Flash new factory for Roadstar

Melbourne’s Roadstar continues to invest heavily into its reborn caravan manufacturing business, recently moving into the old Galaxy Caravans factory after an extensive $3.5million refurbishment.

Roadstar boss Ken Nizam described the 15-year old factory as being in “pretty poor condition” after Galaxy Caravans went bust and closed its doors in late-2014.

Now owned by Roadstar, the 3000sq.m site in Cooper St, Somerton has been fully renovated, including modern new offices, boardroom and reception area, complete with bamboo benchtops.

The spick new factory floor area, which has allowed Roadstar to boost production to around 10 vans a week, has new air compressor lines, LED lighting and upgraded power capacity to run new equipment including two, fully automatic CNC furniture cutting machines.

Roadstar has also installed a state of the art CCTV camera system so Nizam can monitor production flow from the comfort of his spacious new office.

To take advantage of the high-profile site, there's bold new exterior signage in Roadstar’s corporate colours of orange and brown, made from industrial-strength Alucabond panelling as found on some of Roadstar’s premium-built caravans.

In-house chassis construction by sister company Hitec Engineering remains at Roadstar’s former manufacturing facility in Coolaroo, about 10 minutes’ drive from the new factory in Melbourne’s north.

While the larger factory will allow Roadstar to produce as many as 18 vans a week, with plans for a cheaper, entry level Compass range as well as new Roadstar off-road models featuring hi-tech composite body construction, Nizam said the revitalised brand would never sacrifice quality for quantity.

“We’re trying to build to a certain quality, so it’s not all about volume… I’m about premium, top quality product,” he said. “Where’s the quality when you’re building 1000 or 1500 vans (a year)?”

Roadstar also has plans to purchase the large, vacant block of land next door and establish its own, factory-based Melbourne dealership, similar to what the fast growing New Age Caravans located about five minutes up the road in Epping, has done.