Photos by Linny Folau

In opening Pacific Timber and Hardware's large new premises in Nuku'alofa, yesterday HRH Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita said the store "is a symbol of promising times ahead that could encourage investment in Tonga where investment is needed".

The PTH hardware store, trading as part of the Pacific Finance and Investments Ltd. Group and operating in Tonga for over 15 years, has been constructed on a one-acre site on Taufa'ahau Road, Kolofo'ou. The building consists of over 1,500m2 of retail space, including bulk storage, a timber shed and drive through delivery to Railway Road at the rear of the building.

Princess Pilovelu commended the founder and chairman of the PFIL Group, Ross Chapman, on the new building and said it was "a great pleasure to open the new store in a time of economic hardship for many Tongan businesses.

"I hope the building serves as a message to the local business community there is hope for building in Tonga and I commend the courage and the foresight of this company in encouraging others to see that there is opportunity for growth in the business sector," she said.

The Princess said she had watched with interest in the growth of Ross's business, which to date has extended to key areas such as shipping, timber, hardware, office equipment and duty free, "but I am not surprised by the quality of this building and the range of products it offers," she added.

Ross in his welcoming address said it had been their plan to develop this building because they saw the need to relocate from their old location at Fanga, where they have been operating for the past 20 years, to an appropriate facility that could cater for their market.

New Managing Director

He said the new PTH building marks a new beginning for the company and announced that his son John Paul has taken over as Managing Director with his other son Christopher assisting in the operations of the company.

"This has been our vision for a number of years and it is very satisfying to see the plan come into fruition."

The development of the building was of pre-fabricated materials by Bluescope Ltd of Australia with a design by architects from Sydney. The construction was conducted by John Walton assisted by local sub contractors such as Fletcher Royco.

The store offers a large range of tools, electrical, gardening, building, plumbing, home wares and paint and other products.

"In the next months we will extend our products to meet the need of the building industry and the homemade do it yourself market," added Ross.

Other businesses trading under PIFL include Office Equipment, Dateline Shipping, Kupu Properties Ltd., among others and the original shareholders included Ross, Bryan Welch, Kevin Davids, Don Munro and the late Roy Cocker.