n 1955 the fledgling company was located under the house of its founder and sole employee Bill Langford, There, Bill toiled with his mind firmly on the work at hand. Bill had no idea that what he had just started would grow and prosper to become a lynchpin of the metal industry in Queensland.
From those humble beginnings, Bill’s expansion has been quite spectacular. Today, Langford Metal Industries occupies six buildings on our company owned site at Eagle Farm with a large modern two story office complex overlooking the factory floor beneath.
One aspect of Langford Metal Industries has remained constant from the beginning. Our company’s management has always been committed to investing in modern equipment at the cutting edge of technology. In the beginning, that cutting edge technology consisted of a pedal-operated guillotine and a 1.2 metre hand folder. In the late 1950s, Bill expanded the business by moving from under his house to the downstairs section of a vacant house in Newstead and on 21 April 1959 he took a major step by hiring his first employee.
oday, continual investment in state-of-the-art equipment has helped establish and enhance our reputation as an industry leader. Ownership of the company has been passed to Bill’s nephew, Glen O’Shanesy. Glen has worked with Bill for more than 30 years, most of those as general manager before acquiring the business outright in 2005. Maintaining the family link has ensured that Bill’s personal philosophy of ploughing profits back into the business has remained. As a result, our many customers continue to receive the highest quality product at the best possible price. It is the same sentiment that Bill had in mind when he put the ‘open for business‘ sign on the front door.
Tragically Bill passed away in 2013 but his philosophy lives on in the skillful operation of the company by nephew Glen.
We at Langford Metal Industries take the utmost pride in the quality of our products. We also take equal pride in the workmanship, commitment and attitude of our workforce. This pride comes from the knowledge that Langford Metal Industries has capably satisfied the requirements of thousands of customers over the years.
Another reason is that the ability to produce superior work is matched by competitive prices. “We work extremely hard to remain competitive” Glen says. “We are more responsive, more productive and produce goods at a lower cost.”
Another source of considerable pride to everyone involved at Langford Metal Industries is the establishment of an environment where innovation and original thought are encouraged. Glen explains the background behind the creation of such an environment.
“The management team here strongly believes that pioneering thought is the essence of success“, he says. “It’s not just an idea of management. In most cases, those who are on the shop floor permanently are far better placed to come up with innovative, practical ideas than the rest of us.”