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Why local curtains & blinds manufacturing was a great idea – even before the COVID crisis
Published 23/01/2021

Why local curtains & blinds manufacturing was a great idea – even before the COVID crisis

As South Australia gets used to living with the threat of the COVID-19 virus, our state is slowly coming around to the importance of choosing local suppliers for everything from groceries to holidays. Incentives are being handed out, aimed at encouraging South Australian families to spend their money right here, appreciate their home state and help out the businesses that have been weathering the COVID storm throughout the past year.

The recent sharpening of the local focus is all about maintaining a healthy local economy and Country Blinds Director Jake Payne is enthusiastic about the idea – but maintains that there were compelling reasons to go local long before COVID became part of the vernacular. “Supporting South Australian businesses is always the right thing to do but I think that sometimes shoppers forget that the support runs both ways”, said Mr Payne. “For instance, when you buy from a local South Australian manufacturer, you’d expect to make that purchasing decision in the knowledge that after sales service should be more direct and more prompt as well. Dealing with local makers should be a bit more streamlined than working with interstate suppliers and of course much quicker than dealing with offshore manufacturers. So buying local has clear benefits for the customer, especially when the local business has a hands-on management mentality.”

Local Made Products

So what does ‘locally made’ really mean in a time when our expectations are increasingly that most items are made overseas? “At Country Blinds we manufacture 95 percent of what we sell at our factory in Mount Barker”, says Mr Payne. “That’s curtains, blinds and other products made from scratch, rather than simply assembled, which means our products are constantly evolving and improving. What’s more, myself and my two brothers who own and run Country Blinds are all on hand at our showrooms or factory virtually every day. So it’s quite realistic to expect that if you make a call, you’ll be able to speak with one of us – and we’re just a few steps away from where our products are manufactured. You can’t beat that kind of direct connection when you have an enquiry and need answers from people who are genuinely familiar with their products.”

 

Local Mt Barker Team Outside Factory COVID Safe

 

Mr Payne is enthusiastic about the sustainability of the Country Blinds business model that focuses on local manufacturing and family business values. “This business was founded by my parents and we’re still family owned and run, to the point where the 70 or so locals who make up the Country Blinds team are very much like an extended family. It simply works best for quality, productivity and communications, too. In a world that increasingly relies on outsourcing and offshore production it’s very satisfying to be able to deliver premium quality curtains, blinds and awnings at a competitive price working locally like we do. And it’s also helped us to remain productive during all the phases of the COVID pandemic so far.”

Country Blinds currently maintains a fleet of around a dozen display vehicles which are on the road daily to assist homeowners in the selection process as well as carrying out measuring and quoting. The fleet is active far and wide throughout South Australia, covering the city, suburbs and regions as well. To learn more about Country Blinds local manufacturing or to request an in-home measure and quote, simply CONTACT US today.