Summary

Colour photograph of a group of Kodak staff and guests at the reception at the official opening of the Kodak factory complex at Coburg, 14 April 1961.

Standing with his back to the camera is Edgar Rouse, former Chief Managing Director and Chairman of Kodak; standing next to him wearing a light grey suit is Henry Foote, Chief Managing Director and Chairman of Kodak Australasia. Standing next to Henry Foote within the group, wearing glasses and pictured side on is John Chester, a Kodak executive. Standing far right and laughing is Neil Payne.

Construction of the Kodak factory complex in Coburg began in 1957 on 23 hectares of former farmland. Since 1908, Kodak had been operating from the factory in Abbotsford and had gradually outgrown the premises. The Abbotsford factory remained operational while the Coburg plant was being built until it closed in1966. Architect Harry Norris of H A & F L Norris & Associates, created the design for the new factory and individual buildings for the manufacture of silver halide photographic products. The building contract was awarded to Lewis Constructions Pty Ltd. The still uncompleted complex was officially opened on 14 April 1961 by the Prime Minister, Robert G. Menzies with Dr. A Chapman, President of Eastman Kodak Company, in attendance. The complex was the national headquarters of Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd.

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, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down.

Description of Content

Photograph of a group of people at a reception. To the left is a small group of six men in conversation. To the right, a woman wearing a red coat and holding a handbag stands apart from the group. To the far right is a man pictured laughing.

Physical Description

Colour photograph, printed on medium weight paper with a white border, landscape format.

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