Do-it-yourself (DIY) can be challenging but it has more upside than done-for-you (DFY).
91 years. That’s how long Ford manufactured new cars in Australia. Holden did it for 69 years. Toyota: 54.
It all ended in 2017.
Media reports blamed reduced government support for these ‘Big Three’ automakers as the cause of the end. Reports also said Australia was building the wrong cars. Aussies no longer wanted sedans, they wanted SUVs. The Australian dollar was also mentioned. So was cheaper overseas manufacturing. High local labour costs. Trade unions. More. The Blame had a big cast.
One publication described Australia as “a country too small for domestic production and too expensive for export manufacturing.”
Amongst all the commentary, the Prime Minister at the time called it “a dark day for manufacturing in Australia.” He was right.
Thousands of local jobs gone. Factories shuttered and put up for sale.
But it wasn’t the end. Far from it.
Australia’s large-scale new-car manufacturing might have stopped in 2017 but its carmaking knowledge didn’t.
The PM might have said it was a “dark day” but he added “there will be better days ahead”. He was right about this, too.
Fast-forward to 2024 and Premcar is flourishing. More new global carmaker customers. Defence. Aviation. More expansion.
We even built our 10,000th Nissan Warrior in Melbourne earlier this year. It’s our highest-profile new-car enhancement program. (There are others but we can’t discuss them.)
Other local auto manufacturing companies are doing a solid trade.
Better days indeed, and getting better.
And here are the best bits.
Locally made products boost local jobs.
They also circulate more money inside a local economy, contributing to local economic growth.
Locally made goods can often have a lower carbon footprint thanks to their fewer freight miles.
Local customers often express loyalty to local products. They often trust them. In Australia, this is often due in part to the usually strict regulations that govern their manufacture, especially with regard to wages and labour rules.
And then there’s this. Societies with a manufacturing focus tend to become knowledge centres. Just look at Southern Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Taiwan.
Manufacturing knowledge is powerful knowledge. It takes a long time to create it, but it’s worth it. It’s worth even more when you use it, even if it’s difficult, which it usually is.
Easy road or hard road? DFY or DIY? What’s your view?
Bernie Quinn – CEO, Premcar Pty Ltd
About Premcar:
Premcar Pty Ltd is a leading Australian vehicle engineering business that specialises in the automotive, defence and aerospace industries. For more than 25 years, global car-makers have made Premcar their go-to partner for the complete design, engineering and manufacture of niche-model new cars, full-scale new-vehicle development programs, and electric vehicle (EV) conversions and manufacturing. Premcar’s body of work is extensive. It is the name behind more than 200,000 new cars and 55,000 new-vehicle engines. The company has delivered technical advancements and sales success for major car brands from Europe, the USA, Japan, China and Australia. Visit premcar.au.
Follow Premcar on Instagram – @premcaraustralia
Follow Premcar on LinkedIn – @Premcar Pty Ltd
