Are you a workwear distributor struggling to find a reliable supplier who can meet your customers' needs?

Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety is an independently owned and operated Aussie company, founded in Bendigo, Victoria, back in 1993. With over 50 stores nationwide, Hip Pocket specialises in corporate uniforms, safety workwear, protective clothing, and PPE.

Craig and Sascha Scharer run three stores on the Gold Coast – Arundel, Varsity, and Coolangatta. It’s a booming region with one of the fastest-growing economies in Australia. The Gold Coast’s biggest industries include construction, mining, manufacturing, and retail, with 28.8% of the workforce in blue-collar jobs.

"We were looking for a business, and we came across a bloke in the construction industry who had been doing fit-outs for the group," says Sascha. "He explained how it was recession-proof, with lots of good, happy people working in the industry."

The thriving local industry means there's a large customer base for Craig, Sascha, and their dedicated team to serve. Meeting consumer demand and understanding their customers' individual needs, work environments, and safety requirements is critical to being a trusted and dependable supplier.

Customer Service & Support

But Hip Pocket can’t do it alone. To be a go-to workwear provider, you need suppliers that share your values and can provide the same excellent level of service you offer your customers.

Portwest is proud to be a company that values building strong relationships with workwear distributors and providing them with unparalleled service and support.

“With our industry, we deal with a lot of big brands," Craig says. "One of the issues is that you get treated like a number a lot of the time. It’s tough to get in touch with the important people when you need help.”

“This is definitely not the case with Portwest. Our relationship with Donna, our Sales Rep, is excellent. I can contact her directly as soon as I need an issue sorted, and she’s on it.”

Portwest can offer this level of personalised service thanks to the robust research we conduct into customer needs and understanding their unique circumstances. Our sales teams have direct access to the global product team, who can quickly advise on technical and specialist information and ensure every customer receives tailored solutions and expert support.

Safety and Technical Expertise

Data from the Gold Coast City’s Workplace Health and Safety Profile shows that the construction and manufacturing industries have the highest number of workers’ compensation claims. Construction averages 776 claims each year, with manufacturing close behind at 747.

Ensuring the safety of workers in these industries is crucial. Workwear suppliers must provide high-quality, safe products that meet safety codes and standards across a wide range of industries.

“Safety is really important," Craig says. "It makes up almost half of our business. We get a lot of curly questions about products that our customers need, so we rely on our suppliers to help fill in a lot of those gaps.”

Portwest understands the importance of safety and has a dedicated team of experts who are constantly researching and developing new products to meet the latest standards. All Portwest products are globally certified and designed to meet the highest levels of safety and performance.

Supply and Demand

In a fast-paced industry, it's important to have a supplier you can rely on to meet demand. A workwear supplier that has stock readily available and can deliver your orders quickly and efficiently can be hard to come by.

"With Portwest, we’ve found they carry great stocks," says Craig. "Their turnaround times are excellent freight-wise. Plus, we’re lucky enough to get support at a local level. It’s a special kind of relationship.”

With warehouses in Melbourne and Auckland, Portwest can maintain strong stock levels and ship quickly and efficiently to customers across Australia and New Zealand.

Portwest also offers full transparency to its customers. Line-fill rates are visible, so customers can always see how much stock is available.

In Summary

Portwest is the ideal partner for workwear suppliers looking for a reliable and trustworthy supplier. We offer a wide range of high-quality products, excellent customer service, and a commitment to safety.

We’re a global company with a strong reputation for quality and innovation, constantly investing in new products and technologies to ensure we can meet the needs of its customers.

This has proved to be a winning combination for Hip Pocket. Not only does the company have a thriving business, but it also enjoys strong and enduring customer relationships based on trust and mutual respect.