Wood Tech Group buys 70-year-old Rogers Industries and plans upgrade of Hemmant site

A 90-year-old Brisbane man has sold the manufacturing business he established in 1953 for $12.5m and the new owners plan to hire an extra 50 staff as they expand their operations.

A family business that has been a leading name in the local manufacturing sector for almost 70 years has been sold along with its long-term headquarters near the Port of Brisbane.

Brisbane-based Wood Tech Group paid $12.5m for Rogers Industries, a long-time leader in plastic injection moulding and aluminium die casting services.

The acquisition by the national supplier of woodworking and stone processing equipment includes a 1.7ha site at 1284 Lytton Rd, Hemmant, that houses the Rogers Industries factory, plant and equipment.

Founded in 1953 by Colin Rogers, Rogers Industries, currently has 10 staff and at its peak in the ‘90s had over 50 workers. It will now become a division of Wood Tech.

Rogers Industries’ customer base included local and national companies, which it produces components for truck/ute bodies and trays, diggers, and aluminium pipe fittings for farming irrigation.

Wood Tech managing director Ron Smyth and Rogers Industries founder Colin Rogers inside a warehouse at 1284 Lytton Rd, Hemmant.

Wood Tech managing director Ron Smyth said 90-year-old Mr Rogers was an innovator and a pioneer.

“Everyone who’s a fitter and turner in Brisbane knows Col Rogers,” he said.

“He built the furnaces and the tools so he’s a bit of a legend around the traps.”

Wood Tech has offices and warehouses Australia-wide and will move its headquarters over the next three months from Mansfield to Hemmant.

It plans to build a $3m 2500/sq m in a tech/innovation centre on the site, improve the existing buildings and spend another $1.5m in expanding PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) production operations.

An artists' impression of The Wood Tech Group's new head office at 1284 Lytton Rd, Hemmant.

Former general manager of Rogers Industries Henry Friend said it was a “momentous occasion” for the family.

“But we are really excited about Wood Tech’s growth plans for the company and how that will impact on our staff and customers,” he said.

Mr Smyth said acquisition was sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic when they were unable to secure enough spare parts for their machines and customers.

“The move to acquire and integrate the Rogers business into the broader Wood Tech Group is

an investment and shows confidence in local manufacturing, right here in Brisbane,” he said.

“The existing Rogers’ business will expand with further investment, plus our new in-house capabilities will complement existing business units, with machinery spare parts manufactured locally, plus expansion of Australian PPE production.”

Wood Tech will employ an extra 50 workers at its new headquarters over the next six months.