H.W. Richardson Group

H.W. Richardson Group Limited, operating as HWR Group or HW Richardson Group, is one of New Zealand's largest privately owned transport and diversified industrial companies. Headquartered in Invercargill in the Southland region, the family-controlled business traces its origins to the 1930s and was formally incorporated in 1964. It encompasses approximately 48 subsidiary companies and employs over 2,500 people across New Zealand and parts of Australia.

The group's core activities span heavy freight transport and logistics, fuel distribution and retailing via the Allied Petroleum network (which supplies a significant portion of New Zealand's fuel), ready-mixed concrete production, civil contracting, quarrying and aggregate supply, and environmental services. It also maintains petroleum operations in Victoria, Australia. These operations position HWR as a key infrastructure and supply chain provider, particularly in the South Island, supporting industries such as construction, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Ownership is held by members of the Richardson family, including directors Jocelyn O'Donnell and Scott O'Donnell, with independent chairman Albert Brantley. The company emphasizes long-term family values alongside operational scale and innovation. Through its HWR Hydrogen division, launched around 2022, HWR is advancing decarbonization in heavy transport. This includes retrofitting diesel trucks with dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel systems developed by its Change Fuel Technologies unit, achieving emission reductions of up to 40 percent, and building green hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure. The first production site, featuring a Plug Power 1 MW GenEco electrolyzer, is being commissioned at Clifton near Invercargill to supply the group's fleet and external customers, with plans to expand the network using Allied Petroleum sites.

HWR Hydrogen's efforts focus on practical, scalable solutions for hard-to-abate sectors, combining local hydrogen production with dual-fuel technology to bridge toward full hydrogen adoption. The group has committed substantial investment to these initiatives while continuing its established roles in traditional transport and fuel markets.