Firm eyes Aussie growth

David Bennett (right) principal of Pacific Helmets. PHOTO/FILE

A Wanganui company is establishing a direct presence in the Australian market and contemplating a significant growth in market share at the same time.

Until now Pacific Helmets, which produces and exports safety helmets around the world from its Castlecliff factory, has relied on an arrangement with an existing company based in Southport on the Gold Coast to handle its marketing.

But that has changed with the creation of Pac Fire Pty in the same Queensland city.

David Bennett, principal of Pacific Helmets, said for about 15 years his firm used another company to shift its product but when one of its managers wanted to set up his own business, Pacific Helmets got alongside him.

"He was a specialist in the area of protective gear so we worked with him for a year until he set up the company which in those days was called Pacific Helmets Australia," Mr Bennett said.

"We actually had a half share interest in it for about four years but pulled out of that arrangement because we were involved in setting up our markets in the United Kingdom."

Helmet sales are about 35 per cent of the Wanganui company's business in Australia.

"We've had a great relationship but a couple of years ago the principals in Southport wanted to plan for their own retirement.

"Simply put we didn't want the company falling into the wrong hands," Mr Bennett said.

"Over the last couple of years we have bought the family out and completed the last payments in the last week. They will carry on running the company for a short period but then one of my sons is going over there to take over the management," he said.

Pac Fire Pty will continue servicing its Australian-wide market from Southport.

He said the potential for growth was significant. Pacific Helmets already has nailed down contracts to supply safety helmets to fire brigades, police and paramedics in Australia.

"But there's a third level of emergency services over there called 'state emergency services' which is a sort of voluntary civil defence force.

"They don't do bush fires but the civil emergency work at a level below that.

"It's a huge organisation with about 500,000 people involved. Nearly all of them have to have safety gear and a large percentage use our helmets so that's our motivation for defending our markets in Australia," Mr Bennett said. "I can't think of a fire brigade in Australia that doesn't have helmets we produce."

He said there was potential for significant growth in that area as well.

Under the new company structure Pac Fire Pty will carry the company flag across the Tasman and Pacific Helmets stays as the manufacturing side of the business.