McNeill Distribution

17/09/2026

🚛 Driver Appreciation Week 🚛

This week we've been celebrating the team who keep our wheels turning, our drivers!

We kicked off the week by delivering driver appreciation packs, filled with plenty of truckie essentials to keep our team fuelled and ready for the road 🛣️.

Then our GM Paul was up bright and early on Wednesday to get the grill heating up for a delicious cooked breakfast. Paired with a hot cuppa joe from The Shot Coffee Car (shout out to Amber for the early start! 🙌), our drivers hit the road with enough energy to get the job done! 🍳🥓

Thank you team, we appreciate everything you do to keep our business moving!

16/08/2026

McNeill Distribution was proud to take part in this event once again this year. A fantastic opportunity to support our Southland community! 🔴🔴🔴

Hug a Bulldog and hitch a ride.

Great to see the McNeill Distribution Macks at the Southland Hug a Rig Day in Gore last week.

This community event, held for people with special needs or lifelong conditions, attracted 213 participants 41 trucks and 11 cars - the biggest turnout yet. Great to see Mack owners taking part in numbers.

21/07/2026

🚛𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥: Amy Whyte

Amy started with McNeill in May this year, but her journey within the KGR Group dates back to 2012, first in Craigpine and then Niagara.

Since taking on her new position as Dispatcher, Amy has embraced the chance to work closely with drivers and logging crews while continuing to grow her industry knowledge. Thanks to her extensive background in milling, the transition into dispatching has been a smooth and successful one.

As she has discovered, the role of a Dispatcher involves much more than simply getting trucks from A to B. It is about ensuring drivers have the information, resources, and support they need to operate safely, meet schedules, and deliver exceptional service. Amy enjoys the variety, relationships, and problem-solving that come with the role. She also admits she's especially happy to be working indoors during the colder winter months!

Outside of work, she keeps active by going to the gym, attending Pilates classes, and taking her dog out for walks.

We are proud to see Amy embracing new opportunities and continuing to grow her career at McNeill Distribution!

11/06/2026

🚛𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥: 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

Having joined the McNeill team as General Manager in late April, Paul has quickly settled into the business.

While new to the trucking industry, Paul brings significant leadership experience from the manufacturing sector. Most recently, he spent eight years at Blue River Dairy, progressing from Quality Manager to Operations Manager, where he led a large team responsible for the dry blending and canning of infant formula for export markets. Prior to this, he spent six years at Winton Stock Feed.

Originally from Gisborne, Paul moved to Southland with his wife, Helen, and their two daughters nearly 20 years ago. Outside of work, he enjoys making the most of the Southland outdoors. Whether it's chasing trout in local rivers, sea fishing, spearfishing, diving for a feed, or getting out on his bike, Paul values the lifestyle opportunities the region provides.

Throughout his career, Paul has been involved in building teams, improving systems, and supporting business growth during periods of expansion. He is looking forward to bringing that experience to McNeill and supporting the business through the opportunities and growth ahead.

Welcome Paul!

11/05/2026

🧑‍💻Check out some of our team taking part in a logbook upskilling course over the weekend.

Thanks to the team at Roadtrain for the great learning opportunity!

Saturday training session complete in the classroom — logbook skills refreshed and a team upskilled. 👏

27/04/2026

🥓 Last Friday, we held a Winter Driving Breakfast for our team.

❄ A big thank you to the team at Drivetech Southland for coming along to deliver a winter driving refresher and share some important road safety tips. We also provided our team with winter packs to help them stay safe and prepared over the colder months – thank you to our suppliers for their support in making this possible.

☕ And of course, thanks to The Grocer for keeping everyone fuelled with bacon butties and coffee!

22/04/2026

🚛 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥: 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Frank joined McNeill in June 2025, bringing with him a strong background in truck driving across civil construction and earthworks in Auckland. After 13 years in the city, Frank and his wife Teresa were ready to trade a busy lifestyle for somewhere quieter, more relaxed, and far removed from the hustle and bustle of Auckland.

Frank’s first introduction to Invercargill came during a truck drivers’ weekend away, when the first thing he noticed was the McNeill sign on Airport Avenue. That moment sparked his interest in the company, and after applying for a role, he hasn’t looked back. It didn’t take long for Invercargill to feel like home, and Frank now enjoys the laid back lifestyle the Southland region offers.

At McNeill, Frank values the work–life balance, enjoying the ability to complete his loads and then head home to unwind. One of his standout memories with the company is working at the Kaiwera wind farm, where he especially enjoyed driving the open roads out of Invercargill.

If Frank could drive anywhere in the world, it would be the USA to experience long distance trucking and life on the road. And if he could choose one passenger for the day, it would be his wife Teresa, so he could share what he does each day and show her the sights around Southland!