Furphys 150th Anniversary 2014

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Special Furphy 150th Anniversary Wrap-Around

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8, 2014

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GOOD, BETTER, BEST celebrating 150 years EST 1864

GOOD, BETTER, BEST... TM

FURPHY

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Adam Furphy J Furphy & Sons Managing Director

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We feel a great sense of achievement to be part of a family business that is 150 years old, over five generations and importantly that each generation has found a way to develop and evolve the business in order to survive such changing times, particularly the last 30 to 40 years.

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The 150th anniversary celebrations are a significant milestone for us and we would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to our customers, suppliers, staff and the Shepparton community for their wonderful support and contribution. They have all played an important part in our longevity and success.

Sam Furphy Furphy Foundry Director

Celebrating 150 years as an Australian icon Furphy; a name, family and business steeped in history

MARKING HISTORICAL OCCASION… The Furphy family will be celebrating the Furphy name being in business for 150 years this month.

Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

THEY are an Australian icon, an important part of Shepparton’s history and are among the last of remaining family owned and run businesses that have pushed through 150 years and lasted five generations, but this month will see J Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry celebrate the impressive milestone by retracing the footsteps of the family’s ancestor and founder of the company, John Furphy.

Running over two big days, Saturday, October 11 and Sunday, October 12, celebrations will kick off with a vintage car rally that will travel from Kyneton, where John Furphy started his business, and finish in Shepparton, where Deputy Premier, Peter Ryan will officially open the

recently constructed Furphy Museum at the Shepparton Motor Museum from 2:30pm on Saturday. The weekend of celebrations will also take attendees on a trip back through time to experience how it all started, with blacksmith demonstrations and Furphy water tank rebarrelling from 10:30am on Sunday, with a sausage sizzle, lucky door prizes and the chance to win a free one year membership to the Shepparton Motor Museum.

To attend the grand opening of the Furphy Museum, visit the Shepparton Motor Museum this Saturday, October 11 from 1pm, 7717 Goulburn Valley highway, Kialla.

For further information, phone 5823 5833 or visit www.sheppartonmotormuseum.com.au

GOOD, BETTER, BEST

EST 1864

GOOD, BETTER, BEST... TM

FURPHY

celebrating 150 years

A stainless reputation INSULATION INSTALLATION... Insulation being installed on one of the stainless steel tanks manufactured by J Furphy & Sons. Pictured, J Furphy & Sons Apprentice, Jamie Sellick. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

SHAPING THE STEEL…… Stainless steel being shaped for one of J Furphy & Sons stainless steel tanks. Pictured, J Furphy & Sons Staff Member, Moshe Manoat.

Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

COMPLETED TANKS… The completed stainless steel tanks that are used to store various liquids ranging from food and beverages, to specialised chemicals.. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

CHANCES are that you would have at some point in your life consumed or used a product that spent some time in a Furphy manufactured stainless steel tank.

From food and beverage to chemical companies including the well known Murray Goulburn, Fonterra, Schweppes, Coca-Cola Amatil, Bega Cheese, Sugar Australia, Little Creatures, Mountain Goat, Tooheys, Orica, GlaxoSmithKline and more, J Furphy & Sons stainless steel tanks are spread across the country.

The 60 staff working on the production floor, supported by a further 24 supervisory, administration, sales and

design staff, help to custom build tanks for various storage and processing tasks, being sure tanks are designed and manufactured to meet the relevant code or standard. Each of the tanks require varied design elements including the addition of agitators to stir product, heating and cooling systems, insulation and cladding. Furphy engineering manufactures its own unique dimple plate cooling jacket, using a laser welding process developed inhouse. This dimple plate acts as a second skin that creates a blister or cavity that is used to allow heating or cooling liquid to control temperatures within the tank.

Cut and press for a Furphy ready finish

“You are only as good as your last game” - Adam Furphy

COMING into the family business in 1997, Adam Furphy began in a business development role, before taking over as Managing Director of J Furphy & Sons in 1998.

Supported by a sturdy management team that made sure day to day operations continued forward strongly, Adam has spent almost 17 years in a management role in a family run business, which he says is very important to him.

“We really tried to live by the motto of the business; Good Better Best,” he said.

“We are focussed on continuing to invest in and improve the business, making sure we always offer value to our customers.

“Looking forward 10 to 20 years from now we would love to give the next generation the opportunity to participate in this business if they wish to as well as continue to employ and invest in the business.

“This type of occasion makes you pause and reflect on the people in the business who have come before and the things they have done to put us in the position we are in now.

“History helps, but you’re only as good as your last game. It does provide that bit of incentive and hope that in the face of adversity, we can find a way forward just like the generations before us.”

METALS CUT AND PRESSED… The technique of profile cutting and pressing is used to cut and press metals used for projects of both J Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry. Pictured, J Furphy & Sons Staff Member, Alan Branch. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

THE processes of profile cutting and pressing go hand in hand, just as much as what this part of the J Furphy & Sons business does with Furphy Foundry.

Mostly tending to the needs of machinery manufacturers, sign writers and small parts manufacturers, the profile cutting and pressing technique is also used to cut and press the metals used by the foundry to manufacture street and urban furniture including many of the park benches that are placed around the region.

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The business’s two laser cutting machines have a 3m by 1.5m working area or ‘bed’ and the plasma cutter, a 12m by 3m bed both of which cut out steel, stainless steel or any other metal product in 2D and to an accuracy of a tenth of .15 of a millimetre.

Once a piece of metal has been through the cutting process, it is often then folded in a press brake, which offers accurate, computer controlled folding to create the various shaped objects required for the end product.

GOOD, BETTER, BEST

celebrating 150 years

EST 1864

GOOD, BETTER, BEST... TM

FURPHY

Galvanizing the economy SUPERIOR PROTECTION… The galvanizing process provides a superior

TAKING A ZINC BATH… Once the metal has been pre treated, it is then dipped into a bath of molten zinc that has been heated to 450 degrees Celsius. Photo: Supplied.

form of protection against rusting. From left, J Furphy & Sons Staff Members, Greg Savage and Matt Moorfoot. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

WITH the commissioning of Australia’s first inland galvanizing plant in 1984, J Furphy & Sons brought hot dip galvanising to northern Victoria and southern NSW. Galvanizing has become a significant part of the business in that time and there are now three galvanizing plants within the Furphy Group, the other two plants being located in Geelong and Albury.

A long established process, hot dip galvanizing is a superior form of protection against rusting through being applied to a fabricated product by hanging it on a ‘jig’ and putting it through a range of pre treatments. The pre treated metal is then lowered into a bath of molten zinc heated to 450 degrees Celsius that is 8.5m long, 1.5m wide and 2.5m deep.

The zinc bonds with the steel surface, providing up to 100 years of protection depending on environmental factors.

All sorts of fabricated steel items are galvanized from customers throughout Northern Victoria and the Greater Valleys.

The largest customer of the plant is a local manufacturer of dairy equipment exporting their product throughout the world.

The Furphy Galvanizing Plant provides a 24 hour turnaround to support this export success and maintains a rigorous quality control process to ensure customer satisfaction.

The galvanizing plant also provides a regular service to Furphy Foundry.

Many of the fabricated street furniture items require galvanizing and it is great to have the service right next door.

Furphy Apprenticeships

A proven pathway to an engineering career

THE FINISHED PRODUCT… Fabricated items shining after being dipped in molten zinc. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

Modern water cart no ‘Furphy’

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION… J Furphy & Sons contributes to the community through an apprenticeship program. Pictured, J. Furphy & Sons Apprentice, Aaron Davidson.

Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

COME A LONG WAY… The new, modern day Furphy Water Tank (pictured) has come a long way since construction of its ancestor, which was first built in the 1880s. Photo: Supplied.

LEARNING THE ROPES… J Furphy & Sons currently has 8 to 10 apprentices learning the ropes. From left, Apprentices, Luke Dicketts, Aaron Davidson, Matt Smith, Hayden Bishop and Jamie Sellick. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

JOHN Furphy completed an apprenticeship prior to starting his business in Kyneton. He learnt valuable skills as well as some life lessons in that time and no doubt those skills and lessons helped him build the business that has gone on to thrive for 150 years.

Today J Furphy & Sons continues to operate an apprenticeship program that sees young people starting out in their working life being taught the skills of the engineering trade by skilled

tradesmen in the workplace as well as at GOTAFE in Shepparton.

With the scale of work on offer and the opportunity to work as part of a large team many who go through the Furphy apprenticeship are well equipped to go on to take senior roles within the company both in the factory or in a variety of office based roles. Others have used their skills development to build their own businesses.

IT was born and bred in the 1880s and has been a constant throughout the Furphy business ever since.

The Furphy Water Cart is perhaps one of the most famed and collected pieces manufactured by the company. The cart’s original construction was done using a cast iron end and a galvanized barrel. A ring was then heated and slipped over the end and when cooled, provided a water tight seal.

This process has evolved over the years and is now manufactured using mild steel for the whole tank, which is then galvanized to create an integrated structure in one piece. The water cart has continued to be a popular product with the most common being erected on a trailer with off road wheels and suspension, a fire fighting pump and hoses for filling the tank installed.

The most common uses for the tanks today are for fighting fires, as spray down units, weed spray units and diesel storage.

Special Furphy 150th Anniversary Wrap-Around, October 2014. The Adviser – Page 3

EST 1864

EST 1864

GOOD, BETTER, BEST GOOD, BETTER, BEST

celebrating 150 years 150 years FURPHY celebrating FURPHY

TM GOOD, BEST...

BETTER, BEST... TM GOOD, BETTER,

Museumaa Museum dedicationtotothe the dedication Furphylegacy legacy Furphy

Prime Minister Prime Minister Australia, of of Australia, Tony Abbott Tony Abbott

A HISTORY OF FURPHYS… From A HISTORY OF FURPHYS… From

I am pleased to provide this message I am pleased to provide this message theanniversary 150th anniversary for the for 150th of the of the companies and opening Furphy Furphy companies and opening of the of the Museum.

Furphy Furphy Museum. pay tribute On thisOn daythis we day pay we tribute to the to the these companies, founderfounder of theseofcompanies, John John Furphy.Furphy.

1873, Furphy in In 1873,InFurphy arrived arrived in Shepparton anvil Shepparton with anwith anvilan and a and a vision to establish a blacksmith vision to establish a blacksmith and and wheelwright business.

He exemplified wheelwright business.

He exemplified best quality of Australian the bestthe quality of Australian small small business operators: the willingness business operators: the willingness takeand a risk and have go for the to take to a risk have a go forathe betterment of our community. betterment of our community.

One of Furphy’s inventions, One of Furphy’s greatestgreatest inventions, the Furphy Farm Cart, Water Cart, inspired the Furphy Farm Water inspired the creation of a favourite Australian the creation of a favourite Australian colloquialism – “a furphy”.

It was used colloquialism – “a furphy”.

It was used by our ANZACs First World by our ANZACs during during the Firstthe World to describe the rumours or stories War to War describe the rumours or stories they told around thecart. water cart. they told around the water June‘furfies’ 1915, ‘furfies’ In JuneIn 1915, were were becoming commonplace becoming commonplace in the in the trenches war historian trenches and warand historian CharlesCharles Bean wastoasked to produce “a Furfie’s Bean was asked produce “a Furfie’s – withfurfies these so furfies so GazetteGazette – with these exaggerated as tothem laughout them exaggerated as to laugh of out of court”. court”.

The Furphy name and its companies The Furphy name and its companies have a special in our Australian have a special place inplace our Australian story. thisanniversary, 150th anniversary, story. On thisOn 150th we acknowledge theofwork we acknowledge the work the of the family and keep these Furphy Furphy family and staff tostaff keepto these businesses businesses strong. strong.

Australia has a strong Australia has a strong manufacturing will have manufacturing history history and willand have strong manufacturing The a stronga manufacturing future. future.

The Government doing Government is doingisits part its to part keepto it keep it We have scrapped the Carbon strong. strong.

We have scrapped the Carbon we are cutting andtape, green tape, Tax, weTax, are cutting red andred green we are fostering higher productivity we are fostering higher productivity and growth, we are encouraging and growth, and weand are encouraging more free trade. more free trade.

Wetowant to get the conditions We want get the conditions right right so businesses likecan yours can continue so businesses like yours continue to succeed, which more means more to succeed, which means jobs,investment more investment and a more jobs, more and a more prosperous economy. prosperous economy.

I congratulate the Furphy I congratulate the Furphy Companies youranniversary.

150th anniversary.

Companies on youron 150th May you havemore manysuccessful more successful May you have many to come. years toyears come.

4 – Special 150th Anniversary Wrap-Around, 2014.

The Adviser –Page Special Furphy Furphy 150th Anniversary Wrap-Around, OctoberOctober 2014. The Adviser

left,Foundry Furphy Director, Foundry Director, Sam left, Furphy Sam Furphy and & J Furphy & Sons Managing Furphy and J Furphy Sons Managing AdamatFurphy Director, Director, Adam Furphy the softat the soft opening of theMuseum Furphy Museum at opening of the Furphy at Emerald BankLand Leisure Land earlier this Emerald Bank Leisure earlier this year.

Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga. year. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

TO150 see years the 150 years ofhistory Furphyfor history for yourself, collectedcollected over the over years.the years.

TO see the of Furphy yourself, takearound a walkthe around newMuseum, Furphy Museum, a “It is a privilege “It is a privilege to have public enoughinterest public interest take a walk new the Furphy a to have enough in thestory Furphy andproud we aretoproud toto be able to at Shepparton Motor Museum been the Furphy andstory we are be able space at space Shepparton Motor Museum that has that beenhas in share this. dedicated to theoflegacy of thename, Furphyfamily name, family share this. dedicated to the legacy the Furphy itself is about launching the museum, and business.

“The day“The itselfday is about launching the museum, and business. a small way, ourthe gift to the community Following the historical journeyby started which inwhich a smallinway, is our giftis to community Following the historical journey started John by John in 1873 to the current, in recognition of years the 150 years of business.” recognition of the 150 of business.”

Furphy inFurphy 1873 right up right to theup current, modern modern day inday Furphy Foundry Samsaid, Furphy operations ofFoundry Furphy Foundry and J&Furphy Furphy Foundry Director,Director, Sam Furphy “Thesaid, “The operations of Furphy and J Furphy Sons, & Sons, new museum is really an initiative on the part thea one a kindwill exhibit will be officially the one of kindofexhibit be officially opened opened new museum is really an initiative on the part ofFoundry Furphy Foundry and J&Furphy Sons to pool to coincide the 150 year celebrations this of Furphy to coincide with thewith 150 year celebrations this and J Furphy Sons to&pool our respective collections and tothat ensure our respective collections and to ensure we that we Saturday.Saturday.

Shepparton Motor Museum appropriately payto respect appropriately manage manage and pay and respect such ato such a Shepparton Motor Museum General General Manager,Manager, Tony Badrock “It’s an to honour to be associated wonderful history that these businesses wonderful history that these businesses and our and our Tony Badrock said, “It’ssaid, an honour be associated family share. withinFurphy in their year celebrations it’s share. with Furphy their 150 year150 celebrations and it’s and family “One of the most enjoyable aspects of bringing timely newMuseum Furphy Museum timely that the that new the Furphy opens inopens this in this “One of the most enjoyable aspects of bringing thistogether exhibit together to and go back same milestone this exhibit was to gowas back lookand look same milestone year. year. our archives.

“We’d love tocommunity see the community come down through through our archives.

“We’d love to see the come down help us to celebrate the milestone this Saturday.

“There were some really interesting stories that “There were some really interesting stories that and helpand us to celebrate the milestone this Saturday. out of into looking into what wasfor needed “We’ve alsoa added a few new displays came outcame of looking what was needed the for the “We’ve also added few new displays into the into the museum.”

Furphy Museum sinceopening’ its ‘soft opening’ earliermuseum.” this Furphy Museum since its ‘soft earlier this TheMuseum Furphy Museum located at Emerald year.” year.”

The Furphy is locatedisat Emerald Bank Bank Leisure Land, 7177 Goulburn & Sons Managing 7177 Goulburn Valley Valley J FurphyJ&Furphy Sons Managing Director,Director, Adam Adam Leisure Land, Kialla and7isdays opena 7week daysfrom a week from Furphy “The museum is place a fitting place to store Highway,Highway, Kialla and is open Furphy said, “Thesaid, museum is a fitting to store the collection ofmemorabilia Furphy memorabilia been to10am to 4:30pm.

4:30pm. the collection of Furphy that has that beenhas 10am

PAST ON DISPLAY… Dover Stove, made PAST ON DISPLAY… The DoverThe Stove, made around by & J Furphy & Sons.

Photo: Madeleine around 1975

by J 1975 Furphy Sons. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

Caccianiga.

HEAVY HAULAGE… The Bowwas Wagon HEAVY HAULAGE… The Bow Wagon madewas made between and was used for heavy between 1880 and 1880 1895 and and 1895 was used for heavy haulage.

Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga. haulage. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

GOOD, BETTER, BEST

celebrating 150 years

A refreshing honour for Furphy

TESTAMENT TO A ‘FURPHY’…

As a testament to the history of the Furphy term and family, Little Creatures Brewery/Lion launched the Furphy Refreshing Ale earlier this year. From left, Furphy Foundry Director, Sam Furphy and J Furphy & Sons Managing Director, Adam Furphy. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

ONE of the most ‘refreshing’ honours bestowed upon the Furphy name, family, business and story was the launch of Furphy Refreshing Ale in August this year.

The ale, which is not only indicative of the history of the home grown business but is also true to the term given to the word following the war, was created by Little Creatures Brewery/ Lion in conjunction with the Furphy businesses and is now available for sale in and around Geelong, where the brewery is, and also Noble Monks, Shepparton.

J Furphy & Sons Managing Director, Adam Furphy said, “The biggest thing to us is that we are very pleased and flattered that a business like Lion is taking on a brand like this and seeking to use the Furphy name to support their brand and product.

“The hopes that we would have for this is that it enables the Furphy story to be taken to a much broader audience, in a way that we think

is sympathetic to our history.

“It’s about the history, the idiosyncrasy of Australian history. We’re pleased with that and the fact that it has come from a connection through a good customer who is effectively making this product in one of our tanks is extraordinary.”

Furphy Foundry Director, Sam Furphy said, “It was very important to Adam and I that there was a genuine link between the beer and our family’s history and so Lion were very inclusive in the process of developing this beer, which we greatly appreciated.

“They took the time to listen and understand our history and we think that the connection between the telling of stories (which gave light to the expression ‘that’s a furphy’) by the diggers during the world war and a great new beer that is bringing people, family and friends together to tell stories is the connection we were looking for.”

Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell

Congratulations to J Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry on their celebration of 150 years.

I had the honour of being a guest speaker at the Furphy family’s 120 years Serving Australia Celebrations in 1993 as President of the former Shepparton Shire.

It is a great tribute to the Furphy family that these fifth generation Australian family businesses continue to grow, prosper and make Shepparton proud.

These iconic Shepparton companies have played an important role as large employers and respected businesses in Shepparton and Australia.

Who hasn’t heard of the famous Furphy farm water cart?

I congratulate J Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry on their success over the past 150 years as they have grown from a maker of agricultural implements, to a diversified foundry and manufacturing company.

Minister for Manufacturing, David Hodgett I would like to congratulate J Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry on its 150th birthday – a truly magnificent achievement. Furphy is an iconic engineering company whose operations are pivotal to the Goulburn Valley and Victoria’s food and beverage sector.

The company has a tradition of continuous improvement as defined by the company

motto “Good Better Best.”

My Government is pleased to have worked with the Furphy family as it remains a successful employer in the Shepparton region and one of the long term success stories for business in Victoria.

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GOOD, BETTER, BEST

celebrating 150 years

Bringing the outdoors to life MOULD POURING… A great deal of the park and street furniture you see around you has been manufactured by Furphy Foundry. From Left, Furphy Foundry Operations Team members, Rod Wood and Colin Dryden. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

MAKING A RANGE OF PRODUCTS… As well as barbeques, Furphy Foundry manufacture a range of other products including litter receptacles, bike racks, vegetation guards, park benches and a range of customised projects. Pictured, Furphy Foundry Operations Team Member, Jaedyn Trevaskis. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

MANUFACTURED BY FOUNDRY… The newest barbeque shelter area at Victoria Park Lake had its barbeque (pictured) manufactured

by Furphy Foundry. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

CUSTOM PROJECTS… Many of the street furniture now lining the new look Vaughan Central was custom made for the job by Furphy Foundry, including the bollards (pictured). Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

DURING many occasions, such as Australia Day this year, many members of the community would have used a barbeque in a public place as the place for a family get together or perhaps may have noticed the cleverly manufactured Billy Button structures along the new Vaughan Central, these are both part of the street and park furniture products that are brought to you by Furphy Foundry.

More than likely, you would have been standing by a bollard while waiting to cross the road, disposed of your rubbish in a litter receptacle, used a single or spiral bike rack, walked by vegetation in the CBD that has a guard surrounding it, is in a planter box or surrounded by a grate or even sat at a park bench in one of the local park areas, these and many more are products manufactured by Furphy Foundry.

Employing between 17 and 20 permanent employees in Shepparton and indirectly seeing the continuation of employment for others across the region that are manufacturing components of the furniture, Furphy Foundry is driven by the community’s expectation of having appropriate outdoor furniture and structures.

Furphy Foundry largely supply their products to councils, landscape architects and developers who are looking at giving their streets and parks that little something extra and take pride in knowing the products are constructed to the highest of standards.

But it’s not just the regular day-to-day pieces of outdoor furniture that Furphy Foundry build, they often get approached to construct custom made, specialised products such as galvanized steel rose arbores, made for Wodonga recently, or the hugely popular, customised seating, bollards and other furniture and structures that have created the new look for Vaughan Central, here in Shepparton.

One of the more famous projects undertaken by Furphy Foundry was the manufacturing of the cast iron decorative fence around Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour in Sydney and their products have even reached as far as Dubai, where 300 old style, cast iron bench seats were installed.

These are all a classic example of how Furphy Foundry works with their customers to bring projects to life.

Foundry shows literary support

HONOURING JOSEPH… Furphy Foundry throws its support behind local writers and poets to honour Joseph Furphy, through the Joseph Furphy Commemorative Literary Prize. Pictured, Goulburn Valley Regional Libraries Senior Projects Librarian, Jan Sutton. Photo: David Lee.

FOR 22 years, Furphy Foundry has been throwing its support behind local writers and poets, through the Joseph Furphy Commemorative Literary Prize.

Founded by director, Sam Fuphy’s father, Roger Furphy, the prize was introduced to pay recognition to Joseph Furphy, the brother of J Furphy & Sons Founder, John Furphy.

Joseph had worked in the foundry for his brother in Shepparton for many years, however his true passion lay with writing and he is now known for his novel, ‘Such is Life,’ written under his pen name Tom Collins.

Because of Joseph Furphy’s reputation as a writer, Roger felt it was important that the foundry recognise him and his association with the foundry through his working life and the prize’ was born.

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With hundreds of applicants from across the country every year in the open category, youth category and junior category under the short story and poetry sections, the prize’ is one small initiative undertaken by the foundry, in conjunction with Goulburn valley Regional Library, to recognise Joseph Furphy and his ties to Shepparton and Furphy Foundry.

Entries for this year’s competition close on October 17 and entry forms are available from all branches of the Goulburn Valley Regional Library, or may be downloaded from the website at www.gvrlc.vic.gov.au For further information, contact Senior Projects Librarian, Jan Sutton on 1300 374 765.

GOOD, BETTER, BEST

celebrating 150 years

Creating comfortable open spaces

OPEN SPACE RANGE… Furphy Foundry makes a large range of open space structures, including the pedestrian bridge near Broken River Drive (pictured). Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

STRUCTURES FOR COMMUNITIES… Thanks to the acquisition of Landmark Product Limited, Furphy Foundry can now broaden its manufacturing of open space structures such as shelters, rest rooms, boardwalks, pedestrian bridges and more. Pictured, Furphy Foundry Operations Team Member, Richard King at work.

Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

WHETHER seeking shelter from the elements, using a pedestrian bridge to cross a river or sitting in a rest room when nature calls, chances are it was one of the Furphy Foundry’s open space structures you used.

Trading under the name of the recently acquired Landmark Product Limited, the open space structure business employs more than 50 staff and is a truly national business, with offices and representatives in each capital city across Australia.

The main driver of the business is the increasing community demands for appropriate and necessary products and

structures in open space environments including shelters, rest rooms, boardwalks, pedestrian bridges and more.

In the local area, shelters along Tom Collins Drive near Aquamoves and at the Shepparton Junior Soccer Association have been manufactured by the foundry and there would have been many times people from across the community would have used the foot bridge near Broken River Drive to cross the Broken River, in fact you might be surprised to know just how much of the outdoor structures you find across the country have been brought to you by the Furphy Foundry.

A team of success

LOOK AND YOU WILL FIND… Another one of the open space structures you may have come across that was made by Furphy Foundry, is the shelter at the back of Victoria Park Lake, near Aquamoves. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

“I thoroughly enjoy the challenges and look forward to the future” - Sam Furphy

MAKING THE BUSINESS… From Left, Furphy Foundry Victorian Sales Representatives, Michael Piciocco, Administration Manager, Katrina Damien, Estimator, Chris Hopper, Production Co-ordinator, Darrin Carr, Marketing Co-ordinator, Dan Steele, Production Manager, David Armstrong, Administration Officer, Mel Fassbender and Sales Administration, Raechel Hickey Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

HEART OF THE FOUNDRY… From left, (back) Furphy Foundry Team Leaders, Scott McDonald and Dean Prinzi, (middle) Furphy Foundry Operations Team, Richard King, Phil Gedye, John Fell, Brett Makin, (front) Greg McDonald, Colin Dryden, Ron Wood, Rob Daniels, Jaedyn Trevaskis and Michael Linke. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga.

IT’S the staff at Furphy Foundry that has really helped to effort that the hard working team puts in will help to position the business as leaders in their market segment. see the ongoing success of the business for many years With 20 locals directly employed by the foundry, the to come.

IN 1993, Sam Furphy joined the Furphy Foundry business having completed a Marketing Diploma at Swinburne Tafe in Melbourne as well as three years in a Melbourne based sales and marketing company.

It just so happened that the business had recently changed direction and was now focussing on manufacturing street and park furniture for councils, landscape architects and schools.

In order to consolidate its position and grow within this new niche market a sales and marketing person was required and Sam was the perfect fit. His primary role was to market and sell the new product range to all councils, landscape architects and property developers throughout Australia.

Sam said, “I have three young boys who are quickly becoming young men and I would like to see each of them given the chance to continue the tradition if they wish, and to have the opportunity that was afforded to me.

“Having sixth generation family members running this business in Shepparton would be a perfect scenario.

“There was never any pressure placed on me to join the family business, however it is something I felt some duty towards and I am lucky to have been able to intertwine new businesses into the foundry business. I thoroughly enjoy the challenges and look forward to the future.”

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