Ironman 4×4’s first Chief Operating Officer, Matt Frost, has long been a passionate member of Australia’s 4×4 industry

Matt Frost grew up in the UK before emigrating to Australia in his early twenties. After finding himself disillusioned with his first career move after college, he developed a love of travelling in remote areas, which sparked his passion for all things 4×4.
“I joined Audi/Volkswagen after leaving college and quickly found out that big corporate life wasn’t for me, which motivated me to travel,” Matt explains.
“That lead to a passion for remote area travel in the early 1990s, which saw me take a 4×4 vehicle across Africa for six months.
“I distinctly remember traversing a very slow section of track in the central African rainforests, taking three days to travel a mere 30 kilometres. Covered in mud and holding a shovel, I recall thinking there had to be a better way than this.
“A few years later, when planning a big trip around Australia, I ensured the vehicle was well set up with good suspension, off-road tyres, recovery gear, and so on – experiencing the difference of a well-set-up 4WD sparked my interest in 4×4 accessories and modifications.”
Soon, he would find himself building a career with a leader in the category.
“Following a couple of years of overland travel, I settled in Melbourne and in 1993 I took a job with ARB,” he said.
“The company had just opened its first stand-alone retail store in the inner-eastern suburbs of Melbourne and I had a fabulous mentor who taught me the industry. Within two years, I was running the store.
“The success of that operation was instrumental in ARB expanding its retail store network, and many of the lessons learned from that store are still being applied today.
“I stayed with ARB for twenty-eight years across a number of roles; the final being as Director of Sales and Marketing.”
Post-ARB, Matt worked a number of roles before coming on board with Ironman 4×4 as its Chief Operating Officer.
“Over the past few years I immersed myself in other businesses, both as a consultant and, more recently, at Ironman 4×4,” he said.
“Working for the same company for such a long period as I did at ARB can give you a very narrow view of the 4×4 accessories industry, so I have been pleased to have gained a far broader knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the industry in recent years while forging some wonderful new relationships.
“It has really become apparent to me that there are many great operators in our industry and that Australia genuinely leads the world in 4×4 accessories.”
Matt’s exposure to Ironman 4×4 actually occurred alongside his first dealings with the AAAA, 15 years ago.

“The European Commission had developed a Global Technical Regulation that the Australian Federal Government was seriously considering adopting. In short, had the regulation been implemented, it would have been impossible to fit vehicles with a functional bulbar,” Matt explains.
“The ramifications for Australian drivers and the 4×4 accessories industry would have been catastrophic, and led by AAAA Chief Executive Officer Stuart Charity, the industry rallied against the proposed regulation.
“Myself, TJM’s marketing manager, and Ironman 4×4’s Managing Director, Tom Jacob, spearheaded the campaign from the industry side. Tom was fantastic to work with, and we developed a high level of mutual respect for each other.
“We successfully lobbied the federal government that the regulation was totally impractical for Australian conditions, and it was dropped.”
“I am unaware of any business operating in the 4×4 industry for as long as Ironman 4×4,” Matt said.
“Its foundations can be traced back to the 1930s when Guenter Jacob ran the family’s metal business in Germany.
“The Nazis took over the business and forced the family into Auschwitz where Guenter’s metal working skills saved his life – as he was put to work – but sadly, not those of his loved ones.
“After the war, Guenter Jacob moved to Melbourne, Australia, and started making springs and formed the business, Jacob Spring Works.
“His children Tom and Barbara later joined the business, and over several decades, the product line up evolved and diversified into the Ironman 4×4 we know today.
“As Managing Director, Tom has been the head, heart, and soul of Ironman 4×4 for almost 50 years. He recognises the importance of succession planning and, in recent years, has built a team around him focused on driving the business forward into the future.
“When he approached me with an offer to become Ironman’s first Chief Operating Officer, I was humbled, flattered and excited. I felt that my 30 years working in the 4×4 industry had led me to this point.”

A major breakthrough for the company came in changing the name from Jacob Spring Works to Ironman 4×4.
“The name change was pivotal – the company was looking for a quintessentially Australian name, and it was felt that Ironman would resonate with customers,” Matt states.
“But later, Tom Jacob realised that Ironman was also a fitting tribute to his father, who had survived the war through grit, skill, and determination, and was quite literally a man built from Iron.
“Despite such a long and rich heritage, it has only been the last ten years or so that we have seen Ironman 4×4 rapidly expand into the household name today.
“This has primarily occurred through the proliferation of 4×4 light commercial vehicles in Australia and around the world. The suspension fitted to these vehicles still delivers an agricultural ride.
“Every major company in our industry has its foundastion product. For ARB, it was the roof rack, and for TJM, it was the bull bar. Ironman 4×4’s business was quite literally forged on its suspension products.
“While our range has expanded progressively to include protection equipment, winches and recovery equipment, and 4×4 lifestyle accessories, as Ironman’s foundation product, I believe we have more expertise in vehicle ride control than any other business in Australia, or perhaps the world.”
Ironman 4×4 products are sold through more than 100 retailers around Australia and are also exported to more than 150 countries.
“One of Ironman 4×4’s biggest strengths is the diversity of its customer base,” Matt said.
“Our core customers are Australian 4×4 enthusiasts who love getting off the beaten track in their spare time. With such a vast international presence, though, Ironman 4×4 penetrates various markets, including government bodies, aid agencies and fleet management organisations.
“From an expansion perspective, a big break certainly came in 2005, when we secured a contract to supply the US military with vehicle accessories for the war in Afghanistan. Due to the range and durability of our suspension systems, our products are highly sought after by armouring businesses.
“One of the most startling things I’ve seen in the past year was a line up several hundred meters long of brand new LandCruiser 300 bodies in Dubai. These are removed from the vehicle’s chassis to reveal a platform for building rocket-propelled-grenade-proof vehicles!”

Matt points towards the company’s leadership as a key element which helps it stand apart from the competition. And of course, he says the products are top notch.
“Ironman 4×4 has exceptional DNA, with its stable and consistent leadership now in its third generation, with Samuel Jacob, Tom’s son, a company director,” he said.
“It also has an extremely well-balanced team. There are many ‘long-termers’ working at the company who ‘bleed green,’ as we fondly say. Conversely, the company has attracted some of the best people in the industry in recent times.
“The business is experiencing a transformational period through products, technology, branding, and, most importantly, people. It is exceptionally well placed to increase its market share worldwide.
“In addition, Ironman 4×4’s core products are regarded as well-engineered, functional, reliable and dependable. The company has flourished through innovation, consistency and focus.
“Further, being a lean and agile business, our overheads are kept in check, which means we can provide our customers with great products at exceptional value for money.”
Like any business, challenges abound, but Matt says Ironman 4×4 is ready for all that may come its way.
“Vehicle complexity, compliance, and regulation have necessitated huge investments in engineering and development. For example, airbag deployment, multiple sensors, airflow, and pedestrian safety are all considerations that must be factored into a bullbar design,” he said.
“To put this into perspective, Ironman 4×4 has invested two years and almost one million dollars into building a bull bar testing rig.
“Luke Truskinger, the Managing Director of the AAAA’s Auto Innovation Centre, believes it is the world’s largest bull bar pendulum testing rig. The equipment is a testament to our commitment to building functional and compliant products and reflects our engineering team’s imagination and creativity.
“Looking to the future, with a heritage spanning over sixty-five years, Ironman 4×4 has a level of authenticity that is simply unmatched; and unlike many companies in our industry that have fallen into foreign ownership, Ironman 4×4 remains 100 percent Australian-owned and operated.
“We have recently undertaken an entire re-brand that has energised and united the company, positioning it for the future.”
Away from the office, Matt loves to spend time fishing and spending time with his family.
“I am an absolute freshwater fishing tragic. Over the years, my 4WD travels took me to many Outback hotels along the Murray and Darling Rivers, and I was always fascinated with pub stories and old photos of giant Murray Cod. This interest became a hobby and then an obsession,” he said.
“In the time I’ve known Ironman 4×4’s Managing Director, Tom Jacob, he’s reinforced with me what most of us already know…family comes first. I am fortunate that my family shares my passion for remote area travel, and they have accompanied me on many off-road adventures.
“I am also very fortunate to work for a Founder-led business that cherishes family values. My wife feels more involved in my career than ever before and often joins me on business trips and work functions.”

To learn more about Ironman 4×4, visit www.ironman4x4.com