The Don Kyatt Group is proud to announce that they are taking their Terrain Tamer and Flashlube
brands to North America.
Terrain Tamer’s journey has been one of growth, across their entire time in business, since first
opening in 1969, in Melbourne’s South East certainly, but particularly over the past 5 years, which
has seen them not only open a second Papua New Guinean location in Lae, and their 10th Australian
location with a branch in Townsville, but also successfully expand into new markets in the capitals of
Cape town, South Africa and Santiago, Chile.
Now, on October 1 st , 2024, the brand is set to open their 19th and newest site the 9th internationally,
expanding into the USA, with a warehouse in Stockton, California, a short drive inland from San
Francisco.
Georg Esterer, who is the former operator of Californian business Cruiser Brothers, a Terrain Tamer
reseller for the past 10 years, will take the helm as manager of the branch, and use his and his
team’s extensive industry knowledge to help build the brand throughout the North American region.
Having already spent a week in Melbourne earlier this year for on-site training with the management
team at Terrain Tamer’s head office, Georg is well versed in the company culture and operations of
the brand, and ready to adapt it to the local market he knows so well.
“We have had a number of wholesale customers in North America for almost 40 years, but to do our
brand justice, with 60,000 lines, our own operation is required. The U.S consistently has the third
highest number of visitors to our website in the world, even though we have never been on the
ground ourselves. It may seem strange after 55 years, but only now are we ready for the rapid
product development that the US demands, as we need to adapt our offering for their car parc,”
says Terrain Tamer General Manager, Brent Hutchinson.
“When we reached out to one of our distributors about being part of our journey, there was an
instant ease that only comes with a natural fit. Georg, Roark, and their team have robust knowledge
of the North American 4WD market, are rusted on to their customer base.”
“We understand the challenge of taking an Australian brand into the American market but we are all
excited by the work and adaption ahead of us”
Along with Terrain Tamer’s 4WD Parts, the Californian warehouse will also stock the company’s
Flashlube products, offering a range of lubricants, additives, grease, and preventative engine
maintenance hardware such as Diesel Pre Filters and Catch Cans.
The news of the company’s expansion was marked with a visit from Victorian State Parliamentary
Minister, the Honourable Melissa Horne, who visited the Don Kyatt Group head office, along with
local government Minister Sara Connolly to congratulate company Managing Director and founder
Frank Hutchinson and General Manager Brent Hutchinson on the announcement.
For more information on Terrain Tamer’s expansion, call 613 9325 9700 or email northamerica@donkyatt.com.au
Terrain Tamer’s U.S. expansion is a game-changer for serious off-road enthusiasts who prioritize durability over disposable parts. Having run their Australian-made components on my 80 Series Land Cruiser for years, I can attest that their hardened alloy bearings and triple-lip seals outlast OEM by a factor of three in Mojave conditions.
Key Advantages for American Buyers:
Local Stocking: No more 4-week waits for critical steering components
Application-Specific Kits: Finally, a one-stop solution for 60/70/80/100 Series owners doing full drivetrain rebuilds
Price Parity: Their direct-to-consumer model undercuts dealer markups by ~30%
Pro Tip: Their new Tacoma IFS kits address the weak lower ball joints that plague 3rd-gen owners—just installed a set with 3° caster bushings and the highway wander vanished.
Question for Community: Which Terrain Tamer part would you stockpile first? For me, it’s their HD transfer case chain (PN TT3612) before overlanding season.