Beginnings …

All Brite began as a simple cleaning service in 1970 with one staff person, one van and a contract to clean one local school. It grew steadily from there – under the direction of Michael Combs, our Chairman, who was that first lone staff person. By 1985 it was the largest cleaning business in Hawke’s Bay. From roofing, roading and railway cars to carpets and chimneys, All Brite could clean it.

Our recycling operation had simple beginnings when some of All Brite’s business clients asked Mike if he could take away their waste paper as well. ‘Dabbling’ with recycling accelerated in 1978 when All Brite bought Fibre Recoveries Ltd, a company involved in the collection and processing of paper and cardboard.

Throughout the 1980s All Brite was a pioneer in the New Zealand recycling industry. This was a time when recycling was not yet fashionable and the environmental benefits not so well understood or accepted. But with a passion for recycling and its benefits, All Brite eventually divested its other business activities to focus on the processing of recovered materials.

A major test for the company came in 1993 when the Napier processing plant was destroyed by fire. In the six months it took to rebuild the facility, All Brite hired empty woolstores to stockpile materials it continued to collect. And true to Mike’s approach to running the business in a close-knit, family way, all staff were kept on during this trying and uncertain time.

The same family atmosphere continues today at Transpacific AllBrite as staff work alongside Combs family members. Mike’s son Tim is now Managing Director and daughter Cathryn manages the Tauranga branch.

Mike’s vision and the commitment of the extended ‘All Brite family’ ensure quality service that the company provides to this day.