Baker and Provan celebrates 75th anniversary and commitment to the local community

Australian-owned manufacturing firm Baker and Provan in Western Sydney has celebrated its 75th anniversary. Specialising in heavy fabrications, machining and on-site support, they serve a range of sectors including Defence, rail and heavy industry.

Initially a toolmaking workshop in St Mary’s, the company was founded by friends Arthur Baker and Don Provan in 1946 – originally starting out with a single optical profile grinder. During the severe decline in Australian manufacturing in the 1970s, they invested in industry-leading equipment and local employee skillsets.

They transformed the company, expanding its capability in larger capacity conventional equipment and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, broadening the scope of their work to include fabrication, equipment manufacture and major project work. The company then entered the Defence sector with the design and manufacture of davit cranes for the Anzac-class Frigates.

Currently employing over 50 people, Baker and Provan has since expanded with service facilities at Garden Island East in Sydney and Henderson and Garden Island West in Perth.

Federal Member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh praised Baker and Provan as a testament to the strength and potential of Australian manufacturing in the community.

“Their commitment to the industry will ensure that young men and women in Western Sydney play an essential role in the next generation of Australian Defence projects,” McIntosh said.

“The way they are actively bringing more women into the business and supporting young apprenticeships is an important part of creating and sustaining local jobs.”

Managing director and son-in-law of Arthur Baker Mal Hiley said he is excited to lead Baker and Provan into its next stage of development. They plan to expand equipment manufacture and ongoing maintenance services for Defence, rail and infrastructure while exploring innovative technologies such as Additive (3D) manufacturing and other opportunities in the renewables industry.

Arthur Baker’s granddaughter Madeline Baker said her grandfather holds an enduring friendship with co-founder Don Provan: “I’m immensely proud of the business, I feel like it’s the fabric of my family and I have a real sense of pride that the business has been around for 75 years,” she said.

As a family business, she said an emotional attachment is crucial during challenging times – a family that now extends beyond Baker and Provan relatives to support the families of all employees, company-wide.