38% sales growth and triple exports – how did this family-owned manufacturer do it?
Problem
A family-owned manufacturer based in regional NSW, has built its reputation on producing custom-made flight suits and protective apparel for the aviation, tactical, and resource sectors. Despite high product quality and compliance with international standards like ISO9001:2015 and Ethical Clothing Australia, the business faced key operational challenges:
- Unsystematised workflow: Customisation demands required multiple sources of information, increasing the risk of duplicated administration effort, inefficiencies, and potential errors.
- Unpredictable workload: Managing fluctuating customer demand put pressure on production capacity and cashflow.
- Scalability concerns: The lack of integrated systems and digital infrastructure limited growth and export potential.
These challenges hindered the business’s ability to operate efficiently and to scale sustainably while maintaining high levels of customisation and quality.
Solution
The company undertook a structured Growth Roadmap, to evolve toward industry best practices.
Key steps included:
- Business Systems Mapping: Identifying inefficiencies and aligning on future-state processes.
- Lean Manufacturing Integration: Facilitating ERP and Lean processes to enhance productivity, measurement systems, and internal communication.
- Digital Enablement: Leveraging Technology and Digital advisory support to implement barcoding, IoT solutions, and data consolidation tools.
- Marketing and UX Enhancements: Building a new website with guidance from a technology partner to support customer engagement and digital sales.
- Innovation Development: Exploring new technology such as a 3D configurator and smartphone-based body scanning application to improve the customer experience for made-to-measure clothing.
Outcomes
- Sales Revenue increased by 38%
- Export Revenue grew 200%
- EBIT margin improved by 20% compared to the prior year
- Production capability enhanced with upgraded machinery and workflow automation
- Customer experience being elevated through digital configurators and body scan technology
- Data-driven decisions became possible through systemised workflows and performance tracking
- FTE headcount held steady while improving output and efficiency
Return on Investment
- $20,000 in matched grant funding delivered strategic investments in machinery, technology, and process design.
- Innovation support facilitated access to IoT solutions and digital systems, significantly lifting manufacturing precision and customer service capabilities.
- Resulting revenue growth of $1M, export tripling, and improved margins demonstrate clear financial and operational returns.
Are you a regional manufacturer looking to scale through smart systems and digital innovation?
Stoke Consulting can guide your journey from ambition to action. Start with a Business Assessment, tailored to your needs – Contact us today.