ORGANISATION
J. Robins & Sons Pty Ltd
ESTABLISHED
The Robins family started manufacturing
shoes in the 1870s before the company
was incorporated in 1911.
LOCATION
Belmore (Australia)
SPECIALISING IN
Shoe manufacturing
EMPLOYEES
200
GROSS TURNOVER
$73.250m
MARKETS
Domestic 100%
HIGHLIGHTS
An advanced milling machine which means that the company can immediately see a design that they want to sample or produce or put to their customers.
www.jrobins.com.au
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‘ESSENTIALLY IT’S ABOUT SPEED’
Phil Butt, Managing Director, J. Robins & Sons Pty Ltd
WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER
J. Robins & Sons began manufacturing footwear in the 1870s and, according to its Managing Director, ‘innovation is really the only reason for us still to be here.’ Managing Director Phil Butt is clear that innovation means ‘understanding what we do well as an Australian manufacturer, what we do better than our overseas competition, and then linking those skills together.’
COMBINING SKILLS
J. Robins & Sons allows for the possibility that innovation may fail but, as Phil observes, ‘if you don’t try, then you never get anywhere.’ For this reason, the company has a long record of innovation in design, manufacture and the organisation of its workforce. ‘Essentially it’s about speed’ Phil says, ‘combining speed with the skills that we have.’
‘We can’t compete with the Chinese on price, or the Indonesians or the Indians, but what we can do is that we can be innovative in how we combine skills together.’
Phil Butt, Managing Director, J. Robins & Sons Pty Ltd
GAINING AN EDGE
Innovation in the form of introducing technologies from other industries is, Phil believes, essential to the success of his company and ‘gives us an edge over offshore companies.’ As an example, the company looked at how Toyota put together car seats and how similar processes, materials and skills could be applied to making shoes.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about Industry Innovation Councils:
WEB www.innovation.gov.au/industryinnovationcouncils
EMAIL innovationcouncils@innovation.gov.au
PHONE +61 2 6213 7221
Manager
Industry Innovation Councils Team
Department of Innovation,
Industry, Science and Research
GPO Box 9839
Canberra ACT 2601