Mitre 10

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title: "Mitre 10" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["building-materials-companies-of-australia", "home-improvement-companies-of-australia", "australian-companies-established-in-1959", "retail-companies-established-in-1959", "retailers'-cooperatives", "1959-establishments-in-australia"] description: "Australian hardware store chain operating as a retailers cooperative, owned by Metcash" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitre_10" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Australian hardware store chain operating as a retailers cooperative, owned by Metcash ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

Field	Value
name	Mitre 10 Australia Pty Ltd
logo	Mighty Helpful, Mitre 10.jpg
logo_size	186px
type	Subsidiary
genre	Hardware
foundation
founder	Tom Molomby
Tom Danaher
Reg Buchanan
Jack Womersley
Ian Nisbet
Bill Davey
Bill Wilson
location	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
locations	Over 400 (2025)
key_people	Scott Marshall, CEO
area_served	Australia
industry	Retail/Trade Building supplies
products	Timber
Hardware
Housewares
Retail/Trade Plumbing
Farm fencing products
Trade Electrical supplies
Hand and Power Tools
Kitchen and Bathroom
Paint
Garden and Outdoor products
services	Painting, Tool Sharpening, Pool Water Testing, DIY Workshops
revenue	A$1.06 billion (2009)
operating_income	A$371.6 million (2009)[2]
num_employees	16,500
parent	Metcash
subsid	Design 10
Home Hardware (Australia)
Plants Plus
Thrifty-Link Hardware
homepage	www.mitre10.com.au
::

| name = Mitre 10 Australia Pty Ltd | logo = Mighty Helpful, Mitre 10.jpg | logo_size = 186px | type = Subsidiary | genre = Hardware | foundation = | founder = Tom Molomby Tom Danaher Reg Buchanan Jack Womersley Ian Nisbet Bill Davey Bill Wilson | dissolved = | location = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | locations = Over 400 (2025) | key_people = Scott Marshall, CEO | area_served = Australia | industry = Retail/Trade Building supplies | products = Timber Hardware Housewares Retail/Trade Plumbing Farm fencing products Trade Electrical supplies Hand and Power Tools Kitchen and Bathroom Paint Garden and Outdoor products | services = Painting, Tool Sharpening, Pool Water Testing, DIY Workshops | revenue = A$1.06 billion (2009) | operating_income = A$371.6 million (2009)[2] | net_income = | num_employees = 16,500 | parent = Metcash | divisions = | subsid = Design 10 Home Hardware (Australia) Plants Plus Thrifty-Link Hardware | homepage = www.mitre10.com.au

Mitre 10 is an Australian retail and trade hardware store chain. Operations are based on a cooperative system, where the store owners are members of the National group. The chain name references the mitre joint. There are over 400 "Mitre 10" locations throughout Australia.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Crazy_Jim's_Mitre_10.jpg" caption="Mitre 10 Solutions store with the older Mitre 10 logo in [[Wagga Wagga"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Dubbo-Brennansv2-6250.jpg" caption="Mitre 10 store with the current Mitre 10 branding in [[Dubbo"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/PknMitre10MEGAstorefront1.JPG" caption="Pakenham"] ::

The move to set up a co-operative group of hardware stores originated from a meeting of seven men who would become Mitre 10's founders – Tom Molomby, Tom Danaher, Reg Buchanan, Jack Womersley, Ian Nisbet, Bill Davey and Bill Wilson – held at Buchanan's home in Balwyn, Victoria, on 29 June 1959. This move occurred specifically to maximise funds and energy with regards to advertising and promotions and to demonstrate that independent operators offered service, advice and competitive prices.

The new company soon expanded operations, with fifteen New South Wales members joining the group by February 1961. Queensland soon followed with seven retailers, under the chairmanship of Arthur Scurr, joining the cooperative in January 1962, followed by a further 16 members from Newcastle in October the same year. With the company successfully operational in the three Eastern states of Australia by the end of 1962, South Australia and Western Australia soon started running their own state-based co-operatives, and attention turned to Tasmania.

In June 2004 Mitre 10 Australia opened its first "destination hardware" or "big-box" chain at Beenleigh, Queensland.

In late 2008 Woolworths and Mitre 10 Australia held talks on the potential acquisition of the company. The Australian Financial Review reported that Mitre 10 Australia had held talks with other companies since beginning to find a major buyer or investor, although in early 2009 Woolworths decided the company structure was too complex for a takeover. Mitre 10 Australia was believed to be in talks with Metcash. UBS analysts said Metcash had been on lookout for a "fourth pillar" for some time to add to its operations, and that Mitre 10 might be perfect.

In late 2009 Mitre 10 Australia announced that they were searching for a major investment or buyer. In November 2009, Metcash released a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange with a proposal for Metcash to take 50.1% in the Mitre 10 Hardware Group for A$55 million cash injection. The deal proposed giving Metcash the right to buy the remaining 49.9% in the company at the end of 2012 or 2013. In March 2010 98% of Mitre 10 Australia shareholders voted in favour of the Metcash bid. Metcash acquired the rest of Mitre 10 in 2012.

Store types

Mitre 10 is a "destination hardware," or "big-box," chain; designed as a one stop shop for big projects. The main focus is customer service and stores have customer service attendants stationed in different departments of the store i.e., plumbing, electrical, trade building supplies (including timber), paint, the majority of these have a trade qualification. Mitre 10 Australia opened its first Mega in June 2004 at Beenleigh, Queensland.

Mitre 10 stores are painted in the traditional blue and white livery. As Mitre 10 stores are all privately owned, operators have the option of adding concepts to their store, such as a dedicated "GardenCentre" or "TradeCentre".

Sponsorships

From 1995 until 2000, Mitre 10 was naming rights sponsor of Larkham Motorsport.

References

References

1. [http://www.careerone.com.au/research-companies/mitre-10-australia Mitre 10 Australia's revenue increased] {{webarchive. link. (12 October 2009)
2. "Mitre 10 Australia Ltd - Profile Report 09/10". Ibisworld.com.au.
3. (20 June 1974). "Mitre 10 History - Superbrands Australia". Superbrands-brands.com.
4. "Mitre 10 Australia opens Chelsea Heights MEGA". Hardwarejournal.com.au.
5. Speedy, Blair. "Mitre 10 nails down its mega battle with Bunnings ", ''[[The Australian]]'', 17 SEP 2004. Retrieved on 28 August 2009.
6. (19 September 2008). "Metcash a potential suitor for Mitre 10?". Insideretailing.com.au.
7. [https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20091127/pdf/31mcp1vyt5csvp.pdf Metcash proposes to become champion of the independent hardware retailer] [[Metcash]] 27 November 2009
8. [https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20100312/pdf/31p76hl76lmc3s.pdf Mitre 10 shareholders vote in favour of acquisition of 50.1% by Metcash] Metcash 13 March 2010
9. [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-31/metcash-buys-out-mitre-10-hardware/4166122 Metcash completes Mitre 10 takeover] ''[[ABC News (Australia). ABC News]]'' 31 July 2012
10. "15% Mitre 10 staff are tradies". Hardwarejournal.com.au.
11. [https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/06/21/larkham-explains-how-close-he-came-to-signing-ambrose/ Larkham explains how close he came to signing Ambrose] [[Speedcafe]] 21 June 2019

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::