Pacific Brands
Encyclopedia
Pacific Brands is a major Australia
n company marketing Berlei
, Bonds
, Clarks (children's), Dunlop
, Everlast
, Grosby, Holeproof, Hush Puppies
, King Gee, Malvern Star
, Sheridan, Slazenger
, Sleepmaker and Tontine
(underwear, shoes and bedding). It once held the Asian Pacific licence for British Knights
footwear. It was formed as a division of the Australian company Pacific Dunlop
in 1985
. In 2001
Pacific Dunlop sold off the division. In 2004
the company was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange
; the listing is included in the Australian stock market index, the ASX200
.
The company's origins date back to the Irish company, the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, opening a branch office and factory in Melbourne in 1893
. The branch was sold in 1899 and became a separate company, Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company of Australasia Ltd, independent of the original Dunlop company. After several name changes, the Australian company became Pacific Dunlop.
In the 2006/2007 financial year Pacific Brands declared a gross profit of 1.6B AUD and employed 9,000. In 2006/2007, it received $8.6-million in assistance from the Australian government to keep manufacturing jobs in Australia. In 2007/2008, it received $9-million. In 2009, the board of Pacific Brands announced the sacking of 1,850 employees, after granting unprecedented pay rises to executives who developed a plan to move manufacturing operations to China. CEO Sue Morphet's package rose from $685,000 to $1.8m.
In recent years, Pacific Brands has come under the spotlight due to the lack of transparency in its overseas operations. Pacific Brands claims that accountability is one of its underlying values, stating on its website: “do what you say, take responsibility”. But human rights advocates are concerned about the company’s lack of accountability regarding its off-shore suppliers, as well as its lack of protections for the rights of workers producing Pacific Brands products.
As a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative since 2008, Pacific Brands is obliged to report fairly and accurately on its trading activities and their performance on key labour rights issues. However, at the end of 2010, Pacific Brands has minimal reporting on factory conditions and has refused to publicly release a list of its supplier factories. The lack of transparency in the overseas supply chain of Pacific Brands contrasts with a growing number of international brands who have shared the location of manufactures in the name of accountability.
Non-disclosure of factory locations makes it very difficult for independent organisations to verify worker’s conditions. At the same time, the global garment sector remains notorious for its poor record on human rights, marked by ongoing barriers to freedom of association, unsafe working conditions and poverty wages.
One of Pacific Brands’ supplier, Li & Fung has a poor record with regards to transparency and reporting. In 2009 the Oxfam Hong-Kong transparency report revealed that Li & Fung has a poor record on transparency and audit reporting. In a 2008 investigation into labour rights violations at an Indonesian factory, the Worker Rights Consortium wrote that “[Li & Fung’s] expertise in supply chain management has not been matched by a capacity for credible labour rights investigation.”
An additional key obligation for companies under the Ethical Trading Initiative base code is a living wage provision, which states that companies are obliged to pay enough for workers to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. Pacific Brands is yet to implement more than a basic minimum wage across its supplier factories.
Oxfam Australia has urged Pacific Brands to adopt transparent and independent auditing practices, as an initial step towards ensuring respect for the rights workers in their supply chain.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n company marketing Berlei
Berlei
Berlei is a brand of women's lingerie and in particular bras and girdles.-History:The brand originated in Australia in 1917. Berlei undergarments are now sold in Australia by Pacific Brands and in the United Kingdom by Courtaulds Textiles....
, Bonds
Bonds (company)
Bonds Industries Pty Ltd is an Australian manufacturer and importer of men's, women's and children's underwear and clothing, and a subsidiary of Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd. It is a popular mid-range brand within Australia and the United Kingdom...
, Clarks (children's), Dunlop
Dunlop Sport (Australia)
Dunlop Sport is a division of Pacific Brands of Australia. The company is not connected to Sports Direct, which owns rights to the Dunlop brand outside Australia and New Zealand.Dunlop Australia first manufactured sandshoes in 1924...
, Everlast
Everlast (boxing)
Everlast is an American brand active in the design, manufacturing, licensing and marketing of boxing, mixed martial arts and fitness related sporting goods equipment, apparel, footwear, and accessories. Based in Manhattan, Everlast's products are sold across more than 75 countries...
, Grosby, Holeproof, Hush Puppies
Hush Puppies
Hush Puppies is an international brand of contemporary, casual footwear for men, women and children. The shoes have been described as "the classic American brushed-suede shoes with the lightweight crepe sole". A division of Wolverine Worldwide, Hush Puppies is headquartered in Rockford, Michigan...
, King Gee, Malvern Star
Malvern Star
Malvern Star is a manufacturer of bicycles, located in Melbourne, Australia. It began in 1902, and went on to become a household name in Australia.-History:Malvern Star opened in a small shop at 58 Glenferrie Rd, in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern in 1902...
, Sheridan, Slazenger
Slazenger
Slazenger is a British sports equipment brand name sold throughout the world, involving a variety of sporting categories namely cricket, tennis and hockey...
, Sleepmaker and Tontine
Tontine Group
Tontine is an Australian manufacturer of pillows. The company began in 1870. From 1984–2001 it was owned by Pacific Dunlop. In 2001 it was sold to create a separate entity. The Tontine group is part of Pacific Brands. Until 2007 the company's manufacturing base was at East Brunswick, Victoria...
(underwear, shoes and bedding). It once held the Asian Pacific licence for British Knights
British Knights
British Knights is a shoe company founded in 1980 by the Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc, based in New York. Currently British Knights is divided in licensed in the whole world, except America, Canada, Chili and Peru...
footwear. It was formed as a division of the Australian company Pacific Dunlop
Ansell
-Other:*Ansell's Shrew*Ansell's Mole Rat - rodent*Ansell's Epauletted Fruit Bat - megabat*Ansell Limited - medical gloves and condom manufacturer...
in 1985
1985 in Australia
-Incumbents:*Queen of Australia – Elizabeth II*Governor General – Sir Ninian Stephen*Prime Minister – Bob Hawke*Premier of New South Wales – Neville Wran*Premier of South Australia – John Bannon*Premier of Queensland – Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen...
. In 2001
2001 in Australia
-Incumbents:*Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II*Governor General – Sir William Deane, then Peter Hollingworth*Prime Minister – John Howard*Premier of New South Wales – Bob Carr*Premier of South Australia – John Olsen, then Rob Kerin...
Pacific Dunlop sold off the division. In 2004
2004 in Australia
-Incumbents:*Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II*Governor General – Michael Jeffery*Prime Minister – John Howard*Premier of New South Wales – Bob Carr*Premier of South Australia – Mike Rann*Premier of Queensland – Peter Beattie...
the company was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange
Australian Stock Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
; the listing is included in the Australian stock market index, the ASX200
S&P/ASX 200
The S&P/ASX 200 index is a market-capitalization weighted and float-adjusted stock market index of Australian stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange from Standard & Poor's...
.
The company's origins date back to the Irish company, the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, opening a branch office and factory in Melbourne in 1893
1893 in Australia
See also:1892 in Australia,other events of 1893,1894 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Incumbents:*Premier of New South Wales - George Dibbs*Premier of South Australia - John Downer then Charles Kingston...
. The branch was sold in 1899 and became a separate company, Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company of Australasia Ltd, independent of the original Dunlop company. After several name changes, the Australian company became Pacific Dunlop.
Company profile
Pacific Brands is a marketer of Everyday Essential Brands. The origins of Pacific Brands can be traced back to 1893 when the business began manufacturing Dunlop bicycle tyres. Today, Pacific Brands is a manager of Everyday Essential Brands in Australia and New Zealand, marketing brands including Berlei, Bonds, Clarks (children's), Dunlop, Everlast, Grosby, Holeproof, Hush Puppies, King Gee, Mooks, Mossimo, Sheridan, Slazenger, Sleepmaker, Tontine and Yakka.In the 2006/2007 financial year Pacific Brands declared a gross profit of 1.6B AUD and employed 9,000. In 2006/2007, it received $8.6-million in assistance from the Australian government to keep manufacturing jobs in Australia. In 2007/2008, it received $9-million. In 2009, the board of Pacific Brands announced the sacking of 1,850 employees, after granting unprecedented pay rises to executives who developed a plan to move manufacturing operations to China. CEO Sue Morphet's package rose from $685,000 to $1.8m.
In recent years, Pacific Brands has come under the spotlight due to the lack of transparency in its overseas operations. Pacific Brands claims that accountability is one of its underlying values, stating on its website: “do what you say, take responsibility”. But human rights advocates are concerned about the company’s lack of accountability regarding its off-shore suppliers, as well as its lack of protections for the rights of workers producing Pacific Brands products.
As a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative since 2008, Pacific Brands is obliged to report fairly and accurately on its trading activities and their performance on key labour rights issues. However, at the end of 2010, Pacific Brands has minimal reporting on factory conditions and has refused to publicly release a list of its supplier factories. The lack of transparency in the overseas supply chain of Pacific Brands contrasts with a growing number of international brands who have shared the location of manufactures in the name of accountability.
Non-disclosure of factory locations makes it very difficult for independent organisations to verify worker’s conditions. At the same time, the global garment sector remains notorious for its poor record on human rights, marked by ongoing barriers to freedom of association, unsafe working conditions and poverty wages.
One of Pacific Brands’ supplier, Li & Fung has a poor record with regards to transparency and reporting. In 2009 the Oxfam Hong-Kong transparency report revealed that Li & Fung has a poor record on transparency and audit reporting. In a 2008 investigation into labour rights violations at an Indonesian factory, the Worker Rights Consortium wrote that “[Li & Fung’s] expertise in supply chain management has not been matched by a capacity for credible labour rights investigation.”
An additional key obligation for companies under the Ethical Trading Initiative base code is a living wage provision, which states that companies are obliged to pay enough for workers to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. Pacific Brands is yet to implement more than a basic minimum wage across its supplier factories.
Oxfam Australia has urged Pacific Brands to adopt transparent and independent auditing practices, as an initial step towards ensuring respect for the rights workers in their supply chain.
History
- 1893 Manufactures Dunlop Bicycle tyres.
- 1929 Commences manufacturing of footwear with rubber boots.
- 1937 Enters sporting goods market with the acquisition of Empire Racket Co.
- 1960 Produces Sleepmaker inner spring mattresses.
- 1969 Enter underwear and socks market with the acquisition of Holeproof.
- 1971 Created Branded footwear business with acquisition of Grosby.
- 1982 Acquisition of Winestock is catalyst foe movement into footwear importing.
- 1985 Formation of Pacific Brands as a division of Pacific Dunlop.
- 1987 Strengthens position in underwear category with the acquisition of Bonds.
- 1990 Obtains Asia Pacific distribution licence for British Knights footwear.
- 1995 Enters outerwear market with the purchase of Boydex International; Bonds Created.
- 2000 Develops branded footwear business with the acquisition of Clarks (children) and Hush Puppies licenses.
- 2001 Further develops key categories with the synergistic acquisition of Sara Lee Apparel Australia Business (including King Gee, Playtex, Razzamatazz and Stubbies). Pacific Brands acquired by CVC Asia Pacific and Catalyst Investment Managers.
- 2003 Acquisition of Kolotex hosiery and Sachi women's footwear.
- 2004 Listing on the Australian Stock Exchange. License for Distribution of Merrell Footwear.
- 2005 Distribution of Esprit. Acquisitions of Sheridan business including Actil and Arthur Ellis (Homewares New Zealand and Everwarm Survival businesses).
- 2006 Acquisition of Peri and Foam Products Australia (FPA).
- 2007 Acquired the Yakka group of companies (including the Yakka, Hard Yakka, Can't Tear 'Em, Wrangler and Lee Jeans brands.) Acquired the streetwear division of Globe International (brands include Mooks, MossimoMossimoMossimo is a mid-range American apparel company, founded in 1986 by designer Mossimo Giannulli, and currently owned by Iconix Brand Group. Mossimo specializes in youth, women, teenage, and adult male clothing such as shirts, jeans, jackets, socks, underwear and accessories...
, Paul FrankPaul FrankPaul Frank is an American cartoonist, artist and fashion designer. His creations adorn clothing, accessories, and many other products...
and StussyStussyStussy, or Stüssy , is a clothing brand and private company started in the early 1980s by Shawn Stussy. The company is one of many that benefited from the surfwear trend originating in Orange County, California, United States but has largely been adopted by the streetwear and hip-hop...
).
- 2009 Announces it will lay off 1,850 staff and close most manufacturing sites in Australia, saying they are no longer economically viable. The company had received $17.6M in government funding over the previous two years targeted at (but not conditional on) continuing local manufacturing.
- 2011 Sleepmaker sold off to New Zealand company Sleepyhead.