Freedom Won Australia
Stalwart Energy Australia Pty Ltd (Trading as Freedom Won Australia) is the sole importer and distributor of Freedom Won (South Africa) Lithium battery and energy storage solutions in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Need
To deliver a commercial energy project in Antarctica, Freedom Won Australia needed additional working capital.
Solution
We provided the business with an Export Contract Loan, which enabled Freedom Won Australia to proceed with the project.
Freedom Won Australia provides high-quality energy storage solutions for residential and commercial use. It is the sole importer and distributor of South African-based Freedom Won batteries in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and our finance has supported its export growth.
Freedom Won Australia's unique selling proposition is its scalable, pre-engineered containerised, turn-key solution. As Hennie Coleman, the owner of Freedom Won Australia, explained: "In a more traditional model, an engineer would need to design and integrate a battery system, whereas ours is fully integrated, tried and tested, and effectively plug-and-connect."
Freedom Won Australia has always been an export-focused business. As one of the two go-to-market channels in the Oceania Region, it started exporting batteries to New Zealand before it sold domestically in Australia. Its first deal was an agreement to sell five batteries to a distributor in New Zealand, which quickly gained popularity.
Without Export Finance Australia’s backing, I would have had to withdraw from that contract – there would have been no way to deliver on the project without that financing. That’s how critical it was.
Hennie Coleman
Owner, Freedom Won Australia
In 2024, the business was awarded a large-scale commercial project for a New Zealand government agency looking to upgrade the infrastructure of its base in Antarctica. A key challenge Freedom Won Australia faced was funding the upfront costs of delivering a project of this scale. The project required integrated Battery Energy Storage System solutions to be shipped to New Zealand to prove the system functionality before being transported and commissioned in Antarctica. The bulk of payments would only be released upon successful completion of a Factory Acceptance Test in New Zealand.
Finance to power ahead in the export market
When traditional banking providers couldn't offer the necessary finance due to jurisdictional and compliance issues, its bank recommended Freedom Won Australia reach out to us.
We provided an Export Contract Loan to help Freedom Won Australia meet its cash flow commitments. As Hennie explained, "without Export Finance Australia’s backing, I would have had to withdraw from that contract. There would have been no way to deliver on the project without that financing; that’s how critical it was."
“In the scenario where you need to provide proof before you’re paid, you cannot do it without a partner like Export Finance Australia.”
Our support enabled Freedom Won Australia to meet its cash flow requirements to deliver the project and enhance its reputation as a trusted energy solutions provider.
“The team was very helpful and very accommodating, and they gave me guidance on exactly what was required,” Hennie said. “It was a very interactive process, and the experience was very positive.”
With this Antarctic project as a foundation to prove its capability, Freedom Won Australia continues to expand its reach, providing innovative energy solutions to more customers across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
