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From the tree to the paddock, a lot goes into getting a fence post in the ground! At Mitchpine, we're lucky to have four fantastic truck drivers helping get our posts, poles and timber to customers. Here's a day in the life of Alan.



It's just after 5:00am when Alan Tilby wraps his hands around the day's first coffee. The staff room hums with early morning voices as the team gathers for a quick Health & Safety toolbox talk, a check on road closures, and a few laughs about the weekend's rugby. Alan, a loyal Warriors fan, never misses the chance for a grin and a "Up the Wahs!"

By 5:30am he's in the cab, heading out to cover the Wairarapa region. The Pahiatua Track winds through farmland and forest as the sun stretches over the horizon. First stop: Eketahuna, for a classic Kiwi smoko and another coffee. Then it's on to Masterton for two deliveries — Farmlands and Carters — handled with the precision of years of experience.

By midday, Alan's back in Eketahuna for lunch at the local cafe, where he's known by name, before his last delivery: a farm out the back of town that only a seasoned driver could find without GPS.

By 2:00pm he's back in the yard, truck empty but still going — joining the loader drivers to help prepare for tomorrow's run.

Alan's days start before sunrise and stretch over hundreds of kilometres, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Working for Mitchpine means seeing New Zealand's scenery from behind the wheel, meeting new people, and being part of a team that keeps things moving.

And every now and then, it's about having the last word at smoko: "Up the Wahs!"