Military clothing supplier confirms plans, and provides opportunities

Sunday, 18 June 2023

Australian Defence Apparel will supply everything from tents and rank slides to uniforms and packs (file photo).

A contractor who announced it was jumping the ditch to supply the New Zealand Defence Force with uniforms has confirmed it will open in Palmerston North this year.

Australian Defence Apparel (ADA) will open its logistics hub in a 3000-square-metre purpose-built facility on El Prado Dr and provide everything from uniforms and rank regalia to tents and packs.

The decision to move to the city was part of a collaboration with the Palmerston North City Council and Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) to create jobs in the area.

ADA New Zealand director Sarah Pender said Palmerston North was the best location because it was well-situated to service the lower North Island.

ADA says it will provide the “highest quality” apparel to soldiers and will use local manufacturers for its gear (file photo).

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She said the building gave ADA the ability to better provide for the NZDF’s 12,000 personnel.

“We anticipate that, in future, the site will be used as an advanced distribution hub across a multitude of clients.”

The organisation would work with local manufacturers to provide the apparel, including the Manawatū Knitting Mills, Outback Trading Company and Academy Apparel.

ADA, which secured the contract in 2021, had supplied uniforms to the Australian Defence Force for more than a century.

The Higgins Family Group was working on the large warehouse, which was originally due to be completed in November 2022, but was now scheduled to open at the end of September.

ADA chief executive Chris Dixon said the contract went live in February, and they had been working ever since with local manufacturers.

“Equally, some New Zealand suppliers are supplying back into Australia in sort of a swap deal, which has benefited both parties.”

He said they were looking forward to the opening of the facility, which would provide the “highest quality” service to soldiers while taking less time away from training and fieldwork.

The building would include warehouses, offices and a research and development centre the company aimed to make a “global centre of excellence for military wearables”.

ADA NZ development manager Dr Graham Fordy said the centre would bring together industry partners to “ensure the NZDF is best placed to succeed in training”.

When the contract was announced CEDA business development manager Nats Subramanian said on top of creating jobs the contractor would bring a unique set of opportunities for Manawatū businesses.

More than 7000 service personnel, civilians and family members in the area are connected to the NZDF.