Seeley International purchases land for $20m manufacturing hub in Wodonga

The construction industry, the local Albury-Wodonga community, consumers and the local work-force will all be beneficiaries of Seeley International’s announcement today that it has purchased a 4.7 hectare parcel of land at 23 Moloney Drive, Wodonga to build a $20 million manufacturing hub.

Seeley International Group Managing Director, Jon Seeley said the proposed 12,000 sq/m state-of-the-art manufacturing hub also includes an existing warehouse on the new site, which will further improve logistics and efficiencies in the new facility. The new Wodonga manufacturing hub will use advanced technology and automation processes to produce a range of innovative and energy efficient heating and cooling products for the Australian and international markets.

“This exciting new facility is a significant strategic milestone for Seeley International, providing an ideal base for our current and future growth.  It also enables us to maintain a strong employer presence within the local community as we continue to invest in our loyal local workforce, with projected direct employment growth of around 60% in the next five years,” Mr Seeley said.

“There will also be knock-on economic benefits for the local community during the construction activity and beyond as trades, our workforce, transport and logistics operators and other contractors come into the area and take advantage of local shops, cafes and other businesses,” he said.

Mr Seeley said work on the project, which is part-funded by a Victorian Premier’s Job and Investment Fund grant, is well under way to see the new manufacturing facility fully operational before the end of 2019. Early drafts of architectural images of the building exterior have been issued today by Seeley International and will be further refined once final council approval is provided.

“This innovative manufacturing hub – which replaces our dated, much smaller current facility in nearby Albury - will play a critical role in our overall operations. This will occur in stages, by initially utilising the existing warehouse from the 2^nd quarter of 2018 whilst the new factory is built and equipped,  ramping-up to full production by the end of 2019. Using state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies and integrating advanced automation, the hub will manufacture several key products. These products will include our market leading, energy efficient Braemar residential heating products, our hyper-efficient Climate Wizard commercial air conditioners and the entire AIRA commercial heating and cooling product range,” Mr Seeley said.

“As an industry leader, Seeley International is committed to creating innovative and energy efficient heating and cooling products for national and international markets, and it is critical that we have modern manufacturing facilities and techniques to enable this to happen,” Mr Seeley said.

“At a time when many other Australian manufacturers are closing their doors, downsizing or looking to move off-shore, we are pleased to be able to strengthen our local commitment by investing in this development, and continuing to focus on innovation, developing world class technology and integrating high levels of automation,” he said.

About Seeley International

Seeley International is Australia’s largest air conditioning manufacturer and is the market leader in the design and manufacture of ducted and portable heating and cooling products for the domestic, commercial and industrial markets in Australia. Renowned for its innovation, Seeley International’s brands include Breezair, Braemar, Climate Wizard, Convair, Coolair, Braemar, AIRA ICI and Coolerado.

Seeley International’s head office is based in Australia at its Lonsdale manufacturing plant.  Factories are also situated in the USA and Albury in Australia.  The company was founded in 1972 by Frank Seeley AM FAICD, who remains Executive Chairman. Unlike many of its competitors, Seeley International continues to design and manufacture most of the components for its Australian made products, which it exports to more than 100 countries around the world.  With a strong support network across Europe, UK and Africa; customers can buy a Seeley International product with global confidence, knowing that they are investing in a quality climate control solution. Seeley International never stops striving to engineer the world’s most energy efficient climate control solutions – and that commitment to excellence is at the heart of everything it does. Independent verification of Seeley International success in delivering on that commitment has been recognised by many awards and an expanding global presence… More information about Seeley International and its products can be found at www.seeleyinternational.com