Our History
In August 1999, I brought a rubbish truck for a mate Steve I played pool with at the Empire Tavern (a great pub). In 2001 we purchased our first box body truck to enable us to offer a recycling service. By providing a mixed recycling bin it made it easier for our customers to recycle more and therefore reduce their waste. We set up our own sorting plant and employed staff to hand sort the recycling to a high standard.
Our History
In August 1999, I brought a rubbish truck for a mate Steve I played pool with at the Empire Tavern. It was the beginning of Rubbish Direct history…
Mark Smith
Managing Director & Owner
Starting as a green grocer in England, I woke up at 3 am to load trucks and vend in market towns. At 15, I learned the value of work ethic after losing and then reclaiming my Saturday job in Sheringham.
In 1993, I moved to New Zealand, driven by a desire to explore my late Kiwi mother’s homeland. Determined to pursue sales, I initially took commission-only jobs in Auckland, selling koala bear rucksacks at Cobra imports and advertising with Carlton Publishing. Though the former was brief and the latter ended with the company’s closure, these experiences sharpened my resolve.
My ambition to own a cellphone led me to Cellphone City in Cook St. With a steady job that came with both a salary and commission, I thrived in the cellphone industry for the next decade.
In August 1999 I brought a rubbish truck for a mate Steve I played pool with at the Empire Tavern (a great pub). Steve used to work for a company called Trash Man, they got gobbled up by one of the big players, and he didn’t like working for them.
Our First Box Body Truck – in 2001
In 2001, we purchased our first box body truck to enable us to offer a recycling service. By providing a mixed recycling bin it made it easier for our customers to recycle more and therefore reduce their waste. We set up our own sorting plant and employed staff to hand sort the recycling to a high standard.
Our First Sorting Table – in 2000
Rodger spent the next 15 years working with me growing the team at Rubbish Direct and left for bigger and better things in 2015. There were a lot of laughs and some good parties along the way.
I’ve learned loads, but most importantly, the importance of continually learning, not reacting, and that at the end of the day, it is all about people.
Rubbish Direct was growing fast and now we have 100+ employees locals, supporting New Zealand’s economy.