Concept

CLARK RUBBER – AN AUSTRALIAN RETAIL ICON

The Clark Rubber story began in 1946 when two men, Charlesworth and Clark formed a partnership

to establish Clark Matting and Rubber. The business grew quickly, and in 1951 was listed on the

Australian Stock Exchange. In 1961, the name was changed to Clark Rubber Stores.

In 1982, Clark Rubber was bought by the Adsteam Group, which continued to operate the business

until 1994. At this point, the Clark Rubber name and logo were sold to Vita Pacific, a wholly-owned

subsidiary of Pacific Dunlop, and the network of stores was closed down.

It was at this time that Chris Malcolm, a veteran of Australian retailing, stepped in. After lengthy

negotiations, Chris licensed the Clark Rubber brand from Vita Pacific. Deciding that the franchise

model was the best way to grow an already-strong brand, the first Clark Rubber store re-opened in

Nunawading, Victoria in 1995.

By 1998, the 50th store had opened and Clark Rubber was once again one of the best recognised

brands in Australian retail. In 2000, Chris Malcolm bought the Clark Rubber brand from Pacific

Dunlop.

The store network continued to grow, and in 2003 Clark Rubber was recognised as the Franchise

Council of Australia’s Franchisor of the Year in the ‘Entry Capital Over $200,000’ category. In the

same year, Chris Malcolm was inducted into the Franchise Council of Australia’s ‘Hall of Fame. Three

years later, Clark Rubber was awarded the Franchise Council of Australia’s highest honour,

Franchisor of the Year.

The experts in pools, foam and rubber.

The Clark Rubber brand is well known, its stores are bright and vibrant, and its customer base is

broad. Combined with a unique mix of products across the key categories of pools, foam and rubber

this means that Clark Rubber stands alone in the Australian retail market.

Clark Rubber customers can choose from a range of different shaped and sized pools plus pumps,

filters, chemicals and pool accessories. Pool water testing is also offered, and Clark Rubber

franchisees operate a pool van from their stores, providing their customers with an onsite pool care

service.

Clark Rubber is the largest retail suppliers of cut foam in Australia, and offers an in-store foam

cutting service. Rubber is also a huge part of the business and Clark Rubber carries one of Australia’s

largest retail selections of rubber products.

Great service is another key differentiator, and is at the core of the Clark Rubber customer

experience. Franchisees and their teams are dedicated to helping their customers find the products

that they need and the solutions to their problems.

Great Products, Strong Marketing.

Clark Rubber franchisees enjoy the combined stock buying power that only comes from being part of

a large national network of stores. A dedicated merchandise team works closely with suppliers to

build product ranges across the key categories of pools, foam and rubber that best meet the needs

of customers. In addition, the merchandise team sources products, develops promotional offers and

negotiates trading terms and pricing.

Marketing and advertising are key to the ongoing success of any retail business. Clark Rubber invests

millions of dollars each year into customer research, brand development and national retail

advertising campaigns across multiple channels to drive customer traffic into its franchisees’ stores.

The national marketing team also works closely with all Clark Rubber franchisees to develop and

execute effective local area marketing activities that support national campaigns at local store level.

An Ongoing Commitment.

Clark Rubber Franchisees benefit from a proven, best practice retail system. It not only provides

franchisees with the knowledge and skills they need, but ensures they have tangible business tools

to help them run a successful business.

Franchisees are supported every step of the way, whether they are taking over an existing store or

starting up in a new location. The Clark Rubber support team can provide assistance in the areas of

site selection, lease negotiation, store development in-store merchandising.

While new Clark Rubber franchisees benefit from a comprehensive initial training program, ongoing

training and development for both franchisees and their teams is also a core focus. Covering

product, customer service, selling skills and compliance topics, training is delivered through a

combination of individual, group and online programs.

Clark Rubber also provides franchisees with the IT infrastructure required to manage every aspect of

their business including, stock control, rostering, point-of-sale and financial reporting. There’s also a

help desk to help out with any IT and system related issues.

National Strength, Local Support.

In addition to the extensive national support team, all Clark Rubber franchisees benefit from the

ongoing relationship with a dedicated Regional Sales Manager. The Regional Sales Managers spend

the majority of their time in stores, working with franchisees to implement Clark Rubber standards

and provide regular feedback on all aspects of store performance. Their primary focus is to identify

opportunities for franchisees to grow sales and improve profitability. Franchisees also have access to

a team of qualified retail accountants, who work to ensure that stores’ administration, stock control

systems and back office procedures are operating effectively and efficiently.

Join the team.

The Clark Rubber store network is growing, and opportunities are now available right around

Australia for new franchisees to join the team. Whether you’re looking for a new challenge or you’re

an experienced business owner, Clark Rubber offers everything you need to build your own

business.

Clark Rubber are an accredited Franchise system with Westpac bank who provides finance to approved franchisees.

If you’re friendly, customer service-orientated and business-minded you should enquire now.