All Marine Spares – a company most appropriately named

by Bob Wonders on 2 Jun 2010 When you have a warehouse carrying more than 1.5 million spares covering every aspect of the marina industry, I guess naming the company All Marine Spares was an easy task for proprietor and managing director, Leigh Francis.

I've known Leigh more years than I care to remember, I guess it means neither of us are young colts any more.

Leigh, when I first met him worked for Peter Jenkins, now national sales manager for luxury boat builder Maritimo, but once proprietor of Sydney's #1 northside marine dealer, ‘Mr Boats.'

That would be more than 30-years ago, so like I said, Leigh and I have been around the block a few times.

Leigh Francis established All Marine Spares back around 1990, based originally at the Roseville Bridge Marina on Sydney's north shore.

He later moved to Brookvale and eventually to his quite imposing premises where the company operates now at Mona Vale, on the city's northern beaches peninsula.

I caught up with Leigh and the All Marne Spares team at the recent Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show and it may surprise some to learn it was the first time the company had exhibited at an Australian boat show.

'Being a trade only operation, boat shows are of little use to us,' Leigh explained.

'Simply put, we went to the Cove this year to introduce a new range of diesel engines from our supplier Craftsman Marine.

'They are based on Mitsubishi blocks and range from 12hp through to 42hp, although we are anticipating additional models of larger horsepower in the near future,' he added.

All Marine Spares is a regular exhibitor at the world's leading trade shows, including Amsterdam's METS (Marine Equipment Trade Show), as well as the top US trade exhibitions.

Although the company hosts an on-line catalogue, Leigh says the majority of orders from customers are placed by telephone.

'I'd say 90 percent of our orders come to us that way,' he said.

'Of course, some e-mail orders are received and we even have local customers who call in personally, but the telephone is the #1 source for orders.'

All Marine Spares has a highly experienced staff of 11, most of them either former mechanics or men with solid mechanical knowledge.

The company's stock is quite incredible.

As mentioned earlier, a minimum of 1.5 million components and spare parts in stock; take Volvo-Penta, for example, All Marine Spares lists part numbers for 21, 972 spare parts!

Many of the marine industry's most respected names can be found in the pages of the All Marine Spares catalogue.

They include Volvo-Penta, Racor, Dr. Shrink, Centek Industries, Johnson Pumps, Seakamp Heat Exchangers, PowerTech propellers, Martyr Anodes and CDI Electronics just to name a few.

Plus, of course, the new diesel engine range.

Looking back, the boating industry was severely battered by the economic downturn of recent years, but the troubled times were kind to Leigh Francis.

Just prior to the global financial crisis, as we're come to call it, Leigh was considering retirement and had All Marine Spares up for sale.

'I had three or four solid prospects displaying interest, but then the doom and gloom hit and they disappeared,' he recalled.

'I didn't know it at the time, but that financial downturn did me a favour; since then business has improved enormously and not selling out was the best thing I could have done.'

For further information contact All Marine Spares, Mona Vale, NSW, free call 1800 677 436 or e-mail sales(at)allmar.com.au