Mainfreight’s long game: overseas expansion, people and a 100-year view behind its productivity surge

Don Braid says the company's overseas expansion has been a key part of its productivity story. (Image: Supplied/NZME/BusinessDesk)

Michael Neilson

Tue, 21 Oct 2025

Logistics is an industry with low productivity growth, but Mainfreight is one of the best performers when it comes to our Productivity Unleashed company analysis; Michael Neilson explains why.While many New Zealand companies have seen flat productivity growth over the past decade, a few niche firms in logistics, manufacturing and food have quietly outperformed expectations.A BusinessDesk analysis of value-added productivity (ebitda + wages per employee) among NZX50 companies found Mainfreight, Skellerup and Sanford have achieved...

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