Howard Products Australia

What Howard Products Australia does

Howard Products Australia is a privately-held Australian specialty consumer goods company that develops, distributes, and sells wood, leather, metal, and kitchen surface care products to households and trade professionals across Australia and New Zealand. Operating for over 35 years from its headquarters in West Gosford, NSW, the company is independent of Howard Inc. USA and runs on a small team of approximately 9 employees. Its product range spans five categories (Wood Care, Kitchen Surfaces, Metal Care, Upholstery Care, and the Chalk-Tique decorative sub-brand) anchored by the 'flagship trio' of Restor-A-Finish, Feed-N-Wax, and Howard Orange Oil, which the company states have become household names in Australia.

The company's underlying technology is formulation-based rather than digital: proprietary recipes combining natural ingredients such as real orange oil, beeswax, carnauba wax, and food-grade mineral oil. Notable technical differentiators include Restor-A-Finish's 'unique finish-penetrating formula' that restores wood colour and lustre without stripping the existing finish, the no-silicone/no-linseed-oil Orange Oil formulation, and Orange Tung Wood Oil's non-toxic tung-and-orange-oil blend for outdoor decking. Products are priced in the AU$27 to AU$66 per-unit range and carry publicly disclosed pricing inclusive of 10% GST.

The business model is hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale. The company sells directly via its e-commerce website (howardproducts.com.au) with payment via PayPal, credit card, or bank deposit, and ships via StarTrack and Australia Post. In parallel, it operates a wholesale channel through more than 400 retail stockists across Australia and New Zealand (hardware chains, antique dealers, furniture stores, picture framers, and specialty retailers), recruited through a formal 'Become a Stockist' program. Customer segments include homeowners and DIY enthusiasts, professional restorers and antique dealers, outdoor wood/decking owners, and leather care users. Marketing relies on content (blog, video demos, how-to guides, downloadable product selection guide), an email newsletter, and a modest social presence on Facebook and Instagram.

Name

Howard Products Australia

Legal name

Howard Products Australia

Website

https://howardproducts.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Howard Products Australia is a 35-year-old, privately-held specialty consumer goods company based in West Gosford, NSW, that develops and distributes natural wood, leather, metal, and kitchen-surface care products directly via e-commerce and through 400+ retail stockists across Australia and New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West Gosford

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (E-commerce): Howard Products Australia sells directly to consumers through their own e-commerce website. Customers can browse products, read detailed information, watch video demos, and purchase products online with various payment methods including PayPal, credit card, and bank deposit.
2. Wholesale to Retail Stockists: The company distributes through more than 400 retail outlets and businesses across Australia and New Zealand. Stockists include hardware stores, antique shops, furniture stores, and specialty retailers. The 'Become a Stockist' program enables businesses to carry Howard Products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Howard Products Australia develops, manufactures and distributes a range of wood, furniture, leather, metal and kitchen-surface care products built on natural, non-toxic formulations (orange oil, beeswax, carnauba wax, food-grade mineral oil). Its flagship trio — Restor-A-Finish, Feed-N-Wax and Orange Oil — anchor the offering, supplemented by specialised cleaners, polishes, decking oils, repair sticks and bundled kits, sold direct via e-commerce and through 400+ retail stockists across Australia and New Zealand.

Product overview

Howard Products Australia is a wood and furniture care product company offering a comprehensive range of care and maintenance solutions for household surfaces. The product portfolio centres on three flagship products (Restor-A-Finish, Feed-N-Wax, and Orange Oil) complemented by an extensive range of specialised care products across five main categories: Wood Care (including oils, waxes, polishes, and repair products), Kitchen Surfaces (food-safe products for cutting boards, butcher blocks, granite, and stainless steel), Metal Care (stainless steel, silver, copper, and brass polishes), Upholstery Care (leather and fabric cleaners and conditioners), and Chalk-Tique (chalk-style decorative finishes). The company also offers bundled kits (Restorer Kit, Home Care Kit, Food Safe Duo) for convenience. All products are designed for consumer and professional use with a focus on natural, non-toxic ingredients where possible.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restor-A-Finish A unique finish-penetrating formula that restores original colour and lustre to wood finishes while blending out blemishes, white heat rings, water marks, and minor scratches without removing the existing finish. For homeowners and professional restorers.
• Feed-N-Wax A special blend of beeswax, carnauba wax, and orange oil that enhances natural beauty and depth of grain in finished and unfinished wood, prevents drying and cracking, and polishes wood surfaces with a protective coating.
• Howard Orange Oil Wood polish and cleaner using real orange oil extracted from orange peels to break down dirt and grime on all household furniture, leaving a fresh orange scent and no wax build-up.
• Lemon Oil Wood polish derived from the rind of lemons that cleans and polishes all wood surfaces including antiques, furniture and cabinets without drying the wood finish.
• Clean-A-Finish Wood soap specially formulated for safely cleaning wood surfaces, removing wax build-up and grime on antiques, woodwork, walls, tables and kitchen cabinets; safe on painted surfaces, plastic, vinyl and leather upholstery.
• Butcher Block Conditioner Specialised wood conditioner for butcher blocks, cutting boards, wooden bowls and utensils combining food-grade mineral oil with beeswax and carnauba wax to prevent drying and cracking.
• Cutting Board Oil Food-grade mineral oil for seasoning cutting boards and butcher blocks; tasteless, odourless and never goes rancid.
• Cutting Board Cleaner Cleaner for wood cutting surfaces combining lemon oil and coconut soap to clean, neutralise odours and leave surfaces smelling fresh; safe for food-contact surfaces.
• Restor-A-Shine Creamy micro-powder polishing compound that eliminates fine scratches and haze, cuts away oxidation and polishes out marks; ideal with electric buffers on large shiny floor areas.
• Orange Tung Wood Oil Natural non-toxic blend of pure first-grade tung oil and orange oil providing UV, water and abrasion protection for outdoor decks, indoor flooring and furniture.
• SunShield Outdoor wood conditioner with UV inhibitors, carnauba wax, beeswax and orange oil for teak and outdoor wood furniture.
• Citrus Shield Paste Wax Premium natural paste wax combining orange oil and Brazilian carnauba wax that buffs to a brilliant long-lasting shine with UV protection for wood finishes, antiques, furniture, cabinets, panelling and wood floors.
• Wax-It-All Food-grade paste wax safe for any surface where food contact may occur; uses beeswax, carnauba wax and food-grade mineral oil on wood, concrete, stainless steel, granite, marble, soapstone, slate and laminate.
• FixStix Microcrystalline wood filling logs pliable like plasticine for filling small holes, dents and cracks on interior wood surfaces, without drying time and with indefinite shelf life.
• Wood-N-Floors Water-based hardwood floor cleaner and shine product for sealed hardwood, engineered, laminate and luxury vinyl plank floors using plant-derived surfactants that leave no sticky residue.
• Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Streak-free stainless steel cleaner and polish for refrigerators, range hoods, grills, stoves, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, sinks and countertops.
• Granite & Marble Cleaner Stone surface cleaner using coconut oil, vegetable oil surfactant and lemongrass-lime essential oil for sealed granite, marble, terrazzo, tile, quartz, slate, travertine and limestone.
• Leather Cleaner All-natural, pH-balanced, alkaline-free leather cleaner with mild biodegradable soaps and surfactants for leather furniture, car leather, luggage, shoes and accessories.
• Leather Conditioner Natural leather conditioner that softens hardened leather, moisturises and relaxes leather to help boots and shoes fit better.
• Leather Salve Thick natural conditioning salve with beeswax and lanolin for deeply dry or cracked leather that restores moisture and creates a protective barrier.
• Upholstery Cleaner Cleaner for upholstered furniture and fabrics.
• Chalk-Tique Chalk-style decorative paint finish product line for furniture painting and distressing projects.
• Silver Polish Polish for silver and silver-plated items to remove tarnish and restore shine.
• Copper & Brass Polish Polish for copper and brass surfaces to remove oxidation and restore lustre.
• Super Fine Steel Wool (#0000) Super fine (#0000 grade) steel wool accessory used with Restor-A-Finish on badly blemished surfaces to assist penetration and remove white rings, heat marks and scratches.
• Restorer Kit Bundle containing Restor-A-Finish 236ml, Feed-N-Wax Wood Conditioner 236ml and #0000 Steel Wool in a storage tin, for complete wood restoration and preservation.
• Home Care Kit Starter kit with smaller sizes of Restor-A-Finish, Feed-N-Wax, Orange Oil and #0000 steel wool for renovating one large furniture piece or repairing several minor areas.
• Cutting Board Oil & Butcher Block Conditioner 59ml Duo Trial-size bundle containing 59ml each of Cutting Board Oil and Butcher Block Conditioner for food preparation surface care.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Murphy's Oil Soap: Long-established wood cleaner brand with natural oil formulation heritage. Comparable positioning around natural wood cleaning and conditioning for household consumers.
• Bickmore: Specialty leather care products manufacturer with heritage in leather conditioning, cleaning, and preservation. Comparable in the leather care subcategory with similar natural formulation positioning.
• Weiman Products: Specialty surface care brand covering wood, leather, granite, stainless steel, and cooktop cleaning. Directly comparable in product breadth and multi-surface household care positioning, with similar e-commerce and retail distribution.
• Guardsman: Established wood furniture care brand offering polishes, cleaners, and repair products to consumers and professionals. Directly comparable as a specialty wood care manufacturer with overlapping product categories including scratch repair and conditioning.
• Chamberlain's Leather Milk: Specialty leather care brand offering natural conditioners and cleaners for leather furniture, automotive, and accessories. Directly comparable in leather care formulation philosophy and target customer.
• Howard Products Inc. (USA): The original US parent entity of the Howard Products brand, offering the same core wood care formulations. While the source notes 'Howard Products Australia (not Howard Inc. USA)', the shared product line and heritage make it the most direct peer by product.

Emerging players

• TriNova: Direct-to-consumer specialty surface care brand covering leather, wood, and household cleaning. Comparable product breadth and online-first distribution model targeting similar DIY consumers.

Broad incumbents

• Old English (Reckitt): Reckitt-owned wood care brand focused on scratch coverage and polish. Comparable product category but distributed through mass-market channels rather than specialty retailers.
• Method Products: Natural home cleaning products brand with broad surface care portfolio. Comparable in natural-ingredient household cleaning positioning though broader in scope (not wood/leather specialist).
• Pledge (SC Johnson): Mass-market wood polish brand owned by SC Johnson. Comparable in the wood polish subcategory but competes at scale through grocery and mass retail rather than specialty stockists.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/howardproducts
• Instagraminstagram.com/howard_products_australia/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howard-products-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Howard Products Australia