Philip Bart Bruck Textiles The textile industry has gone through massive changes over the past 20 years and Philip Bart has been leading the way. He has been involved in a multitude of businesses, with a textile focus, that have sought to improve productivity, innovation and quality of textiles principally produced in Australia. He is a passionate advocate of ‘local production’, and where that is not economically practical, overseas production with the maximum Local Content. Based in Sydney, New South Wales, he has guided his businesses through some turbulent times, consistently putting the needs of his employees and customers on an equal basis to his own, treating all as equal “stakeholders”. Now, he is at the forefront of innovation again.
Prior to getting his start in the textile industry, Philip Bart was involved in various business start ups that exposed him to a wide variety of industries - including eyewear. After all was said and done, he eventually decided to pursue textiles. He put his background and experience to use, and he got his foot in the door. He continued to apply the lessons that he learned, working his way up to a leadership role in one of the biggest textile companies in the Southern Hemisphere.
While Philip has played a role in a number of deals during the course of his career, one of his crowning achievements came in the form of updating the uniforms that the sailors of the Australian Defense Force (ADF) wear. The completely new Fabric is a blend of Nomex, and FR Viscose, and having been purpose developed by Bruck Textiles (Philip Bart’s company), is highly Fire Retardant but at the same time soft and comfortable to wear. This new fabric replaced earlier products which were heavy, stiff and - most importantly - had far less fire retardancy. This type of durability, and performance characteristic is exactly what is needed during long journeys at sea. The prior uniforms had been in use for more than 12 years and it took a tremendous amount of innovation to replace them. Philip Bart’s team worked with some of the top scientists in the field to design a lighter uniform that takes advantage of the latest technology. It enhances the safety and comfort of everyone who wears it, and it also introduces uniformity across the ADF.
The company produced two separate versions of the new uniform. Depending on the duties of the personnel involved, their roles, and their potential safety hazards, the right uniforms can be chosen to keep them comfortable and protected.
Even though this is one of the products that he is most proud of, Philip Bart has invested in a wide variety of areas in the textile industry to include the fully integrated design, production, marketing and distribution of towels and bed linens to the Australian market in addition to a totally integrated approach to designing, weaving, dying, and coatinbg of high end window furnishing and blind fabric which are sold both in Australia and around the globe.
Philip Bart has also worked developing highly technical fabrics for end uses in ballistic protection, stab proof, and chainsaw proof fabrics - all fabrics used by Law Enforcement, Fire and Emergency Services, as well as bespoke developments for use in Aluminum Smelters all over the World. He understands the competitiveness of the industry and aims to set his products apart. In producing these highly technical fabrics, Bart demonstrates a commitment to the latest technology innovation and best practices in the field.
While Bart has always put his work first, he has also worked hard to give back to the community that has given him so much. He understands that there are a lot of people in need, and he knows that there are a lot of parts of the country that do not have access to the same resources he does. By consistently thinking about the needs of others, he has made a positive impact directly in Australia and globally. This includes generously donating fabrics to various organizations during the course of the past few decades.
Finally, in addition to working hard Philip Bart believes strongly in forging strong relationships with family and friends. He understands that he would not be where he is without the support of others, and he never forgets that, trying to find ways to spend time with his loved ones. He also enjoys the outdoors, exploring the local community, and exercising regularly. It is this type of work-life balance that allows him to keep his mind fresh when he returns to the office the next day. It will be interesting to see where Phil Bart and the rest of the textile industry go from here.