LSC's managing director, Gary Pritchard, explains: "Although the perceived financial benefits of manufacturing in Asia are tempting, the stories of inferior quality products and lost Intellectual property experienced by other companies exploring this option, have convinced us to invest here in Australia. We are very protective of our intellectual property (designs) and we pride ourselves on the high quality and enduring products we build. Both of these qualities, we felt, could be at great risk if outsourced to areas that are hard to directly control from Australia."
To show their customer base that LSC products are indeed "Products of Australia", the company has recently qualified for the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Australian Made campaign, recognising its commitment to Australian designed and manufactured products. Pritchard adds: "There is much confusion about where products actually come from these days and joining this programme was we felt an independent way of confirming that the products we sell are fully manufactured in Australia to our exacting standards. Participation in this programme allows us to use the Government owned green and gold kangaroo Product of Australia logo on qualifying products."
LSC recently moved to new purpose built premises - doubling its previous floor space. The manufacturing and warehousing areas have been designed with a more open plan suitable for the lean manufacturing principles that the company has adopted. Staff numbers have increased by 30% over the last 12 months with recent emphasis on the sales and engineering sectors.
Further investment in design tools and business management systems have aided in the increased efficiency the company has experienced. Pritchard adds, "The building was certainly a big factor in LSC's expansion programme, but employing the right staff, designing the right products and delivering what we say we're going to do, have undoubtedly increased the confidence of our customers in the LSC name. We are proud to be an Australian owned and operated company, building and shipping Australian made products to all corners of the world."
(Jim Evans)
