Bunnings is preparing for one of the biggest changes to its business in recent years after Wesfarmers announced that Blackwoods and Workwear Group will become part of the Bunnings Group from July 1, 2026. While the move is an internal restructure rather than an acquisition, it significantly expands Bunnings’ presence beyond traditional hardware retail and deeper into industrial supplies, workplace safety products and workwear.
The decision brings together several well-known Australian brands under the same corporate roof. Alongside Bunnings, the group will now include Blackwoods, Australia’s largest supplier of industrial and safety products, as well as Workwear Group brands such as Hard Yakka, KingGee, NNT and Workwear Group Uniforms.
For Wesfarmers, the move is less about adding new brands and more about creating a stronger operating platform. Bunnings already has extensive customer reach, a large store network and strong relationships with trade customers. By integrating Blackwoods and Workwear Group into the Bunnings division, the company believes it can improve efficiencies, strengthen product availability and unlock new growth opportunities.
Blackwoods has been supplying Australian businesses since 1878 and today operates six national distribution centres and more than 45 branches across metropolitan, regional and remote Australia. The company supplies industrial equipment, workplace safety products, tools, maintenance supplies and specialist solutions to businesses operating across multiple industries. More information about its operations can be found through the official Blackwoods website.
Workwear Group adds another layer of scale. KingGee was founded in Sydney in 1926 and remains one of Australia’s most recognisable workwear brands. Together with Hard Yakka, NNT and Workwear Group Uniforms, the business supplies products through more than 1,000 retail outlets across the country. These brands have built strong reputations among tradies, construction workers, logistics operators and corporate customers.
The combination creates a broader offering for many of the same customers. A trade professional purchasing tools and building materials from Bunnings may also require safety equipment, protective clothing and work uniforms. Likewise, small businesses often source hardware, maintenance products and workplace safety supplies from multiple providers. Wesfarmers sees an opportunity to better serve those customers by bringing related businesses closer together.
Wesfarmers Chief Financial Officer Anthony Gianotti said Blackwoods and Workwear Group both hold market-leading positions and that the transition is expected to support incremental sales growth while creating operational efficiencies. He said the company sees a significant opportunity to leverage greater scale and capabilities to improve the customer experience and strengthen growth among small and medium-sized business customers.
Bunnings Managing Director Mike Schneider said customers should benefit from access to a broader product range, improved product availability and stronger fulfilment capabilities. He also highlighted the value of Blackwoods’ national distribution network and industrial product range, which could help strengthen Bunnings’ service offering over time.
Importantly, customers should not expect the brands themselves to disappear. Wesfarmers has confirmed that Blackwoods and Workwear Group will continue operating as stand-alone businesses within Bunnings Group. Blackwoods will also maintain its focus on servicing large enterprise customers, preserving the specialist expertise that has made it a leading supplier in the industrial sector.
The restructuring reflects a wider strategy across Wesfarmers to use scale and operational expertise to expand into adjacent growth markets. The company has also been exploring opportunities outside traditional retail, including initiatives focused on faster and lower-cost housing construction in Australia, demonstrating its broader focus on efficiency-led growth across multiple industries.
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The timing of the announcement is notable given Bunnings’ continued strength with Australian consumers. Roy Morgan recently ranked Bunnings as Australia’s most trusted brand for the 10th consecutive quarter, placing it ahead of Aldi, Kmart, Commonwealth Bank and Apple. That level of consumer trust provides a strong foundation as the company broadens its presence across trade, industrial and workplace supply markets.
Wesfarmers does not expect any material one-off costs from the transition, and Blackwoods and Workwear Group will begin contributing to Bunnings’ reported results in the first half of the 2027 financial year. While the restructure may not immediately change the shopping experience for consumers, it signals a long-term strategy to transform Bunnings into a broader business serving households, tradies, small businesses and enterprise customers through an increasingly connected network of products and services.
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