1888	A syndicate of businessmen acquired the assets of James McDonald, including established limeworks at Milburn and a small cement works at Walton Park. The Milburn Lime & Cement Company is born in Otago.
1890	Principal cement works established at Pelichet Bay.
1929	New cement works established at Burnside, Milburn's Dunedin base until 1988.
1955	The New Zealand Cement Company was formed by a consortium of British cement, shipping and finance companies to operate the cement works under construction at Cape Foulwind. The members were: Tunnel Portland Cement Co Ltd, London; William Cory & Son Ltd, London; William Baird & Co Ltd, Glasgow; Northern Mercantile & Investment Corporation.
1958	The New Zealand Cement Company commenced operating a new cement plant at Cape Foulwind, near Westport, as demand for cement grows.
1959	The first consignment of bagged cement produced at Cape Foulwind - 724 tonnes worth - was loaded aboard "Puriri", which sailed from Westport for Gisborne and Napier on 18 February.
1961	"Westport" is chartered by NZ Cement Company from West River Shipping Company, and commences bagged cement distribution from Westport in April.
1963	Milburn Lime & Cement Company and NZ Cement Company merge to form NZ Cement Holdings Limited. General cargo vessel "Guardian Carrier" is chartered from West River Shipping Company and converted to carry bulk cement for the Manapouri power project at Deep Cove. "Westport" is converted to a bulk cement carrier in Auckland, as the erection of two 2200 ton cement silos and construction of a wharf extension commences at Onehunga Wharf.
1964	Bulk cement distribution commences to numerous ports around the country. On 1 May, "Guardian Carrier" and "Westport" are alongside at Onehunga as the cement silos are officially opened.
1967	NZ Cement Holdings purchases "Westport" and "Guardian Carrier" in March, and re-registers both ships in Dunedin.
1970	Two smaller 750 ton cement silos are erected at Onehunga.
1971	Swiss company Holderbank acquires a 42% stake in NZ Cement Holdings.
1972	The purpose-built, self-unloading "Milburn Carrier" commences work on the coast, replacing "Westport", which is broken up in Auckland the following year.
1975	"Guardian Carrier" is laid up in Nelson pending sale, which occurs in 1977.
1976	Purpose-built "Westport", a near-sister ship to "Milburn Carrier", commences work on the coast.
1980s	NZ Cement Holdings diversifies into concrete operations, including a joint venture with Allied Concrete.
1983	Storage capacity in the Onehunga silos increased by 40% when steel extensions were added.
1987	"Milburn Carrier II" built, but unable to commence operations until July 1988 due to a manning dispute.
1988	NZ Cement Holdings celebrates a century of operations by changing its name to Milburn New Zealand Ltd, closing the Burnside plant, and selling "Milburn Carrier". A centenary publication, "100 Years: Helping Build A Nation", is produced to commemorate the milestone.
1996	Installation of the fifth silo at Onehunga, a 900 ton job, which completed an upgrading of operations at the port, including automated bagging and the installation of extended pneumatic conveying pipes.
1998	Holcim (formerly Holderbank) acquire Milburn NZ Ltd in its entirety.
2002	Rebranding of New Zealand operations takes place, including another renaming - Holcim (NZ) Ltd. And publication of "The Cornerstone Century - The Story of Milburn NZ Ltd".
2007	Logistical planning contemplate the future of the Westport plant, with a new plant mooted at Weston, near Oamaru, and of the "Westport".
2011	"Westport" clocks up the unprecedented post-WW2 milestone of 1000 visits to Onehunga by the same ship when arriving on 21 June.
2013	Holcim announce plans to import cement, rather than produce it in New Zealand. New distribution points at Auckland and Timaru are confirmed, as is the closure of the Westport plant, with everything planned to be fully operational by mid-2016.
2016	"Westport" records a rarely achieved and, in this day and age, quite remarkable shipping milestone - forty years of service for the same operator on the New Zealand coast. And on May 9, she achieved another amazing milestone as she tied up at Onehunga for the 1100th time. She made her final call on July 23, Holcim opting to retire their greatest servant and lay her up at Onehunga until her sale in September to European interests. On November 14, "Milburn Carrier II", the biggest ship to visit Onehunga, paid her final visit to the port when making her 946th visit to fill up the silos. She sailed next day, effectively bringing to an end over 180 years of shipping at Onehunga.
2018	"Milburn Carrier II"'s thirty-year career carrying cement around New Zealand's coast came to a close at the end of April when she was acquired by new owners. She sailed for pastures new in early May. At the same time, "Buffalo" commenced operations for Holcim. Built in 1998, she is the biggest cement carrier in Holcim NZ's history, and with her pink colour scheme, you certainly won't miss her!