30 Years of Tradestaff: Industrial Employment Solutions for New Zealand

Celebrating three decades of people, partnerships and opportunities across New Zealand

In June 2026, Tradestaff celebrates 30 years in business.

What started in Christchurch in 1996 with a desk, a mobile phone and a determination to do things differently has grown into one of New Zealand's most recognised trade recruitment businesses.

Over the last three decades, we've worked alongside tradies, apprentices, contractors, site managers, project teams and employers through economic highs and lows, industry changes, major infrastructure projects and some of the country's biggest construction programmes.

While the business has grown considerably since those early days, one thing has never changed. Tradestaff has always been about people.

Watch the Tradestaff story unfold: https://youtu.be/K58y92cXEbk

Where It All Began

Back in 1996, specialist trade recruitment was virtually unheard of in New Zealand.

Most recruitment agencies focused on office-based roles, administration and corporate placements. The trades sector was largely left to word of mouth, newspaper advertisements and personal networks.

Founder Kevin Eder saw an opportunity to create something different.

Founder Insight

"When I started Tradestaff, it was very new. There were no agencies that did what we did. There were agencies around that did things like bank tellers and receptionists, but a true trades agency, that was just something totally different."

Like many successful businesses, Tradestaff didn't begin with a grand plan to become a nationwide operation.

"We thought maybe there was a bit of an opportunity here. We had no idea whatsoever that it was going to grow into the beast that it has."

At its heart, the idea was simple. Understand the trades industry, build genuine relationships and help good people find good opportunities.

Thirty years later, that approach still guides everything we do.

From One Opportunity to a National Business

The early success of Tradestaff quickly showed there was demand for a specialist trade recruitment company that understood the realities of the industries it served.

One of the defining moments came when Tradestaff expanded beyond Christchurch and opened in Hamilton.

Kevin Eder still remembers it as the point where the business realised its model could work anywhere in New Zealand.

"I didn't know a single soul up there. Within 12 months our Hamilton branch was bigger than our Christchurch branch and now we had people from other centres saying, 'Hey, please bring Tradestaff here.'"

What followed was steady growth into new regions, new industries and new services.

Over the years, Tradestaff established branches across New Zealand, expanded into international recruitment and launched Tradestaff Workwear to better support workers and clients on site.

Looking back, the scale of the business today would have been difficult to imagine in those early years.

As Andy McCormick recalls:

"When we first started Tradestaff, it was just Kevin and a desk and a mobile phone."

There was no blueprint for what the company would become. The growth came from building trust, delivering results and staying close to the industries we serve.

Growing Alongside New Zealand

Over the last three decades, New Zealand's trades and construction sectors have experienced significant change.

Construction booms, infrastructure investment, evolving compliance requirements, workforce shortages and advances in technology have all reshaped the industry.

Tradestaff has grown alongside those changes.

One of the most significant periods came following the Canterbury earthquakes.

While many people associate Tradestaff's growth with the Christchurch rebuild, the company had already spent 15 years building relationships and supporting businesses throughout New Zealand.

"We'd already been going for 15 years and had 10 branches at that stage."

The rebuild highlighted something that remains relevant today: the ongoing need for skilled workers.

As demand increased, New Zealand looked further afield for talent, creating opportunities for experienced tradespeople from overseas to contribute to major projects around the country.

"What we saw change in the industry was an enormous amount of people coming from overseas, particularly Ireland. That was something we adapted to."

That ability to evolve has been a constant throughout Tradestaff's history.

Markets change. Industries change. Technology changes.

What doesn't change is the need for skilled people and strong relationships.

The Difference Good Work Can Make

For all the milestones and achievements over the years, the stories that stay with us are the people whose lives have changed because of the opportunities created through work.

We've helped workers start apprenticeships, build careers, relocate to new regions, establish themselves in New Zealand and create better futures for their families.

One story that stands out comes from a programme supporting Pacific tradespeople.

Andy McCormick recalls helping bring workers to New Zealand, supporting them through training and guiding them towards recognised industry qualifications.

One participant was a young woman who was believed to be one of the only female carpenters in her Pacific community.

Over several years she completed her New Zealand qualifications and established a career in the industry.

"Over the course of three or four years we put her through her New Zealand qualifications. She graduated and it was life changing for her."

The programme ultimately supported more than 20 Pacific workers through apprenticeships and formal qualifications.

For Andy, the real impact became clear when he later visited many of those workers and their families.

"You could see the impact and the difference it made in their lives. The opportunity meant someone could build their own home and support their families and communities as well."

Stories like these are a reminder that recruitment is about much more than filling positions.

It's about creating opportunities that can change lives.

Built by Great People

When Kevin Eder reflects on the last 30 years, his proudest achievement isn't a branch opening, a growth milestone or a business expansion.

It's the people.

"The thing that makes me so proud is the people that have worked for us and how much they've developed."

Throughout the years, we've seen employees build long-term careers, develop into leaders and become part of the wider Tradestaff family.

Many have spent decades with the business. Others joined early in their careers and have grown alongside the company as it evolved.

That sense of connection has always been important.

"We've remained very much a family-owned company. We always wanted to be a family-owned company."

As Tradestaff has grown, we've worked hard to maintain the values that helped build the business in the first place.

Treat people well.

Be honest.

Keep your word.

And never forget that every placement represents a person trusting you with an important decision.

Looking Ahead

Thirty years is a milestone worth celebrating, but it's also an opportunity to look forward.

The industries we support continue to evolve. New technologies are changing how businesses operate. Workforce expectations are shifting. Skills shortages remain a challenge across many sectors.

The next chapter will undoubtedly look different from the last.

What won't change is the importance of people.

Relationships, experience and understanding what makes a good fit will always matter.

As Kevin Eder puts it:

"The future is very, very bright. We're not going anywhere. We look forward to another 30 years of business."

30 Years in Numbers

• Founded in Christchurch in 1996

• 30 years supporting New Zealand workers and employers

• 11 branches across New Zealand

• Tradestaff Global established in 2012

• Tradestaff International established in 2013

• Tradestaff Workwear launched in 2019

• Cambridge branch opened in 2023

Thank You

To every worker who has trusted us with their next opportunity.

To every client who has partnered with us over the years.

To every employee, past and present, who has helped build Tradestaff into what it is today.

Thank you.

This milestone belongs to all of you.

Here's to 30 years of Tradestaff, built by people and driven by opportunity.