As the end of the year is starting to roll around quickly, so is our 95th birthday! For some of us, it feels like only yesterday we were gathered (no social distancing required) to celebrate the 90th milestone at the old head office site, 405 Newman Road. At the same time, it feels like a distant memory given how much the world has changed in the last 18 months. This year, we’ll be celebrating over a video conference with our 150 employees across Australia and reflecting on Everhard’s past, present, and future.

We have changed and grown over these last few years and as much as we love to celebrate our milestones of the past, we also have a keen eye on the future. How do we set ourselves up so we can continue manufacturing for years to come, what can we keep doing to evolve our safety culture across all sites, what are our responsibilities as a manufacturer to the environment and how can we best support our loyal customers and our community?

When we look at the last 12 months there were significant investments made within the business, which will support our future as a key Australian manufacturer. We welcomed and commissioned both the 320 and 1200 Tonne injection moulding machines to our plastics manufacturing division. The new machines are supporting the production of our popular Australian-made residential and commercial drainage systems. We have also invested in new moulds for our precast concrete division. The new moulds utilise quick-action demoulding features, which will substantially reduce the labour time required to set up and strip out the product.

“Being able to invest like this for our future, especially after the events of 2020, is a true reflection of the effort the whole team has put into the business and the owners’ passion for Australian manufacturing and Everhard’s future,” Everhard CEO Moira Harris noted.

Everhard Industries continues to manufacture a large portion of their products using 100% recycled polymer. Using up to 300 tonnes of recycled materials each month, Everhard remains one of the largest manufacturers of recycled plastic in Australia.

Producing sustainable products and contributing to a circular economy is key for our future. Deputy chair Gina Rowe is passionate about environmental issues and driving the business towards a sustainable future.

“Learning more about the circular economy business model and how we can manufacture sustainably, also being recognised in the Sustainability Awards for our new drainage system EasyDRAIN Edge is another reflection of the direction we are heading towards and it’s something I am excited about.”

A pillar of our brand DNA and one that contributes to the successful longevity of Everhard is being a fourth-generation family-owned Australian Business. Family businesses make up 70% of the Australian economy – with its challenges also come the rewards and ability to run the business with a unique vision. When we asked our owners what their fondest memories of Everhard were, Bede Boyce, director and shareholder reminisced on his earlier years working in the factory.

“My favourite memory is working as an apprentice electrician on the factory floor; if a machine went down, all the guys jumping in to get it back up and running, everyone getting together and working as a team to get something done, it’s awesome.”

Although a lot has changed in the factory since then, working as one team – a pillar of Everhard’s culture – the EI Way highlights the importance of operating as one team and helping each other reach our goals.

So what does the future look like for Everhard?

Everhard has set itself a moonshot, which is to locally manufacture 80% of products by 2025. Currently at around 70%, every team in the business is now collaborating and working towards reaching the moonshot. Australian manufacturing is our strength and it’s our core. Although we are in challenging times, it is also a time of opportunity to drive the business forward in this direction and establish itself further as a key Australian manufacturer.

Everhard’s chair, Sue Boyce confirms: “We are determined and we will continue to meet our objective, which is Australian manufactured solutions for generations to come.”

As the 95-year milestone approaches, we want to thank and recognise our loyal customers and partners for their continued support. Choosing to support local Australian businesses and local manufacturing is key to economic recovery and growth and we would not be where we are today without this support. We would also like to recognise and thank the entire Everhard team; being able to celebrate these milestones would not be possible without the passion and determination of the entire team.

95 years is a huge achievement and one we do not take for granted. We are extremely proud of this achievement and would like to thank everyone for their support over the years.