A family-owned Campbellfield company that manufacturers metal car parts has opened a new $5 million factory.
Victoria’s Industry Minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, stood alongside Abcor director John Kaias to open the new plant this month. The factory will allow Abcor to deliver on a new contract with Toyota Australia to produce more than 12,000 steel bull bars a year for new-generation Toyota HiLux’s.
The new plant is fitted with highly specialised manufacturing and assembly line equipment. Its opening has created another 30 jobs for the north’s beleaguered automotive industry.
Ms D’Ambrosio said Abcor’s multimillion-dollar investment and partnership with Toyota Australia was “terrific news for the company, the local economy and the community”.
“Globally competitive, sustainable and capable local suppliers are critical to the future of our local manufacturing,” she said. “We’re supporting local manufacturers to develop world-class engineering and design capabilities, which will create jobs and drive growth.”
Toyota Australia president Dave Buttner was also at Barry Road for the June 12 opening.
He said he was delighted that there were still entrepreneurial suppliers to support the company beyond 2017, when car manufacturing in Australia ceases.
Abcor started in Preston in 1971 and moved to Campbellfield in the 1990s.
