Cargo business founder Les Dickson dies

Port of Tauranga. Photo/file

Les Dickson, the man who played a crucial role in the development of cargo handling and waterfront labour reform in Tauranga, has died aged 85.

Les Dickson. Photo/supplied

Mr Dickson was known as the right-hand man of Sir Bob Owens during the years when Sir Bob carved out a commercial empire. He later entered business on his own behalf, including founding the successful cargo logistics company ISO.

Former Port of Tauranga chief executive Jon Mayson said Mr Dickson headed the group of companies owned by Sir Bob.

"He gave me my first job in 1973 with Mount and Tauranga Stevedores."

Mr Dickson then set up Associated Stevedores prior to the port reforms of the late 1980s, followed by ISO in 1995. ISO has grown from a one port operation in Gisborne to become a Tauranga-based company operating throughout New Zealand and Australia, employing more than 700 permanent and casual staff.

Mr Mayson, who worked closely with Mr Dickson during the reforms, credited him with making Tauranga the most successful and efficient port in New Zealand.

"He was very active and very successful in the running of stevedoring companies. He was there from the very early days with Bob Owens."

Mr Mayson said Mr Dickson made a huge contribution to the port, including a crucial role in the cargo handling side of the business.

ISO managing director and Mr Dickson's son Greg said his father was a creative thinker. "He would look at something and see things other people did not see. He was clever at taking something simple and applying it."

An example of this was handling rolls of paper when they arrived at the port. After watching an excavator digging a hole, he single-handedly revolutionised the handling so that clumsy forklifts were replaced by a reel clamp that picked up the rolls.

"He came up with great ideas and delivered on them as well."

Greg Dickson also recalled how his father gave forestry companies a vision at a time when tight controls and the power of waterfront unions meant ports had become a choke point.

"He gave them a vision about how the waterfront industry could be no different to any other industry."

His vision was embraced by the forestry companies and the subsequent labour reforms ended the old system in which stevedores hired watersiders from the pool of labour operated by the Waterfront Industry Commission.

Mr Dickson said cargo handling interests, exporters and importers owed his father an immense debt of gratitude for the labour reforms that had proven so successful in Tauranga.

"They currently enjoy a competitive environment that enables cargo to move in an efficient manner."

Les Dickson, who died on Thursday, is survived by his wife Pattie and three children.

The funeral service will be held at the Bethlehem Baptist Church on Monday, at 1pm.