Summary

Black and white silver gelatin photograph, Building 14, Garage and construction materials, Kodak factory, Coburg, circa 1961.

View towards the south-west of Building 14 taken from vacant land between Buildings 13 and 14. The land was used to store building materials for works in progress and to accommodate workmen's sheds. The image features the main east face of Building 14 with the management office and personnel facilities were to the left (partially hidden by sheds); wide roller door entries for vehicles in the centre, and tall window sections on the right for natural lighting to the garage area. The building appears to have been completed externally and was being fitted out internally ready for the gradual move of operations from Abbotsford.

The Garage at this time maintained the company's Victorian vehicle fleet, including those for sales staff, Kodak product deliveries, executive staff cars, general pool cars and internal factory maintenance trucks. The Garage administered a pool of company drivers, motor mechanics and labourers. A servicing hoist and washing facilities allowed for minor servicing of vehicles. In the ensuing years, as the rising volume of goods being moved were in containers, contracted out and controlled by the Distribution Division, the responsibilities of the Garage changed to more of an administrative role for the overall purchase and contract servicing of a growing company car fleet with a lessening need for internal servicing facilities.

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

In the foreground are building materials such as timber and wire mesh. In the mid-ground is a single storey hanger style building with two large roller doors. To the left, in front of the building, are two worker's sheds. In the distance, to the left, is the gantry system.

Physical Description

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

More Information