Firms still make a mark

By Lia Bichel
MANY of the most successful Dandenong businesses booming 10 years ago are continuing to make their mark across Australia.
Five companies were featured at the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce 2010 Premier Regional Business Awards business breakfast on Wednesday morning.
In preparation of the chamber’s Platinum celebration at Crown Casino in March, the breakfast highlighted past award winners from 1997-2000, which included HM Gem Engines, Brakes Plus, Jayco, Active Display Group and K and H Surface Technologies.
H M Gem continues to boom, with has reaped a wide range of awards including the Prime Minister’s Employment Award four times.
Brakes Plus recently celebrated its 20th birthday and has almost tripling its turnover from 12 years ago.
Trailer manufacturer Jayco continues to strive, with a new factory in Dandenong South, more than 800 employees and the management projecting the company will produce 10 thousand units in the next financial year.
In its 25th year of business, Active Display Group boasts a huge range of cliental including Myers, 7-11 and Walt Disney. The company turns over about $70 million and employs about 300 people. And despite a fire destroying some of the factory in May, K and H Surface Technologies shows no sign of slowing down, with the chemical manufacturing company turning over more than $20 million.
Sharing the limelight with the highly successful businesses was Youth Enterprise nominee Robert Donaldson.
The 21-year-old Pakenham resident is finishing his mechanical engineering apprenticeship with Boral and has a long list of achievements.
The event concluded with guest speaker Peter Bartell, former chief executive of Fosters, who shared his valuable advice with the room of business people.