Plant gets balls rolling

Car part maker to resume production at two factories in North

A CAR part manufacturing plant that employed 6500 at its peak is to reopen and again employ Tasmanians.

ACL Bearing Company was closed in July last year by receivers, and the Launceston plant’s last 136 workers left the site.

A US company, ACL Distribution, based in Michigan, acquired the Tasmanian company’s assets in September, including manufacturing equipment and intellectual property made up of worldwide registrations of trademarks, names and logotypes.

ACL Bearing Company Australia general manager Chris Brooks said operations would resume this month following improvements to the layout of the plant and equipment trials.

“We expect to be in a position to commence volume production across all areas within the next two weeks and are pleased to employ many past workers who have many years of service and engineering and manufacturing experience,” Mr Brooks said.

About 40 employees will be hired initially across two factories at Mowbray and Rocherlea.

The firm’s new focus will be on the manufacture of ACL RACE Series performance engine bearings.

Mr Brooks said many international customers were eagerly awaiting the return of the brand.

He said he expected 90 per cent of the plant’s output to be exported.

Mr Brooks said the company hoped to build up production and the number of workers but production would be leaner and more niche-focused than in the past.

The factory, which began life as Repco in 1937, had been in receivership for five years before it finally closed it doors.

Bass MP Michael Ferguson said it was fantastic to see ACL back up and running and employing people in northern Tasmania.

“ACL has re-emerged under innovative new ownership because of ongoing international demand from high- performance engine platform manufacturers for the highquality bearing product produced at the Launceston plant,” Mr Ferguson said.

“This demonstrates that there is a strong future in Tasmania for advanced manufacturing.

“On behalf of the State Government, we welcome ACL back to Launceston and look forward to the factory continuing to employ more Tasmanians.”