IGY ManufacturingMilly Colahan and husband run IGY Manufacturing Pty Ltd. The Leichhardt NSW-based business contract manufacturers and packages liquid chemical and cleaning products and retails the eco-friendly Detergents Galore range.
For Milly, manufacturing had always been a ‘boys’ club’. That is until she started attending the Women in Manufacturing seminars last year. Milly and Pat Colahan of IGY Manufacturing Pty Ltd at the 2007 Women in Manufacturing Christmas expo
Milly and Pat Colahan of IGY Manufacturing Pty Ltd at the 2007 Women in Manufacturing Christmas expo
“The topics were relevant to my business and it was great to share experiences with other women”, said Milly, who had previously found difficulty in accessing the right information.
“The seminar on how to cost your product was particularly useful and gave me confidence that people will pay for a quality product. I also participated in the Christmas expo.”
Milly is committed to expanding IGY Manufacturing. To grow the business successfully she sees herself applying for a place in the Women in Manufacturing Stepping Up Program at some time in the future.
This seven-month course is subsidised by the Department for approved applicants and run by the Australasian Production and Inventory Control Society of NSW.
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Network benefits - a personal viewPetria Sutton’s connection with the Women in Manufacturing Network goes back to the very beginning. This was 2006 when a group of women attending a Department of State and Regional Development seminar were keen to keep the day’s momentum going.
The force behind Soaptopia handmade soaps, body and skin care products, Petria has since attended numerous Network events and contributed suggestions for program development.
Asked to nominate a Network highlight, Petria cites a recent talk by Helen Lennie, co-owner of wallpaper company Signature Prints. “Helen spoke honestly about the marketing issues she’s faced and the solutions found. With so many manufacturers finding it harder to compete due to the influx of imports from China, she was both insightful and refreshing.”
“Overall, the best thing about the Network is that you feel comfortable in discussing your business problems. No one is judged.”
Network members share information
An original member of the Women in Manufacturing Network, Shirley Chester is happy to share what she’s learned in what at first seems an unusual career in industry.
The daughter of "one of the few businesswomen in a small New Zealand town", Shirley completed tertiary studies in chemistry before going into the food industry. Five years ago life was changing so when an old friend rang with a business proposal the omens were right for a big career move.
Today Shirley is joint owner of the Sydney-based company Neo Vista System Integrators (NVSI), which specialises in custom-built solutions for automated test and measurement, camera vision and data acquisition. Qantas, Bluescope Steel and the CSIRO are on the company’s client list.
Although new to electrical engineering, Shirley had a good understanding of quality systems and experience in product development. Both were invaluable when NVSI decided that, to improve the income stream, it would not only offer technical project services but also an actual product. This is EnviroPoint, an environmental monitoring system based on wireless sensor technology.
As a woman who has faced career hurdles in the man’s world of manufacturing, Shirley describes herself as "a huge believer in sharing the information I’ve got". "Technical information is separate", she says "but anything that helps others grow their business is in the public domain."
True to this philosophy, Shirley regularly listens and gives advice to other members of the Women in Manufacturing Network and is pleased to be part of such a positive group.