Business is about relationships and finding synergies. For the Gibbon Group, the relationship they forged with the Irish principals of Tretford Cord Carpet in 1996 provided a springboard to a new era of business dealings.

What Ainsley Gibbon, Managing Director, found when launching Tretford into the Australian market was that it didn’t sync with their existing channels of distribution. “The carpet retailers that we dealt with didn’t see a market for Tretford,” she says. “But I was convinced that its unique look and amazing colour palette was right for this market.” It was these very qualities that appealed to architects and led to a refocus of Gibbon Group’s resources.

A new era for the company was born. After a history of wholesale distribution since 1920, Gibbon Group expanded from floorcovering in Queensland to a national presence. The key to this was securing the rights for Tretford and subsequently moving beyond flooring to a range of high quality interiors finishes.

Hugh Kelly of Tretford in Ireland speaks warmly of the Gibbon Group and Ainsley Gibbon. “When we approached the Gibbon Group, we were looking for national distribution,” Kelly says. “Ainsley convinced me that she was right for us. Ainsley is a natural leader and has an astute business mind which she combines with an incredible passion for design.”

With the establishment of Tretford’s position in the Australian market, Gibbon Group then acquired national representation for Ambro ‘Luminate’ doors and panelling and Metropol Carpet Collection.

The range of unique products sold by the Gibbon Group has been a hit with architects and designers – and with their suppliers. “We are attractive to those manufacturers whose products do not fit into mainstream distribution channels,” says Ainsley Gibbon. “Our products are often at the made-to-order end of the spectrum – with all products demonstrating a unique quality.”

Tretford

Tretford’s unique structural integrity is due to its goat hair fibre which sets it apart from all other carpets. Its distinctive hard-edged look and fabulous colour palette has been the reason for its success around the world over the last 40+ years. It has a strong environmentally-sustainable position and is consistently being considered for Green Star projects.

Ambro

Ambro’s ‘Luminate’ doors and panels are available in timber or coloured finishes with translucent resin strips. Made to order in South Australia, Ambro’s unique technology creates a fusion of light and timber with a beautiful seamless transition between solid and opaque components. It is a stunning finish which gives the designers the fl exibility to control the intensity of diffused light through the integrated product.