About Us

Who are The Haines Group?

Since starting out in the marine industry in the 1960’s, The Haines family of Brisbane have taken ‘messing about with boats’ to a whole new echelon – creating an enviable empire over more than 50 years, is showing no signs of slowing down. Fortuitously for the company, recreational vessel ownership in South East Queensland alone has risen more than 20% since 2007, and with the country’s marine industry worth $5.5 billion, The Haines Group are in the prime position to survive a tough economic market and continue to support customers both old and new. In the past decade, the marine industry magnate has undertaken a persistent buyout of rival companies, invested heavily in research and design launched new vessels and became the exclusive distributor of Suzuki outboards across Australia and New Zealand.

Hainesy – The legend lives on

In 2009 the founder of The Haines Group, John Haines Snr AM passed away. However John’s influence is felt every day at the Haines Group factory and offices. John has left his beloved business in the capable hands of his two sons John and Greg who had worked alongside their father at all levels of the business since leaving school and until their fathers eventual retirement. Both sons are now industry leaders and continue at the helm of The Haines Group as extremely proficient businessmen themselves.

What was the link with Haines Hunter?

Brothers John and Greg Haines have consciously orchestrated their business activity to position The Haines Group differently in the already crowded marine industry; hoping to distance their family company from competitor Haines Hunter. While the two marine rivals are often thought to be one and the same, The Haines Group Sales and Marketing Director Greg Haines maintains there hasn’t been a Haines in Haines Hunter for over thirty years.

Haines Hunter was established by the same Haines Family that now own and manages The Haines Group, however since 1980 the only Haines family involvement has been the use of their name, the two being very separate companies. Brother’s John Snr and Garry Haines started their backyard fibreglass boat building business Haines Hunter in the 1960’s which soon became one the most awarded fibreglass boat builders in Australia and New Zealand. The success of Haines Hunter during the 1960’s attracted questionable admiration from overseas interests, and while the Haines brothers welcomed the new shareholders and directors into the business in the early 1970's; by 1980 they were forced out of their own company through a legal dispute.

Manufacturer - Signature, Traveller & Seafarer Boats

John Haines Snr AM started boat building again in the 1980’s, unveiling the first of his Signature series boats which were to become the biggest selling and most awarded fibreglass brand that decade. After establishing Signature as the premiere fibreglass boat brand in the marketplace, The Haines Group recognised a niche market for competitively priced ‘no frills’ boats, while maintaining the same Haines quality of manufacture. The Haines Traveler brand (now branded just as ‘Traveller’) was launched in 2000 and the company has established an entirely new dealer network for the sales and service of Traveller vessels. The Haines Group further increased its market share in 2007 with the acquisition of Gold Coast based Seafarer. Production has now moved to Wacol QLD where Seafarers are built on the same production lines as Signature and Traveller.

RIVALE™ technology

A substantial $1.2million by the company coupled with federal funding allowed The Haines Group to develop a unique closed moulding manufacturing process which ensures a consistency of product, better product characteristics (durability, strength, weight etc) as well as reduced styrene emissions. Coined as Resin Injection Vacuum Assisted Low Emission (RIVALE™) technology, The Haines Group will use the process more and more for the future production of their fibreglass boat brands including Signature, Seafarer and Traveller. “Because the emissions are well below world minimum standards, we can manufacture in Australia and keep jobs here unlike many companies in the USA and Europe who have moved their operations to third world countries due to no emission controls and cheap labour,” Greg Haines said. After two years of research and development, The Haines Group have created an amazing 4.85m dinghy using RIVALE™ technology. The first of its kind, the fibreglass dinghy weighs 320kgs, can carry five passengers and can be ‘customised’ with numerous alternative configurations; a feat that has never been achieved by the marine industry before.

Distributor - Haines Suzuki Marine & Walker Bay®

Suzuki Motor Corporation approached The Haines Group in 2001; seeking a reputable Australian company to distribute their range of Suzuki two and four stroke outboards. Suzuki has since become the fastest growing marine outboard brand in Australia; the third largest company in terms of Australian market share. In 2008 The Haines Group was awarded the exclusive distribution rights by US company Walker Bay® Boats for the company’s range of inflatable boats.

The Haines Group has gone from backyard business to marine giant through strategic product development and procurement, and in doing so have positioned themselves as one of Australia’s largest marine businesses, with a boat for every body and every budget.