The History of Canterbury Windows & Doors

 

 

Born from Australian icons in the Australian Window industry as Trimview and Big J, Canterbury now has a staff of almost 160 and manufacturing facilities in Victoria and more recently a new manufacturing division in NSW.

Canterbury is also one of the few suppliers with a research and development team dedicated to developing new and cost effective products.

Canterbury Windows and Doors is an Australian privately owned business who has been servicing the Australian window and door markets since 1944 to become one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of quality timber windows and doors. Our history includes the following major events:

 

2008
Canterbury Windows & Doors join forces with Southern Star Windows to become Australia's largest window and door manufacturer!

2007
Stan Pitcher, our longest serving employee retires (October) after 53 years and 10 months of service to Canterbury / Big J / Trimview and Burwood Timber Mills!!

2006
Canterbury Windows and Doors introduces a suite of quality Aluminium Window and Door products to our extensive range of windows and doors.

2005
Canterbury Windows and Doors receives the "Excellence in Manufacturing" Award, as awarded by Melbourne Business Awards Committee for our Springvale Manufacturing Operation.

2004
Canterbury Windows and Doors receives the Innovation Award, as awarded by the Timber Merchants Association (TMA) in recognition for the Head Office showroom.

2003
Canterbury Windows and Doors is again recognised for being the "Best Timber Manufacturing Operation" by the Timber Merchants Association (TMA).

Canterbury Windows and Doors move into a new manufacturing facility in Wetherill Park, NSW.

2002
Canterbury Windows and Doors achieves an award for "Leadership" by Mapics Ltd through our innovative use of their software within the Canterbury Windows and Doors manufacturing environment.

Canterbury Windows and Doors is the recipient of the "Best Timber Manufacturing Operation" award by the Timber Merchants Association (TMA).

1999
Big J (Australia) Pty Ltd officially changed its name to Canterbury Windows Pty Ltd.

1995
The Sydney branch commenced in 1995 to cater for the growing timber window and door market in NSW.

1985
This was a very significant year for BIG J. BIG J Trusses was established. In April BIG J was sold to a private Trust formed specifically to own and operate BIG J. A.V. Jennings still owned the premises in Osborne Avenue Springvale and leased them to BIG J until July 1987 when they were bought by BIG J.

1983
Trimview Aluminium Windows & Doors was sold to Alcan together with the Trimview name, necessitating a change of name in the timber products division to BIG J.

1973
Trimview, with a staff of 300 introduced a new range of Aluminium and Timber windows to compete against Aluminium producers manufacturing their own Aluminium windows.
 
1961
In April 1961 the first Trimview windows rolled off the production line. Trimview went from strength to strength. At first Jennings and other builders used the windows mainly for the rear of houses and wet areas, but soon whole house lots were being ordered.

1960
An Aluminium window factory was erected at Springvale. BTM was supplying AV Jennings their complete timber contents for their housing division, which included windows, fixings, doors, fascia, etc. BTM also started to supply a small number of private builders with their products. Negotiations with W.P. Fuller & Co. of San Fransisco led to the formation in mid-1960 of Trimview Metal Products Pty Ltd, which was owned 80 per cent by Jennings and 20 per cent by Fuller.

1950
Window production and door manufacturing for AV Jennings Housing Commission contracts were produced at Springvale. At this stage 100% of sales were to the parent company (AV Jennings).

1944
In 1944, Burwood Timber Mills (BTM) acquired an 8 Hectare block of land in Osborne Avenue, Springvale and established a timber mill and drying kilns.