Bundaberg business Enmach designs and manufactures superior poly products for use across Australia, including the West Connex tunnel system in Sydney.
Enmach started as a farm machinery repair business more than 30 years ago.
The Bundaberg-based family business spans three generations. It specialises in agricultural products, including silos, troughs and feeders, along with lawn and aqua products.
Founder Noel Bowder stands proud with his sons Jon and Kingsley, and grandson Callum, at their Charlie Triggs Crescent depot.
He says looking back he never imagined he'd go from a one-man show to a company that distributes across the nation.
Enmach manufacture smart, inventive storage and feeding solutions suitable for the harsh Australian environment, with the latest tanks installed at Bundaberg Airport to assist firefighters during this year’s fire season.
Jon Bowder and his brother Kinglsey have now taken the reins from Noel, although they said there’s never a day when their 73-year-old father isn’t on site elbow deep in a piece of machinery, and they are proud of their history.
“We have morphed in to our own line of products that we sell Australia wide,” Jon said.
“We do a lot of rotational plastic moulding, and typically that’s associated with water tanks, they are our local market.
“In the silos, we have large silos that can hold up to 50 tonnes of molasses or wheat.”
Enmach expands to poly silos
Jon said one of the recent Enmach projects includes eight silos located at the drilling heads of the West Connex tunnel system in Sydney that are used to hold the water that’s been separated from the slurry after being extracted from the tunnel.
“We have some pretty high-profile jobs out there,” he said.
“Here at Enmach we look for the bigger jobs; we are the only engineered poly-silo manufacturer in Australia.
“We started making these silos 12 years ago now, they are cyclone rated – they’ve actually gone through Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland.”
Jon said Enmach expanded into poly silos after seeing the need for them in the niche market.
“Enmach is just releasing a new covered mineral feeder,” he said.
“There are about seven to eight companies I Queensland that make these, but we have listened to feedback from farmers and have now made one with full plastic base unit that negates the need of steel.
“It won’t rust-out and it’s a longer lasting product for the farmer.
“We look at trying to re-engineer products made out steel in to plastic, to give something longer life and is more serviceable to the customer.
“Our products are Australian-made materials, it’s actually the ethylene gas that comes out of the Bass Straight.”
Enmach takes pride in being involved in every step of its poly products, from design and manufacturing right through to delivery and set-up, right across Australia.
“We have our own trucks that transport the tanks, silos and other goods right around the country, over to Perth and up to Kuranda near Cairns,” Jon said.
“Being involved in every step of the process from creating the product to the set up is important to us.”
Jon said the development of the local business continued to grow and last year they saw their largest growth in the 30 plus years of business.
“Dad was Bundaberg-born, but we are not just tied to Bundaberg here at Enmach,” he said.
“We are tied to primary production and that is a big industry here in Australia at the moment and I think it is going to stay that way, especially as start to rely more on Australian made.
“Here in Bundaberg we have that much diversity in the local area, you know you’re proud to tell people that; as we have Bundaberg Ginger Beer, Greensills and all of that.
“We definitely have a pretty awesome spot here in Bundaberg.
“I grew up on a sugarcane farm, and as a family we went from a farming background to industry and manufacturing.
“It good to be part of a solid community. Bundaberg doesn’t rely on the national economy, it just keeps going.
“We might not be the richest area in the country, but it is in one way.”
Enmach employee more then 30 local people. Jon said they often have new positions becoming available and anyone interested in a job labouring could drop off their resume.
“Anyone interested in trade, in particularly labourers that are interest in learning new things and being part of a growing company can contact us,” he said.
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