Trevor Jackson was born in September 1955 in Pahiatua, a small town in the south-eastern North Island of New Zealand. 

Trevor informally started his engineering background by working at Joe Ridley Engineering after school, turning up at home one day with a custom-built go-kart. After leaving school, Trevor formally started his diesel mechanic apprenticeship at DP Ryan & Sons and proceeded to build himself numerous projects, including a beach buggy, stock car and custom A30 car.  Whatever Trevor created, it was always innovative or bespoke and always involved engineering, motors or motorsport.

After doing his time with DP Ryan & Sons in Pahiatua, Trevor worked for Eric Gleeson & Sons, before moving to Feast Contractors, near Huntly. When he moved back to Pahiatua he worked on the development of the LPG-powered trucks for Tui/Kiwi Dairy Company. 

 A series of events led to Trevor establishing Jackson Enterprises in 1990. What started out as general engineering, servicing and repairs business has progressively grown to Jackson Enterprises as we know it today.

Jackson Enterprises built its first tip truck body for Stringfellows Contracting and then the business’ first livestock deck for David Pope. The first complete truck and trailer unit to roll out of Jackson Enterprises was a livestock unit for JP Trucking.

After 33 years in business, Trevor has led Jackson Enterprises into a much sought after body builder and trailer manufacturer, completing work for customers nationwide. 

Trevor’s can-do attitude and ability to think outside the square has led to a lot of innovative products emerging out of Jackson Enterprises. The aluminium monocoque livestock chassis has become one of Jackson Enterprises most effective trademarks, coming about by the desire to reduce tare weight and to maximise load. 

Another speciality has been the company’s remotely operated effluent valves, developed in the 1990s, as a standard fitment on all Jackson stock trailers. Jackson Enterprises effluent valves have gained a solid reputation in Australia, where they are utilised by four of Australia’s trailer manufacturers.

One must also mention Jackson Enterprise’s car transporters, which have become a regular sight on highways, transporting vehicles across Aotearoa New Zealand.  

Trevor is heavily involved in the local community, always giving back to the town he calls home, whether it be sponsoring events, donating to fundraisers or giving up his time to help those in need. He has been known on a hot day to buy a bunch of ice blocks and hand them out to roadworkers as he drives past. It’s these little things and his thoughtfulness that makes Trevor, Trevor.

Trevor, or Jacko as he is widely known in the heavy transport industry, has a drive and uncanny ability to achieve things that most would say is not possible. One only needs to look at the fully functional 380m rollercoaster he has built in his backyard as an example of what is possible.