Success unmasked
Supply Aus inks national PPE deals
A BRISBANE-BASED Indigenous-owned business is expanding during COVID-19 by supplying scarce personal protection equipment ( PPE) to some of the country’s biggest companies.
Ormiston-based Supply Aus, which claims it is Australia’s only Indigenous-owned procurement business, has sealed deals to supply PPE such as masks, gloves and hand sanitiser to BHP, John Holland and Woolworths.
In April, Supply Aus was able to secure 150 tonnes of hand sanitiser for Woolworths during the worst of the PPE shortages.
Supply Aus chief executive Adam Williams said the company recently opened a storefront and warehouse in Ormiston to cater for future growth.
“A storefront is beneficial for our growth as it allows us to get feedback directly and provides us a commercial focus to sell face-to-face to the public,” said Mr Williams, who is a Wiradjuri man.
Supply Aus, which positions itself as a “profit-forpurpose’’ business, invests profits back into Indigenous education and mental health.
The company earlier this year supplied $300,000 worth of PPE to the National Aboriginal Controlled Health Organisation.
“A part of our approach is changing how Indigenous business is viewed,” said Mr Williams. “Some companies assume products from Indigenous businesses come with a 5-10 per cent premium. We don’t do that, and if anything, we can offer competitive pricing due to our strong buying power.”
The company is expanding its corporate presence and recently inked a two-year sponsorship deal with the Brisbane Bullets that will see its logo displayed on the back of the players’ shorts during all games for the next two seasons.
Supply Aus chairman Shawn Andrews said the work of the company allowed it to improve the lives of Indigenous people through support for mental health and training.
“We work with Australian businesses that just don’t work with Indigenous businesses because they have to,” said Mr Andrews.
“They are authentic in how they share our vision of wanting to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.”