HS Composites - Papakura

Background to HS COMPOSITES Ltd.

In March 2020 two established New Zealand owned companies were merged to form HS Composites. The "H" stands for Hobbs and The "S'" for Synthepol, the resins brand of Chemical Specialties Ltd.

P.J.Hobbs Industries was established in 1976 as a contract packing company, supplying the grocery and hardware trade. The company specialised mainly in solvents; but also manufactured ranges for the personal care market. 1982 saw P.J. Hobbs adding the manufacturing of aerosols into its product range, specialising particularly in aerosol marker paints for the construction; agriculture; forestry; and logistics markets. In 1989 P.J. Hobbs made a strategic decision to enter the composites market; and over time through divestment exited the contract packing, and aerosol markets.

P.J.Hobbs Industries developed into one of New Zealand’s leading suppliers of composites raw materials. The company specialises in premium, technology driven products sourced from reputable international manufacturers. It offers the market a full range of composites raw materials including gelcoats; resins; catalysts; chemicals; stitched and knitted cloths; engineered fabrics including carbons; core materials; tissues; and fibre glassing utensils.

Key events in  the history of Chemical Specialties Ltd.:

It began in 1983 when  Stuart Jordan opened Chemical Specialties Ltd and incorporated it as a new start-up factory in Onehunga. He first produced a range of car body fillers, developed under brand name TURBO. 1984 saw the popular industrial TURBO hand cleaner developed.  Soon after TURBO BUILDER'S BOG® timber repairer was developed.

The next phase saw in 1985 a range of gelcoats and flowcoats developed by  company owner Stuart for the fibreglass industry.  This range was  distributed by ESSAR NZ Ltd.  In 1987 ESSAR was bought by A C Hatrick Ltd. and incorporated into FGI Industries Ltd.   During 1988 A. C. Hatrick began to get  more and more formulation and blending work carried out by Chemspecs, using Reichold formulas under a confidentiality agreement.

In 1992  ChemSpecs set up Australian Division with an office in Melbourne,  and distributors for TURBO BUILDERS BOG® were set up in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. A year later in 1993, ignited by Stuart’s passion for vintage cars, Stuart’s next logical investment was the automotive product range when Stuart acquired the company AUTOCHEM  Ltd and later NEWTECH.

1999 saw major changes when A C Hatrick was sold. The Synthepol brand, to be managed by Wes Liddy, ex of A C Hatrick, was  created to replace AC Hatrick business and  agreements  for resins supply from Singapore High Polymer (SHCP) and Valspar Australia were arranged. This went well until Valspar closed their composites division in 2012. At the same time Wes Liddy, known to all in the Composites Industry, suddenly passed away.  Valspar  resins  were quickly replaced by Scott Bader, one of the oldest polyester resin manufacturers in the world, based in England.  Scott Bader had a modern new production unit in Dubai, Middle East.  A quick visit by Stuart to Scott Bader's factory in  Wollaston UK and inspection of the factory in Dubai led to an exclusive licensing arrangement being signed and Synthepol was back at full-speed again,  now managed by Phil Breytenbach who replaced Wes Liddy.

In order to find a larger dangerous goods certified site, in 2019 Stuart decided to make an offer to buy out PJ HOBBS and shift the Synthepol business to their factory in Hunua, Auckland. Stuart's team completed this early in 2020. By doing so, the SYNTHEPOL  range  of resins, gelcoats, flowcoats and  specialised spayable putties was  expanded  by the comprehensive PJ HOBBS range which included glass, fabric, rollers, release agents, infusion aids and  every  other accessory imaginable.

HS COMPOSITES Ltd. operates from a purpose-built dangerous goods facility in Papakura, 35 minutes south of Auckland City and easily accessible from the S1 South Motorway. It  also has an office, trade outlet shop, and distribution capability in Christchurch  - servicing the South Island and run by Greg  and Sarah Simonds, previously of Reflex boats.

Richard Kestle was recruited from the Engineering field in 2020 to head up operations at Hunua, and he has now taken over General Management to enable Phil Breytenbach to concentrate on Sales and Marketing, so that more  time can be  spent with customers on-site in their factories,  instead of  being tied down in ours.

Chemical Specialties still operates from our Onehunga site,  now headed by Stuart's son Philip Jordan, providing technical and specialised production back-up for H S Composites.  Stuart works in the background,  providing technical expertise and production and engineering input whenever needed.