ASSA ABLOY: Unlocking its Australian manufacturing success

An international leader in the design and production of mechanical and electromechanical locking and unlocking products, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions is one of Australia’s most successful and innovative hardware manufacturers.

Beginning its Australian operations in the 1940s, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions now produces thousands of products each year in its production facility in Oakleigh, Victoria, which employs over 500 Australians. ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions General Manager, Michael Avis, said the company takes great pride in its local manufacturing operations and is committed to protecting Australian jobs.

“We are proud of our history as an Australian manufacturer. Not only do we take pride in supporting the continuation of local jobs, but there is also a satisfaction that comes with producing a nationally recognised Australian Made product. Australian Made products hold a sense of quality and longevity which customers look for when purchasing security products,” said Mr Avis.

ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions manufactures its range of Lockwood Mortice Locks, Door Furniture and Truck Air Coupling Locks at its Oakleigh site, all of which are certified to carry the Australian Made logo.

“The Australian Made logo is globally recognised and aligns perfectly with our mission statement - when you purchase a Lockwood product, you are buying quality. It also demonstrates our commitment to local manufacturing and provides our customers with the peace of mind that comes from purchasing locally-made products.

The logo also adds a lot of weight to our country-of-origin claims. Whether it’s because of a consumer’s genuine purchase preference towards Australian Made products or a Government project where they are looking to demonstrate maximum total economic benefit from the project, carrying the Australian Made logo and directing decision-makers to our products on the Australian Made website provides transparency. It clearly communications our manufacturing processes beyond what we could independently,” Mr Avis said.

Recent Roy Morgan Research found that almost all Australians (99%) are aware of the Australian Made logo with 84% associating it with supporting local jobs and employment, 58% with high-quality products, and 57% with ethical labour. ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions also believes its commitment to local manufacturing has contributed to its outstanding reputation for quality. 

“Local manufacturing is essential because it ensures the market is supplied with product ranges that are specifically tailored to it. Our Australian Made products have been designed with the expectations and needs of Australians in mind. They meet Australia’s high industry standards and lifestyle norms. Manufacturing locally also allows us to respond quickly with any variations required to supply door hardware to the commercial construction market,” Mr Avis said.

“While in the short term it can be more affordable to manufacture some items offshore, there are other costs that come from relying on an international supply chain such as the timely availability of required low volume variations that are needed to serve the end-user applications best. We can not only provide those variations, we can do it quickly and competitively.

Due to its long reputation of producing quality Australian Made products, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions has been successful in winning major security contracts around the country, including with the Victorian Police Complex, The Concord Hospital, Cairns Convention Centre, as well as the newly opened Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre, which is currently in the process of being recognised as the most sustainable shopping centre in the world.

“Local manufacturers can provide appropriate market solutions that consider Australia’s standards and regulations with no compromises.  Globally manufactured solutions mean many compromises, as they leave little scope for functional consideration of a relatively small population-based market such as Australia.

Servicing sizeable commercial construction projects requires hardware solutions with a large degree of variation to suit the various safety, security and ease of use requirements seen across door openings in commercial buildings.  To meet this requirement, we need to respond quickly with an extensive range of hardware options. We also need those options to be specifically tailored to the unique requirements of Australia’s market, especially in the areas of passive fire protection and access to building users as prescribed by the National Construction Code and various Australian Standards.”

ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions domestic manufacturing operations and stringent quality control measures have allowed them to become one of Australia’s premium hardware manufacturers. While they believe there can be some economic incentives to move production to lower-cost countries, they have found the substantial benefits of local manufacturing far exceed the costs.

“Many factors influence purchasing decisions, but we’ve found one of the biggest benefits of producing Australian Made products is returning customers. People return because of the high-quality production, exceptional customer service and the local innovation that go into developing them,” Mr Avis said.

“If you want Aussies to keep on making, it’s important you buy products that are made here. Supporting Australian Made ensures the future of Australian jobs in the manufacturing industry and keeps our economy moving forward.”

To learn more about ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions range of Australian Made products, please visit https://www.lockweb.com.au/en/lockwood-products/australian-made/