20 Jun 2022

GIB plasterboard crisis: Calls grow for Fletcher chair to resign

From Checkpoint, 5:32 pm on 20 June 2022

Calls tonight for Fletcher Building's board chair to resign over claims of culture issues and systemic failures within the company that could see a customer revolt.

The company's in the spotlight over its handling of a GIB plasterboard crisis that's seen it rationing product as it struggles to keep up with demand.

KiwiSaver fund Simplicty ditched Fletchers as the plasterboard supplier for its social housing projects and along with the Shareholders Association met with the company last week to express their concerns.

Underwhelmed by the response the two organisations have penned an open letter calling for heads to to roll.

Oliver Mander from the Shareholders Association talks to Lisa Owen.

In a statement, Fletcher Building said it acknowledges the communication from Simplicity and the NZSA following the meeting which took place on Friday. 

"We will continue to engage with both parties directly.

"Both the Board and management understand and sympathise with the difficulties our customers are facing. We remain singularly focused on running our plants around the clock, maximising our local production of plasterboard, continuing to source product offshore and distributing it across New Zealand to our customers as fast as possible."