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Sydney manufacturer Dalekit Awnings has purchased 7000 square metres of manufacturing space to support plans for the expansion and re-focus of its business.
Director and co-owner Joe Pajeska told WFA Dalekit Awnings had evolved over the years from being a home-based installation team to a manufacturing and installation team.
“Starting in a tin shed on the outer rim of Sydney’s suburbs and the plan was simple; make awnings for less, sell them through a small newspaper advert and see how it goes. It wasn’t long until Dalekit Awnings’ ability to make and sell quality awnings and grow a business with a personal touch was clear to be seen.”
“Twenty-five years and a few factories later, Dalekit Awnings has recently brought new life to the well-known ‘Airlite’ factory in South Windsor, NSW.”
“Our previous factory, located in Glendenning, NSW, was outgrown as soon as the business moved in and was somewhat crippled with the restrictions of available space. Dalekit Awnings now has more than enough room to spread its wings and grow as well as improve upon its processes.”
The next milestone for the company is mid-September, with plans for the installation of a “mega-fabric cutting and squaring machine,” he said, adding that the unit can select the roll, cut and square a roller blind or awning skin in under a minute.
Pajeska said the company had worked alongside the machines’ manufacturers in Europe to create a custom-made fabric-cutting solution, at a cost of several million dollars and 15+ months of planning.
“This precision-built machine will of course demand a change to many of our internal manufacturing processes and staffing needs, but the biggest change will be the phenomenal speed at which we can manufacture skins for our existing range of products as well as the additional markets it will unlock for us.”
“The main idea behind its incredible efficiency will be to add a cut-length service that can be done overnight and dispatched the next day across Sydney and beyond. This service will be cheaper, faster and more accurate than any other of its kind in the southern hemisphere! It’s a real game changer.“
“This will mean a slight sideways shift in the business focus, adding roller blind manufacturing to our range while allowing us to stay as Sydney’s top manufacturer of outdoor blinds and awnings.”
“In the last year, Dalekit has added 10 more full-time staff, moved factories and grown more than 15%. Not bad for a small business that started out of a flood-prone hot-box of a shed.”
