“We can all look back and be proud of what R&J Batteries has achieved in the past 25 years. Equally we look forward to the next 25 years with great anticipation as we continue to grow and prosper,” adds Hamilton.
R&J Batteries News
Celebrating 25 Years of Success
Journey to Becoming Australia’s Fastest Growing Battery Company
Australia’s fastest growing battery company, R&J Batteries, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The battery distributor which has 24 company-owned branches and a footprint of more than 8,000 stockists and distributors throughout Australia and New Zealand supplies batteries for all applications including automotive, commercial, motorcycle, marine, deep cycle, solar and industrial.
Established in December 1995 by Ray Robson and John Webb, R&J Batteries’ journey to becoming the renowned battery specialists they are today started from humble beginnings. As young adults, Ray and John moved from Avoca, Victoria to Ballarat in search of work opportunities.
After finding work at a local battery company, they gained various skills including hand building batteries. When the time was right to venture on their own, they invested every cent they had in a run down shed in La Trobe Street, Ballarat. This was the beginning of R&J Batteries. While John eventually left the business in 2011 to pursue other interests, Ray remains a hands-on Managing Director, actively involved in all aspects of the business.
R&J Batteries’ rapid growth since the opening of its second branch in Bendigo in 2001 saw subsequent branches open in Tullamarine, Doveton, Stapylton, Hervey Bay, Fyshwick & Wetherill Park followed by Dubbo, Bayswater, Beresfield, Adelaide, Geelong, Townsville, Brendale, Cairns, Truganina and more recently Darwin, Bairnsdale & Tablelands. Along with merging with Island Batteries Hobart & Launceston this expansion has earned R&J Batteries the reputation of being the ‘fastest growing battery company in Australia.’
Its success in Australia paved the way for international expansion in 2017 when R&J Batteries opened its first branch in Auckland, New Zealand followed by a second branch in Christchurch in 2019 to keep up with the demand for quality batteries in the highly competitive New Zealand market. 2019 also saw R&J batteries enter into a purchase agreement to acquire New Zealand based battery importer and distributor, ACME Batteries. Today, R&J Batteries services all of Australia and New Zealand with its 24 company-owned branches and 8,000 distributors.
R&J Batteries’ formula for success is a simple but strict adherence to its founding principles: Our People, Our Products and Our Service. Over the years, R&J Batteries’ commitment to providing the best in battery technology for its customers has led to the inclusion of world-class brands such as Delkor, ACDelco, Fullriver, U.S Battery, BAE, Deka, RELiON, Hardcore, Motobatt, Odyssey, Optima, Predator and Fuchs to its extensive brand portfolio.
Furthermore, the company strives to hire, develop and retain the best quality staff as they are a key part of the business’ ongoing success and responsible for delivering the customer service that R&J Batteries is well known for.
“One of the key factors to our continued success is securing distribution rights for the highest quality products available then having the best people on the ground providing a high level of customer service. We have supported brands like Delkor, Fullriver and Fuchs for more than 20 years. This has earnt R&J Batteries respect and above average support from these world class organisations.” – Ray Robson, Managing Director at R&J Batteries.
“I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank our loyal customers for their continued support and our fantastic staff that make this company what it is today,” adds Robson.
Despite the unprecedented circumstances of 2020, R&J Batteries has been busy throughout. It opened its 23rdbranch in Bairnsdale, Victoria in June and is set to open its 24th branch in Tablelands, Queensland in November. The battery distributor has also added three new battery brands, KOBA, ALLiON and Zenaji to its brand portfolio which covers a range of applications. Furthermore, R&J Batteries’ strong interest in motorsports also saw the company sponsoring Nick Percat’s #8 Commodore throughout the 2020 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
“2021 and beyond is going to be very strong for our company. We already have plans in the pipeline for additional company owned branches and distribution points across both Australia and New Zealand. Our R&D team have several new products in the pipeline which will allow us to further expand our product line up. Sourcing the highest quality products possible remains our product focus and these new lines will reflect this commitment.” – Stuart Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer at R&J Batteries.
