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White Industries
IndustryFoundry, Manufacturing, Mining, CNC Machining
Founded1960, Dalby Queensland
FounderRobert White
Wilf Hagen
Headquarters
Dalby, Queensland
Ipswich, Queensland
,
Australia
Key people
Michael Shelford (CEO)
Bruce White (MD)
Craig White (MD)
Number of employees
100-200
Websitehttps://whiteindustries.com.au/

White Industries is an Australian family-owned foundry group headquartered in Queensland, with significant operations in both Dalby and Ipswich. It is the largest privately owned foundry group in Australia.[1] Established in 1960 by Robert White, the company specialises in producing both ferrous and non-ferrous castings. Its products are used in various industries including mining, rail, water, road transport, agriculture, and automotive.[2][3]

History

White & Hagan

Robert (Bob) White was born in 1938 in Sydney. After completing his schooling in Port Macquarie, he studied First Class Machining and worked at the Toowoomba Foundry in the 1950s.[4] During this period, he met local barber and water skier, Bernie Leahy, who requested White to produce aluminium ski boot fittings. The venture proved successful, leading to a partnership with fellow apprentice Wilf Hagan.

Initially operating in Bob White's backyard, the business faced challenges from the Toowoomba Council regarding its location.[5] Consequently, the operation moved to Hagan's backyard and eventually to Dalby, seeking affordable industrial rent. In the early 1960s, the company, then known as White & Hagan, collaborated with Albert Fuss of Gyral to produce parts for the Pneumatic Broadacre Air Seeder, a relationship that lasted 45 years.[6]

In 1965, due to differing visions for the company's future, White and Hagan amicably ended their partnership, splitting their assets and establishing separate businesses.[7]

White Industries

Post-split, Bob White expanded White Industries, capitalising on the growth of the pig farming and cattle industries. By the late 1960s, the company outgrew its original location and moved to a larger site in Dalby.[7]

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bob White's sons Bruce, Neil, and Craig joined the family business. In 1998, Bob White retired, and Bruce White assumed the role of CEO. Recognising the foundry industry's volatility, Bruce White established a property group to diversify the company's investments.[8]

Rocklea Foundry Aquisition

In 2001, White Industries acquired equipment and clients from the Rocklea Foundry. Subsequently, the company saw growth in the early 2000s, bolstered by the installation of the German-made BMD automated moulding line in the Dalby foundry.[9]

In 2009, John Moncrieff was appointed as an independent chairperson. Bruce White transitioned to manage the White Property Group in 2016, and Craig White became the new CEO of White Industries.[10]

Bradken Ipswich Acquisition

On June 10, 2021, White Industries announced its acquisition of the Bradken Ipswich site, encompassing both the business and its facilities. This move was a strategic response to Bradken's decision to shift its manufacturing operations overseas. Demonstrating a commitment to local industry and employment, White Industries decided to continue operating the foundry at the Karrabin site, hiring back many of Bradken's former employees.

The Ipswich site was particularly significant for White Industries, as it was equipped to produce large castings, a capability beyond the reach of many other foundries in Australia. This capability allowed White Industries to diversify and expand its product range significantly. While the Dalby foundry was focused on producing castings ranging from 1kg to 1 tonne, the newly acquired Ipswich foundry specialised in manufacturing larger parts, ranging from 200kg to 20 tonnes. This expansion not only broadened White Industries' manufacturing capabilities but also enhanced its position in the Australian foundry industry.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ "Dalby firm buys foundry site". Ipswich News Today. 8 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Case Study: White Industries". Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise. 1 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Houghton, Des (8 October 2016). "Opinion: Why Dalby is the centre of the universe". The Courier Mail.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  5. ^ Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  6. ^ Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  7. ^ a b Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  8. ^ Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. pp. 31–53. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  9. ^ Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. pp. 55–63. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  10. ^ Matthews, Kylie (2020). White Industries: The First 60 Years (1st ed.). Bounce Books. pp. 69–73. ISBN 978-0-6485927-9-2.
  11. ^ McIvor, Lachlan (2 August 2021). "Bruce and Craig White on purchase of former Bradken's Karrabin foundry in Ipswich and hiring local workforce". The Courier Mail.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ McIvor, Lachlan (12 July 2021). "Bradken foundry Ipswich: Karrabin site sold to White Industries from Dalby after 180 workers lose jobs". The Courier Mail.
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