BuildLink West team

About us:

BuildLink West is a completely family-run business that’s been an integral part of the Helensville community for over 50 years. Since joining the BuildLink group in 2008 to get a greater access to suppliers and lower prices for our customers, we rebranded from Oikoumene Forest Limited to our current name. Our core values have stayed the same however. We’ve always gone the extra mile for our customers with advice backed up by decades of experience and by assuring competitive pricing on products we know to be of the highest quality. In our 50+ years doing business we’ve supported the community that’s supported us through donations to local schools and various other non-profit organisations. For us it’s not just about the bottom line - it’s about community and doing what’s right.

Oikoumene was originated by Ernie Smith in 1961 when he began sewing pine seed across acres of land with the intention of harvesting the pine trees for timber and roundwood posts in years to come. After patiently waiting over a decade, Ernie was finally able to start harvesting and ‘Oikoumene Forest Limited’ was open for business in 1974.

Operating out of a teeny 4 x 4 metre office on the side of the road, Ernie sold his timber on weekends while tending to the forest and timberyard during the week. Ernie’s wife Christine took care of the books and his son Chris would help out in the yard after school and in the weekends. Time passed and the business started gaining traction, growing as the community around it did from a timber supply stand to the fully fledged hardware store it is today.Over the years running the business has been gradually handed over to the next generation with Chris managing the yard and his wife Sheryl looking after the store. That’s not to say the founders are out of the picture however, you'll still find Ernie out on the land pruning or planting more pine trees and Christine calls in every day with the mail, collecting the banking and keeping the kitchen well stocked

It’s been a pleasure serving our community for the past 50 odd years and we’re confident we’ll be around for another 50 to come. Our success comes from honesty, valuable advice and readily adapting to the growing needs of our customers. Come see the store for yourself to see our way of doing business that’s kept people coming back all these years.

We look forward to seeing you!

From all the team at BuildLink West