More than 40 years ago, a Gladstone clay shooter and hunter opened a small gun shop at a local service station after growing frustrated with the other local supplier. Today, his hobby has grown into a business that has become Australia's largest privately owned firearms and munitions supplier.

The Brisbane-based company, NIOA, has branched out from the commercial gun market into military and law enforcement, supplying Australian and New Zealand police with 70,000 Glock pistols and providing the military with their latest infantry weapon – an automatic grenade launcher.

Managing director Robert Nioa with a product bound for the Australian Defence Force. Credit:Matt Williamson

Managing director Robert Nioa led the transition into the defence and police markets from 1996, after his father started the company out of a small office at a Gladstone service station with only 10 guns in the armoury in 1973.

The company moved to Brisbane 12 years later and established a warehouse under the Story Bridge before expanding further into military and law enforcement.