'A box of Australians, please!'

When your distributor in Sweden receives orders for a 'box of Australians' you know that the Australian Made, Australian Grown logo on your products is making a difference, according to Phil Parton, Managing Director of Kevron Plastics Pty Ltd (Kevron).

His Melbourne based company was established in 1952 and has grown to become a recognised and respected global supplier and manufacturer of a range of high volume, high quality, low cost identification products and accessories. The Kevron keytag, which comes in a myriad of colours and shapes, is without doubt one of Kevron's most famous products.

Wholesale clients also distribute Kevron products to a range of industries including locksmith and hardware, office products, automotive, travel and the promotional products segments of the marketplace.
  
Kevron hasn't always been an exporting business, but when the company reached an impressive 90% market share in Australia for some of its products, exporting was the only way to grow the business.

The then owners, Ron and Kevin Chambers, changed the focus of the busines and today the company exports to more than 20 countries.

Phil Parton believes that being a specialist in a niche range of products, and having a recognized brand are the strengths of the company.
 
"Wherever possible we promote our brand, in conjunction with the Australian Made logo, to ensure our products are not simply seen as commodity items. As a company we are known as a reliable, versatile and trusted supplier and this has helped us build a loyal client base both in Australia and abroad," says Phil Parton.

In most instances, Kevron is competing against products manufactured in what Parton describes as 'cheap labour countries'.

"Australian Made is a unique feature with respect to offering a point of difference regarding origin and (higher) quality of goods. It has worked very well for us and we make every effort to ensure the Australian Made logo appears on all packaging and promotional materials," explains Phil Parton.

"Cracking new export markets is sometimes not so easy and requires a lot of patience. We are a long way from the northern hemisphere and it is easy for people to find excuses not to source products from Australia. But we go to great lengths to ensure potential export clients run out of reasons not to buy from us."

The Australian Made logo can be found on Kevron products as well as in brochures and on the company website. To learn more about Kevron, please visit http://www.kevrontags.com or call (03) 9357 6680.