Shipman King & Co was founded in 1923 when Thomas Thornton Shipman and Elwyn Roy King formed a partnership which traded in petrol and oil storage equipment. Both men were pilots and had previous careers in the aviation industry.
Elwyn “Bo” King was a highly decorated fighter pilot during World War 1 in the Australian Flying Corp (AFC) where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award (DSO) and the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and became a fighter Ace. When World War II started he came out of civilian life and took command of a RAAF station on the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria. Unfortunately, in 1941 he died unexpectedly of cerebral oedema.
Thomas Shipman continued with the business, patenting and manufacturing the Shipman King petrol pump and manufacturing steel underground tanks. Soon after the company began manufactured tank valves, under pump valves, and self-sealing screw caps and adaptors used as fill and dip fittings. The tank valves and under pump valves were designed to use a patented brass and rubber sealing poppet, this poppet is still being used today in the range of ESKAY suction system valves.
In 1980 the company was sold by the two employees who had inherited the company when Thomas Shipman died in 1976. The company then went through a rapid expansion stage, manufacturing and distributing the complete range of valves, fittings and equipment required for a service station forecourt installation. During this time, electronic pumps and stage 1 vapour recovery were introduced into Australia, and Shipman King was at the forefront in supplying equipment for these requirements.
In 1999 Shipman King & Co merged with Fuelquip (Aust) Pty Ltd to form Shipman King Pty. Ltd. Fuelquip (Aust) Pty Ltd was originally established when it acquired the Simac brand of semi rotary hand pumps and lube oil equipment from S.K McIvor in Ballarat, Victoria. Fuelquip (Aust) Pty Ltd soon became the leading manufacturer of under pump containment sumps, flexible entry seals for pipe and conduit penetrations, and spill containment boxes in the Australian market. Fuelquip (Aust) Pty Ltd had also been appointed the Australian distributor of the Durapipe PLX polyethylene pipe and fitting system and so by bringing the two companies together you formed a truly one-stop shop for all your service station forecourt installation equipment.
Over the next 20 years, the product range has continued to expand as Shipman King Pty Ltd formed business relationships with world leading energy equipment companies from all over the globe. Today, our range of products are used in many different industries outside the service station forecourt market here in Australia, and the surrounding region.
Shipman King prides itself on its service. Our aim is to continually exceed our customers expectations. Through our long history, Shipman King has developed systems that ensure our stock holdings are at a level whereby we can dispatch most orders the same day.
We understand that we operate in industries and with fluids that require immediate attention if problems arise. We also understand that our customers are under time constraints to finish projects. It is for these reasons that service is seen as a high priority across the whole company. Management will invest in equipment for its staff that will allow us to continually improve our service goals.
In the industries we supply to Shipman King believes you can not afford to compromise on quality. Shipman King maintains a consistent and structured approach to Quality which is understood and observed by every staff member. This has allowed us to successfully supply products to industries for many years both here in Australia and overseas.
Shipman King only represents highly reputable companies from overseas. It is company policy to regularly visit our overseas suppliers manufacturing facilities to ascertain their quality standards and procedures.
Shipman King has built a reputation on manufacturing and supplying quality products over many years and will stand on this reputation as more products are introduced into the marketplace.
In line with our commitment to continually develop products for the industries we supply, Shipman King invests in ongoing research and development that deliver better, more user friendly products, and products that the industry will require in the future.
Being a market leader means working with industry participants to find solutions that achieve outcomes that will benefit all stakeholders. Shipman King is proud of its past but we also look forward to how we can find solutions to tomorrow’s questions.
NIGEL HOWLETT
PETER SAXON
