This October, PGG Wrightson marks 20 years since the iconic merger of Wrightson Ltd and Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd in 2005. While PGG Wrightson came into being at this time, this event was the culmination of more than a century of commitment and partnership between respected rural service firms. Each one had a unique identity, reputation, and regional strength — and each played a part in building the foundation of our business today.

“Marking 20 years as PGG Wrightson allows us to reflect on our rich history and honour the multi-generational relationships we’ve built with New Zealand’s farming families,” says CEO Stephen Guerin. “We are who we are today thanks to the dedicated people who have shaped this company over the years, and the farmers and rural communities who continue to place their trust in us to help solve challenges and support their success.”

PGG Wrightson roots trace back to cornerstone firms that helped build New Zealand’s primary industry — including George Gould’s General Store (1851), Dalgety Buckley & Co (1858), Wright Stephenson & Co (1868), National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand (1877), Donald Reid & Co (1878), Newton King (1879), Williams & Kettle (1880), Pyne & Co (1887), and Guinness & Le Cren Ltd (1890).

These companies served farmers and growers through world wars, economic depressions, the wool boom, and periods of great technological and social change. They helped finance aspirations, bring stock to market, supply vital farming equipment, and offer advice from trusted experts. From Otago to Hawke's Bay, and Canterbury to Taranaki, their stories represent the backbone of New Zealand agriculture.

Over the next few months, we will share a series of stories of the companies that came together to form PGG Wrightson. These stories will pay tribute to those who started it all, the communities they served, and the legacy they left behind. 

Join us as we delve into the archives to explore the legacy that has shaped us into who we are today. 

Read more about our heritage >

_{^{📷 Title image: In Cathedral Square, 1899. Drawn by traction engine, 240 bales of wool from Sir John Hall, Hororata arrive in Christchurch for sale. The traction engine had 60,000 miles up. Courtesy of Godfrey Hall Esq. Pyne Gould Guinness: The Jubilee History, 1919-1969. P. G. Stevens.}}