Macpac
Encyclopedia
Macpac Wilderness Equipment was a New Zealand
company, and now brand specialising in outdoor adventure equipment. It is best known for backpack
s and sleeping bag
s. On February 1 2008, Macpac was purchased by Mouton Noir Ltd.
In 1973, 19-year-old Bruce McIntyre left university after a year of studying psychology, sociology and political science. His vision: Simply to make backpacks that were better and cheaper than what else was available.“I had no capital of my own, but my parents loaned me $2,000 to buy Charlie McCormick's brand (Macpac) and machinery, and they put up their house as collateral so I could secure a $700 overdraft from the bank.”
Bruce started off with his own designs, and a spirit of collaboration. In 1975 a group of young men from the Canterbury Mountaineering Club (CMC) were heading into the South American Andes on an expedition at the time. According to Bruce, “I said I’d make them all backpacks if they’d work with me on the design.”
The pack that emerged from this development was New Zealand’s first internal frame climbing pack – the Torre Egger. Many of its features have since been copied around the world; at the time they were new and innovative. “We had the first bungy cord attached to the packs because one of the guys had said he wanted to attach his crampons to the outside of the pack.”
Other “firsts” included the fabric (a precursor to the legendary AzTec® blend that Macpac still stands by, 33 years on), extendable pack lids, and the pack’s ability to double as a bivvy bag (with your sleeping bag inside, it doubled as a shelter).
Bruce extended the Torre Egger concept, popular among leading mountaineers, to suit trampers and travellers as well. He also made customer service a priority for the company, as he wanted it to match the quality of the products. By 1978, sales were growing at 100% a year and Macpac couldn’t keep up with demand. Nevertheless, Bruce headed to Australia to set up the company’s first export market. In 1987, export markets in Holland and Switzerland followed. Distribution in Germany and the UK developed soon after.
Macpac’s collaboration between pack designer and experienced mountaineers set an example that Macpac continues to follow today. The comprehensive testing programme leverages the experience of partners in the mountains who Macpac trusts to push its gear to its limits and beyond. The company’s design philosophy also places an extremely high value on feedback, not only from athletes and adventurers, but all Macpac customers around the world.
The benefits in this combination of partnership and innovation are seen in hundreds of letters from loyal customers and coverage from gear testers. Some examples of the praise that has been published around the world in 2007 alone include: “Britain’s Toughest Test,” by UK’s Trail magazine, awarded Macpac’s Vamoose child carrier BEST IN TEST among tough international competition. In the US, the popular Backpacker Gear Guide rated Macpac’s Epic 300SF READER APPROVED “Lightest Three Season” Sleeping Bag. “Australia’s Toughest Test,” published by Outdoor magazine, rated leading brand sleeping bags and gave Macpac’s Latitude 500 first place. The same publication also called Macpac’s new Tuatara 20 “Worker’s Choice” for being an ideally-featured daypack for commuting.
Despite being a business that was not only New Zealand led but New Zealand-made for nearly 30 years, in 2001, McIntyre faced the most difficult of decisions – moving production offshore.
“All of our competitors went to Asian manufacturers a long time before we did – which was fine for them. We really resisted it because we had a very good manufacturing facility here with great people. But then the New Zealand dollar got very strong,” and soon “it was either shift our manufacturing or go out of business.
“Staff knew we had been struggling and were losing money – people weren’t angry, they came up and hugged me and told me how sorry they felt for me. In fact, some of them were grateful we had tried to keep it going for so long.”
Macpac’s focus on “making high quality things that work” remains steadfast – “I never liked things that broke down,” says McIntyre, who still mows his lawns with a hand mower for this reason.
In 2008, Bruce is building a new school in Christchurch, New Zealand, and he has trusted the future of Macpac with new owners Campbell Junor, Pierre van Noorden and Bernie Wicht. These three men share Bruce's commitment to premium quality and design leadership, which have made Macpac a brand deeply trusted around the world by people who are serious about their outdoor experiences.
These values are shared by thousands of Macpac customers, who appreciate that what is best for them - long-lasting gear - is also best for the environment.
For many years, customers have looked for Macpac gear as sold by retailers who stock hundreds of other outdoor brands. In 2008, Macpac, alongside, Fairydown, will be available in their own unique stores across New Zealand and Australia. Giving customers direct access means sharper pricing, as we strongly believe that quality gear should be within the reach of genuine outdoor enthusiasts.
to reduce production costs, with the loss of 150 jobs in Christchurch
. Managing director Bruce McIntyre said that the immediate causes were the 40% rise in the New Zealand dollar
and the slow-down in international travel.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
company, and now brand specialising in outdoor adventure equipment. It is best known for backpack
Backpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
s and sleeping bag
Sleeping bag
A sleeping bag is a protective "bag" for a person to sleep in, essentially a blanket that can be closed with a zipper or similar means, and functions as a bed in situations where a bed is unavailable . Its primary purpose is to provide warmth and thermal insulation...
s. On February 1 2008, Macpac was purchased by Mouton Noir Ltd.
History
From its beginnings in a Christchurch family garage, Macpac has developed into one of the world’s most trusted manufacturers of top quality outdoor equipment and clothing.In 1973, 19-year-old Bruce McIntyre left university after a year of studying psychology, sociology and political science. His vision: Simply to make backpacks that were better and cheaper than what else was available.“I had no capital of my own, but my parents loaned me $2,000 to buy Charlie McCormick's brand (Macpac) and machinery, and they put up their house as collateral so I could secure a $700 overdraft from the bank.”
Bruce started off with his own designs, and a spirit of collaboration. In 1975 a group of young men from the Canterbury Mountaineering Club (CMC) were heading into the South American Andes on an expedition at the time. According to Bruce, “I said I’d make them all backpacks if they’d work with me on the design.”
The pack that emerged from this development was New Zealand’s first internal frame climbing pack – the Torre Egger. Many of its features have since been copied around the world; at the time they were new and innovative. “We had the first bungy cord attached to the packs because one of the guys had said he wanted to attach his crampons to the outside of the pack.”
Other “firsts” included the fabric (a precursor to the legendary AzTec® blend that Macpac still stands by, 33 years on), extendable pack lids, and the pack’s ability to double as a bivvy bag (with your sleeping bag inside, it doubled as a shelter).
Bruce extended the Torre Egger concept, popular among leading mountaineers, to suit trampers and travellers as well. He also made customer service a priority for the company, as he wanted it to match the quality of the products. By 1978, sales were growing at 100% a year and Macpac couldn’t keep up with demand. Nevertheless, Bruce headed to Australia to set up the company’s first export market. In 1987, export markets in Holland and Switzerland followed. Distribution in Germany and the UK developed soon after.
Macpac’s collaboration between pack designer and experienced mountaineers set an example that Macpac continues to follow today. The comprehensive testing programme leverages the experience of partners in the mountains who Macpac trusts to push its gear to its limits and beyond. The company’s design philosophy also places an extremely high value on feedback, not only from athletes and adventurers, but all Macpac customers around the world.
The benefits in this combination of partnership and innovation are seen in hundreds of letters from loyal customers and coverage from gear testers. Some examples of the praise that has been published around the world in 2007 alone include: “Britain’s Toughest Test,” by UK’s Trail magazine, awarded Macpac’s Vamoose child carrier BEST IN TEST among tough international competition. In the US, the popular Backpacker Gear Guide rated Macpac’s Epic 300SF READER APPROVED “Lightest Three Season” Sleeping Bag. “Australia’s Toughest Test,” published by Outdoor magazine, rated leading brand sleeping bags and gave Macpac’s Latitude 500 first place. The same publication also called Macpac’s new Tuatara 20 “Worker’s Choice” for being an ideally-featured daypack for commuting.
Despite being a business that was not only New Zealand led but New Zealand-made for nearly 30 years, in 2001, McIntyre faced the most difficult of decisions – moving production offshore.
“All of our competitors went to Asian manufacturers a long time before we did – which was fine for them. We really resisted it because we had a very good manufacturing facility here with great people. But then the New Zealand dollar got very strong,” and soon “it was either shift our manufacturing or go out of business.
“Staff knew we had been struggling and were losing money – people weren’t angry, they came up and hugged me and told me how sorry they felt for me. In fact, some of them were grateful we had tried to keep it going for so long.”
Macpac’s focus on “making high quality things that work” remains steadfast – “I never liked things that broke down,” says McIntyre, who still mows his lawns with a hand mower for this reason.
In 2008, Bruce is building a new school in Christchurch, New Zealand, and he has trusted the future of Macpac with new owners Campbell Junor, Pierre van Noorden and Bernie Wicht. These three men share Bruce's commitment to premium quality and design leadership, which have made Macpac a brand deeply trusted around the world by people who are serious about their outdoor experiences.
These values are shared by thousands of Macpac customers, who appreciate that what is best for them - long-lasting gear - is also best for the environment.
For many years, customers have looked for Macpac gear as sold by retailers who stock hundreds of other outdoor brands. In 2008, Macpac, alongside, Fairydown, will be available in their own unique stores across New Zealand and Australia. Giving customers direct access means sharper pricing, as we strongly believe that quality gear should be within the reach of genuine outdoor enthusiasts.
Equipment
Macpac designs and manufactures a range of outdoor equipment, from its famous backpacks to lightweight adventure tents. One of the most famous Macpac backbacks is the Litealp - it has somewhat become a cult icon, and is extremely popular among New Zealand students.Manufacturing
In 2003, Macpac decided to move the majority of its production to AsiaAsia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to reduce production costs, with the loss of 150 jobs in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. Managing director Bruce McIntyre said that the immediate causes were the 40% rise in the New Zealand dollar
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
and the slow-down in international travel.