OUR PRODUCTS
GPI
The GPI Group is a privately owned, uniquely diversified group of Australian companies. The origins of the GPI Group date back to the 1st February 1978, when Colin Edwards commenced operations in the Automotive Refinishing Industry.
Since that time, the organisation has achieved enormous growth, operating out of branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and employing over 110 people in the following fields:
- Automotive Refinishing Products
- Engineering
- Adhesive Tapes
THE GPI GROUP STORY SO FAR
On the 1st February 1978, GPI Automotive Products was formed when Colin Edwards, founder and current C.E.O. of The GPI Group of Companies, commenced operations as a sole trader. Product was produced and sold to Automotive Refinishing Distributors, who then distributed the product range to panel beaters and spray painters. Over 25 years on, the company has grown from strength to strength and currently the products listed for sale number in excess of 2000 items. Through its 4 warehouses and 12 automotive salespersons employed throughout Australia, GPI would be regarded in the industry as the largest supplier of assorted consumable products, excluding paint, on a strictly wholesale basis, to in excess of 600 resellers.
In February 1998, GPI acquired Black Diamond Industries, GPI's competitor in the buff pad market. This acquisition in tandem with GPI's Tuff Buff division gave GPI the major share of the Australian, Asian and Pacific area buff pad market.
The GPI Automotive Division imports exclusively from many suppliers on a world-wide basis, and also exports product manufactured in Australia to the Middle East, U.S.A, Europe, and New Zealand and throughout the Asia-Pacific region. GPI is further involved with a New Zealand company, called GPI Automotive (NZ) Limited, based in Auckland, marketing Automotive Products on a wholesale basis, throughout New Zealand.
GPI currently is a Master Distributor, on a National basis, for the product ranges of Iwata, DeVilbiss, Meguiars, Sykes, Teroson, and Sundstrom, to name a few. In May 1998, Sata - Farbspritztechnik GmbH & Co appointed GPI as an Australian importer of their spray gun equipment and associated product range. In 2003 GPI became the exclusive importer of Stayer Power Tools and Telesch Air Tools, both manufactured in Italy. Also in 2003 an arrangement was made with Sun Abrasives of Korea for GPI to be the exclusive distributor of their unique filmed backed Automotive Abrasive range for Australia and New Zealand.
GPI ENGINEERING
In order to expand the GPI Automotive product base, an engineering operation commenced with the purchase of McKay Engineering in 1987. In April 1998, GPI McKay Engineering in tandem with a design Contractor obtained an order for collapsible stillages from a pallet hirer which were manufactured, around the clock, over a 15-week cycle. This contract was worth $1.7 million and an extra 42 persons were employed for this manufacturing cycle. The user of the product for this order was General Motors Holden. Further response to the product has yielded a sale value in excess of A$5 million dollars and trialling in the food industry is now showing positive results.
