CP is a 100% Australian owned company, based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Copelands Canvas was established in 1948 by the Copeland family. Geo. Pickers was Australia's largest canvas and vinyl specialists in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. In 1988 Geo. Pickers was acquired by Copelands Canvas to become Copelands & Pickers or simply CP.

CP currently employees 28 full time craftsmen and women as well a number of regular part time support staff.

The business is owned by de Waal Co Pty Ltd, which also owns and operates Copeland and Pickers Construction Pty Ltd. All CP installation work is managed by CP construction Pty Ltd which holds a Building Services Authority Licence - number 1058720 for the class of: Builder - Medium Rise.

Our Vision:

To exceed customer expectations and set worldwide standards for product quality and consistency.

Our Mission:

We will employ the best people, technology and materials to maintain the reputation of CP for quality craftsmanship and excellence in service to deliver products that are recognised for their performance, style and durability.

CP Values and Behaviours:

• We do everything possible to find the best solution; everytime!
• We look after our customer's interests
• We are accountable for our actions
• We do it once, we do it right!

THE HISTORY OF CANVAS IN AUSTRALIA

As we all know canvas played a leading role in the lives of the early settlers. It provided the first shelter and the first homes of the pioneers. No painting of the early gold days is complete without canvas tents, canvas chairs, canvas stretcher beds, canvas ventilation chutes and of course, canvas stores and grog shops.

In Australia's Bicentenary celebrations, canvas was again to the fore. The "Tall Ships" from all around the world arrived, powered by canvas.

Among many re-enactment programs was the building of a replica of the William the Fourth. William IV was the first ocean going steam ship built in Australia,a nd as was usual in those days, carried sail to supplement the "new fangled" steam driven paddle wheels. Launched at Deptford, Clarence Town, in November 1832, she was described as "a beautiful specimen of colonial enterprise, a vessel of astonishing speed". Schooner rigged, the boat was 80 feet in length and traded along the NSW coast for over 30 years. In 1862, she left our Australian scene to engage in the river trade in China.

Then there was the "Bicentennial Bullock Drive" when a canvas covered wagon hauled by 12 bullocks departed from Tweed Heads in New South Wales, travelling 900 kms in a mere 118 days. The project raised over $200,000 for the National Heart Foundation but canvas was required to cover the team of four men and six passengers.

The "Droving 88" project was billed as the last great cattle drive. When 1200 head of cattle were moved on hoof from the famous Newcastle Waters station in the TErritory to Longreach in Queensland, 2000 kms and four months on the road.

There was also a multitude of re-enactment programs - all depicting life of 200 years ago. Canvas was important then and is important now - for shelter from the sun, we have sophisticated canvas awnings - for shelter from the elements in recreational tents and caravan annexes - for protection of valuable cargoes in the vast chain of short and long range transportation.

New Zealand has a settlement which is named Canvastown as a memorial to the early gold rush days in that country. Perhaps every town in Australia would now qualify for that title.

THE HISTORY OF GEORGE HENRY PICKERS
(Reprinted from the Canvas Bulletin)

Born October 4, 1905 - died at his Brisbane residence October 29, 1986.

It is with a great deal of regret that the Industry has lost one of its original pioneers - the former owner of Geo. Pickers & Co Pty Ltd. Mr Pickers emigrated to Australia in 1911 and resited at Townsville. He first embarked on learning the trade of sail, tent and tarpaulin manufacture with C. Ede Pty Ltd.

Journeying to Brisbane in 1925, Mr Pickers assiduously "chased business" and, in his own words, "would tackle anything he could lay his hands on. A complete supplement would be needed in this Bulletin to trace the history of the company, the various premises, its awards, etc but suffice it to say, Mr Pickers, through what can only be described as a "Churchillian" approach as the industry, resolutely fought to have his company in a position synonymous with CANVAS and all it entailed. History has shown this to be fact!

Blessed with a phenomenal memory, a most inquisitive mind and the belief the customer was always right (as long as he paid) the words "impossible" and "insurmountable" may well appear in the Oxford Dictionary, but tradition, time and performance have proved Mr Pickers would not countenance their mention.

His contributions of teaching and training others, along with his myriad of ideas, have undoubtedly found their way throughout the Canvas Manufacturers of Australia.