Tell us about the business.
Hillcock is a supplier of industrial and safety consumables servicing businesses in Mackay, the Bowen Basin and greater North Queensland. We are a one stop shop for consumables, selling products such as tooling, abrasives, PPE, uniforms, footwear, hygiene, stationary, and welding supplies. We pride ourselves on matching our locally held inventory to the needs of our customers and leveraging technology to provide a level of service that is unmatched.
How long have you been doing business?
We are the new kid on the block and have just celebrated our first birthday in Mackay.
How many people work for the business?
10 of us in total. We all know how to do everything in the business so if we need to all jump in to get a big delivery out we can. One of our core values is ‘Win Together’ and we live by this. There are no egos, no hierarchy and we all share the same KPIs. Our focus is on making sure our customers’ needs are met, they are at the heart of all our decision making.
Describe a typical day at ‘The office’.
There are no typical days, every day is different which we all love. Our business priority is servicing our customers which means our day can change rapidly if there is a critical project or shutdown that requires our focus.
What’s the best thing about the business?
Seeing the difference we make for our customers is really rewarding. It can be risky for customers to move their supply to a new player like Hillcock, particularly if they have been purchasing from an existing supplier who has been in business for a long time. Most new customers start small and test how we go. Quite quickly they are surprised that we deliver on what we say and go above and beyond to make their lives easier.
What are the biggest challenges facing your business?
We are brand new, so our biggest challenge is getting our name out there and creating awareness of what we do. This is one of the reasons we partnered with @ The Coalface. Rose and the team have been fantastic in helping us leverage the reach of this publication with our target market. We have found it to be a great way to tell people that we are here.
What is the biggest opportunity for your business right now?
We have worked hard on the foundations of our business over the past 12 months. Whether it be the breadth of our product range, our best-in-class technology, our approach to pricing, our large footprint facility in John Vella drive, or our experienced team, we have built a sustainable business that is ready for scale. Our biggest opportunity over the next 12 months is to continue to build our customer base and continue to deliver an unmatched level of service.
What is the business most proud of?
We are most proud of the relationships we have built with our supply partners. We set ourselves an ambitious timeline to onboard a lot of brand partners and over 150,000 products for launch. This meant having to gain support from a lot of suppliers and we have built some incredible relationships and been humbled by how supportive people have been. Our major supply partners understand what we are trying to do differently in the industry and have really got behind us.
Community or other causes close to its heart and values?
Supporting the community we live in is important to us. We joined the Chamber of Commerce as soon as we started the planning phase for Hillcock and have found this to be a great way to get to know different organisations. BMA CQ Rescue is one such organisation we have chosen to partner with. Teagan and the team at CQ Rescue do incredible work for the community and we are passionate about supporting them.
Any employees that deserve a shout out?
Our office mascot Louie the French bulldog deserves a shout out! Anyone who comes to visit us receives much love from Louie!
