Historical information

Sanyo was one of the international companies that set up business in Wodonga in the 1970s as part of the decentralisation of industry. The Sanyo Australia Pty. Ltd. factory in Wodonga was officially opened on 25 October 1974 with 35 staff and production peaked in 1976-1977 when it employed 360 people. In the first 10 years, 350,000 televisions were assembled from Japanese parts. The official plaque was uncovered by Victorian Premier Rupert Hamer.

In October 1977 there were 79 workers retrenched, followed by 30 in November and 45 in February 1978. In 1978 workers staged a sit-in which lasted over a week, to protest multiple mass retrenchments of staff. The factory stayed open for almost another decade. In 1982 the General Manager of Sanyo was quoted as saying the productivity in the Wodonga factory was 10% higher than in Japan. However by 1984 the number of staff had reduced to 112 and the factory closed in 1987.
The premises were taken over by Parker Hannifin and the administration building is now the home of 3D Lanes Bowling Alley. The street in which it is located is now called Sanyo Drive.

Significance

These images are significant because they document and industry which employed many people in Wodonga in the 1970s and 1980s.

Physical description

A set of black and white photographs of the Sanyo Australia Pty Ltd premises in Wodonga.