Diverse Industry Group of Australia

By 1940 Autotherm had 6 employees and grew considerably in the early 1940’s, when it produced considerable components to support the war effort in the munitions sector. By the 1940s and 50s the company had a little over 20 employees and were a supplier to the Koster Pottery – heating element and connector pins etc for kettles.

Don Smith unfortunately passed away in 1974. Oldest son Rodney was by then managing the business; as an engineering graduate with a young family he had previously spent two years in working Switzerland at Brown Boveri (now ABB, one of the largest engineering companies in the world).

Rodney owned and operated the company as a small business until an opportunity arose to acquire the machining shop of SA Water in 1995; completion of this transaction saw the acquisition of various new technologies, product lines and business relationships as well as welcoming eight new employees – this was the beginning of a new growth phase for the business. Autotherm was an early adopter of CNC lathe technology in the 1990’s and gradually replaced most of its old ‘Swiss-style’ turning machines with new automated single and multi-axis machining centres.

Over the next few years the company manufacturing base was expanded with the acquisitions of Premier Electroplating Pty Ltd and Hendon Heat Treatment Pty Ltd as well as early explorations into alternative electric motor technologies that led to the establishment of a technology offshoot company which continues to operate today.

In 1998 Rodney established a business succession plan involving his oldest son Matthew Smith and key employees to establish Diverse Industry Group of Australia Pty Ltd (‘DIGA’) as a holding company for the various operating businesses including Autotherm Pty Ltd.

In 2002 DIGA was selected to participate in a fixed-term contract for the machining of engine blocks for Victa Lawnmowers, resulting in the entire manufacturing and assembly process relocating from NSW to Adelaide. This contract saw DIGA rapidly acquire new technology in the form of robotic machining centres, and contributed to a decade of strong business growth.

In 2012 the business owners decided to seek new accommodation in a more suitable industrial precinct and this culminated in the construction of a new purpose-built manufacturing premises located at Direk, some 30km north of Adelaide CBD.

Autotherm once again remains a truly family-owned business. Today we near our 100 year centenary and can look forward to a future with the same innovative spirit and enthusiasm that Don and Rodney demonstrated during their tenure over this small but important SA success story.