“No vehicle manufacturer supplies a utility vehicle already fittedįrom the factory with a tray or a canopy.” Toīe precise, given there is no direct OEM supplyĬhain for this imported range, Flexiglass is To the Ford Falcon and also the Ranger series,”Įxplains Ergun. While most of Flexiglass’s business is classed asĪftermarket, the company retains a close relationship with Ford and produces canopies for Somewhat in last year’s uncertain economicĬlimate) and seems set to remain strong as longĪs there is a rural and regional economy, smallīusiness and the construction sector throughout the country. Recent years (double digit growth, plateauing Remarkably well in the automotive market in The light commercial vehicle sector has in any case stood up OEM manufacturing in Australia will not dentĭemand for utes – most of which are already He is confident that the imminent demise of – although other Fleetwood brands such asĬoromal and Windsor caravans are useful alliesĪnd there are some synergies between them. The Fleetwood connection is a bonus, but theĬompany operates as a stand-alone business National Sales and Operations manager, Ergun Kirmaci explains that Today, Flexiglass is owned by Fleetwood Corporation, an ASX 200 listed company that acquired – Challenge Canopies – merged via an acquisition by Flexiglass to form Flexiglass Challenge,īecoming by some margin the largest canopy However, in 1989 Flexiglass and the rival Wales and Queensland branches soon followed, although theĮast coast was home to the company’s biggest Throughout the 1970s Flexiglass continued to grow andīranches were opened in South Australia and Victoria.ĭemand grew rapidly throughout Australia, and New South
The rigid canopies that dominated the market at that time, was Together they designed and perfected a new system of fibreglass production which, unlike In 1959 he diversified into the fibreglass boat buildingīusiness and together with his two sons created the foundations of today’s Flexiglass. This canopy was yearsĪhead of its time and featured many similarities to today’sĬanopies. The first ever fibreglass canopy in 1956. This was just the beginning for Harry, who went on to produce
These innovative canopies featured laminated Making a range of designs from aluminium sheet, with sliding This ‘prototype’ met with widespread approval he was soon He usedĪ steam bent timber frame and sheet metal panels, and after On a Holden, to convert it into a station wagon. Lexiglass originated in Western Australia in 1949 whenįounder Harry Robins created his first canopy for fitment Remains bright, according to Flexiglass, leaders in the field. And that means future demand for trays and canopies “Mercury Plastics’ Neo-Beam facility, a 5MeV electron accelerator that’s usually used to deliver energy for molecular cross linking in PEX tubing to enhance chemical resistance.The domestically made ute may be doomed, but that does nothing to diminish prospectsįor utility vehicle sales in Australia. Read more for another video and additional information. When the plexiglass goes through the electron accelerator, it’s loaded with a charge that gets trapped inside, while a quick mechanical shock discharges the acrylic, creating the tree-like figures. These figures are created through electrical discharge via an insulator, or can be formed in smaller objet d’art, the only necessity being a large quantity of electrons being pumped in. When lightning is captured in plexiglass acrylic, you get these amazing Lichtenberg figures, or the 3D electrical trees you’ve probably seen in paperweights at your local stationary store.