A CENTURY OF TOOL MAKING FOR SUTTON TOOLS This year Sutton Tools, an Australian manufacturing icon, celebrates a century of manufacturing achievement. That milestone represents a remarkable story of vision, tenacity and dedication to quality. 60 May 2017 T O O L I N G Anyone with an interest in industrial history can’t fail to be impressed by the story of Sutton Tools. While this journey of entrepreneurial enterprise is typical of many skilled early Australian immigrants, William Henry Sutton achieved what many others have not: success while maintaining family management of a business that has grown and prospered throughout its first hundred years. Today, Sutton Tools is a multi-national 100% Australian family owned business, renowned for its high-quality power tool accessories and cutting tools for a wide range of specialised industrial applications. In New Zealand, the brand representation was previously under Patience & Nicholson but today Sutton Tools’ range of tools fly under the Sutton Tools NZ Limited umbrella, along with such brands as Kiwi-made Evacut. The Sutton Tools story starts with the arrival of Henry Sutton who left England in 1911, accompanied by his wife and three children. Already recognised as a leading tool engineer who worked on the development and production of the Wolseley car, his intention was to establish a new business in America. Opportunity from machine tool shortage Taking the time to adjust to living in another country before going on to America, he spent some time in Melbourne. It quickly became apparent to Henry that Australia was lacking in skilled craftsmen who were capable of producing precision manufacturing tools and this was clearly a business opportunity. Abandoning plans for America, at a mature age of forty-eight, Henry decided to settle in Victoria and opened a toolroom at Thompson’s Foundry at Castlemaine, more than eighty miles north-west of Melbourne. His new business was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. The English government had need of his technical skills and unique talents and he was asked to return to England to help establish the many munitions plants in support of the war effort. Towards the end of the war in 1917, Henry returned to Melbourne and established the Sutton Tools and Gauge Manufacturing Company in a converted stable at Westgarth in suburban Melbourne. Initial capital investments William Henry Sutton included a lathe, a small grinder with a milling attachment, while the family bath provided the quenching facility. Two sons, Henry George and Leslie, joined the business and were quickly introduced to Henry’s philosophy of perfectionism and personal pride in one’s work. Without doubt, these core values significantly contributed to the production of tools that quickly became recognised as being of equal or better quality than those sourced from overseas. Rapid expansion By 1925 the original factory was quadrupled in size to satisfy market demand that was fuelled by an immediate and enthusiastic customer acceptance of the Sutton products. By 1930 the flood of orders made it necessary to move to larger premises. Around this time, Henry’s two grandsons joined the business were destined to become joint managing directors. Their early experiences were enriched by serving an apprenticeship training program and working diligently, often ten to 15 hours a day, happily taking on tasks which
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