James has continued his involvement with the company through his chairmanship of the Fletcher Challenge Trust which has, from its inception in 1983, given support to a diverse range of national, regional and community based programmes such as the Young Enterprise Scheme. The Trust aims to support programmes and organisations in the communities in which Fletcher Challenge companies operate.
Sir James is director in Business in the Community
Sir James is trustee of the ‘Business in the Community Charitable Trust’, and a Director in ‘Business in the Community Limited’, which is fully owned by the charitable trust.
Sir James Fletcher died on 29 August 2007
After the establishment of Fletcher Holdings Ltd in 1940, James Fletcher became company secretary and was appointed Managing Director in 1942. In 1942 when James Fletcher became Managing Director, Fletcher Holdings had approximately 300 employees, the annual turnover was oard2.2 million ($4.4 million). After his retirement turnover had increased to $662 million by 1990]
In 1972 he was appointed Chairman (as well as Managing Director) of Fletcher Holdings Ltd. He was succeeded by his son, Hugh, as Managing Director in 1980 but remained Chairman.
James Fletcher was knighted in 1980 for services to industry and the community. He has also been Chairman of Pacific Steel Ltd, Marac Holdings Ltd, British Petroleum (NZ) Ltd, Forest Investments Ltd and Lusteroid Holdings (NZ) Ltd and Deputy Chairman of Tasman Pulp and Paper Company Ltd and South British Insurance Company Ltd. Directorships have included Australian Newsprint Mills Holdings Ltd, Auckland and Intercontinental Properties Ltd, Dalgety NZ Ltd, Alcan (NZ) Ltd, Nylex (NZ) Ltd and Hikurangi Forest Farms Ltd.
He has also been a member of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, New Zealand Committee.
Following the merger of Challenge Corporation Ltd, Fletcher Holdings Ltd and Tasman Pulp & Paper Company Ltd he was named President of the new company, Fletcher Challenge Ltd which became a legal entity in January 1981. Sir James remained President of Fletcher Challenge Ltd until his retirement from from the board of directors in November 1990, having reached the age of 75
Sir James Fletcher is a former president of The Auckland Racing Club and Auckland Chairman of the New Zealand Blood-stock Breeders Association. He has been Vice President of the Auckland division of the NZ Cancer Society and a member of its executive for many years.
One of his many achievements was the establishment of the Tasman Pulp and Paper Company Ltd. Against all odds the first paper machines were built in New Zealand and newsprint produced. Also in the 1950's, James Fletcher and Fletcher Holdings Ltd had a leading role in the establishment of New Zealand's first steel mill, Pacific Steel. Sir James Fletcher was Chairman of Pacific Steel from 1962 until 1987.
Sir James brought to his 53 years of business practice in New Zealand an international vision. He travelled widely, met many business leaders. He recognised the advantage of New Zealand's resources provided the country and worked hard and long at their development. His first major international project was the expansion of Auckland's wharves in 1950. He brought two leading U.S. construction companies into a partnership with Fletcher's, which saw new methods and a forward-looking approach applied to the largest port development in New Zealand.
More so than any other industrialist, he successfully concluded a series of joint ventures with large overseas companies. He helped to introduce factoring of debts and merchant banking and founded Marac Holdings Ltd. He has been associated with the foundation of other major industries. James Fletcher was the strategist behind the important company changes and expansion from the 1940s onwards, an enthusiastic advocate of the Fletcher Group's participation in projects that furthered national development. Thus the company was involved in the establishment of many new industries in New Zealand - including particleboard, readymix concrete, linseed and rapeseed oil extraction, long run roofing, wire drawing and galvanising.
James Fletcher pioneered welfare schemes such as the wholly subsidised superannuation scheme for construction workers and introduced a medical scheme for employees, before medical insurance was begun.
Sir James Fletcher was the recipient of The Order of New Zealand in 1997 for services to business.
In 1997 he was also inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.
Sir James has continued his involvement with the company through his chairmanship of the Fletcher Challenge Trust which has, from its inception in 1983, given support to a diverse range of national, regional and community based programmes such as the Young Enterprise Scheme. The Trust aims to support programmes and organisations in the communities in which Fletcher Challenge companies operate.
Sir James is director in Business in the Community
Sir James is trustee of the ‘Business in the Community Charitable Trust’, and a Director in ‘Business in the Community Limited’, which is fully owned by the charitable trust.
Sir James Fletcher died on 29 August 2007
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