By CASEY NEILL
“TEN years ago we were a medium-sized manufacturing business that was just in Dandenong.”
Today TriMas Corporation in Keysborough is Australia’s largest towing system manufacturer and has spread to nine countries.
Managing director Carl Bizon has led the way and was last week honoured for his efforts with inclusion on the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Honour Roll.
“I was very surprised, to be honest with you,” he said.
“I don’t think any of us go to work every day thinking what we do is particularly special.
“In the seven years that I’ve been here we’ve tripled the size of the company. It’s been a pretty good ride.
“But I can only do it because we’ve got some really good staff.
“My job is to provide environments where people are successful. That’s all I do.”
Other Honour Roll inductees from the region include Tom Hartley from Hilton Manufacturing, bus giant Ken Grenda and Gerry Ryan from Jayco – who presented the award.
“That meant a lot to me,” Mr Bizon said.
“To be put in the same category as those icons of manufacturing was quite humbling.“
TriMas started in Dandenong 65 years ago when Eric Hayman couldn’t find the towbar he wanted, designed his own and started selling them as Hayman Reese.
Mr Bizon said towing equipment remained the company’s biggest product line but it had added roof racks, side steps and caravan trailer components.
It adopted the name of parent company TriMas about 15 years ago to reflect its diversification and three years ago brought sites in Dandenong and Lyndhurst together in Pacific Drive, Keysborough.
“I’m only the third managing director in the entire company’s history, so it’s a pretty long legacy I’ve got to preserve,” Mr Bizon said.
“I started in the steel industry in Newcastle in 1980.
“Through various manufacturing jobs in the steel industry and associated industrial products and industrial markets I’ve ended up here.
“My background has always been in manufacturing in some way, shape or form, and I don’t seem to fall too far from steel.”
Mr Bizon has his sights on further international growth but will continue to expand employment in Australia.
He supports the region through business mentoring with South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) and South East Business Networks (SEBN).
“I think people underestimate just the level of entrepreneurialism and innovation that’s around the Dandenong area,“ he said.
“There’s so much competency and capability sitting in those buildings you drive past every day.”
TriMas was a finalist for last year’s Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Large Manufacturer of the Year award after it was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
