Jurgens restarts local caravan production
Struggling caravan builder reopens Melbourne factory with skeleton staffEmbattled Melbourne caravan manufacturer Jurgens has re-opened its Pakenham, Victoria factory after closing the gates back in March.
"We are very pleased to advise we have recommenced manufacturing with a core production crew," Jurgens Australia owner Paul Kyriacou said in an online statement.
"To protect everyone, access to our manufacturing facility will be limited to staff and suppliers only who are essential to be there."
Jurgens was one of the first Australian RV manufacturers to officially announce a temporary factory closure due to the coronavirus crisis, when it stood down most of its workers and shut its 4000sq.m Pakenham, Victoria factory in March.
“The escalating situation including closure of borders, restrictions on the movement of staff, dwindling supply and decline in demand makes it impossible to operate our business,” Kyriacou said on March 24.
To go with its latest statement, Jurgens Australia posted a copy of a signed letter from South Africa's Jurgens Campworld, which supplies parts for the Australian-built caravans as well as some complete models, confirming an order in June and stating that it's "ready, willing and able to resume supply and support to Jurgens Australia".
"Our supply chain from our sister company in South Africa is beginning to flow again... there will be a catch up period with the supply of components, but we are getting there." Kyriacou said.
He also said that Jurgens' "customer service function has a big catch up ahead too. We ask for patience as our skeleton staff work remotely on limited hours".
"We have been working around the clock to make things right on all fronts," he said. "We continue to make progress on resolving global supply challenges and on a local front JobKeeper is a real lifeline for the business and staff alike.
"The industry is on the up. We are still here and we are still committed to making Jurgens a success."
The factory re-opening announcement is the latest in a tumultuous 18 month period for the South African-owned caravan builder, which set up a factory in Australia in 2008 before moving to bigger premises in 2013.
More than 50 Jurgens employees faced locked gates and security guards when they turned up to work in early-2019, while AL-KO International moved to have the caravan manufacturer wound up but later dropped its action.
Jurgens also faced union accusations of withholding factory workers' entitlements in May this year.
Related:
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
