Macpac Wilderness Equipment is a brand specialising in outdoor recreational equipment. It is best known for camping and travel equipment including
backpack
A backpack—also called knapsack, schoolbag, rucksack, rucksac, pack, sackpack, booksack, bookbag or backsack—is, in its simplest frameless form, a fabric sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders ...
s,
sleeping bag
A sleeping bag is an insulated covering for a person, essentially a lightweight quilt that can be closed with a zipper or similar means to form a tube, which functions as lightweight, portable bedding in situations where a person is sleeping o ...
s and technical clothing. Macpac was originally a
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
company, but is now owned by the Australian company
Super Retail Group
Super Retail Group Limited is an Australian-based company which owns and operates a portfolio of retail brands across Australia and New Zealand. The brands include automotive retailer Supercheap Auto, outdoor and leisure retailers Macpac and ...
. Macpac was founded by Bruce McIntyre in 1973.
Macpac currently has two e-commerce stores, 27 New Zealand and 17 Australian retail stores. Macpac's international distribution is through third party companies in Europe, United Kingdom, Japan and Chile.
History
Macpac's roots can be traced to New Zealander Bruce McIntyre, who began designing his own outdoor gear after he left university aged 19 in 1973 and started making his first packs in his parent's garage in
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
. In 1975, he was involved with developing gear for a group of young men from the Canterbury Mountaineering Club who were heading to the South American Andes. The result was New Zealand’s first internal frame climbing pack – the Torre Egger.
McIntyre extended the Torre Egger concept to suit trampers and travellers as well. He focused on customer service and product quality. By 1978, sales were growing at 100% a year and Macpac was unable to keep up with demand. Nevertheless, McIntyre headed to Australia to develop the company’s first export market. In 1987, he began exporting to the Netherlands and Switzerland, soon followed by Germany and the UK.
In 2003, Macpac moved the majority of its production to
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, shedding 150 jobs in
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
. McIntyre, the managing director at this time, blamed a 40% rise in the
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar ( mi, tāra o Aotearoa; sign: $, NZ$; code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New ...
and a slow-down in international travel.
In 2007, Macpac under the Mouton Noir parent company assimilated the down apparel and equipment retailer Fairydown.
In January 2016, 90% of the company was bought by an Australian company
Champ Ventures
Castle Harlan is a private equity firm based in New York City. The company focuses on buyouts and growth capital investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries. Founded in 1987, Castle Harlan invests in controlling interests ...
for about A$70m (NZ$74m) from Mouton Noir, owner of Fairydown outdoor equipment and clothing brand, and
Kathmandu
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founder
Jan Cameron
Jan Cameron is a New Zealand-Australian businesswoman and formerly Australia's fourth-richest woman. She made her fortune as the founder of the Kathmandu clothing and outdoor equipment company. She currently lives in Bicheno, Tasmania. She ru ...
. Macpac products are no longer available through third party retailers in New Zealand and Australia, and instead are now sold directly in Macpac branded stores, however the brand is sold overseas in third party stores.
In September 2016, Macpac signed a deal with
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
to enter the United States market.
In February 2018, it was announced that the Australian
Super Retail Group
Super Retail Group Limited is an Australian-based company which owns and operates a portfolio of retail brands across Australia and New Zealand. The brands include automotive retailer Supercheap Auto, outdoor and leisure retailers Macpac and ...
purchased Macpac for $135m AUD. They announced that they would rebrand their
Ray's Outdoors
Rays, originally called Ray's Tent City and then, Ray's Outdoors, was an Australian chain of retail stores in 40 locations across Australia, selling camping, hiking and kayaking equipment, as well as outdoor clothing and footwear.
It was founde ...
stores in Australia to Macpac.
Equipment
Macpac designs and manufactures a range of outdoor equipment, ranging from technical garments, backpacks, sleeping bags and multiple tents designed to serve in different environments.
Macpac has been a major sponsor of the New Zealand Alpine Team since 2013, and has a range of alpine-specific clothing and packs
See also
*
List of mountaineering equipment brands
The following is a list of brands of mountaineering equipment, sorted by continent and country.
Europe
Denmark
*ECCO
* Hummel
Finland
* Karhu
* Nokian Footwear
*Polar
*Suunto (Ultimately owned by ANTA Sports, China) (Finland-based, Chinese-own ...
*
List of outdoor industry parent companies
The following list is of outdoor brands that are owned by another entity. The brands listed are those specific to the outdoor sporting goods industry. Parent companies may own other brands that are not listed because those other brands are not m ...
References
External links
www.macpac.co.nz - New Zealand websitewww.macpac.com.au - Australian website
{{Retailers in New Zealand
Companies based in Christchurch
Camping equipment manufacturers
Retail companies of New Zealand
Retail companies of Australia
Manufacturing companies of New Zealand
Outdoor clothing brands
Super Retail Group
Retail companies established in 1973
New Zealand brands
New Zealand companies established in 1973
Sporting goods retailers of Australia