C.R Kennedy Geospatial Solutions

Company History

Founded in 1934 by Clement Robertson Kennedy, the company began by importing a variety of photographic and optical lines from Germany and Italy.

Just after WW2, we became the sole Australian agents for the Rectaflex camera, which gave way in 1948 to the Exacta agency from Zeiss Jena.

Our close and enduring relationship with Pentax began in 1954 when we became the distributors for Asahi Pentax. In fact, we are the first and oldest distributors in the world for Pentax. Around the same time, we also became distributors for Elmo. LPL came soon after.

We have over seventy years of unbroken trading relationships with some of our Japanese trading partners and we are now entering into the third generation with many of our family company suppliers.

In 1969, we entered the surveying market when we were appointed to handle the Fuji agency (which later became Pentax). Our survey division handles equipment such as levels, theodolites, and electronic distance measuring equipment, and has steadily grown to achieve dominance in the survey market in Australia.

In 1975 our founder's son, Malcolm Kennedy, became Chairman and Managing Director. The JOBO Company, the leading German manufacturer of darkroom equipment appointed C.R.Kennedy as distributor in 1979. Then in 1980, we became distributors for Hasselblad of Sweden, the world's most prestigious photographic line. 

Our Medical Division was established in 1981 selling a complete range of Pentax Flexible Fiberoptic and Video Endoscopes.

Since 1984 we have earned a reputation as a major supplier of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and more recently digital IP security equipment to the Australian market. We now represent leading suppliers in the industry such as Dallmeier Electronic, Dahua and UNV.

In 1986, we established C.R.Kennedy (NZ) to take advantage of the rapidly expanding New Zealand consumer and industrial market. With the combined purchasing power of our Australian operation we have made substantial inroads into this market. New Zealand customers, both industrial and domestic, can now enjoy new levels of value and service. We were subsequently appointed sole Australian distributors for Hasselblad Medium Format Cameras.

In 1989, we were appointed sole Australian distributors for Bowens Studio Flash from the UK. In the first six months, we achieved the highest levels of turnover ever in Australia.

Sigma, the world's largest manufacturer of interchangeable lenses, appointed us as Australian distributors in 1991. This was due largely to the exceptional results we achieved with the Sigma brand in New Zealand.

In January 2001 the company underwent a huge expansion with the appointment as sole and exclusive distributors in Australia for Leica Geosystems. This involved taking over the operations, and employing more than 25 staff from Leica Geosystems Australia Pty Ltd.

Leica Geosystems and C.R.Kennedy founded SmartNet Aus (now Hexagon SmartNet) in 2007, a joint venture business running Australia’s largest CORS GNSS RTK service.

In 2005 we were appointed sold Australian distributors for ILFORD. In November 2011 – Ricoh has announced CR Kennedy as its new Australian distributor of digital cameras, effective 1 February 2012. In line with Ricoh’s worldwide acquisition of Pentax in October 2011, the new appointment brings both camera brands under the one distributor in Australia.

C.R.Kennedy begin our relationship with DJI in 2014. This business has since grown to include consumer, enterprise & agriculture RPAS, as well as gimbals and the Hasselblad brand.

Since 1934, we have always sought long term partnerships with our suppliers and customers alike, and aim to be the leading supplier in every industry we operate in.