A BRIEF HISTORY
THE UNEEDIT SUPPLIES COMPANY

Uneedit Manufacturing Co., the original Australian First Aid Company, commenced operations on 1 May 1934, under the ownership of Mr Reginald Davies and Mr E. M. Davies.

The location of the business in these early days was 90 Pitt Street, Sydney.

Mr A. W. McClelland became proprietor, on 30 May 1938, and soon purchased a motorcycle & side car to provide deliveries around central Sydney.

Over the years he became a familiar figure around town with his motorbike, and hat brim turned up in the wind.

In 1939, Uneedit moved to premises at 126 Cleveland Street, Sydney, which was closer to the main industrial area at that time.

During the years of the World War, when petrol was rationed, a pushbike with carry basket was used for some of the deliveries around the densely populated industrial areas of Waterloo, Redfern, Annandale, Broadway, Newtown, Marrickville, Alexandria and St Peters. A salesman was used in the inner city area selling to offices and small businesses from a large travel case, using the tram system to move about. 

In 1946 an ex-army Harley Davidson was used by Mr Mac (as he was known) to speed up servicing and deliveries as the business expanded after the war.

Later, they relocated to more central premises at 19-21 George Street, Redfern, with the exchange phone number MX 1871.

Uneedit Manufacturing Co., at this time made a lot of its own products: 

• Dressings under the Heal-O-Plast & Heal-O-Band brands

• Antiseptics - Vyzol and Toxil, were well known

• Burn solution - Needax

• Tea tree oil based product - Teetrene Ointment was very popular

• Eye treatments - Sylene Eye Drops (Golden Eye Drops) and Crystal Eye Lotion

During the 1950s the then Manager, Mr S. Roylett, developed the motto - First In First Aid - which to this day is a registered trademark of the company.

In the early 1960s, Mr A. W. McClelland asked his son, Mr W. B. McClelland, or Max, as he is more commonly known, to assist with deliveries on a part-time basis. The Company had expanded, needed larger premises, and also became a Proprietary Limited Company, thus changing the name to Uneedit Supplies Pty Ltd.

Around this time Mr A. W. McClelland retired, handing the management over to Max, but still worked occasionally overseeing the business. Uneedit was now located at 238-240 Henderson Road, Alexandria, and expanded its distribution network throughout Australia over the next 25 years.

By the late 1980s manufacturing had ceased and a move was made to a warehouse at Campsie. In 1995, further expansion necessitated a move to premises at Condell Park, and in 2004 to modern premises in Milperra where Uneedit Supplies is located today.

Uneedit Supplies is now in its third generation of family ownership, after Mr W. B. McClellands retirement in 2008 at which time he handed the reigns over to his three children who are very proud to be part of the family legacy.