Our Story

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Garden Master Sheds was founded by John and Jan Carney with a promise to deliver quality, New Zealand made kit-set sheds. From day one, the focus was on building practical, reliable sheds made for real Kiwi backyards.

THE ICONIC YELLOW TRUCK
The yellow F100 truck joined the story, delivering sheds across the North Island and becoming a symbol of the hands-on family business behind the brand.

THE NEXT GENERATION BEGINS
Tim Carney joined in 1988, followed by Ben in 1989 - the same year the business moved to Karamu Road in Hastings. By 1990, Garden Master was importing sheds from Australia, broadening the range for customers.

GROWTH IN HASTINGS
Garden Master began selling through The Warehouse Group in 1992, bringing the brand into more backyards nationwide. By 1994, the business had branched into larger steel framed buildings, building on its manufacturing know-how.

FOUR ON BOARD
Peter Carney joined in 1999 and Andrew in 2002, completing the involvement of John and Jan's four sons. That same year, the yellow truck delivered 30 sheds to Christchurch in one go - capturing the scale and spirit of the business.

A TURNING POINT IN MANUFACTURING
Garden Master began rollforming its own sheds in-house, strengthening quality control, and the Storite range launched at Mitre 10. In 2005, Storetech Industries Ltd was formed as the parent company - with Garden Master remaining the leading brand at its heart.

A LARGER HOME IN NAPIER
Storetech moved to a new Onekawa site, 2.5 times larger than before - room to keep growing and investing in the future.

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
Continued growth saw additional space leased in 2020, and a powder coating plant installed in 2022 brought even greater control over finish, quality and production.

STORM SERIES LAUNCHES
Fifty years on, Garden Master released the aluminium framed Storm Series - proof the brand is still innovating and building stronger, smarter shed solutions.

WIND TUNNEL TESTING - A FIRST IN NEW ZEALAND
We tested our sheds in New Zealand's first wind tunnel testing, at Insol in Invercargill. Our standard sheds held strong at 150 km/h; while the Storm Series SureFrame held well beyond 175 km/h, without damage. Read more about our wind testing on our Shed Range page.

THREE GENERATIONS STRONG
What John and Jan started in 1974 is now carried forward by their sons and the next generation - with the fourth generation just starting to find their feet in the business. Still proudly New Zealand owned and family led, with more than 15 retailers, merchants and agents across the country - and the same promise it was built on: quality sheds, real service and lasting value.

Still built on the same promise
A lot has changed since 1974, but the heart of Garden Master hasn't. Still a family business. Still manufacturing for New Zealand conditions. Still focused on the right product, real service and a shed made to last. When you choose Garden Master, you're choosing decades of experience, a family name standing behind it, and a shed made your way.