Oliver Footwear, now a fourth generation Australian owned family company, owes its origins to gold mining the Victorian provincial city of Ballarat

In the mid 1800's our founder James Oliver a bootmaker by trade, came to the goldfield of Ballarat, then amongst the richest alluvial and underground mining fields in the world.

His quest for the elusive nuggets was unsuccessful, so he returned to the trade of bootmaking which he had learned in the U.K. Established as the business of Oliver & Stevens, the new venture commenced producing boots for miners and farmers in the Ballarat region in 1887.

Throughout our long history, Oliver Footwear has remained in the control of the Oliver family, with Andrew Oliver, a fourth generation descendant of our founder, James Oliver, currently Chairman of the company.

The same entrepreneurial streak which marked the establishment of Oliver Footwear in 1887 continues today.

Oliver Footwear retains its commitment to continuous improvement in manufacturing methods and innovation in product research and development to address the needs and demands of tough workplace safety environments is a central part of our company philosophy.

Innovation in manufacturing technology and business systems is reflected in millions of dollars in new capital investments made by the company in recent years.

The absolute focus on producing the best and most comfortable footwear has made Oliver today the largest producer of Industrial and Safety footwear and a committed to operating at the World's Best Practice in all dimensions of the business.

Pioneers in Dual Density Polyurethane (DDPU) Soling Technology.
Oliver was one of the early pioneers of DDPU soling for safety footwear and lead the move toward lighter and more flexible safety boots. This development virtually eliminated the "old" heavy vulcanized sole and provided all day comfort for the wearer.

Development of the NATUREform Wide Profile Safety Toe Cap.
In 1992 Oliver pioneered the use of NATUREform carbon steel safety toe cap scientifically shaped for unprecedented comfort and protection. This Oliver NATUREform cap was incorporated in THE BOOT by Oliver which set new standards in fit and comfort in Australia by ensuring the toes and feet remained comfortable for the duration of the working day.

Introduction of GRIPthane DDPU Soling Technology.
THE BOOT release was followed by the Oliver GRIPthane range of Dual Density Polyurethane safety footwear, offering even more comfort features over traditional products. This sole development was the first Australian safety boot to pass the SATRA EN344 slip resistance test and hence exceed the European Standard for slip resistance.

It was also the first time that athletic sports footwear components, such as PORON 4000 had been introduced into Australian manufactured safety footwear. The Oliver POWERflex Impact Absorption System, not only offered new levels of comfort but also assisted in reducing the incidence of heel strike whilst the cushioning effect helps eliminate foot, leg and lower back fatigue.;.

Pioneer in Dual Density Rubber Soling Technology.
These innovations were then followed by the introduction of SOFTtrac Dual Density Rubber soling technology, a first for Australia.

This development replaced the old single density nitrile/rubber sole with the SOFTtrac sole utilizing two layers of rubber, one high density outer for the tough working surfaces and a lower density softer midsole to cushion impact and improve underfoot comfort.

This innovation has proved to be outstanding success in proving footwear solutions to industries such as emergency services, steel, casting and smelting industry and wherever employees are faced with harsh working environments.

Innovative Oliver SPORTS.
With the increased emphasis on lifestyle, employees and in particular the younger generation wanted to wear clothing and footwear that reflected their life style; relaxed and casual.

In addition, employees who needed to wear safety footwear for their own protection were avoiding the issue, as many were not satisfied with the choice. The old black elastic sided boot was just not enough.

Oliver Footwear set out to meet this expectation by creating a sports range of safety footwear which combined comfort, style and safety protection in one product. The introduction of the Oliver SPORTS range was in part encouraged by the popularity of Nike or Adidas style footwear in the workplace.

The Oliver SPORTS innovation lead the way to a revolution in the safety footwear industry by offering styles that could be worn both at work and socially.

The next step in Comfort… COMFORTcushion Impact Absorption System.
Not content rest, Oliver developed the next step in comfort, the COMFORTcushion Impact Absorption System which uses a combination of Cellular Urethane and PORON. This system not only holds its shape beyond the life of the boot but also provides even more superior cushioning and shock absorption which is of particular benefit for workers who spend most of their day on their feet.
More recently

Oliver's AT's - ALL TERRAIN Footwear for the tough jobs.
Listening to our customers, we recently produced the AT's ALL TERRAIN range specially to suit the demanding work sites in building, construction, mining and similar outdoor environments.

AT's offered two key features, firstly the new Dual Density All Terrain TPU (Thermo Plastic Urethane) soling technology where a lightweight, shock absorbing low density PU (polyurethane) midsole is matched with a hard wearing, high density TPU outsole which provides the superior grip and abrasion resistance.

The second is the new Hi-Impact ALLOY Type 1 protective toe cap which is 40 percent lighter than a conventional steel toecap… another first for Australia.

The initial market response to the Oliver AT's range confirmed that we have met what the work place and job sites have been demanding.

All of the above innovations, many industry "firsts", reflect the Oliver commitment to invest in new product development and our absolute passion to "build" a better and more comfortable footwear solution for working men and women.

The business philosophy of Oliver Footwear reflects a commitment to continuous improvement in manufacturing technology, addressed by our substantial ongoing program of capital investment and industry leadership.

A multi million dollar investment in new manufacturing facilities over the past 10 years has created the capacity for Oliver to expand its product range from moulded polyurethane to thermo plastic urethane and dual density rubber soling choices, providing footwear solutions to meet virtually every conceivable workplace environment.

• New Dual Density Polyurethane Sole Moulding Equipment.
  This new 30 station Dual Density Polyurethane moulding machine lead the way to the launch of the Oliver GRIPthane range which offered unique non slip characteristics.
• SOFTtrac Dual Density Rubber Moulding Equipment (an Australian first).
  The commissioning in 1999 of the Italian Main Group Dual Density Rubber moulding machine, only the second installation of this leading edge technology in the world. This enabled Oliver Footwear to become a significant supplier to industries with harsh of working environments that required specialised footwear solutions.
• Introduction of a the Oliver SPORTS safety range into Australia.
  To enable the production of new generation Oliver SPORTS a new 24 station Desma TPU moulding machine was installed in late 2002. This equipment not only improved product quality but also manufacturing efficiencies.
• Increased Capacity for Dual Density Rubber Production.
  
  
  A further Desma Dual Density Rubber moulding machine was commissioned in May 2005 to specialise in emergency services, mining and chemical resistant footwear. Production from this machine is now being exported to many parts of the world.
• Installation of Robotics and Materials Handling Equipment.
  Complimenting these major capital investments has been the incorporation of significant robotic processes and the streamlining of our of materials handling and production flows to improve efficiency and enhance our customer response times.
• Introduction of "Just in Time" (JIT) Manufacturing Strategy.
  Olivers Quick Response Manufacturing techniques are key platforms in the Oliver Continuous Incremental Improvement Program to ensure we embrace Worlds Best Practice.
• Investments in new Warehousing and IT Technology.
  Complimenting our manufacturing and process investments, has been the improvement in warehousing and storage methods to further enhance customer service. This has all been integrated with new internal computer systems providing business management systems to support our continued growth and improved efficiency.
• Development of B to B order Processing System.
  To accommodate our customers and suppliers move to electronic commerce and information transfer our existing systems platform has been rapidly expanded to enhance the future electronic commerce capabilities.
  
• Commitment to the Product Safety Standards.
  
  All Oliver Footwear is manufactured to Australian Standard AS/NZS2210.3 whilst individual footwear products are continuously benchmarked against other recognised international industry and performance Standards.
• Accredited Quality Company Endorsement.
  Oliver Footwear is an Accredited Quality Endorsed Company to the Australian and International Quality Standard ISO 9002 which requires the Oliver systems and processes to reflect "world best practice" and be monitored on a regular basis with Australian Standards Audits.

Oliver offers specific footwear solutions for the most demanding workplace environments, which usually impose exceptional and difficult performance and protective requirements.

Firefighting services, emergency services, metal and aluminum casting and smelting, mining and petrochemical industries are typical applications where Oliver can offer a safety footwear solution that works.

Oliver Footwear is built for comfort and purpose. We research what is needed in quality footwear to perform the best on the job. Then we design and manufacture to not only meet these requirements but also provide the most comfort solution.

Some examples of innovative solutions for demanding environments are:

Solution Footwear to the most extreme Firefighting requirements.
Oliver is a major supplier of specialised protective footwear to State and Regional Fire Fighting Services around Australia.

The dual density rubber sole Firefighters boots incorporate many new and innovative features including fire retardant and water resistant leathers, fire proof laces, quick release zip closures for easy entry and release. It also utilises COMFORTcushion Impact Absorption System with PORON inserts that not only offer new levels of comfort but also assisted in reducing the incidence of heel strike whilst the cushioning effect helps eliminate foot, leg and lower back fatigue.

All of these features combine to meet the challenge of a very demanding work environment.

Addressing the needs of the Smelter Industry.
Aluminum smelting is one of the most extreme working environments. Oliver has developed footwear specifically designed to survive the most demanding Pot Room dip tests. These tests require the boot to be dipped into the hot Alumina pot at 960º Celsius (1778º Fahrenheit) for at least 3 seconds without allowing the molten material to penetrate the boot. The Oliver boots surpass these stringent tests to offer a complete safety solution to the smelter industry.

Underground Mining Industry needs addressed.
Oliver worked with the mining Industry to develop the BOWEN AT's All Terrain water proof mining boot that not only offered waterproof protection for long periods in underground drilling environments, but also the comfort demanded by miners working the long shift times common in the resources industries. It is fast becoming the comfortable answer to the "old" traditional gumboot.

Oliver Footwear's BOWEN AT's All Terrain mining boot has quickly become the preferred safety footwear choice of underground mining and drilling crews.

And many more……..
Other innovations include Glass Industry footwear with tough abrasion resistant soling and STEELflex stainless steel mid-soles to protect the wearer against puncture wounds. Oliver also produces steel industry boots with METflex metatarsal guards; caustic resistant footwear for the resources and chemical industries; footwear for the automotive, electronic and power industries, to name a few.

Oliver specialised footwear products are widely used by leading Australian industries, companies and services and are achieving growing International acceptance.

If your application has a requirement for specialty safety footwear, Oliver Footwear has the solution.

The OLIVER 3 WAY promise is to provide… the most comfortable, best performance and most durable footwear.