What Esko Safety does

Esko Safety is a New Zealand-owned wholesale distributor and light manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE), established in 2007 and headquartered in Bell Block, New Plymouth. The company sells exclusively through an approved network of trade safety supply resellers rather than directly to end users, distributing across more than ten product categories that include hand protection, eye protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, head protection, workwear, site safety equipment, lockout/tagout devices, skin protection, welding gear, and rainwear. End-markets span agricultural, automotive, civil, industrial, marine, manufacturing, and road safety sectors.

Esko's product portfolio blends proprietary lines with co-developed and sourced offerings. Its owned systems include the AIR8 respiratory range certified to AS/NZS1716:2012, the SunGard SPF50+ sunscreen featuring a Manuka honey formulation, and branded merchandising displays. The Nexus helmet range is manufactured in partnership with Centurion Safety (UK), combining EN12492 mountaineering standards with AS/NZS 1801 compliance. The Glove Selection Tool functions as an online rule-based configurator filtering recommendations across sixteen industry verticals including chemicals, construction, emergency services, forestry, and welding. Certifications across the catalogue span AS/NZS, EN, and ANSI safety standards.

Esko generates revenue through wholesale distribution to its curated reseller network. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; trade accounts access confidential pricelists via login, with bulk discounts negotiable under pay-as-you-go billing. Marketing channels include the e-commerce website with trade login, monthly email newsletter, downloadable PDF catalogues (the ESKO Catalogue Issue 17 and the ESKO Apparel Catalogue 2026), and content-driven tools. The company describes itself as an intergenerational Kiwi-owned business, operating from a single New Plymouth headquarters with 11-50 employees and no disclosed parent or institutional investors.

Name

Esko Safety

Legal name

Esko Safety

Website

https://eskosafety.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Esko Safety is a New Zealand-owned PPE wholesale distributor and light manufacturer supplying gloves, respirators, helmets, hearing, eye, and head protection, workwear, and site safety products exclusively through approved trade resellers across New Zealand's industrial sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Protective Equipment

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Gloves, Masks/Respirators, Gowns, Face Shields) (HLAHANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

PPE, Safety & Infection Control Supplies Distribution (JanSan-adjacent) (CRAOAGAK), Protective Disposable Wear (Masks, Gloves, Shoe Covers, Hairnets) (CRADALAJ), Safety, PPE & Workwear Retail (Gloves, Respirators, Eye/Ear Protection) (CRAIADAK)

Keywords

• Personal protective equipment
• Safety equipment distribution
• Occupational safety supplies
• Workwear and gloves
• Hearing protection products

Headquarters

HQ city

New Plymouth

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Safety Equipment Product Sales: Esko Safety generates revenue through the wholesale distribution of personal protective equipment including hand protection, eye protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, head protection, workwear, site safety, lockout/tagout, and rainwear products sold exclusively through distributor network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Esko Safety manufactures, sources, and wholesale-distributes a comprehensive range of personal protective equipment (PPE) under its own Kiwi-owned brand, covering hand protection (gloves), eye protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, head protection, workwear, site safety equipment, lockout/tagout devices, welding PPE, rainwear, and skin protection. Products are certified to AS/NZS, EN and ANSI standards and are sold exclusively through an approved network of New Zealand trade safety supply resellers via a trade-account e-commerce platform.

Product overview

Esko Safety is New Zealand's own premium safety products brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of occupational safety equipment through a B2B e-commerce platform. The core offering spans multiple product categories: Lockout/Tagout products (bags, cable/electrical/pneumatic/valve lockouts, hasps, padlocks, tags, stations), Hand Protection with an extensive glove range (coated, cut resistant, leather, welding, chemical resistant, disposable, thermal, mechanics style, touchscreen sensitive, impact protection), Workwear (chemical protective, fire retardant, hi-vis, oilskins, footwear), Eye Protection (glasses, goggles, eyewash stations), Head Protection (Tuff-Nut and Nexus helmet ranges including HeightMaster, SecurePlus, CorePlus, bump caps), Hearing Protection (Max33/Max26/Max28 earmuffs, Vortex earplugs), Respiratory Protection (AIR8 system with full-face respirators, half masks, disposable respirators, filter cartridges), Site Safety equipment (spill kits, first aid kits, traffic cones, barriers, signage), Skin Protection (SunGard sunscreen, sanitiser), Welding equipment, Rainwear, and Merchandising Support displays. The company also provides a Glove Selection Tool to help customers match gloves to specific industries and applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lockout / Tagout Products Lockout/tagout safety equipment including bags, cable lockouts, electrical lockouts, hasp lockouts, key and padlock stations, lockout tags, padlocks, pneumatic lockout devices, and valve lockouts for controlling hazardous energy in industrial settings.
• Hand Protection (Gloves) Comprehensive glove range covering coated, cut resistant, leather, welding, chemical resistant, disposable, thermal, mechanics style, touchscreen sensitive, cotton/nylon knitted, and impact protection gloves, plus glove accessories.
• Workwear Full workwear range including accessories, armbands and sashes, base layers, chemical protective wear, fire retardant clothing, fleece/thermal/winter wear, footwear, headwear, hi-vis vests, oilskins, overalls, dustcoats, polos, shirts, singlets, workpants, shorts, disposable apparel, and knee protection.
• Eye Protection Safety eyewear comprising glasses, goggles, lens cleaner and accessories, and eyewash stations designed to protect against impact, UV radiation, and workplace hazards.
• Head Protection Hard hats and accessories including the Tuff-Nut range and Nexus helmet series with height safety helmets (HeightMaster, SecurePlus, CorePlus), bump caps, browguard visors and accessories.
• Hearing Protection Ear protection equipment including Max33, Max26 and Max28 Bluetooth earmuffs, banded earmuffs, Vortex range disposable earplugs, reusable earplugs, and banded earplugs.
• Respiratory Protection Respiratory safety products including the AIR8 respirator range with full-face silicone respirators (8900 model), half masks, spray paint respirator kits, disposable respirators (Breathe Easy P2), reusable respirators, and cartridge/particle filters (P3R pancake filters, A2 cartridges, A1B1E1K1 cartridges).
• Site Safety Worksite safety equipment including hydration backpacks, personal monitoring devices (Dustlight), rags, safety steps, spill kits (oil/fuel, universal, chemical in 120L and 240L), first aid kits, warning tapes, vehicle flashing lights, signage, traffic safety barriers, traffic cones, torches and headlamps, road safety and flares, measuring wheels, and fire extinguishers.
• Skin Protection Skin safety products including Gloves In A Bottle, SunGard SPF50+ sunscreen with Manuka honey (1L pump bottle and 60ml carabiner versions), SPF30 sunscreen with insect repellent, and sanitiser.
• Welding Products Welding safety equipment including accessories, apparel, aprons, gloves, and kneepads designed for protection during welding operations.
• Rainwear Weather protection clothing including jackets, oilskins, sets, trousers, and vests for wet conditions.
• Merchandising Support Display and merchandising support for dealers including Esko Display Shelving Units, Merchandising Display Bins, SunGard Display Units (floor and counter models), Destination Safety Spec Display Stand, and E-MAX Earmuff Display Floor Stand.
• Glove Selection Tool Online interactive tool to help customers narrow down glove selection by industry and use case, covering chemicals, cleaning, construction, emergency services, engineering, farming, fisheries, food industry, forestry, freight handling, home use, machinery operation, manufacturing, medical, oil/gas/mining, other trades, waste/recycling, and welding applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• ACC claims for hand/wrist injuries in NZ reached 102,257 in 2021 at cost of $286.6M - highlighting the critical need for quality hand protection
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centurion Safety (UK)coreTechnology or IntegrationNexus helmet range manufactured by leading UK above-the-neck safety supplier Centurion. Nexus helmets have won multiple awards. Three versions available: HeightMaster (height safety), SecurePlus (electrical safety), and CorePlus (vented industrial).
• Fit Testing Partners (NZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of fit testing partners inducted by Esko for the AIR8 respiratory range, located throughout New Zealand including Hazard Testing (Auckland, Palmerston North, Christchurch), Loop Health & Safety (Napier), Fit-Test New Zealand (Bay of Plenty), and others. Most are Commit2Fit registered.
• HASANZ RegisterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and Safety Association of New Zealand register used to find qualified fit testing providers for respiratory protection equipment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• 3M: Global conglomerate with a major Safety & Industrial Business Group covering respiratory, hearing, eye, and head protection. Broadly competes with Esko across multiple PPE categories and across geographies, though as one of many product lines.
• Uvex Safety Group: German-headquartered global PPE manufacturer with a portfolio spanning head protection, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, and protective clothing. Broadly competes with Esko across multiple occupational safety categories.
• MSA Safety: US-listed global safety equipment manufacturer specializing in head, eye, hearing, respiratory, and fall protection for industrial workers. Comparable product categories to Esko, with significantly greater international scale.
• Honeywell: Global industrial conglomerate with a Personal Protective Equipment portfolio spanning head, eye, hearing, respiratory, and fall protection. Overlaps with Esko's category coverage but operates as a much larger, diversified incumbent.

Regional players

• Bull Safety Equipment: New Zealand-based PPE and safety equipment distributor serving the NZ industrial market with comparable product categories including gloves, eye protection, respiratory, and workwear. Direct geographic competitor to Esko within the domestic channel.
• Paramount Safety: New Zealand safety products distributor supplying PPE, workwear, and site safety equipment to trade and industrial customers. Direct competitor to Esko within the NZ distribution channel with overlapping product breadth.

Direct peers

• Ansell Limited: ASX-listed global leader in hand protection and PPE, headquartered in Australia. Closely comparable to Esko on product range (gloves, respiratory, body protection) and on serving industrial safety customers, though at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Bisley Workwear: Australian workwear manufacturer offering hi-vis clothing, protective apparel, and work footwear. Directly comparable to Esko's workwear category and Kiwi-owned/trans-Tasman heritage with overlapping customer base across industrial sectors.
• KingGee: Australian workwear brand specializing in industrial workwear, safety pants, and hi-vis apparel. Comparable to Esko's workwear, oilskins, and hi-vis product categories, with overlapping distribution through trade safety resellers.
• Steel Blue: Australian safety footwear manufacturer. Comparable to Esko's footwear category within the broader PPE range, serving the same industrial/construction/trade customer base in the trans-Tasman market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Esko Safety