Australian made specialists tough it out

BLINDS BY BORONIA

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” comments Blinds by Boronia Managing Director Michael Shaw, in reference to the current climate.  “That has long been our philosophy here at the Blinds by Boronia Group. We have been focusing on what sets us apart from every other manufacturer; things as such quality, service and excellence. When you’ve been in business for over 30 years, we have seen good and hard times come and go, you weather the storms and come out stronger, leaner and more fit than before.” 

“By concentrating on our core values, we can continue to serve our loyal customer base while attracting new customers that share the same values,” he says. “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intentions, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

“In terms of service, our ethos is that it should flow smoothly, almost effortlessly. Everything is nourished by it. Superior service has an ease about it, an invisible quality. Excellence is going far beyond the call of duty, doing more than others expect. Excellence comes from striving to maintain the highest standards, attending to the smallest detail and going that extra mile. Excellence means doing your best in everything, in every way.”

 “Along with keeping with our core values, we have also been focusing on consolidating our ranges and ensuring they provide a variety of choice for our customers without doubling up on the basics. We have found that customers love the idea of being able to offer a ‘better/best’ solution for their customers’ needs. This has meant choosing products that are known for their quality at a price that fits the market.”

“We understand that cheap prices are long forgotten if the quality of products do not meet customers expectations. We are continually sourcing products from leading suppliers within the window furnishings industry, so we are at the forefront of design and technology.”

“Sourcing products is a skill as you do not want to take on a new range only to find it is fraught with issues. We do a lot of research before tackling a new range. We consult with our industry peers to find out the features and benefits and see if these work within our current offerings.”

Shaw confirms the company manufactures a variety of window furnishings to suit customers’ needs, from basics such as vertical and roller blinds to more specialised products such as timber venetians and Veri Shades. 

“We launched the Veri Shades range in mid-2019, which has been very well received,” says Shaw. “This has helped boost sales in an underperforming year. With sales only picking up very late in the season, we are hoping for a strong start to 2020. We commenced manufacturing Veri Shades in August 2019 and have seen real growth in this product range. We wanted to get the marketing right, so we took our time to ensure our swatches reflect the high-end nature of the product. We wanted the samples to be functional and really highlight the uniqueness of the range. With five different fabrics each containing six colours, we wanted a set of hangers that suited this practical, yet functional range of decorator products.”

“We also source external awnings from a trusted partner, giving our customers a real one-stop-shop for all their wholesale requirements. You need to really partner with your suppliers and customers to ensure a win-win outcome during tough times.”

Sales Manager Michelle Macready confirms ESR Blinds is also part of the Blinds by Boronia Group, and is well known for its  custom painted cedar venetian blinds, coupled with real wood plantation timber venetians, as well as the Tuscany range of PVC and New York latest generation polystyrene ranges.

“With shutters falling a little out of favour due to the restricted amount of light entering windows due to styles and frames, venetians are seeing a bit of a comeback. Designers love the flexibility of venetians coupled with the custom paint finishes. With the variety of blade sizes, designers can achieve the exact look they are after to enhance customers’ homes.”

DECOR BLINDS AUSTRALIA

With a well known range that includes Thermalite shutters, aluminum shutters and roller blinds, Decor Blinds Australia has a long-held reputation for locally made products. 

“Decor Blinds Australia, with its dedicated team of professionals, is committed to manufacturing Australian made shutters and blinds while at the same time employing Australian workforce,” says Managing Director Frank Cairns.

“Thermalite Shutters have been made in Australia for over 25 years with the patented Ultra Clear System (meaning no visible control mechanism) and Duraglide Pins that ensure no blades tension screws/holes are required.”

“With our Australian Made Thermalite Shutters, we guarantee a 15 day turnaround and 18 day turnaround for our Aluminum Shutter from the date of confirmed order,” he says. “An additional benefit is that in the unlikely event that any reworks are required, these can be done in a 48 hour turnaround time.”

He adds that another excellent reason to purchase, sell or manufacture Thermalite shutters is cash flow.

“It’s nothing out of the ordinary to wait up to 16 weeks for imported shutters, or to lose business due to the delays over the Christmas and Chinese New Year period, both of which in our industry are extremely busy times of the year.”

“We have found businesses can extend their selling period and increase their profits by purchasing or manufacturing Thermalite Australian Made Shutters. They can add to the bottom line through the benefits of faster delivery, which means increased cash flow.”

“Decor Blinds Australia has been in operation for over 35 years. We have over 40 local team members, all using the latest machinery and equipment.  We’re very active in promoting Australian made product.

“We’re also very proud to have the support of our many agents throughout Australia and New Zealand selling Thermalite Shutters, as well as several manufacturers in both Australia and New Zealand.” 

Cairns adds that Decor Blinds is committed to expanding its network of manufacturers and resellers adding that enquires should be directed to Decor Blinds Australia National Wholesale Manager, Bronwyn McDowall.

Aluminum shutters 

Decor’s Australian made shutters have a turnaround time of 18 days and are offered in five standard colours, with custom painted options also available. The shutters are made with a 90mm blade and rear control. 

“We only use T5 Aluminum with Stainless steel components, giving the premium quality our customers expect,” says Cairns. “Over the years we have received many compliments in relation to our quality and service, which are achieved through the dedicated and hardworking team at Decor Blinds Australia.”

Roller blinds

Decor Blinds Australia has been supplying roller blinds to the commercial market for many years, with many notable projects completed over that time.

“As an independent company, we can supply roller blind fabrics to meet most specifications requested by builders and architects including the most popular brands and fabric types; screens, metallised, sheers or blockouts.”  

“We have an extensive range of fabrics and we use the Rollease Acmeda system exclusively with all our blinds. Our systems and fabrics are accepted as equal alternatives in most, if not all cases by builders and architects alike. We also have our own in-house motorisation specialist to assist with enquiries. No project is too large or too small.”

RICKY RICHARDS

“Ricky Richards has always been at the forefront of supporting Australian manufacturers and keeping jobs local,” says Director Ron Gottlieb. “This is something we are very passionate about. When the current company was set up almost 40 years ago, it was with the express desire to provide our customers, Australian manufacturers and fabricators, with good quality textiles who would then use them in the production of their finished products.”

“Over the years we have improved from good quality to high quality by sourcing from suppliers not only in Australia but also from Europe, Asia and the USA. Being outdoor fabric specialists, we often stipulate that most of these products are made to our specifications. This allows our customers to continue making their products here in Australia and have complete confidence in the Ricky fabric they are using.”

Gottlieb confirms that all Ricky sun control fabrics come with a full 10-year warranty and the trademarked Docril brand, along with Outlook, have been performing in Australia for around 20 years. “We pride ourselves on the longevity of these brands and the partnerships we share with the companies and families behind them.”

“Australian innovation is without doubt some of the best in the world and we see it as part of our company culture to be constantly turning up the quality dial so that our customers can supply increasing value for money with their Australian made blinds and awnings. It becomes about the value we bring to them, not just about the price.” 

The changing nature of wider economy has resulted in some changes to the market in which the company operates, Gottlieb says. 

“Over the years Australia has generally enjoyed a very high standard of living. In recent times this has been challenged as the Australian economy has shown some weakness. There is an abundance of ready-made cheaper blinds and awnings available and there are some textiles bought in from unreliable sources. It’s really important for the market to be aware that in the end, these products will not hold up.” 

“By retaining our commitment to the path that has led us to business success for many years in the past, we’re confident that our brand identity will remain strong. At Ricky we will not bow to the pressure of selling lesser quality products just to keep prices down. Instead we will continue to source the highest quality textiles that give our customers the best value for money. It is what sets us apart.” 

WYNSTAN

Wynstan has been manufacturing in Australia  and employing Australians for 52 years. The company’s production has always been based in Sydney and has moved to larger locations as the business has grown, starting in Burwood (1978 – 1984), followed by Summer Hill (1984 – 1995), Yennora (1995 – 2003), Granville (2003 – 2017) and then to another location in Yennora (2017 – today).

“We manufacture all products locally apart from our plantation shutters,” says Wynstan founder and owner Bruce Turner. “We have just partnered with an Australian plantation shutter manufacturer in Brisbane as we have a very strong customer following that prefers to buy Australian made.”

“Today, Wynstan employs over 450 staff and contractors, including core members of the Turner family who founded the company, along with other various Turner family employees, who tend to see each other more at work than away from it! We manufacture all our products under one roof. The factory sits on the former Tetra Pak site, as we continually have outgrown factory’s we wanted to ensure we have room to continue our growth. The Wynstan factory today is 22,619sqm which supports our 28 showrooms in New South Wales and Victoria as well as three US in California, not to mention the Wholesale and Commercial division.”

“What’s worked for Wynstan in a tough market in the last few decades is a combination of key factors; friendly service, affordable pricing and an extensive range of quality products. By focussing solidly on all three areas we’ve been able to sustain and grow the business despite fluctuating economic conditions.” 

WILSON FABRICS

Wilson FAbrics CEO Chris Sencek says among the company’s key concerns from a manufacturing perspective are “ever increasing energy costs, competition coming out of Asia, and the ability to develop a workforce in a regional country town with the right skills, to enable local innovation, global connections, productivity improvement and future growth.”

“The fact that everyone wants to purchase on price alone unfortunately creates a race to the bottom where profits are eroded across the board. This situation has been created due to the low costs required to enter this industry. It’s very difficult for our large customers to compete with ‘backyarders’ who have no overheads to cover, which is clearly driving the market down.”

The company has weathered the storm of the current market by investing time in analysing potential areas for improvement in its manufacturing, says Sencek. “We’ve done this by looking at each process path to see where we can get an edge on the market in regards to being unique and robust, and above all by focusing on unique quality fabrics that cannot be easily copied by our competitors. Our point of difference is through using a variety of yarns and techniques that deliver textured fabrics that stand the test of time. Going forward, we will look to be ever more flexible with our offering, with speed to market the key to enabling Wilson to stay on trend.”

Looking ahead, Wilson Fabrics will be re-introducing some of its existing ranges with new colour palettes in line with trends coming through in 2020 and beyond, he says. “We’ll also be introducing a number of new ranges in both blinds and drapery that are designed specifically to complement each other. We will focus on re-sampling to our new platinum customer base and giving them the confidence that they will not be shopped around on price. This gives them the protection they need, as well as beautiful, differentiated Australian made fabrics. Our aim is not to compete at the bottom. With our new direction set to launch within the first half of 2020, we’re confident our products and new sampling format will offer a real point of difference from what is currently on the market.”

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