Ronstan Company History

1955

BOAT BUILDING EXPANDS

By 1955 another factory is needed, so a further building 60x50 feet is built at the rear of the first one, in Advantage Road, Highett. Ron moves out of the small factory and starts accepting orders for larger boats. Another boat builder is needed, and Bernie Phelan is employed.

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1959

FITTINGS TAKE OFF

It wasn't just the boatbuilding side of the business that was flourishing in those early years. Down at the nearby Black Rock Yacht Club, Ron and Stan are frequently called upon to supply custom built yacht hardware and in the early days everything is handmade.

But just as the fittings business seems to be taking off, the partners discover a problem. Local distributors won’t stock Ronstan fittings because the newcomer is a competitor to the hugely successful Fico brand (Field Instrument Company, which had been established in Brighton by locals Reg Freame and Gordon Chatfield). So Ron and Stan open their own retail showroom instead – the Ronstan Marine Centre at 81 Beach Rd Sandringham, opposite the football ground.

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1963

THE FIRST RONSTAN CATALOGUE

In 1963 the first Ronstan catalogue is produced, listing 50 products. The catalogue is the only thing Ron and Stan have printed ? the owners believe the quality of their fittings speak for themselves, and advertising brochures are unnecessary.

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1968

CONTINUED EXPANSION

The first export sales ae made in the late 1960s when a Canadian airline pilot, Don Findlay, takes a trial consignment home with him in the cockpit. A DC-8 pilot, Findlay had turned up at the factory on his layover to investigate fittings for his part-time wholesale yacht hardware business. The stock sells well, and Ronstan's first international distribution deal is set up with Findlay Imports in Vancouver.

At that time only cast brass and bronze shackles were available in the US, and word spread via Findlay's contacts about this innovative Australian company making shackles from stainless steel.

1973

NEW COMPANY HEADQUARTERS

Ronstan purchases more land in 1970, this time at 220-222 Bay Rd Sandringham. The three acres cost $320,000 - a huge amount in those days - and become the new headquarters for Ronstan Marine Equipment. The new factory and offices amount to 33,000 square feet. Ronstan moves into the new premises in 1973.

1976

ALISTAIR MURRAY JOINS THE COMPANY

Alistair Murray is hired in 1976 as Victorian sales representative and in 1980 heads to the USA to set up a warehouse in Newport Beach, California with his wife Jenni as an employee. Alistair will never forget his job interview with Ron Allatt. Being a teenager in the 1970s he had very long hair, so in preparation for the interview he'd been to the barber's that morning - 'to help me land a respectable job', as he puts it. Ron obviously liked the 'cut of his jib' at the interview and advised him he could start on Monday on one condition - that was, that he had to get his hair cut first. Back to the barber for the second cut of the day!

1978

NEW US OPERATION

An American operation is incorporated in 1978 under the management of Max Hazelwood. Until then distribution to the US market had been the responsibility of a US agent, Nick Alexander of Alexander Roberts Co. Max Hazelwood and his wife Dottie are instrumental in getting Ronstan re-established in the US, with an involvement spanning the years from 1978 to 1995. Max has a small but loyal team in Clearwater, Florida, and always demonstrates unbridled enthusiasm for Ronstan and commitment to the cause.

1981

RONSTAN ACQUIRES FICO

In 1981 Ronstan's rapidly growing success enables it to acquire Fico Marine, its principal rival, in a deal that cements Ronstan's position as Australia's number one marine fittings producer.

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1984

NEW CAD SYSTEM INTRODUCED

The current Finance Director, Laine McCooke, starts with the company in 1984 and around this time the first computer-aided drafting (CAD) system is introduced.

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1987

ALISTAIR MURRAY AND LOUIS SANDER MEET

By 1982 Alistair Murray has become Export Manager, having returned from California. One of his priorities following the merger of Ronstan and Fico is to consolidate distributors, so in 1987 he flies to Europe intending to sack the Fico distributor in Italy, in favour of putting all of the company's support behind the Ronstan distributor. At the Genoa boat show he introduces himself to Louis Sander who is manning the stand for Tomasoni Topsail, the Fico distributor. Alistair informs him that Ronstan intends to terminate the relationship but, having started only a week or two before, Louis suggests that's a bit harsh and requests a stay of execution for twelve months during which he will show Ronstan what he can do. Alistair relented, gave him a chance, and a year later sacked the old Ronstan distributor. Tomasoni continued to be a great Ronstan distributor for many years, and Louis joined Ronstan in 1993 as the European representative. Today he is Ronstan's European Director, a shareholder in the business, and an absolutely vital cog in the senior management team.

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NEW CNC TECHNOLOGY

In 1987 Ronstan is selected for participation in the Federal Government's Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) program, leading to a big leap forward in manufacturing technology. Manufacturing Manager Graeme Bond oversees the introduction of expensive but efficient CNC technology to the factory.

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1990

BEYOND THE MARINE INDUSTRY

In 1990 Ronstan branches out into markets outside the marine industry, marketing stainless steel rigging components to the architectural and construction industries. The non-marine charter is to find new markets, applications and opportunities for marine products that marine distributors are not prepared to chase. A dedicated Non-Marine Sales Manager is appointed and in 1992 Rowan Murray is employed as Non-Marine Sales Representative.

FORTUNA IN RECEIVERSHIP

Less happily, in 1990 Fortuna goes into receivership, taking Ronstan with it. For a year, the company is managed by the receiver and bank. In 1991 it is purchased by a local syndicate headed up by James Taylor and Peter Gillon, with Taylor assuming the position of Managing Director. Other parties include local sailing identities John Savage and Andrew Plympton, and Ronstan managers Graeme Bond, Alistair Murray, Vic Ferguson and Neil Williams.

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1997

ALISTAIR MURRAY - NEW MD

Having joined Ronstan as a young sales rep in 1976, Alistair Murray is appointed as the new Managing Director in 1997. In that year turnover reaches a record $20 million. With a workforce of about 160, efficiency in manufacturing is fundamental to the firm's success; products are airfreighted all over the world and competitively priced in their destination markets.

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2000

SUCCESS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Ronstan enjoyed outstanding success on the water, with Ronstan-equipped boats medalling in most classes.

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2003

AUSTRALIAN MARINE INDUSTRY EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

In 2003, with offices in six countries and exporting to 45, the company wins the Australian Marine Industry Exporter of the Year award. The company manufactures some 1400 products in Australia and 700 in Denmark, and distributes a further 1200 products manufactured all over the world including brands such as Marlow, Clamcleat and Windex.

RONSTAN TURNS 50

At the 50th anniversary in 2003, the five directors of Ronstan are Michael Hanlon (chairman), Graham Cunningham, Alistair Murray, Laine McCooke and Louis Sander. The senior management team comprises Alistair Murray, Louis Sander, Laine McCooke, Tim Maishman, Rowan Murray, Tim Melville, Bryn Wellington and Peter Dowdney (living in the US with his family, running the US company). Other managers and partners in the company include Tony Tanner, Mick Wade, Vince Jayaratne, John Davis, KC Fullmer, Alan Prussia and Neil Taylor.

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2006

A KEY TO SUCCESS

A key component of Ronstan's success has been its wonderful long term relationships with international distributors. Those that had represented Ronstan for in excess of 20 years in 2003 were Aquasports (Mauritius), W. Bannister (Chile), Bucher & Walt (Switzerland), Central Boating (South Africa), Cosmos Marine (Japan), Far East Yacht Specialists (Hong Kong), Intermarine Supply Co. (Singapore), Lankhorst-Taselaar (The Netherlands), Marine Corail (New Caledonia), Nakamura Sengu (Japan), Piercey Marine (Hong Kong), Sportmanship/Robship (Sweden), Yacht Riggers (Germany, then Mallorca), Tomasoni Topsail (Italy), Tradewinds (Fiji), and in New Zealand Barton Marine (Wellington), CaterMarine (Whangarei), A. Foster & Co. (Auckland), Oborns (Christchurch) and Sailor's Corner (Auckland).

A NEW PARTNER IN ROPE

Also in 2006, Ronstan began a new partnership with Austrian rope manufacturer Teufelberger for the distribution of FSE Robline rope in Australasia and North America.

2011

CORE BLOCK™ WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

Ronstan is awarded the 'Red Dot Award' for their Core Block™ range. The concept of the basic sailing block was extended beyond the simple ball bearing design from decades ago. With class-leading performance and contemporary race-inspired styling Ronstan's Core Blocks™ now offer sailors an attractive and affordable option appropriate for today's refined sailboat designs.

MANUFACTURING IN DENMARK MERGES INTO ONE FACTORY

Ronstan Denmark's Managing Director Thomas Meyer has his hands full merging the two manufacturing operations into one. By the end of the year everything is running smoothly, with winch and hardware all produced under the same roof.

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2016

CHANGES AT THE TOP

Forty years after joining Ronstan as a sales rep, Alistair Murray retires and hands over to new Managing Director, Scot West. Alistair takes over from Graham Cunningham as Chairman of the Ronstan board of directors, while Brendon Anderson re-locates to the Portsmouth, RI office replacing Scot as President of US operations.

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