NSW Government Backs Team Spirit Sports Expansion in South Kempsey
Regional manufacturing is getting a powerful boost, with the NSW Government recognising the growth of Team Spirit Sports’ South Kempsey factory through a $100,000 funding investment.
The NSW Government has issued a formal media release announcing this support, which you can read here:
👉 Official NSW Government Media Release: Smells like Team Spirit at Kempsey sportswear factory
For Team Spirit Sports, it’s a milestone that builds on nearly two decades of hard work: growing from a small local shopfront into a trusted teamwear brand supplying everyone from grassroots clubs and schools to athletes on the Olympic stage.
From a Kempsey shopfront to the world stage
Team Spirit Sports began 18 years ago as a small sportswear shop in Kempsey’s main street. Jeremy and Jarrod Lipscombe started out as employees before taking the leap to purchase the business ten years ago, driven by a shared love of sport and deep involvement in local clubs, committees, and community fundraising.
Since then, the business has grown far beyond its original footprint. Today, Team Spirit Sports supplies uniforms that have appeared at the Paris and Tokyo Olympic Games for Nauru, as well as the country’s Rugby Union team – all while continuing to support local clubs and schools across Australia.
That blend of local roots and international reach continues to guide everything now happening at the South Kempsey factory.
Government investment powering regional capability
While Team Spirit Sports has long worked with offshore manufacturing partners, the business saw an opportunity to expand its in-house capability and bring more specialised production roles back into the local community.
Through the NSW Government’s $100,000 funding support, the South Kempsey facility has been equipped with new printing, sewing, laser-cutting and heat-transfer machinery. This investment has enabled a true end-to-end production line for selected product ranges – from design and print right through to cutting, sewing and finishing – alongside the company’s highly valued global manufacturing partnerships.
Jeremy notes that this capability represents far more than machinery. The upgraded factory has already created additional skilled positions and provided opportunities for people with textiles experience who have previously struggled to find local work, while also providing upskilling pathways for new team members across the production process.
Jobs, skills and a growing regional footprint
Today, Team Spirit Sports employs 40 staff across two locations – Kempsey and Coffs Harbour – and operates six on-site school uniform stores in Sydney and along the Mid North Coast.
Roles span design, production, logistics, customer service and sales, contributing strongly to local employment and helping families build careers in regional NSW.
Employee Mitch Clarke, who has been with the company for more than two and a half years, describes the workplace as friendly, supportive and team-oriented – noting that working closely with community clubs and organisations is one of the most rewarding elements of the job.
For Jeremy and Jarrod, this is also a family-minded success story. Their complementary strengths – one more technical, the other more operational – together with a shared commitment to honesty and communication have been key in growing the business.
Customers at the heart of the story
The government release highlights long-standing customer Bradley Howe from Quakers Hill Junior Soccer Club, who has worked with Team Spirit Sports for more than five years. He speaks highly of the consistency, quality and smooth delivery of the gear his club receives, and values the shared sporting ideals that underpin the partnership.
That customer-first mindset extends across all of Team Spirit Sports’ relationships. Whether it’s ensuring urgent deliveries reach Sydney in time for weekend sport, supporting volunteer-run clubs with clear communication, or working with schools to deliver reliable uniform solutions, the goal is always the same: to make sport easier for the people who make it happen.
Part of a bigger regional manufacturing picture
The story of Team Spirit Sports also sits within a broader regional context. NSW generates an estimated $2.75 billion in gross sales each year from textile, leather, clothing and footwear manufacturing. Of that amount, $581 million comes from regional NSW – with the Kempsey Local Government Area contributing strongly to this activity.
More broadly, the Kempsey LGA is home to 32 manufacturing businesses. In the year ending June 2023, the local manufacturing sector generated more than $290 million in gross sales.
By investing in machinery, skills and jobs in South Kempsey, Team Spirit Sports is helping ensure that a meaningful share of this economic activity continues to be driven by regional businesses with deep community connections.
What the expansion means for clubs, schools and partners
For the sporting communities that rely on Team Spirit Sports apparel, this factory upgrade means:
- Increased in-house capability for selected product ranges, ensuring stronger control over quality and consistency.
- Greater flexibility, with both locally produced items and globally manufactured options available depending on each customer’s needs.
- Support for regional communities, knowing that part of their uniform spend is helping sustain skilled jobs and opportunities in South Kempsey and the Mid North Coast.
From local junior teams right through to Olympians, Team Spirit Sports remains focused on delivering sportswear that athletes are proud to wear.
Looking ahead
The NSW Government’s recognition and investment mark an exciting new chapter for Team Spirit Sports. But for Jeremy, Jarrod and the entire team, it also reinforces why they began this journey: a love of sport, a belief in community, and a desire to bring people together through quality, well-designed teamwear.
As
the South Kempsey factory continues to expand, Team Spirit Sports will keep
combining regional heart with professional teamwear expertise – supporting
clubs, schools, academies and organisations across Australia and beyond.
See behind the Scenes
If you’re a club, school or sporting organisation interested in working with Team Spirit Sports, now is a great time to explore what our expanded South Kempsey facility can offer:
- Custom teamwear design and development
- Local production capability for selected lines
- Global production partnerships to meet a wide range of budgets and timelines
- Factory tours and capability discussions
👉 Get in touch with our teamwear specialists today to discuss your needs