Welding robot to secure contracts
A Warragul industry has won a $100,000 federal government grant to part-fund a technology improvement aimed at helping it win more major contracts.
Member for Monash Russell Broadbent said the grant to DJM Fabrications would meet almost half the cost of a planned modernisation that would upgrade its manufacturing capabilities and create higher value jobs.
Welding supervisor with DJM Fabrications at
Police have reported a 40 per cent increase in the theft of trailers in the Baw Baw and Latrobe police areas since the beginning of this year.
Since January, 16 trailers of various types have been stolen from within the Baw Baw area.
Trailers have been stolen from Neerim South, Drouin, Warragul and Trafalgar where six trailers have been stolen, the highest number for any town in the Baw Baw area.
Police said the types of trailers stolen include boat, farm, cattle, motorbike, ride on mower and box trailers.
Some were stolen from residential locations and others from commercial premises, service stations, farms and construction sites.
The trailers were stolen mainly at night and on all days of the week.
Ten of the 16 trailers were registered. Offenders were arrested for two of the incidents, but the other 14 remain unsolved. Only three trailers have been recovered.
Police are appealing to the owners of trailers to do more to ensure they do not become a victim of these thefts.
Police said simple methods such as ensuring trailers are locked away or are not visible from the street, as well as installing tow ball locks and wheel clamps will help to prevent thefts.
Registration plates have been stolen from vehicles in the Warragul and Drouin area last week.
Offenders removed the back registration plate of a Toyota Corolla in Western Park Drv, Warragul overnight on Tuesday.
The vehicle was parked in the driveway. In another incident on the same night, the back registration plate was removed from a Mazda sedan in Young St, Drouin.
The car was parked on the street. its Neilson Crt factory in Warragul, Mathew Dillman, said more than $200,000 would be spent on an automated welding system that would boost efficiency, upskill staff and open up greater business opportunities including world-wide.
Basically, it will be a “welding robot,” he said. Mr Broadbent said the advanced technology would help DFM pursue work on additional rail projects and enter the defence supply chain.
The grant from the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund had come at an incredibly important and critical time as business and industry grapple with the impact of the coronavirus.
It also will provide a much-needed confidence boost at this unprecedented time, Mr Broadbent said.
Mr Dillman said the company employs 35 people servicing a growing clients base that includes Bombadier that constructs VLine’s V/Locity trains.
“We work on a number of elements to the trains including the major underbelly components,” he said.
Managing director Chris Marshall became a partner in the business in 2009 when it employed a handful of people but saw its potential.
Its growth has followed a path of product research, development and innovation. 6DYH
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