Summary

Black and white silver gelatin photograph, two horizontal reciprocating air compressors, South Annexe of the Power House, Building 11, Kodak factory, Coburg, circa 1961.

Quality dry compressed air was required for most of the machine actuation and process control instrumentation throughout the factory complex. This image shows two Thompsons electric motor driven single cylinder horizontal reciprocating air compressors. They were located in the south-west corner of Building 11 and provided sufficient 550KPa air to the factory for the start-up period 1958-60. They were supplanted by more modern machines at a later date, but remained and were quite often used as a standby source of compressed air over the lifetime of the factory. It is believed that these machines were relocated from the Abbotsford factory.

Kodak manufactured and distributed a wide range of photographic products to Australasia, such as, film, paper, chemicals, cameras and miscellaneous equipment. Its client base included amateur and professional photographers as well as specialist medical and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques.

This photograph is part of the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005 after the manufacturing plant at Coburg had closed down the year before.

Description of Content

Two large machines situated next to each other. The machine at the front features the signage, "THOMPSONS'. The rotating parts of the machines are protected with wire cages.

Physical Description

Black and white silver gelatin photograph printed on light weight paper, landscape format.

More Information