![]() In the mid 1990’s, Graeme had a dream to venture offshore and set up a small office in Hong Kong. The business began exporting dinnerware directly to a small number of Australian and New Zealand retailers. In 1982, Stoneage Australia was established to focus on the dinnerware and bakeware industry. Graeme built the company into a hugely successful importing and wholesale business serving the entire country with well-known brands like Living Art, Luminite and Essence. Graeme continued running Stoneage Australia until his retirement in 2006. These were pioneering times and Graeme is credited as being one of the founding importers who developed ties between the People Republic of China and the Australian market. They were told what, how many and at what cost they could buy the products. The delegation travelled for days by rickety rail from Kowloon up to Beijing where they were shown product that was made in the local factories. In 1969, Graeme was invited to join a delegation that included senior merchants from Woolworths to travel to China, under escort, and view dinnerware that was available for purchase. In 1968, the recently married Graeme, gathered his savings and opened his first housewares and stationary company called Tritex Pty Ltd. With his infectious personality Graeme convinced several established brands that he was the right person to represent their products. Some of these brands included Texta Markers, Bohemia Crystal and Stanley Rogers silverware. During these years Graeme built a successful agency business and also began to import his own product, mainly ceramic tableware and accessories, from Japan, Korea and Taiwan. He left school early to help his struggling family make ends meet. He tried his hand at a few jobs before quickly settling into a role of storeman and then salesman at the local stationer. Graeme Lance was always a resourceful man.
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