Shipman King

What Shipman King does

Shipman King Pty Ltd (ACN 006 667 812) is an Australian proprietary limited company founded in 1923 and headquartered at 109 McEwan Road, West Heidelberg, Victoria. The company manufactures and distributes equipment for handling petroleum and chemical fluids, offering eight product categories spanning more than 1,065 SKUs: service station equipment (shear valves, snap taps, ball valves, flexible connectors, overfill prevention valves, dip tubes), piping and containment equipment (Aliaxis PLX polyethylene pipe and fittings, underpump containment sumps, spill containment boxes, flexible entry seals, MIDAS elbow anti-cross-drop devices), Stage I and II vapour recovery equipment, aboveground tank equipment (Morrison Bros overfill prevention valves, emergency vents), nozzles/filters/accessories (Husky nozzles, Cim-Tek filters, Emco safe breaks), electrical equipment (Galasy II LED canopy lights, Aliaxis PLXE conduit), DEF/AdBlue equipment, and miscellaneous accessories. Shipman King manufactures a large percentage of its service station equipment in Australia and holds exclusive Australian distribution rights for multiple international brands, most notably Aliaxis/Durapipe PLX polyethylene pipe (25+ years), Morrison Bros, Petrorep International, Husky, Cim-Tek, Berry Global MIDAS, Emco, and SGB.

The company's business model is direct B2B sales-led, targeting enterprise and mid-market customers in the service station, mining, telecommunications, defence, construction, and data centre industries. Pricing is quote-based with 30-day end-of-month credit terms available for approved accounts. Shipman King positions itself as a one-stop shop offering a total equipment package (one order, one delivery, one invoice) supported by same-day dispatch from stock holdings. Distribution is direct, supplemented by participation in industry trade shows (APGA Convention, Bulk Tanker Day) and digital channels (LinkedIn, monthly newsletter, downloadable brochures, installation videos on Shipman King TV). The company supplies 284 clients across 8 countries, including Australia and the broader Pacific region, with international reach through direct export relationships.

Shipman King is privately held with no parent company, venture capital, or private equity involvement disclosed. The Howlett family has led management for over 40 years — Nigel Howlett has served as General Manager for over 25 years (appointed 2000), and Peter Saxon has been Operations Manager since 2006. The company's competitive moat rests on its century-long brand reputation, exclusive long-term distribution partnerships, proprietary manufacturing capabilities (including market-leading underpump containment sumps and patented sealing technology), and the procurement convenience of its comprehensive single-source equipment offering.

Name

Shipman King

Legal name

Shipman King Pty Ltd (ACN 006 667 812)

Website

https://shipmanking.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shipman King is a 100-year-old Australian manufacturer and distributor of equipment for handling petroleum and chemical fluids, serving service stations, mining, telecommunications, defence, and construction customers across 8 countries with over 1,065 SKUs and exclusive distribution rights for international brands including Aliaxis/Durapipe, Morrison Bros, and Husky.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg West

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales (Petroleum & Chemical Fluid Handling): Shipman King generates revenue through the manufacture and distribution of a comprehensive range of equipment used to handle petroleum and chemical fluids. This includes service station forecourt equipment, piping and containment systems, vapour recovery equipment, aboveground tank equipment, nozzles and filters, electrical equipment, and DEF/AdBlue systems. The company sells products individually and as a total equipment package (one order, one delivery, one invoice). Pricing is quote-based with standard payment terms of 30 days from end of month for credit customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shipman King manufactures and distributes a comprehensive range of equipment for handling petroleum and chemical fluids, supplying service station forecourts, mining operations, telecommunications infrastructure, defence installations, and construction/data centre projects. The company offers a total equipment package (one order, one delivery, one invoice) covering shear valves, piping and containment systems, vapour recovery equipment, aboveground tank equipment, nozzles and filters, electrical equipment, and DEF/AdBlue systems, with a product range of 1,065 individual items manufactured in Australia and distributed under exclusive partnerships.

Product overview

Shipman King is an Australian manufacturer and distributor of equipment to handle petroleum and chemical fluids, serving the energy industry since 1923. The company offers eight main product categories: Service Station Equipment (manufactured in Australia, including shear valves, snap taps, ball valves, flexible connectors, and specialised forecourt components), Piping and Containment Equipment (featuring Aliaxis PLX polyethylene piping systems with 30-year design life, underpump containment sumps, spill containment boxes, and MIDAS Elbow anti-misfuel devices), Vapour Recovery Equipment for Stage I & II systems, Aboveground Tank Equipment (featuring Morrison Bros products), Nozzles/Filters & Accessories (Husky nozzles and Cim-Tek filters), Electrical Equipment (LED canopy lights, PLXE conduit with permeation protection, Y-Seals), DEF/AdBlue Equipment, and Other Equipment. The company operates as a total equipment package supplier offering one order, one delivery, one invoice service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Service Station Equipment Comprehensive range of equipment for service station forecourts including shear valves, snap taps, ball valves, flexible connectors, fill isolation valves, overfill prevention valves, dip tubes, brass dip cap assemblies, ground boxes, monitoring wells, fill adaptors, upflow vents, hose retrievers, and tri-valve assemblies. Shipman King manufactures a large percentage of this range in Australia for service station operators and forecourt installation contractors.
• Piping and Containment Equipment Complete range of piping and containment solutions including PLX polyethylene pipe and fittings, underpump containment sumps, transition sumps, flexible entry seals, spill containment boxes, valve manifold boxes, MIDAS elbow anti-cross drop devices, SGB leak detection systems, manway covers, fibreglass pipe and fittings, and adaptor plates for service stations, mining, and industrial fuel handling applications.
• Vapour Recovery Equipment – Stage I & II Equipment for vapour recovery systems including vapour check valves, extractor vent valves, Easy Risers, Stage II vapour recovery shear valves, Eskay bull horns, pressure vacuum vents (Husky and Emco), and orifice upflow vents. Designed and manufactured for Australian regulatory compliance at service station forecourts.
• Aboveground Tank Equipment Equipment for aboveground storage tanks including Morrison Bros overfill prevention valves, emergency vents, pressure vacuum vents, anti-syphon valves, pressure regulator valves, flame arresters, and various valves for industrial fuel storage facilities and aboveground tank installations.
• Nozzles, Filters & Accessories Range of Husky nozzles, swivels, safe-t-breaks, Emco safe breaks, and Cim-Tek filters for the Australian market. Provides fuel dispensing equipment and filtration solutions for service stations and fuel handling facilities.
• Electrical Equipment Electrical equipment including Galasy II LED canopy lights (100W, 15,400-15,500 lumens, UL listed, IP66 rated, 5-year warranty), Y-Seals, and Aliaxis PLXE electrical conduit and fittings with integrated aluminum barrier layer for external permeation protection from fuel spillages and chemicals at service stations and industrial sites.
• DEF/AdBlue Equipment Complete range for DEF/AdBlue installations including double poppet shear valves, flexible connectors, overfill prevention valve assemblies, tank flange assemblies, fill/vent isolation fittings, upflow vents, dry break adaptors, spill containment boxes, and solid bushes for diesel exhaust fluid systems at fuel facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 years of continuous operation in the Australian energy equipment market
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Berry Global (Berry's Midas)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Shipman King distributes the Berry's Midas Elbow anti-misfuel device in Australia. The MIDAS Elbow is described as a 'game changing anti-cross drop device' that eliminates the risk of mis-fuelling when delivering to service station sites. Shipman King exhibited this product at the 2022 Bulk Tanker Day in Melbourne and the 2024 Bulk Tanker Day in Melbourne.
• HuskycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018In 2018, Shipman King commenced stocking and distributing the Husky range of nozzles, swivels, safe-t-breaks, and other equipment in the Australian market. The company is an authorised Australian distributor for Husky products, offering nozzles, swivels, and safe-t-breaks as part of the Nozzles, Filters & Accessories product category.
• Cim-TekcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017In 2017, Shipman King commenced stocking and distributing the Cim-Tek range of filters for the Australian market. Cim-Tek filters are featured in the Nozzles, Filters & Accessories product category alongside the Husky product range.
• Aliaxis UK Ltd (Durapipe UK)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1995Durapipe UK (now Aliaxis) appointed Fuelquip (Aust) Pty Ltd as the Australian distributor for the PLX range of polyethylene pipe and fittings in 1995. Following the merger of Fuelquip with Shipman King in 1999, this relationship continued under Shipman King Pty Ltd. The partnership has now exceeded 26 years, making it one of Shipman King's most established and important distribution relationships. The PLX pipe system is UV-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and backed by a 30-year design life. Aliaxis representatives have publicly praised the relationship, noting strong collaboration on multiple projects throughout Australia and the Pacific.
• Morrison BroscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipman King & Co commenced business with Morrison Bros (USA) to market their range of aboveground tank equipment, including Emergency Vents and Overfill Prevention Valves, to the Australian market. The partnership was established during the 1990s expansion phase following the 1980 acquisition and merger with Fuelquip.
• Petrorep InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipman King & Co commenced doing business with Petrorep International (USA) to market their range of equipment to the Australian market. Petrorep has been supplying U.S.-made products to Shipman King for over 25 years. Petrorep's President has publicly stated that Shipman King's management and staff are well-trained in all manufacturer product lines they supply.
• EmcocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipman King distributes Emco products including Emco A0060 Shear Valves, Emco A1004EVR-316AB Spill Boxes, Emco Pressure Vacuum Vents, and Emco Safe Breaks. Emco products are featured across multiple product categories and installation instructions are available for download from the Shipman King website.
• SGBcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipman King distributes SGB products including the SGB Leak Detection System and SGB VLR 410E. SGB products are featured in the Piping and Containment Equipment category. SGB (UK) is represented in the product partner logos on the company profile page.
• National Bulk Tanker Association (NBTA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerShipman King participates as an exhibitor at the annual National Bulk Tanker Day conference hosted by the NBTA in Australia. The company exhibited the Berry's Midas Elbow at the 2022 event in Melbourne and again at the 2024 event at Moonee Valley Racecourse, where Operations Manager Peter Saxon showcased the product.
• Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerShipman King was an exhibitor at the 2022 Annual APGA Convention and Exhibition in Brisbane, where the company showcased the Aliaxis PLX Polyethylene piping system and the PLXE conduit system to pipeline and gas industry professionals.
• Australian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerShipman King is a long-term member of ACAPMA and was featured in the ACAPMA Partner Highlight series in July 2023, profiling the company's 100-year history as an Australian manufacturing success story supplying equipment to the fuel, mining, defence, and telecommunications industries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wayne Fueling Systems: A Dover Company brand supplying fuel dispensers, payment terminals, and forecourt subsystems globally — competes with Shipman King's dispenser-side and piping offerings as part of a much broader forecourt technology portfolio.
• Gilbarco Veeder-Root: Global leader in fuel dispenser and forecourt technology, including payment systems, vapor recovery, and tank gauging — overlapping with Shipman King's Stage I/II vapour recovery, nozzles, and dispenser-side products, but operating at vastly greater scale as a broad portfolio incumbent.

Direct peers

• Franklin Fueling Systems: Manufacturer of petroleum equipment and fuel management systems for service stations and underground storage tanks, including piping, containment sumps, leak detection, and dispenser accessories — comparable product breadth and similar service station / forecourt end customer to Shipman King.
• OPW Fueling Components: A Dover Company division that manufactures petroleum equipment including valves, fittings, vapour recovery, and forecourt components — direct head-to-head overlap with Shipman King's manufactured range of shear valves, overfill prevention, vapour recovery, and spill containment products.
• Elaflex: German specialist in petroleum hoses, fittings, breakaways, and vapour recovery equipment — directly comparable in product categories (fittings, safety equipment, vapour recovery) and end customers (fuel retail and industrial fluid transfer).
• Cim-Tek Filtration: Manufacturer of fuel filtration products for petroleum and industrial fluid handling — overlaps with Shipman King's filter and nozzle accessory category and is also distributed by Shipman King in the Australian market.
• Alfons Haar: German manufacturer of petroleum loading arms, safety equipment, and forecourt components — overlapping with Shipman King's tank equipment, overfill prevention, and vapour recovery categories with a comparable mid-sized industrial distributor profile.
• Morrison Bros: US manufacturer of aboveground tank equipment including overfill prevention valves and emergency vents — Shipman King distributes Morrison Bros products into Australia while also manufacturing competing aboveground-tank equipment in-house.
• SGB (UK): UK manufacturer of leak detection systems and containment equipment for fuel storage — products overlap with Shipman King's piping-and-containment category (distributed by Shipman King for Australian markets) and serve the same service station and forecourt end customers.
• Husky Corporation: Manufacturer of nozzles, swivels, safe-t-breaks, and dispenser accessories — although also distributed by Shipman King in Australia, Husky's own product portfolio competes directly with Shipman King's nozzles and accessories offerings in global markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shipman-king-aus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Shipman King