Australian Makers

Flexco Australia

Meet Mark Colbourn, Managing Director of Flexco Australia, an innovative Aussie manufacturer making conveyor belt fasteners, cleaners and maintenance products that help keep Australia’s mining operations running safely and efficiently. Mining is one of the country’s core industries and contributes to the growth and prosperity of the Australian economy.

Flexco Australia’s Flex-Lag® Pulley Lagging works hard on site to prevent conveyor belt slippage, boosting productivity and increasing the lifespan of mining systems. It’s tough Australian Made Tungsten Carbide Cleaner Tips are made locally with high-grade tungsten carbide which not only keeps belts clean but reduces wear and tear.

Flexco Australia has been proudly producing locally made products that support the Australian mining industry for more than 30 years, all while supporting Aussie jobs in its local manufacturing facility in Norwest, New South Wales.

Nectre

Since 1978, Nectre has proudly made over 300,000 low emission wood heaters for Aussie families in its manufacturing facility in Dry Creek, South Australia. Nectre units have found their way into Australian homes all over the country and are exported internationally to 7 other countries worldwide. Nectre wood heaters not only keep Australian families warm in the winter months, but are designed “in the market for the market”. Burning Australian hardwood requires a robust, durable build quality that will stand the test of time.

These tough Aussie wood heaters are made with the power of cast iron, and the brand harnesses modern technology such as robotic welding and cutting-edge engineering to ensure its fire places are made with care and precision. Nectre is proud to support a large local workforce, employing more than 500 staff in Australia to craft a timeless product with attention to design character and functionality.

A.H. Beard

With over 120 years of experience crafting quality mattresses, it’s a topic that family business A.H. Beard knows a lot about. Proudly producing up to 10,000 mattresses each week, five generations of the A.H. Beard family have been committed to continuous innovation to improve lives through better sleep.  

A.H. Beard employs over 450 dedicated and highly skilled people to handcraft its high-quality mattresses which are sold in Australia, New Zealand and around the world.

A.H. Beard is renowned for its Signature Collection - hand crafted luxury made to order by skilledMaster Craftsmen using the finest natural Australian fibres with traditional mattress-making techniques. Additionally, their King Koil range is globally recognised and the only ones recommended by the International Chiropractors Association.

A.H. Beard Director Allyn Beard is proud to be Chairman of the Australian Made Board of Directors, with A.H. Beard carrying the authentic Aussie stamp of approval on its products for more than a decade.

Lucas Blacker Jewellery

Founder and Director, Lucas Blacker, is one of Australia’s most innovative contemporary jewellers, handcrafting beautiful bespoke Australian Made jewellery inspired by Australia’s unique environment and natural resources. Lucas has a reputation for high-quality craftsmanship gained from 35 years of design and creation. As a multi award-winning jeweller he has been designing and making bespoke jewellery since the late 70’s.

He works with all precious metals including silver, gold, platinum and locally sourced gem stones like Black Opals, Boulder Opals, Australian Sapphires and Pink Diamonds. He incorporates design features inspired by Australia’s beautiful flora and natural landscapes into his designs. Lucas Blacker is a master jeweller and a talented artisan proudly working to retain a timeless handmade craft locally in Australia.

Armstrong Flooring

Meet Rob McLorinan, General Manager of Armstrong Flooring Australia, Australia’s most respected and only manufacturer of commercial vinyl flooring.

Proudly making premium flooring in Braeside, Victoria since 1969 – Armstrong Flooring has been manufacturing locally for more than five decades. Like many Australian manufacturers, they are not only highly skilled at producing their core ranges, but are also flexible enough to develop and deliver short run customised bespoke flooring, while adapting to changing trends and environments. They have continued to manufacture while safely navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver products to essential projects like hospital, school and aged care developments.

Armstrong Flooring produces highly durable, low maintenance, Australian Made flooring products. This innovative Australian manufacturer, focusses on sustainability through their ISO14001 Environmental Management system and PVC product stewardship to deliver quality products to local and export markets that will stand the test of time, whilst keeping jobs in Australia. Supporting Australian employment and families brings “a lot of pride from our employees, customers, architects, designers and the building end users” in this iconic Australian Made flooring.

MiniJumbuk

Located in the country town of Naracoorte in South Australia, MiniJumbuk first opened its doors in 1975.  The inspiration for the business came when local sheep shearer, Don Wray, began carefully selecting and experimenting with the best wool varieties from local farms to create MiniJumbuk’s first quilt. Applying his unique understanding of wool’s incredible properties, Don succeeded in creating a design that was light, warm, comfortable and hard wearing.

Since that time, MiniJumbuk has grown to become a global leader in the design and manufacture of premium Australian Made wool bedding products, including quilts, pillows and mattress toppers. “We love the fact that we can put on an Australian Made logo that confirms all the hard work that we do here in Narracoorte,” said MiniJumbuk Managing Director, Darren Turner. MiniJumbuk’s local workforce individually handcrafts every product with care – which ensures their customers can enjoy a comfortable night’s rest on a locally crafted sleep system that will stand the test of time.

Thongs Australia

Thongs are a quintessential part of Australian fashion culture, and there’s nothing more ‘Aussie’ than strolling down the beach in a pair of locally made Thongs manufactured in Melbourne by Thongs Australia. Directors Marc Lord and Andrew Kuypers pride themselves on making a high-quality product from durable, natural rubber that will “last many summers”.

From Australia’s urban cities to its beautiful coastlines, even the design and tread patterns of these locally-made Thongs have been directly influenced by iconic Australian architecture, art and natural landmarks. Shoppers can choose between a select range of colours including Classic Black, Salt Lake Pink, Otways Green and Outback Red (coming soon). Thongs Australia is committed to locally manufacturing everyday footwear that provides optimum comfort and durability, while limiting its environmental impact by putting less product into the market.

Budgy Smuggler

Aussies are always prepared to have a bit of laugh, an attribute that has no doubt contributed to the success of Manly-based brand Budgy Smuggler Swimwear. General Smuggling Manager, Brenden Hartmann, says that making bright, outrageous and fun prints in their Sydney factory is incredibly rewarding because it allows them to “see the result” of their hard work. Manufacturing locally also enables Budgy Smuggler to maintain a close relationship with their factory team, who have been crafting Aussie swimwear for 12 years.

From humble beginnings as a group of mates having a laugh in their backyard, to sending out more than 40,000 thousand pairs of swimwear all over the world each year, Budgy Smuggler have become an Aussie icon. It's Aussie Made swimwear has even been worn by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex on a recent visit to Australia. Budgy Smuggler is proud to carry the Australian Made “stamp of approval” which gives shoppers confidence that their swimwear is genuinely made in Australia.