Our History
It all started back in 1973. The Russell family, led by Chris and Ken Russell, planted the seeds of what would grow over the next 50 years to become the successful civil construction business that it is today.
Russell Asphalt was established by the Russell brothers who successfully operated the business for the next 14 years until it was sold in 1987. The next venture saw the pair move into aggregate crushing and supply, earthmoving and eventually into sealing in the 2000s. The scale and capability of the company grew significantly between 1990 and 2003 which thrust the business into complex and sizable roading projects across Hawke’s Bay and the Central North Island. In 2004, Chris purchased the company to become the sole owner of Russell Roads.
In 2015, after years of building Hawke’s Bay roads, Chris Russell decided to advance the capabilities of the company by partnering with Robbie Gale, a fresh and dynamic local businessman. A concreter by trade, Robbie owned and developed multiple businesses from the age of 19. He is the epitome of a ‘self-made’ man, with a passion for people and has a relentless drive to build a sustainable organisation that provides a bright future for the people that work for him and his family.
Robbie’s business CPM Concrete had become the preferred supplier for local civil companies while dominating the Hawke’s Bay commercial and private concrete sector. He had worked as a supplier for Chris Russell’s Russell Roads and they had formed a strong professional relationship.
In 2015, Chris and Robbie took a leap of faith and merged CPM with Russell Roads. They diversified their civil offerings and combined their skills and experience to operate a highly successful full-service civil construction company. For the next three years, Robbie and Chris led the company through strong and rapid growth, they gained pre-qualification to perform work on national and state highways, secured a $12 million Safe Roads contract with Waka Kotahi (formerly NZTA) and built the award-winning Napier City Council Marine Parade project.
In November 2019, after a fruitful five-year partnership, Robbie and Michelle Gale bought the company. Together they had the vision to build a customer focussed and sustainable business that focuses on people and community while delivering high-quality projects and driving innovation in all aspects of the business.
Robbie and Michelle have overseen significant expansion of the business with the addition of an asphalt plant and quarries.
In mid 2022 they recruited experienced industry leader Gavin O’Connor as Chief Executive and in December 2023 Gavin and wife Katie have joined the Gale’s as directors and shareholders in a move to further grow the business.
The business also was renamed Tūpore Infrastructure to better reflect the business and it’s kaupapa of making lives and communities better.
