With over 200 brands under its banner, Tool Kit Depot is bringing its tools, equipment and safety gear and workwear to the Australian mining industry.
When Bunnings acquired Adelaide Tools in 2020, it had a lofty ambition: to deliver the ultimate tool, equipment and safety gear and workwear offering to trade professionals across Australia.
After almost four years, it’s safe to say the business – now named Tool Kit Depot – has achieved its goal and is looking to grow further.
The company currently has five stores in South Australia, seven in Western Australia, and one each in Queensland and Victoria. It also has plans to expand into New South Wales, Tasmania and Canberra.
“We’re a tool specialist company that has over 75 years’ experience,” Tool Kit Depot commercial manager Chris James told Australian Mining.
“Our deep history in the space started around tool repairs and servicing, so that’s a key element to our business. We offer a holistic approach to tools as opposed to only selling products.”
Tool Kit Depot is now bringing its offerings to the Australian mining industry.
“Over the last 12 to 18 months, we’ve worked hard to gain access to anything and everything, so that companies working within the mining industry had everything they need,” James said.
“We’ve tailored our range and services to create efficiencies while becoming the one-stop shop for solving problems our customers face on a day-to-day basis.
“This ranges from sustainability to ease of service, all the way through to holding products and kits for particular trades.”
Image: Tool Kit Depot
Tool Kit Depot is highly regarded for its ability to quickly respond to requests and deliver stock directly to customers.
“This is because we have a network to leverage and all the Tool Kit Depot stores act as one team, rather than separate entities,” James said.
“There’s no two-to-three-week waits. If we can get the right product and it’s in stock, then it’ll be on site the same day or the following day, which is appealing to customers that need a quick turnaround.
“And we work with our partners to leverage their supply chain wherever we can to get anything that isn’t in stock.”
Tool Kit Depot advocates for repairing tools instead of outright replacing them, supporting sustainability in the industry.
“We work with a Tier 1 mining company, where one of our account managers will go and pick up their tools whenever necessary and they’ll take it back to the local Tool Kit Depot store for repairing,” James said. “Once they’re repaired, they’re then taken back to the site.
“And it’s a constant cycle where their gear is looked after as opposed to throwing it out and starting over. Economically it makes sense and sustainably it makes sense as the lifetime of the tool is extended.”
Tool Kit Depot wouldn’t be as successful as it is without its strong relationships with suppliers.
“The most important part of what we do is finding the right tool for the job,” James said.
“We’ve got access to thousands of products, so you’re never going to be an expert in all of them. But the suppliers often are and that’s where we leverage those relationships because they know the range in depth and can provide the most relevant information and expertise.
“After we make a sale, our suppliers are available to help customers if any changes to the tool are required. We will then work with the supplier and customer to ensure the product works in the most efficient way possible.
“Our suppliers have invested significant amounts of time and money in driving that experience for the end user. And it’s the partnerships with our suppliers that really make sure the customer experience is the best it can be.”
This feature appeared in the May 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
