Australia’s leading manufacturer of aluminium extrusion, Capral, is celebrating 80 years of business and 43 years of manufacturing in Penrith by delivering its strongest performance in 13 years – proof that manufacturing is alive and well in NSW and in Western Sydney.
Member for Penrith and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres joined workers for a tour of the Penrith site and morning tea to help celebrate the manufacturing milestone and to get an update on the company’s future plans.
“Capral has a long and rich history of manufacturing in Western Sydney,” he said.
“It is testament to the resilience of our manufacturing sector that Capral has been able to secure the future of its workforce by developing new ways of doing business to manage the headwinds of a strong Aussie dollar and international competition.
“Capral is soon to introduce a new innovative packaging process to reduce costs and improve competitiveness and the company is also targeting new opportunities for its aluminium in the Defence sector including the Future Frigate project.
“NSW is the nation’s manufacturing powerhouse, generating over 32 per cent of Australia’s total manufacturing output and employing more than 263,000 people.
“The State Government is backing manufacturing in NSW, promoting greater collaboration with research organisations, helping innovative startups and fast growing SMEs and driving opportunities in key sectors like Defence,” he said.
An ASX-listed company with net assets of approximately $110 million, Capral employs 163 people in NSW across five sites including 50 in Penrith. It’s the nation’s largest manufacturer and distributor of aluminium products.
Capral Market Manager Mark Murray said the company’s 80th anniversary was a significant celebration considering Capral had etched its best performance in a decade and a half by posting an after tax profit of $14.4 million.
“We’ve paid a dividend to our shareholders for the first time in 13 years and have turned manufacturing around in Australia which is really positive. The increased opportunities around Defence in NSW are also helping get local manufacturing moving.
Mr Murray said Capral had lead the industry’s campaign for fairer competition, with the Anti Dumping Commission imposing anti-dumping measures against Chinese, Malaysian and Vietnamese exporters of aluminium which has helped manufacturing’s competitiveness.
“The future for Capral is very much in manufacturing and we are the leading manufacturer and distributor of aluminium extrusions in Australia. We look forward to the next 80 years and keeping manufacturing at the forefront of Australian minds.”
Emu Plains resident Rick Stacchino marks Caprals 80 years with his 23 years of service with the company.
After 23 years at the company he has risen from press operator to production manager overseeing the production of many thousands of tonnes of aluminium which has been used to build countless houses, ships and trams across Australia.
“When I first started off there was a lack of work in the area, and so when I saw a Capral ad in the paper I immediately applied for an interview and then I got the phone call offering me a job,” he said.
“They started me on the old Watson press that used to be here. I then went on to the Schloeman press for about five years and then the old production manager needed a right hand man. Then I got the job as production manager and I’ve been doing that for the last 10 years.
“There’s plenty of opportunity at this company and they look after people who look after them. There are generally good people here and it’s more of a family environment. The people that work here don’t leave.”
Mr Stacchino said without innovation the company would be left behind.
“The key to anything is change and moving forward and making sure you’re watching every penny because the wage scale of our competitors in China is very different to ours – but at the end of the day we have to have a better product and a better service.”
Stuart Ayres said I congratulate Capral and Rick on these fantastic milestone acheivements..
