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Welshpool, Western Australia

Location:

  • Site address , 24 Tomlinson Road , Welshpool. WA 6106.
  • Welshpool is approximately 6.5 kilometres South East from the Perth CBD, 8 kilometres from the Domestic Airport and 20 kilometres from the Port of Fremantle.
  • The Welshpool operations are within a Heavy Industrial and Manufacturing area adjacent to the Kewdale freight terminals.

The Facts:

Manufacturing Manager Steve Mackay leads a team of 20 office staff and 180 strong foundry workforce which produce the quality Ground Engaging Tool (GET) products known throughout the industry.

A brief history of the Welshpool site:

1947 Chamberlain Industries Pty Ltd commenced work converting the old Small Arms / Munitions factory for use as a tractor manufacturing plant.
1949 On the 18th May the first 10 tractors rolled off the assembly line, kerosene fueled engines.
1950 Shift work was introduced and the workforce increased to 500.
1955 The first Champion was produced, the famous Tail End Charlie was used as a tender and sweep vehicle in the Redex trials to gain publicity.
1970 Merger with John Deere completed, factory producing about 25percent of the 13,000 tractors bought in Australia each year.
1980 First stage of the 3.5M Upgrade Programme for Chamberlain John Deere Foundry now complete. Fully mechanized Furan moulding line replacing 6 conventional Green Sand Pinstrips and 4 Green Sand Roll-over machines.
1981 Stage two completed, 2 x 4.5T Electric Arc Furnaces and a 6T Induction Holding Furnace.
1986 CJD Foundry closure, 9 employees remained out of a 180 from the Foundry, The complete tractor manufacturing site had a total of 1500 in the workforce during full production of the late 70's and early 80's. Merger with State Engineering Works from Fremantle to become S.E.W Foundries Pty Ltd.
1989 S.E.W. Foundries Pty Ltd was renamed Boral Castings Pty Ltd into which Johns Perry Castings Bentley and Launceston operations were integrated.
1990 15M Boral upgrade commences.
1991 Johns Perry Castings Close in Bentley and transfer to Welshpool.
1993 Boral Castings Pty Ltd was renamed National Castings Pty Ltd, trading as Natcast.
1998 Bradken Fremantle closed , relocated to Welshpool. Name change to ANI Bradken.
1998- current Bradken (run by the Mining Division).
 

Welshpool History (18kb pdf)