The face of Australian manufacturing has changed dramatically over the past few years and with the recent closures of key industry players, ripples of home grown manufacturing dying out continue to spook firms and increase media hype.
Though the threat of closure is an element businesses need to be aware of, long standing manufacturers should not be so quick to throw in the towel and instead see this as an opportunity to ground their foundations of what once was a booming industry.
Successful manufacturing comes from seeking innovation, opportunities and new methods to take the process to the next level and evolve with the trade.
ACO Polycrete, a family-owned and run drainage manufacturer, established itself in 1946 and has been developing products for over 50 years in the construction industry. As a business, it recognises the importance of continuing this building block of the company through expanding globally – it’s about a change of mindset from Australia as a whole, the government and manufacturers. We need to get behind Australian manufacturing and continue to grow. We saw Australia as a prime location to manufacture in the 1980s and stick by our decision to expand globally here as we have continued to do so over the past 30 years.
ACO Polycrete has further shown its investment in Australian-based manufacturing by recently opening a new steel production area within its Emu Plains site which it has occupied since 2004. Dedicated to developing this section of its business, the company aims to manufacture and market products for the inside of commercial buildings as well as the outside.
The addition of eight new members of staff to the site will give the company even more potential to grow within Australia and beyond. We employ over 90 people within our site in Western Sydney. We feel it’s important to support the local economy and our portion of the manufacturing here in Sydney. We’re part of a community that wants to see Australian manufacturing continue to strive.
ACO Polycrete creates products for utility enclosures and water management solutions and has seen an increase in export sales as it distributes its products across the globe. Its focus is to also continue to grow its export market over the coming years throughout New Zealand, South East Asia and South Pacific.
The increase in capabilities from companies such as ACO Polycrete will ensure that manufacturing has sustenance in the industry but it needs the backing of local and national government along with fellow companies to continue to service Australia and beyond instead of opting for a cheaper ‘quick fix’ elsewhere.
By focusing on innovation, employment and export, businesses can actually grow their profits and help the economy in this precarious time.
|
About John Sordo
John Sordo is the Manager - Marketing & Product Management at ACO Polycrete. He has worked in Product Management, Sales and Marketing for almost 20 years and in that time has been a member of several committees aimed at improving the level of compliance of products across the construction industry. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration. View all posts by this author » |
