The history of Todd is understood to have begun in 1885 when
Scottish immigrant Charles Todd founded and opened a fellmongery and
wool scouring business (according to Todd Energy) in the small Central
Otago town of Heriot. By 1929, it had evolved into a car sales and maintenance business run by his son and namesake
Charles Todd after the company began importing motor vehicles. This automotive business would define the Todd family business until well into the 1980s. Charles Todd was credited with bringing the first motor car into Otago and in 1908 acquired a
Ford dealership in
Dunedin then in 1928 acquired the Rootes Group franchise for
Hillman,
Humber and
Commer and obtained an Auckland branch. During the protectionist years of the 1930s the Todd family formed Todd Motor Industries Limited and in 1934 built an automotive assembly plant in
Petone to reassemble vehicles imported as parts from
Chrysler (USA) and
Rootes. According to the Todd Energy website by 1964, Todd Motors was assembling and selling over 10,000 cars per year. In 1970 the company purchased the New Zealand Mitsubishi franchise. This franchise and assembly plants were sold to
Mitsubishi Motors in 1987. The Todd family also founded Europa, an oil importing and retail business that owned terminal services at four major ports and a chain of petrol stations across New Zealand. According to the Todd Energy website, this business was founded during disruptions in the petrol industry in 1929. Europa was originally named 'Associated Motorists Petrol Company Limited' (AMPC) and was formed in 1931. The company imported petrol from the Soviet Union in 1933 and was supported by the New Zealand Farmers' Union and various regional Automobile Associations. Because of price undercutting by overseas oil companies, the government introduced price regulation of petrol in 1933. Todd continued its involvement in the exploration and production businesses. When sold to Mitsubishi in 1987, Todd Motors was assembling a wide range of cars and light and heavy commercial vehicles. During the 1980s the Company held the number two market share position in the New Zealand automobile industry. The sale brought the Todd family's involvement in the New Zealand automotive industry to a close. ==Investments==