Despite a number of high profile manufacturers throughout Ballarat going bust over the past month, Bartlett’s custom canvas sector is setting itself for a defence-based expansion.
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The Wendouree company which has operated in the region for almost 20 years will officially call time on its retail canvassing shopfront next week as it looks to point its focus towards larger commercial clients.
While the business will continue to offer retail blinds, director Keith Bartlett said in recent years there had been natural progression towards larger clients within the canvas portion of the business which opened back in 2005.
“We’ve got a lot more expansion to do in the wholesale part of the business, a lot of which is currently being done at our main factory,” Mr Bartlett said.
The change will allow the company’s Mentay Way site in Wendouree to become solely focused on canvas production, increasing the number of industrial sewing machinists from three to about 10 with the addition of a suite of new machines.
As well as creating tarpaulins and canopies for defence force vehicles, the Ballarat manufacturer will also increase its focus on canvas for camper trailers, with Bayswater company Track Trailers among Bartlett’s biggest customers. As part of the ramp up the business has increased its staff from 100 to 120 in the past three months.
The announcement comes in the wake of news Oliver Footwear would cease manufacturing in Ballarat in 2018, ending 130 years of operation in the city.
Mr Bartlett said the company’s recent success in the face of a difficult climate for Australian manufacturing had spurred from specialising in the production of a niche product.
“Canvas work was sort of a dying tradition but it’s coming back and we’re trying to embrace that,” Mr Bartlett said. “Manufacturing in this country is definitely struggling but we have niche products, niche markets and custom made products, so even though we’re doing large jobs it’s still custom made.
“We as a company are very conscious of the downturn in manufacturing across the country but we’re very optimistic that we’re setting ourselves to not be part of that and continue to grow.”