FORTY FIVE YEARS – Company Registered 29th August 1964

FORTY FIVE YEARS OF BRINGING TELEVISION, CAR & HOME AUDIO TO NEW ZEALANDERS

Wood Electronics Manufacturing / Marketing Ltd, formerly named La Wood Television / Wholesalers Ltd, was established in 1964 by Robin Wood (who continues in the position of Managing Director).

After twenty five years of designing, manufacturing and distributing television receivers, home radios / stereos and car radios / stereos (which included firsts like the only car radio cassette units to be designed and manufactured in New Zealand) the company’s direction changed to assembling car audio kit sets.

Brands of Car Audio assembled and marketed included Roadstar, Winstar, Fujitsu Ten, Freeway and Blaupunkt. The company was the first in New Zealand to assemble and market FM car stereos, autoreverse car radio cassettes, built in graphic equalisers and music search car cassette players, all Roadstar. This product was sold in quantity throughout New Zealand and installed on local assembly lines into many new vehicles.

With the introduction of sweeping import changes by the Government of the time, Wood Electronics Manufacturing Ltd was forced to close its factory with the loss of over fifty jobs and concentrate on importing and marketing of branded products. This included Blaupunkt Television, Video, Coach Equipment, after market and original equipment Car Audio so taking the German brand to a significant level in New Zealand.The parent company of Blaupunkt, Robert Bosch, took over their brand in 1995 and Wood Electronics Marketing Ltd then became the sole New Zealand agent for Clarion Car, Coach and Marine Audio / TV at the same time increasing it’s involvement with the USA company Cerwin – Vega, manufacturers of Speakers for Car, Home and Professional / Commercial use.

Auckland based Wood Electronics Marketing Ltd holds a wide range of spare parts and has a service facility to support all products presently imported by it including the repairing of Cerwin – Vega speakers.

Wood Electronics Marketing Ltd is proud of its forty five year history as the longest established, locally owned and operated company, supplying Car Audio to the New Zealand market. Our staff have always been well experienced and eager to assist with advice and technical support when required in this ever evolving industry.

On 28th February 2009 Wood Electronics moved out of it’s premises in Asquith Ave and basically closed the doors on business having leased the building to an Australian Clothing company. It was time to retire and exit the industry. Now in a small building in Henderson I, Robin Wood have no staff and am for the next little while tiding up loose ends and pondering what I may do over the next few years.