A new flagship NZ Safety Blackwoods store has opened in Auckland set to cater to a growing trend in fashionable workwear in the trade industries including transport.
The 1000 square metre Penrose site is twice as large as the chain’s next largest store and will be the company’s 30th store in New Zealand.
NZ Safety Blackwoods, part of the Wesfarmers Group, is at the start of a retail expansion plan for the New Zealand market over the coming year.
It marks the first of two new stores to open in the Auckland region, along with the recent relocation of the Frankton store in Hamilton.
The durable workwear labels designed for the fashion conscious tradie are now sold alongside tools, engineering supplies, safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) in a retail environment which for the first time has mirrors and changing rooms.
NZ Safety Blackwoods national manager Chris Mason says the trade industries are now becoming more image-conscious which might have something to do with an increasing number of women entering trade industries.
NZ Statistics shows the number women in trades is up 39% from a decade ago and the new retail shop has evolved to meet this changing demand.
“The old school self-image of the typical New Zealand tradie has changed over recent years and this has manifested in a growing design trend for more stylish workwear which was traditionally seen as purely functional.
“More commonly now, they are looking for workwear that they can come off the site, take off their work boots and head down to the pub.
“The designer label on their work clothing is just as important to them as their casual clothes are and a range of recognisable fashion brands like KingGee, Levis and FXD have developed an offering to meet this need. At the same time, we are also seeing nationwide advertising campaigns which feature high profile sporting stars as they move to target a mainstream audience
“As a retailer, our offering has evolved to provide the service levels to match the positioning of this style of attire which now includes a more customised fitting service,” he says.
Mason says the New Zealand market is also changing in line with international trends to provide safer working environments for tradespeople.
“There is plenty of activity in the construction and other trade industries as well as a buoyant residential DIY market which is driving growth at a retail level.
“Another technology trend is driven from the recognition that situational awareness is a causal factor in a significant number of workplace accidents and so the use of bluetooth enabled communication devices on the worksite is becoming more prevalent as a way to alert workers to hazards,” he says.
Mason says their investment in a local omnichannel expansion programme will cover bricks and mortar stores as well as their e-commerce platforms.
“We are seeing more tradespeople working in smaller teams now and there is a move towards a centralised purchasing model where being able to get everything they need to get the job done in one place means greater efficiency and less time away from the site. 
“Offering an integrated retail solution provides access to a wider range of products with the minimum time needed to make the purchase,” he says.
Mason says the number of customers using click and collect has doubled in recent months and the new store will include a touch screen terminal that allows customers to order from more than 100,000 products – with the option of delivery to their worksite or collection from one of their 30 trade centres nationwide.
