Let's Talk Seven and a half years into their expansion of Archerfield, we asked Taipan Managing Director, Allan Sandilands, how it all began.
To be honest, Archerfield was originally opened on a hope we’d impress a couple of big businesses.
We needed a high-profile building with all the trimmings of a large operation. Things like easy access and ample parking and all the while keeping within a minuscule budget.
What we got was a tin shed inside the Archerfield Airfield grounds. The location itself was good, central to business and handy for supplying to breakdowns. To be fair to us, we did last three years in that tiny and extremely hot building.
Hahaha, we never did end up winning either customers’ business. What we did do was discover the local hose emergency breakdown community desperately needed a regular supply, accompanied by solid service standards.
It soon became apparent there was a box desperately lacking. Taipan’s first Archerfield warehouse was just 300 meters in size and as our new customers made perfectly clear, we were way under stocked. Sure, we had Hydraulic hose, sure, we had hose tails and sure, we had hydraulic adaptors but in such small quantities, and the gaps in the range were embarrassing.
Determined to improve on our promise of a customer base of raving fans, and after a fair amount of digging we found what was to be our forever home. A whopping 550 square meters of warehouse 
space only 1.6 km further along Beatty Road. It was a dream come true and we signed the lease the very same day. Little did we know four years later, our now bustling community of customers would still have the same ole issue. Not enough stock. Trouble was, 550 meters could only hold so much before it became uncomfortable.
We thought we could stick it out till the end of our five-year term but after only three years, it became apparent the honeymoon was over and the search was on again. This time it had to be the right move and to the right size.
Enter 41 Shettleston Street Rocklea, still on the same side of the highway as the current warehouse and only a couple of minutes drive.
The new location boasts 1,400 meters of warehouse, 16 car park spaces, large entry and separate inward and outward doors.
The new warehouse marks another first for Taipan as a company owned premise which adds stability to our offering.
The stock holding will increase to almost double the current holding of hose, hose tails, adaptors and accessories.
All of the Taipan team are extremely proud and can’t wait to show it off when you have the opportunity to visit.
I guess as we transition into the next chapter away from Archerfield and into Rocklea, the best way to sum up is; Archerfield has gone from the little ugly duckling of our group, the branch we always asked the question, “do we have to include a picture of Archerfield?”, to what is now a beautiful swan that holds its head high and stands proud and equal with the rest of the Taipan team of warehouses.
