 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports equipment |
| Founded | 1985; 40 years ago (1985) (merger) |
| Founder | Joe Burley |
| Headquarters | Perth,Australia |
| Products | Australian footballs,cricket balls,sportswear |
| Website | sekem.com.au |
Burley-Sekem Pty Ltd is an Australiansports equipment manufacturing company. It was formed in 1985 from the merger of "Burley Sports Pty Ltd" (anAustralian footballs andcricket balls manufacturer, established in 1907), and "Sekem Pty Ltd." (asportswear andschool uniform manufacturer founded in 1923). The company has since merged withKookaburra Sport.[1]
The company produces equipment and goods for clubs and teams of diverse sports, such asAustralian rules football,rugby,cricket andsoccer, having also endorsed several major leagues.
The "Burley Football Company" was started in 1906 by carpenter and former tanner's apprentice,Joe Burley, who was requested to make a ball that "kept its shape" for theWestern Australian Football Association (WAFA). Previously,rugby balls had been used for the sport, but these were easily worn and prone to changing shape from aprolate spheroid to asphere by the completion of matches.[2] Burley's ball was first tried in a WAFA game betweenEast Fremantle andWest Perth in June 1906, and gained popularity amongst players, leading to it being exclusively used by the WAFL from 1921, a practice which continues to this day. The ball was introduced to theSouth Australian National Football League (SANFL) in the 1920s, and is the official ball.[3] Along with theSherrin, the Burley football was declared the official football of theAustralian National Football Council (ANFC). The Burley was also used ininterstate and carnival matches featuringWestern Australia.[4]
Sekem commenced operations in 1923 as a sock manufacturing business. The business survived theGreat Depression and theSecond World War, expanding into sportswear, swimwear andschool uniforms, become Australia's largest manufacturer of school uniforms by the 1970s.[5]
Burley-Sekem is best known for its manufacture of Burleyfootballs, which are used and endorsed by theWest Australian Football League.[6] InWestern Australia, particularly, the ball is considered almost ubiquitous.[7]
Burley-Sekem is responsible for the production of licensedAFL,NRL,WAFL,Wallabies,All Blacks,Super Rugby,Socceroos andA-League sports clothing,[8] and also producesDukes Cricket Balls and Burley Indoor Cricket Balls.[9][10]
In November 2020, theFremantle Football Club announced that Burley-Sekem would supply their playingguernseys and other apparel for the2021 AFL season and onwards.[11]
