Airmar Technology Corporation, widely recognised as a global leader in ultrasonic transducers and CHIRP technology, has moved to deepen its presence across Australasia by establishing a new distribution centre in Melbourne. The facility marks a significant shift in how the company will serve customers across Australia and New Zealand, bringing inventory closer to the market and cutting the long supply chains that have historically connected the region to Airmar's operations in the United States.
Inventory is expected to be on the ground in Melbourne by late November 2025, with shipments beginning immediately once stock arrives. For New Zealand customers in particular, the warehouse promises next-day delivery, a substantial improvement over the international freight timelines that local marine electronics dealers, boatbuilders, and installers have had to work around until now. The hub is intended to reduce both lead times and freight costs across the board.
The Melbourne centre will carry Airmar's complete product range, encompassing CHIRP and conventional frequency transducers, SmartBoat™ monitoring systems, SmartFlex™ Diesel Flow Meters, WeatherStation® Instruments, and the broader suite of ultrasonic sensors the company supplies to marine, industrial, and environmental sectors. That breadth of stock, available locally rather than on order from overseas, represents a meaningful change for businesses that have had to plan well in advance to manage supply.
Jennifer Matsis, Airmar's Vice President of Sales and Marketing, described the decision as a natural expression of the company's close and long-standing partnership with the Australasian marine industry. "Having local inventory means improved product availability, shorter lead times, and faster support for installers, boatbuilders, and industrial customers throughout the region," she said.
The new facility will also strengthen Airmar's ability to support its key OEM partners in the region, among them Garmin, Navico, Humminbird, Raymarine, and Furuno. These relationships sit at the core of Airmar's role in the marine electronics sector, and having a regional distribution point is expected to make fulfilment more responsive across all of them.
Alongside the warehouse launch, Airmar is continuing to grow its Airmar Certified Installer (ACI) programme, which equips technicians with the practical knowledge needed to correctly select, install, and service transducers. The company regards this hands-on training as central to delivering the best performance outcomes for both recreational and commercial users.
Dealers in the region will be able to open accounts through a new website set to launch in mid-November. Online ordering and account management functionality are expected to follow in early December, and the site will double as a consumer-facing resource for anyone trying to identify the right transducer for a powerboat or yacht.
Founded in 1982 and now operating as part of Amphenol Corporation, Airmar has built a reputation as one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-performance marine and industrial sensors. The company currently runs twelve sales and support offices across eight countries, with its technologies reaching into recreational boating, commercial fishing, oceanography, meteorology, and manufacturing.
The Melbourne distribution centre marks a firm commitment to Australasia, giving Kiwi and Australian marine businesses faster, more reliable access to a product range that underpins much of what keeps modern vessels connected and performing on the water.
