NZ Panels Group 21 years on …

Back in 2002, Hugo Roest, Nav Singh and Robert Webster, hatched a plan to create a business that would manufacture melamine panels and provide a competitive option for the market. At that point, none of them quite envisaged the extent to which Prime Panels as a business would grow.

After nearly 21 years in business, the company now offers nine product brands with more than 20 product ranges and a team well in excess of 300. There are four manufacturing sites – in Auckland, Kopu, Nelson and Christchurch.

How Prime Panels grew and became part of the larger NZ Panels Group company is a story of hard work, determination, and some daring as key acquisitions were made along the way. It’s also a story that has not been widely shared.

Standing still was never an option

After a few years manufacturing melamine panels and veneer panels from their first Prime Panels site at Stonefield Drive in East Tamaki, the company saw an opportunity to make thermoform vinyl doors and created Dezignatek in 2006. An edgetape business followed two years later in 2008 with Arno. In 2008, a new melamine plant was set up in Nelson, allowing for a faster delivery to South Island customers.

Dramatic change occurred in 2014, with the injection of capital from investment company Crescent Capital creating the way to establish NZ Panels Group as the parent company for the various businesses.

That investment led to swift acquisitions to expand the product range – first up was their early rival Bestwood, then the Kopine particle board plant at Kopu which was producing Ultralock flooring and able to produce particle board substrates for melamine board.

By 2017 the Auckland businesses were all consolidated onto one new purpose-built manufacturing site at Eastfield in East Tamaki. This site bought Dezignatek production, and all melamine, veneer and acrylic panel production under one roof.

In 2018, the company expanded again, buying the Arborline thermoform business based in Hamilton and transferring all their door manufacturing into its more sophisticated Auckland facility.

If that wasn’t enough, NZPG bought a 40% stake in Zealand, a distribution business for Prime Stone, and Ultraglaze acrylic. That became a 100% stake last year and is why the Ultraglaze brand will now replace Prime Acrylic in the market.

Everything, including the kichen sink…

At the end of 2021, NZPG sealed a deal to buy Acero – a business best known for its range of locally made Mercer stainless sinks. Mercer also has a range of imported stainless and granite sinks along with taps and accessories. With the Acero acquisition came the distributor rights for global brands Wilsonart HPL and Durasein solid acrylic. in both 2750 and 2440 panels. Edgetape available. View full sheet panels and learn more at bestwood.co.nz or call 0800 866 678. your panels at sales@bestwood.co.nz

Now in 2023 NZ Panels Group is focusing on ensuring its product line-up offers the very best design options and quality, with faster delivery times and supported by an experienced, knowledgeable and supportive sales team.

Our range of engineered oak panels with a standard, repeatable layon in crown cut or quarter cut makes matching panels easy and gives you a consistent result every time. Clear coat to bring out their natural beauty or stain to any colour you need.