A Westbury manufacturing company has opened a $2 million facility to take advantage of Tasmania’s growing industries.
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The opening of Kolmark McLain Stainless’ new manufacturing facility on Wednesday signalled a new era for the company.
With company roots dating back to the 1970s, Kolmark manufactures tanks, piping equipment and milk storage tanks.
Director Mark Kolodziej said the opening of the company’s new factory would enable it to take on bigger tasks.
“It needed to be built for us to expand our operations from our existing facility in Westbury which is far smaller than this,” he said.
In the past few years Mr Kolodziej said work had “slowly but surely grown”.
Despite the optimism he said the company operated in a “boom and bust industry”.
“It’s been challenging for many years, our industry is up and down,” he said.
Mr Kolodziej attributes the survival and expansion of the business to the support of other Tasmanian industries that had been supportive.
Infrastructure at Josef Chromy, Tamar Valley Dairy, James Boags and sport stadiums all feature on the Kolmark resume.
”With this facility here we can probably build far far greater chunks of that sort of work,” he added.
The expansion of the manufacturing facility could also facilitate additions to the company workforce.
“Our tradesman base will grow as well over the next year or so I think we could expand our workforce by up to 30 per cent,” Mr Kolodziej said.
The company began manufacturing copper whisky stills about eight months ago and that is expected to be a key growth market.
“The quality that our guys managed to put out was fantastic and the story of Tasmanian whiskey being out there as a world leader is something we can climb on the back of quite easily,” he said.
“I see the opportunities of us being able to fabricate and export distilling equipment, both stainless steel and copper distilling equipment, lock stock and barrel all over the world.”
The company is receiving enquiries from the United States, New Zealand and China for its products.
“I think the export market will be quite strong in the long run,” Mr Kolodziej said.
Premier Will Hodgman said it was a “great example” of a business diversifying and employing Tasmanians”.