Fullscreen HTML5Med Res (??MB)HTML4

Happy 40th Birthday, It may come as a surprise to many readers that Altronics will celebrate 40 years in business in December, this month! From a small start they have steadily grown and now have six stores and over 60 resellers spread throughout Australia and New Zealand. J ack O’Donnell, the owner and founder of Altronics, has actually been in business since January 1974 when he started what is now Ampac Technologies Pty Ltd, which still operates today, in Balcatta in Perth. Ampac is the largest independent and privately owned supplier of fire detection and alarm systems in Australia. But back in 1976 Jack O’Donnell saw a great opportunity to become a reseller for Dick Smith Electronics in Perth. So he started Altronics in December 1976 as a Dick Smith Electronics reseller and since there was no other similar business selling DSE parts in Perth, the venture went well. Dick Smith Electronics soon recognised Jack’s success, as he was going “gang-busters” (in fact, Altronics was far and away Dick Smith Electronics largest reseller at the time). So much so that Ike Bain, the General Manager and the person responsible for opening new DSE stores, decided to open up a Perth store in 1979, competing directly against Jack. Jack was appalled! But he did not take it lying down. Accordingly, he ceased operating as a DSE dealer in April 1979 and he decided to open up a new business, carrying its own range of electronic parts. As part of that process, he sold Ampac in 1979 and started Altronics Distributors in January 1980. His first store was a tiny operation in 151 York Street, Subiaco, Perth. 40  Silicon Chip This was a very courageous move on Jack’s part because Dick Smith Electronics was booming at the time and as evidence of that, during 1979 they had lots of advertising in Electronics Australia magazine. For example, in the August 1979 issue, DSE had no less than eight pages of advertising. Also not to be forgotten was that By Leo Simpson Tandy Electronics was rampant at the time – they had a 144-page catalog in the October 1979 issue of EA. So Jack O’Donnell could expect some pretty heavy competition as he started out. But Jack’s deliberate strategy was to import and distribute products which he had previously bought from DSE as a reseller. To top it off, he decided to also do kits for projects published in This wasn’t even Altronics’ first “warehouse” – it’s the original Ampac Technologies “headquarters” in Murchison St. Ampac is still in business today but is now swamped by the success of Altronics. siliconchip.com.au Altronics first 32-page catalog, from 1980 and their latest 388-page monster included free with SILICON CHIP in March this year. the two magazines at the time, Electronics Australia and Electronics Today International. Just incidentally, Ike Bain proclaimed on the opening of the Perth store that Altronics would be gone within 12 months. Well, Jack likes to state that Altronics is still going strong... In fact, they’ve recently moved their Cannington store into much larger premises next door – which used to house Dick Smith Electronics! One year after starting Altronics Distributors as a new business, Jack’s first full page advert appeared in the January 1981 issue of EA and was billed as a “sensible alternative to Tandy and Dick Smith”. Not only that, by that time Altronics was supplying other parts retailers like Radio Despatch Service in Sydney and Ellistronics, in Melbourne. Altronics had an even bigger splash in the March 1981 issue of EA, with a 2-page spread and they featured in EA from that point on. Then in March 1982 the first edition of the Altronics catalog, with 32 pages, appeared in Electronics Australia. By that time Altronics had a store in Stirling Street, Perth and a warehouse in Subiaco. Most recently, the 28th edition of the catalog was a thumping 384 pages and was bundled with the March 2016 issue of SILICON CHIP. Altronics now have six stores and over 60 resellers throughout Australia and New Zealand (many of whom . . . to the current warehouse and distribution centre in Ledgar Rd, Balcatta. But even this is bursting at the seams – Altronics are currently drawing up plans for a HUGE new warehouse/distribution centre in Balcatta, siliconchip.com.au December 2016  41 Altronics’ own “Redback” range of professional PA Equipment has earned a huge following amongsts pro audio installers and users. This Matrix Mixer (Cat A4480A) is typical of the very high quality equipment made here in Australia by Altronics. used to be Dick Smith Electronics resellers!). But Altronics have not been content to just market an ever-increasing range of electronics parts and kits. As well, they have developed a strong manufacturing arm, producing a wide range of public address equipment under the Redback brand. In fact, Jack and later Altronics, have been manufacturing PA equipment under the Redback brand since 1974 and this was built on Jack O’Donnell’s wide experience in the industry. Altronics now have a very wide customer base and they are a major suppler to Ampac Technologies (funny, that). Furthermore, all of the Redback products are designed in the Altronics headquarters in Perth and virtually all of the electronic equipment is manufactured there as well. So what’s next? Jack and his management team are planning for a very strong future and as evidence of that, they have plans for a very large warehouse and headquarters building on a new site in Balcatta. We wish them well. SC As well as their main distribution centre in Perth, Altronics maintain warehouses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to service the east coast, ensuring volume customers never have to wait for their orders. And here’s the future: an architect’s rendering of the first two stages of Altronics proposed new headquarters, warehouse and distribution centre at Balcatta, not too far from their existing warehouse but many times the size! 42  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au