13/08/2025
It’s not every day you get to celebrate half a century of service—and recently, we had the privilege of doing just that with Kevin Walker, who marked an incredible 50 years with Easysteel! Here is a bit below from Kevin about his time with us:
"It’s hard to believe how quickly time has flown—it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been 50 years!
My journey began on 4th June 1975, starting as a Detailer for Fletcher Reinforcing in Palmerston North. Back then, I spent a good chunk of my time in the workshop, helping manage the cutting and bending workload, and occasionally lending a hand on the Merch side, getting steel out the door.
About 18 months in, I transitioned into Steel Sales. Everything was manual—no computers, no faxes. We relied on a cardex system to manage stock, and if you needed to check another branch’s inventory, you’d either ring them or send a telex. Our phone system had its own office (PABX), and we didn’t even have a photocopier!
A few years later, I took on the Commercial Administrator role, adding more strings to my bow. The 1980s brought big changes with the introduction of PRiME, our first computer system. I was heavily involved in loading branch stock and customer data, and training staff on the new tech.
Over the years, I’ve held a variety of roles—too many to list without risking a few yawns—but each one added to my career. I’ve been involved in Sales Training, Computer Systems Training, the McKinsey Review, and the BPCS Implementation.
Today, I’m proud to serve as Area Manager for Easysteel Palmerston North.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:
The customer pays for everything we do—make it easy for them to come back.
Look after your team. When staff are happy, they greet every customer with a smile—and that makes all the difference."