In 1877 a 'Manufacturers and Exhibitors Association' was formed in Melbourne. In August 1881 it became the 'Victorian Chamber of Manufacturers' (VCM). It remained an unincorporated association until 1922, when it was incorporated under the Victorian Companies Act. It played a role in Australian industrial relations, including mounting responses to union demands. For example, in June 1925 the Australian Chamber of Manufacturers formed the Manufacturing Grocers' Section to respond to a log of claims served by the Manufacturing Grocers' Employees' Union branches in Victoria and South Australia.

The Victorian Chamber of Manufacturers was federally registered in 1941 under the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act.

On 8 February 1985 the VCM became the Australian Chamber of Manufacturers (ACM) and registered as an organisation of employers under the Commonwealth Industrial Relations Act at the same time. The Australian Chamber of Manufacturers serviced about 150 industry sections and associations associated with manufacturing. It advised on a range of industrial matters and acted as an advocacy group.

The ACM affiliated with the Chamber of Manufacturers of New South Wales in 1987, but this was short-lived and the merger was dissolved in 1991.

The Australian Chamber of Manufactures merged with the Metal Trades Industry Association of Australia (MTIA) in 1998 to form the Australian Industry Group.

References:
Australian Industry Group website http://www.aigroup.asn.au/scripts/cgiip.exe/ccms.r?pageid=30
University of Melbourne Archives website http://xena.lib.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/library?form=Accessions-new-3.all&accessio_1=92&accessio_2=81
University of Melbourne Archives web site http://xena.lib.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/library?form=Accessions-new-3.all&accessio_1=90&accessio_2=107.

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