During the 1930s there was rapid growth in the plastics industry, with car parts, electrical components and household articles being produced. Some firms did not last for long, some merged, and some continue today.
Embassy was a G.J. Coles homebrand. It is unknown who supplied the company with its plastic products.
In 1946 there were over 2000 people employed, with invested capitol of over 1,500,000 pounds. In 1947 it was listed as about 6,000 people employed. The post war market was as yet in its infancy, but its growth was to be rapid, supporting the chemical manufacturing industry. By 1959 the industry was quoted as having increased tenfold since 1946, and employing 8,500 people. Plastics made locally included phenol-formadehyde, melamine–formadehyde, urea-formadehyde, cellulose acetate, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride and polyethylene.
Construction (Sydney), 5th April 1950 p.3
The Colonial Sugar refining Chemicals Ltd (CSR) started to produce cellulose acetate in 1949. In 1953 Monsanto Chemicals (Australia) Ltd, a subsidiary of the USA firm, started producing polystyrenne in West Footscray.
From The Mail (Adelaide), 18th June 1949 p.7:
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Academy Plastics Pty Ltd
Academy Plastics Pty Ltd were advertising for ‘youths’ to work at their sporting and electrical plastics goods manufactory at 402 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne in 1946. By the next year they had moved to 20 Normanby Place, Richmond.
The Age (Melbourne), 20th June 1947 p.12
They exhibited at the Australian trade Display in Athens in 1966.
They are known to have made fishing reels and salt/pepper shakers.
Austral Plastics Co Ltd
This firm has started by 1949, and was based at Cheltenham, Melbourne. In the 1950s they produced photographic/printing equipment, such as developing trays and negative tweezers. They also made presentation boxes for jewellery and watches.
Casecraft P/L
These were plastic moulders in Highett, Melbourne from around 1949-1967. As well as jewelry presentation boxes for Dunklings, they made shop fittings and furniture.
Coleman Co Inc
This American firm has produced outdoor leisure/camping since 1901. Some products were made in Australia, but it is not clear by whom.
The West Australian (Perth), 27th February 1950 p.24
Metti/Netta Australia
This was a South Australian doll manufacturer, established in 1965. Their products included including dolls and night lights. Their First Peoples dolls were very popular. After a change of ownership, the firm was renamed Netti Australia.
https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/476013
Modern Toy Company
This Melbourne firm made plastic dolls from at least 1941.
Pan Pacific Plastics
This firm made nursery-themed night lights and toys, probably in the 1960-70s.
Quadrant Industries Pty Ltd
This brand was found on a plastic tub
Quadrant Industries was listed as a plastic products manufacturer in Clarinda, Victoria. However, it was in liquidation as of 2022.
Rosenhain & Lipmann Pty Ltd
In 1956 Rosenham and Lipmann Pty Ltd advertised as “importers and indentors” from Queen Street, Melbourne. At some point before 1959 they went into manufacturing. They were fondly referred to as R&L, and brought excitement into the opening of a new box of Kellogg’s Cornflakes.
Overseas trading, 31st May 1974 p.258
By the time the firm was in liquidation in 1997 they were known as Rosenhain Lipmann & Peers.