Stoney Creek set to enter US market

Stoney Creek's Brent McConnell and Catherine Memebery from United Travel.

Outdoor clothing specialist Stoney Creek has expanded its product range and is poised to enter the US market, says founder/director Brent McConnell.

"We've put a huge effort in over the past two years to build a really good product offering we can take offshore and we've seen some very good responses in the marketplace," he said.

Stoney Creek, based in Tauranga, won the Emerging Exporter of the Year category at last month's BOP ExportNZ Awards, a result Mr McConnell put down to strong work from the team, which includes 20 staff in the Bay of Plenty, and representation in Australia, Denmark and the UK.

There are huge challenges and you always have to be ahead of the game.

Brent McConnell

The company designs and manufactures highly technical, rugged outdoor clothing and equipment. The urge to create better outdoor wear was born out of a near disastrous mid-Winter hunting experience endured in the 1980s by Mr McConnell, who co-owns the business with his wife Juanita.

Initially focused on the hunting segment, the company has expanded into rural clothing and this year launched a new range of corporate casual wear, as well as moving into the safety market with rugged hi-visibility clothing.

"We've developed a range of everything from lightweight shirts through to heavy duty rainwear," said Mr McConnell.

"We've taken elements of our hunting and our farming products and brought them together to create a tough, commercial high-vis range."

The ExportNZ Awards judging panel said the company's mission was to maximise customers' experience in all climatic conditions.

"Due to extensive market validation and research in advance, their move into export markets is showing great results," the judges said.

"Whilst the Stoney Creek hunting range is already second to none, they further adapted their product range to suit the specific needs of the new market. Having expanded their offering to provide premium products in rural clothing and safety wear ranges, they have embarked on e-commerce and social media marketing strategies to a wider global audience."

We've put a huge effort in over the past two years to build a really good product

Brent McConnell

Stoney Creek designs and field tests its products in New Zealand, with the majority of the manufacturing done offshore in China, with some in Taiwan. However, speciality items, such as merino technical products, were made in New Zealand.

The majority of the company's sales are in New Zealand and Australia, and the company has begun to make inroads in Denmark and the UK.

Management is working closely with New Zealand Trade & Enterprise on validating the best pathway to market in the US and expects to begin selling product there within the next 12 months.

"There are huge challenges and you always have to be ahead of the game,"said Mr McConnell.

"Our strongest point is innovation - that's how you create and hold your edge - but you have to keep on innovating."