COVER STORY
PENRITE: INVESTING IN AUSTRALIA The Australian owned and operated company is committed to innovation and continued investment in Australian manufacturing
Whilst many other companies and industries have chosen to move manufacturing overseas, Penrite Oil explains that it has continued to invest in local manufacturing and production, employing Australians to produce world quality products right here in Australia. Penrite has been doing this since 1926 and in the last five years, has built an entirely new blending and distribution facility at its Dandenong South Head Quarters in Victoria, installing state of the art blending machinery and packaging facilities to streamline the production process for its lubricants. The new Dandenong facility, along with Penrite’s Crestmead facility in Queensland, ensures that Penrite is able to blend and keep up with production levels that meet ever-increasing product demands. During the past 18 months whilst in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Penrite has also continued to invest in stock holding of raw materials despite challenges created by the pandemic. Penrite says that its base oil holdings are now over a million litres more than what they were five years ago, while its finished goods inventory has increased by nearly 400 percent. Nearly 400 SKUs are manufactured at its new Dandenong South production facility and over 100 SKUs at its Crestmead facility.
Being an Australian owned and operated manufacturer for 95 years, Penrite says it can blend products for local supply, which means there is no need to wait years for products to catch up and arrive from an overseas parent company. Penrite states that it has always continued to innovate in the category and is the established leader in being first in getting products to market in this country. It says that time and time again, Penrite has been able to introduce the newest and latest
specifications of products to the trade and retail sectors, sometimes years ahead of the competition. For example, it states that product ranges such as Penrite’s Enviro+ were the first products introduced to Australia for modern fuel efficient, low emission engines that met international OEM approvals and standards. Penrite’s list of innovations continues with OEM approved coolants, specialised power steering and suspension fluids, ATFs, gear oils, greases and additives. All the while, Penrite has been able to supply the trade and retail sectors with products that meet and exceed manufacturer requirements. Penrite explains that its innovation has not just revolved around actual product and specification, as it has also led the way in packaging development to suit both consumer and trade requirements. Penrite was the first manufacturer in Australia to offer both standard six litre and then seven litre engine oils to satisfy the requirements for modern vehicle sump capacities. It says it was also the first manufacturer to include pouring funnels as part of its packaging, IML labels that do not peel off even when wet, the ENVIRO BOX 20 Litre bag in a cardboard box that reduces packaging waste by 85 percent and recyclable plastic and cardboard packaging that complies with APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant) tertiary primary and secondary packaging requirements.
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Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine September 2021
