Build Beautifully with Hansen

1874Hansen Timber's origins begin when Peder Christian Hansen arrived in Gisborne by ship from the Island of Fyn (now called Funen) with his wife Maria and five of their children. The courage and fortitude of these emigrants leaving their home lands and setting off in a smallish sailing ship to go to a new and unknown country with a different lifestyle and unknown language has to be marvelled at. There were many deaths and damaging storms on the journey.

The New Zealand Hansen Milling story begins when Hans Peter Christian (son of Peter Christian Hansen) is recorded as being one of the earliest pioneer settlers in the Motu District which was then in its origin state being covered in dense bush. The hardy pioneer and his sons had to make a clearing before they could even erect a tent. The timber they milled was used to build most of the houses and local buildings in the area.

Jumping several generations Hansen Timber ends up in Clevedon, with John Hansen Ryall a direct Danish descendant continuing in the milling industry. John's father "Phil" married Judy Hansen and from the beginning in the late 1950's, timber was milled on the farm in various ways. Firstly backbreaking work by freehand chainsaw to produce all the fence posts used on our farm, then by Alaskan Mill and later a single large rotary blade bench saw.

More recently newer equipment such as a bandsaw, mortiser planer, wide belt sander and a European Weinig Powermat Moulding Machine, has been employed to add value to the timber that is sawn and processed at Eyres Road in Clevedon.