Paykel helped create country's largest whiteware manufacturer

By Graeme Hunt

Friday 21st June 2002

Maurice Paykel

Obituary: Maurice Paykel, 1914-20

Maurice Paykel, who died in Auckland aged 88, was co-founder of the country's largest whiteware manufacturer, Fisher & Paykel Industries.

He worked with his father's company, Paykel Bros, before setting up in business in 1934 with (Sir) Woolf Fisher (1912-75) to import Crosley refrigerators from the US.

F&P's big break came in 1938 when it won the Kelvinator franchise which included commercial fridges. It was also importing Maytag washing machines and starting to assemble Pilot radios.

In December 1938 the Labour government imposed draconian import controls and F&P had the stark choice of closing down or making its own fridges and washing machines.

Without facilities or money it sought local help from manufacturer Alex Harvey & Sons and foundry operator Mason & Porter and in 1939 was producing product for the local market.

F&P has boomed ever since. The company remained in family hands until it was floated in 1979.

Mr Paykel was joint managing director from 1963-75 and chairman and managing director after Sir Woolf's death in 1975.

He also had other directorships and was chairman of the Woolf Fisher Trust, member of the New Zealand Inventions Development Authority (1968-74), member and chairman of the Medical Research Council and active in the Laura Fergusson Trust.

He also awarded the CBE and in 1998 inducted into The National Business Review Business Hall of Fame.

Mr Paykel's son Gary has been managing director of F&P and is executive chairman of Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings.

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