Australian brand Chief Products is launching a line of engineering products for JL Wrangler in 2019!

November 2018

PASSION MEETS QUALITY FOR THE ULTIMATE OFF-ROADING EXPERIENCE

Off-roading enthusiasts and adventure seekers can now enjoy a range of innovative products thanks to Chief Products, an Australian company producing aftermarket accessories for the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Launching five years ago on the Gold Coast and tapping into a growing Australian SUV market, Chief Products is focused on designing accessories for modern off-road vehicle platforms and firmly aligning themselves with their go-anywhere ethos.

Creating accessories including front and rear off-road bumpers, nudge bars, roof racks, recovery points, rock rails, fender flares and protection plates, Chief Products is building a portfolio of products based on their design-centric approach, passion for life and enthusiastic pursuit of adventure.

Australians alone spend $5.6 billion each year on aftermarket parts and accessories; and founder Bill Mackin has identified a niche in this market, creating products that allow his customers to customise their vehicles with style and purpose. Whilst aftermarket is big business and very competitive, Chief Products has garnered a very enthusiastic following with their niche Jeep Grand Cherokee range.

"When we started, we set out to build something bigger than a brand; a culture inspired by creativity, openness and a rumbling appetite for adventure. We believe products built by people who are passionate will always better and more authentic," Bill said.

Going from strength to strength in terms of growth, the team launched a US distribution centre earlier this year to better service to the multi-billion dollar US off-road industry. Expanding their range over the past few years has yielded positive results with their latest product addition; the WK2 Rock Rails selling out in just weeks in the US and a global waiting list exceeding 1000 customers across their range.

The niche aftermarket brand combines a passionate love of the great outdoors with a design-centric approach to deliver rugged products that provide styling normally reserved for OEMs.

Chief Products are designed and engineered by a team who are led by ex-Holden Concept Car developer, Ben Grams, using a collection of materials from high strength steel to lightweight aluminum. Going from concept to prototype and testing to public release can take anywhere from 3-12 months depending on the complexity of the product.

"We're lucky enough to be one of a handful of companies worldwide with access to CAD data for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which ensures our products integrate seamlessly with the vehicle," Bill said.

The company's passion to explore also drives them to investigate new products, announcing they intend to expand the business into new vehicle platforms in 2019.

"We plan to launch a line of carefully engineered products for the JL Wrangler in 2019, which is the most accessorised off-road vehicle in the world," Bill said.

Future expansion plans also include the booming off-road market in China. Bill and his team are showing they have no intention of slowing down, their enthusiastic approach and passion for innovation are proving to be a winning combination.

"People are finding out about our products through word of mouth and in 4WD forums; it's these enthusiastic customer testimonies that assure us that we are creating products that people want. We aren't a one size fits all business, we create products that integrate with the design and character of the vehicle, much like an automaker would," Bill said.