More aussie icons go offshore... Dettol and Mortein

[Jim Goose]

Jobs go as iconic products shift offshore

Updated February 01, 2012 18:01:25
Dettol Photo: The iconic products will be made offshore after July. (Flickr: Nick Wheeler)
Map: Ermington 2115

Iconic fly spray Mortein and disinfectant Dettol will stop being made in Australia from July.

Reckitt Benckiser, which has been making the products since 1963, will axe 190 manufacturing jobs at its Ermington factory in Sydney's north-west.

The products will be made offshore but a sales force of 300 people will be retained.

Workers have been offered redundancy packages under their current agreement.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union state secretary Tim Ayres says it is a significant blow to families.

"This is a decision that's been made in the middle of the night, in secret, and it's a terrible shame for Australian manufacturing capability," he said.

"Reckitt Benckiser holds itself out as a great Australian company with iconic Australian brands.

"It's going to be very difficult to maintain those iconic Australian brands when Mortein and Dettol are manufactured in Korea and China and overseas."

Mr Ayres also criticised the handling of the announcement.

"There's been no discussion, no contact with the AMWU or with staff," he said.

"Staff have been given no opportunity to deal with the productivity challenges that the company claims have helped it make its decision."
Top priority

However, Reckitt Benckiser Australia chief executive Lindsay Forrest said looking after staff was a top priority.

"This announcement is understandably distressing for many of our team," he said in a statement.

He said the market had changed significantly since local operations began in 1963.

"Australia's geographical distance from other markets and our relatively small domestic market has made it increasingly difficult to embed our West Ryde operations into these global arrangements," he said.

Mr Forrest said production would move to other global manufacturing sites in Europe, Asia, South Africa and North America.

Third-party manufacturers will also be used to a lesser extent in Australia and New Zealand.

Reckitt Benckiser's consumer contact centre will remain in Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-0...fshore/3805304

[xtremerus]

No-one voted for 'Lewie the fly' to stay, so they thought Ozzies didn't care about where it was made.

[39ClevoUte]

It's simple, read the labels and put your money where your mouth is.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by 54Ghia

It's simple, read the labels and put your money where your mouth is.

trouble is.... try and find fully Australian owned and made products these days.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

trouble is.... try and find fully Australian owned and made products these days.

If you were that worried, you would find them. And pay for it too, as much as it pains me to say, products made off shore and imported here are the way its going and has been for a long time.
All the crap we got in at work for OZ day was made in...... guess where.

[Jim Goose]

Er i was replying to someone who made the comment about buying aussie made...... and yes i think we are well aware of the crap thats imported into to this country.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Er i was replying to someone who made the comment about buying aussie made...... and yes i think we are well aware of the crap thats imported into to this country.

Yep i realise that.
But as i said if people want OZ made they will find it, albeit it will be hard

[39ClevoUte]

www.buyaustralianmade.com.au

[MITCHAY]

Quite a few job losses being announced over the last few weeks. What has got me quite angry is various comments on various media where people don't really care.

No one cares until it is THEIR job on the axe which is really sad because hundreds if not thousands of jobs gone in one go has flow on effects even worse in small regions.

Even worse the amount of people displaced in one go won't be helped as by all reports there will be quite freeze on recruitment in 2012

[GhiaEB]

I only buy aussie made. Sadly this will be two more items that I will no longer buy.

[GhiaEB]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

trouble is.... try and find fully Australian owned and made products these days.

Aussie owned is hard to find, Aussie made that's not so hard and if it's keeps people employed (in Australia) I'll buy it

[Mickxr8]

Just to chuck another spanner in the works,
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/barcodes.asp
getting bloody hard to find real aussie stuff these days.
( Dont quote me on this,was a quick google search lol )
Shopping days are fun with me if you`ve got some time to spare