Seeley International is determined to save as many as 125 displaced manufacturing and car industry workers as it fast-tracks the development of its next-generation evaporative cooler and increase its operations at its Lonsdale-based factory.
Seeley International founder and executive chairman, Frank Seeley, said several of the company’s development and expansion plans have been brought forward after receiving a grant of $5 million, made available through the Federal Government’s Next Generation Manufacturing Investment Programme.
The grant will be used to construct a $10 million high-volume Climate Wizard / Coolerado heat exchanger and cooler production facility at Seeley International’s Lonsdale factory to produce a domestic version of its multi-award winning commercial evaporative air conditioner. It will be part of a significant capital injection to rapidly accelerate the company’s plans and have the manufacturing facility operational by or before March 2018.
“Seeley International’s unwavering commitment to innovation allows us to have a project pipeline in place for over-the horizon technologies, and that approach ensures that we remain the global market leader for advanced heating and cooling products,” Seeley said.
“At a time when South Australia is faced with the worst unemployment levels in the nation, and a constant stream of headlines about jobs being lost and more workers being made redundant, this is the perfect opportunity to show local manufacturers that all is not lost, and give workers an opportunity to transition their skills into new and emerging manufacturing opportunities,” Seeley added.
“Both Climate Wizard and Coolerado offer energy efficiencies that are simply second to none, and developing domestic versions will be nothing short of a major industry game-changer. The expected demand from the marketplace for these products will secure jobs and further grow our workforce throughout the coming years, and for every direct job that is created, there will be a multiplier effect for other local jobs.”