M A N U FAC T U R I N G N E W S
Bambi meets COVID induced demand – invests in new machinery
New carding line being installed at Bambi’s West Gosford factory to make wadding of ‘fill’ for quilts, pillows and protectors. TURNOVER IS UP more than 50% so far this year for West Gosford manufacturer of quality bedding products, Bambi Enterprises, due to JobKeeper and workfrom-home demand induced by the COVID pandemic. While most Australian textile manufacturers packed up and went to China Bambi stuck rigidly to it’s philosophy of producing a quality Australian Made product which the market wanted both in Australia and overseas. “For us the last year has been incredibly exciting and challenging,” said Peter Witney, Bambi Managing Director. “In 60 years of
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business, I have never seen anything like it. Sales in September last year were double what they were the year before,” he said. However, the unexpected demand has placed a tremendous strain on the company’s resources; factory space, raw material purchases, deliveries from overseas, staff and funding the necessary capital investment in new machinery and working capital. The result has been that the company has built new factory space and installed a new pillow line and the latest wool carding machine – an investment of some $700,000. Mr Witney said that finding competent trained staff was a big problem and the result has been that they have had to work a lot of overtime which is a substantial added cost.
Bambi Enterprises General Manager Greg Witney with Founder and Managing Director, Peter Witney (background new wool carding machine being installed) “Young people don’t see a future in the sewing trade and find themselves working as check-out operators in supermarkets. We have trained a number of staff to sew but we will need more but that will take some years,” he said. Currently Bambi employs 30 people and Mr Witney saying that this will rise to 45 as they train new staff in the sewing trade. Founded by Peter and Janita Witney over forty years ago, Bambi manufactures quilts, underblankets, mattress toppers, pillows, protectors and sheets protectors made in a wide range of natural materials from the finest wool, alpaca, natural plant fibres and cotton as well as man made fibres that include latex, memory foam, velour, microfibre, polyester and waterproof fabrics.
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CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW JULY 2021
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