Company History
AMTRADE INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD GROUP (Amtrade)
(Previously trading as Brown & Dureau Limited since 1883)
The Group includes Amtrade New Zealand Ltd. The origins of the business date back to 1883 with the founding of a partnership to import
products into Victoria. This partnership evolved over time to become Brown & Dureau Limited, which became a listed public company in
June 1946. This Company was sold to Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd (now called Amcor Ltd) in 1979 and became a wholly owned subsidiary
of that Group. Brown & Dureau Ltd was purchased by Amcor Ltd to balance the paper company’s reliance on manufacturing, to introduce expertise
to facilitate the export of Amcor’s paper, pulp and packaging products and to facilitate the importation of chemical raw materials suitable
for pulp and papermaking. Brown & Dureau’s name was changed to Amcor Trading Pty Ltd and then in 2000 to Amtrade International Pty Ltd.
In 2000, the Amcor Ltd Group was divided into Amcor Ltd and PaperlinX Ltd to seek to improve returns and future prospects. Amtrade then became
a part of the PaperlinX Group.
In 2001, Mr Ross Adler AC led a Private Equity Group to purchase Amtrade. Mr Ross Adler had been the Managing Director and a shareholder
of Brown & Dureau Ltd from 1975 to 1984, and led the sale of that company to Amcor Ltd in 1979. He was subsequently appointed a Director and
Deputy Managing Director of Amcor Ltd until 1984 when he left to become Managing Director of Santos Ltd, a position he held for 16 years until
September 2000. The Private Equity Group included ANZ Banking Group Ltd whose shareholding was purchased by the remaining shareholders in
March 2005. Mr Ross Adler now owns 85% of the Amtrade Group.
Amtrade is a successful and expanding group and the shareholders have significant experience in managing trading companies. Their wide business
experience is an advantage in ensuring that Amtrade’s business model continues to be able to meet its customers’ needs.
Amtrade primarily imports and distributes chemical and plastic raw materials. Most of the products are handled on an exclusive basis where
Amtrade represents particular overseas manufacturers. Amtrade has sales offices and distribution networks throughout Australia and New Zealand
and a sourcing office in China. Sales revenue is approximately $150 million per annum with a staff of more than 80 in Australia, New Zealand
and China.
Amtrade supplies the Australian and New Zealand manufacturing industries with a broad range of imported chemical and plastic raw materials.
The main business groups are –
• Industrial Chemicals
• Life Sciences, which includes Food, Animal Health, Human Health and Agricultural products
• Surface Coatings, which includes Monomers, Resins, Additives and Ethanol
• Plastics, which includes Thermo set and Engineering
• Paper, Mining and Steel
These manufacturing businesses require, in many instances, their supplier of raw materials to manage their raw material programmes.
This may include the commissioning of equipment on site to facilitate materials handling.
Amtrade also sources commodity chemicals, which traditionally are low margin and high volume and may be sourced from a number of countries
and suppliers.
Amtrade is market driven. The translation of ‘market needs’ into Amtrade’s sourcing and marketing programmes is the key
responsibility of each Business Group. Each Group’s focus is on specific industries in which they have expertise and long experience.
Each Group negotiates with overseas manufacturers, suppliers and major customers. The close relationship with both overseas suppliers and
customers combined with industry expertise ensures that the needs of the stakeholders are consistently met.
Relationships are of key importance, as the majority of Amtrade’s business is repeat business with both customers and overseas suppliers.
New products and suppliers are sourced and must meet quality and regulatory requirements before being introduced to customers.
When a new product is sourced Amtrade reviews the product with respect to the various regulatory, customs and industry codes as well as the
logistical and handling requirements. This is the start of Amtrade’s ‘Product Risk Assessment’.
The Product Risk Assessment continues through the review of the supplier’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), with the classification of the
product as a Dangerous Good, Workplace Hazardous Substance, or Poison to the production of an MSDS in the Australian format. The MSDS is filed
on our mainframe. Then every time a customer takes delivery of a product for the first time, or for the first delivery after the MSDS has been
updated, a copy of the new MSDS is automatically sent to the customer.
The selling of a new product to a customer is also a review process in itself by both the customer and Amtrade. The time line for this process
is significant. Amtrade’s customers are local manufacturers and the products, which they purchase, must match formulations, manufacturing
and technical performance criteria and also their end user customer’s product requirements. During this process Amtrade provides the
customer with product literature, specifications, samples and technical advice from our supplier.
The selling of a new product is also a function of introducing a new supplier to both Amtrade and the Australian market. The ‘selling
process’ includes any requirements for specific documentation and follow-up technical advice which necessitates Amtrade reviewing the
capabilities of the overseas supplier.
The majority of Amtrade’s supply is sourced from Europe, Japan, the USA and China. Sourcing from Korea and India is increasing.
Amtrade’s management systems include ISO 9002 and Responsible Care.
The Marketing and Sales functions are supported by a strong Finance team, Information Systems, Logistics and Regulatory Support.
Logistics is a key strength of Amtrade and covers warehousing and transportation.
On balance, Amtrade is a long established, large and successful supplier of industrial raw materials with experienced staff. Amtrade is very
confident that it can meet customer needs in an efficient and competitive manner.