Announcing our first investment

Welcoming East West Engineering to Arbor Permanent Owners

Today, I’m thrilled to share that Arbor Permanent Owners has completed its acquisition - a Great Australian business by the name of East West Engineering.

Headquartered in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, East West Engineering (EWE) is Australia’s leading manufacturer and distributor of materials handling equipment.  

With a rich 40 year operating history, EWE is the stalwart of its niche. We’re honoured to steward the business for the next 40 years.

Like all enduring franchises, EWE’s founding story is one of resilience, ingenuity and good old fashioned hard work.

Half a century ago, the founder Mr Ronald King began his foray into entrepreneurship providing fencing and metalworking services to the construction industry.

By the mid-1980s, his company Allmesh Engineering expanded: winning a number of large building contracts across a quickly growing, metropolitan Sydney. Allmesh was involved in several iconic public works, including the construction of the Powerhouse Museum and the Maritime Museum. 

Whilst successful, being dependent on the construction industry proved challenging. 

Boom and bust economic cycles created volatility. Long tender processes meant uncertainty. Late payers and retentions chewed up cash flow.

Ron recognised the need to evolve into a more stable, resilient and more cash generative business model. 

This was when, in the early 1990s, the company expanded into the design and engineering and fabrication of ‘tiny but vital’ equipment - starting with forklift and crane attachments. Ron saw the challenges that he and other contractors faced on the construction site - obtaining high quality, reliable and customised materials handling solutions.

The diversification strategy paid off.

By early 2000s, Allmesh ceased all contract building work to focus solely on the design, manufacturing, and distribution of forklift and crane attachments. It rebranded to East West Engineering - building its reputation for high quality, Australian engineered materials handling solutions.

Today, EWE continues to earn its strong reputation for high quality, safe and custom engineered materials handling products. The company services virtually every sector, State and Territory in Australia - all from its humble Headquarters in Brookvale.

Whether you’re unloading pallets in a warehouse or picking bales of cotton in Narrabri -  materials handling equipment is essential for safety, efficiency and performance - and EWE has a product for pretty much every unique use case. 

If they don’t, they’ll design it as part of their inhouse, custom engineering solution.

Next time you stroll past a construction site or warehouse, peep your head over the fence to spot that iconic Ultramarine blue logo. There’s a good chance you’ll find at least one of EWE’s 3,000 active products. 

Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

A custom forklift Jib & spreader beam used for the construction of a warehouse in Cragieburne, Victoria.

An underground work platform cage for a mine in Yalgoo, Western Australia

A heavy duty storage box and cages for the construction of Burwood Station, Sydney Metro

A Sand Bag machine that EWE loaned the NSW Rural Fire Service to stop erosion and house damage during the storms that hit the northern beaches in June 2016.

As the proud new owners of EWE, we acknowledge the immense hard work and sacrifice that Ron has made to build this wonderful business.  Please join me in congratulating Ron for the legacy he has built with East West Engineering.  

We’re honoured and deeply committed to protecting and enhancing his legacy.

Sincerely,

Jason and Simon

For media enquiries, please contact Jason Andrew at [email protected]

About Arbor Permanent Owners

Arbor Permanent Owners is a holding company that acquires and invests in exceptional, private businesses, deliberately built for long-term success. Our goal is to be the long-term custodian and permanent home of Great Australian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

We are actively looking for businesses with the following characteristics:

  • Business Model: B2B industrials: manufacturing and mission critical services

  • Business Size: $3 to $6 Million of EBITDA

  • Business Profile: Sticky B2B customer base

  • Business HQ: Australia

We are backed by a tightly-held group of co-investors, collectively on a mission to preserve the legacy of Great Australian SMEs.

Whether you’re a business owner interested in working with us, or an intermediary with a deal to share, I’d love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]