It was a defining moment for OX Group Area Manager, Matthew Remmington, when, in April 2013, he visited a customer in Northern Ireland and met a new member of staff.
“You’re from OX Tools? I know OX, I’m just back home to Ireland after spending three years in Western Australia. You were our main tool supplier over there, I didn’t realise you were over here too…”
Back then, OX had been on the UK scene for little more than a year. The brand was launched in early 2012, but was already causing heads to turn in the UK tool and construction materials industry. This was part of the global launch of a tool brand already well respected in Australia for its high quality brick laying, plastering and concrete finishing products along with a range of general construction tools, supplied to this very demanding market.
OX Australia can trace its manufacturing roots back to 1974, when the first of what has become the iconic OX trowels went into production.
Of course, OX Group UK wasn’t by any means a new player in the market. Previously Hilbor Diamond Products, the UK division of the group, had been supplying high quality diamond cutting and drilling tools to the building industry via builders’ merchants since 1992 and Spectrum Diamond is now recognised as the leading brand for resale in the UK and Ireland.
With this respected heritage in the market, a track record for product supply that few can match and a shared business vision and ethos, Spectrum Diamond was the obvious partner of choice to bring this high quality, exciting tool brand to the market.
The OX vision is ‘To bring the strength of the OX to every tradesperson… and our tools to be recognised as tough, dynamic and dependable – a real product of choice for any professional tradesperson, whatever their trade’.
The OX story has always been about putting quality into the hands of the construction workforce, without them having to dip those same hands too deeply into their pockets. This important mix of quality and affordability has propelled the OX brand into the premiership of global tool manufacturers.
Innovation and attention to detail has also been a vital part of the success. Products such as the OX Pro Spirit Level with its ‘face on’ viewing prism; the Pro Series Plastering Trowel with the comfort ‘duragrip’ handle; the Pro Series Short Handle Wide Jaw Wrench; and not forgetting the legendary TX10R fast cut, hard materials diamond blade that holds the ‘Best In Its Class’ Professional Builder Award and continues to outsell all challengers since its launch in 2006.
July 2015 witnessed the launch of the all new OX Handsaw, available in the two popular blade lengths – 20”/500mm and 22”550mm. With an ergonomic handle design, a slightly stronger kerf (blade) and high quality steel, OX is already getting very positive feedback from an industry that is renowned for its ‘No news is good news’ reputation. Praise indeed!
In conjunction with these two tool categories, OX Group supplies branded PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) via its customer base of builders’ merchants. With increased Government focus on the welfare of the workforce and legislation that puts this right at the forefront of the building industry’s agenda, OX branded PPE is designed to protect operatives and site personnel from common building site hazards, confirming the company’s long-term commitment to personal safety.
Popular mythology says that the year of the OX comes every 12 years but from all the evidence, the year of the OX started in 2012 and hasn’t stopped since…
With all of the national groups and many independent merchants in Ireland stocking something from the OX product portfolio you’re never far from an OX stockist – request ‘The OX Book – Version 5’ from a local merchant to see the current range. Alternatively, for more information visit www.oxtools.co.uk
