Electrolux Oven Factory Tour a Stunner!

July 14th, 2011

Ovens & Cooking

Last week Appliances Online was lucky enough to be invited to tour the Electrolux factory in Adelaide with the company’s Key Account Executive – NSW, Ryan Lilley. Located across 8 hectares in Dudley Park, just north of the CBD, the plant is a proudly Australian manufacturing venture that produces a huge range of built for market ovens – the only operation down under to make ovens on this scale. From research and development through to ready for market ovens, the superb  facility features state-of-the-art technology and world leading safety practices. Ovens from Electrolux, Westinghouse and Chef are all made on site. For our General Manager, Peter Harris, and Senior Customer Service Representative, Andrew Paskalis, touring this remarkable plant was an eye-opening and rewarding experience that further strengthened the close relationship and respect between ourselves and the white goods powerhouse.

The Electrolux facility in Dudley Park lies nearby to where the old Simpson factory stood. This fact is recorded in the name of the avenue on which Electrolux’s modern facility now stands – Simpson Avenue – and means the company has been manufacturing here for over 100 years. Incorporating an impressive Research & Development department to support the manufacturing process, it is a plant that strives to better oven technology and reliability for the Australian consumer.

Arriving mid-morning on a Thursday we were greeted at the Electrolux plant by a hive of activity. The scale of operations that are carried out on site is simply huge. All Electrolux, Westinghouse and Chef ovens distributed on the Australian market are built here. This includes all Upright and Elevated Ovens. When in full swing a new oven comes off the production line at Dudley Park every 18 seconds! Both Pete and Andrew were greatly impressed by the procedures followed to guarantee every single unit is ready for use whilst ensuring no staff are placed at risk.

Every oven manufactured at the Electrolux plant is tested to ensure all working and schematic parts are fully functional. Quality control procedures entail that if two consecutive ovens are found to contain a fault then those two ovens along with the 10 previous and 10 subsequent units are taken away and completely stripped down to identify any problems. Alongside the rigorous testing of every oven that comes off the line, units are also randomly selected to be stripped down and rebuilt. The process of random selection for testing allows the onsite technicians complete control of the various stages of assembly.

Electrolux place great emphasis on OH&S procedures at the plant to ensure the safety of their staff during all stages of production. The plant has functioned now for 386 days without having a single safety incident arise, a track record that Ryan and Electrolux are rightly proud to share with us.

Appliances Online’s tour of the Electrolux factory in Adelaide further cemented the strong relationship between our two companies. With  1 in 4 of all Electrolux Pyrolytic Wall Ovens sold in NSW being from our company, the figures speak of the growth the relationship already offers both parties. Peter and Andrew would like to extend their warmest thanks for the hospitality they were shown by everyone at Electrolux in Adelaide, in particular a big cheers to our great mate and host, Ryan Lilley. May the warm relations continue as those wonderful ovens keep on shipping off the line!