Your Trusted
Manufacturing Partner
Established in 1956, we are a proudly third-generation, family-owned Australian manufacturing company with a strong reputation for delivering reliable, high-quality solutions across a wide range of industries. With nearly 70 years of experience, we offer a fully integrated service—from part design and prototyping to toolmaking, metal fabrication, injection moulding, and full-scale production.
At the core of our operation is a dedicated team of in-house part and tool designers, working closely with clients to develop smart, functional, and manufacturable solutions from the ground up. Our in-house tooling and design capabilities allow us to rapidly progress from concept to production with precision, efficiency, and reduced lead times.
Our facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art CNC machinery and advanced injection moulding machines, ensuring high repeatability, accuracy, and quality control across every batch—whether small-run prototypes or high-volume production.
We are proud to be trusted by leading brands such as Bellamy’s Organic, AESOP, Rinnai, Pentair Water, and Toyota, a reflection of our commitment to excellence, responsiveness, and long-term partnerships.
As a third-generation manufacturer, we blend traditional values with forward-thinking innovation—delivering dependable, end-to-end manufacturing solutions backed by experience, capability, and care.
From initial design to final production, we are your complete, in-house manufacturing partner.
Our History
Columbia Australia was founded by Charlie Groom. Charlie started his career in the Bendigo Ordnance Factory as a toolmaker after his return from World War Two. There he worked his way up to supervisor from 1945- 1956. Charlie decided it was time to start his own venture and sold his house for seed capital. He used the proceeds of the sale to buy a Graziano lathe and a Cincinnati mill and began work as a one-man operation. This was the beginning of Columbia Australia. Charlie immediately started producing drop forge dies, pressure aluminium moulds and sand cores for General Motors and Ford.
In 1963 Columbia out grew its facilities and moved to Cecil Street, South Melbourne, Victoria. There the business tripled in size and Columbia Australia started manufacturing rubber and injection moulding tools for the automotive industry.
Rod Groom, Charlies’ son began working at Columbia Australia in 1965 after completing his studies in mechanical engineering. Rod then commenced a four year toolmaking apprenticeship.
The company continued its growth requiring the business to move for a third time in ten years to Bignell Road, Moorabbin, Victoria. Rod Groom after finishing his apprenticeship, spent a brief time in Lippstadt, Germany working at Hella Automotive as a toolmaker. During this time Columbia invested in start of the art equipment including Australia’s first EDM machines.
Rod took over as managing director in 1974 Rod quickly grew the business and exceeded the capacity of the Moorabbin property. Rod and Charlie started to build a new custom plant in Cheltenham Victoria.
Columbia moved into its new premises in 1983 and was one of Australia’s most advanced toolmaking businesses. In 1986 Rod purchased Columbia’s first injection moulding machine, an 850 ton Meiki machine. Immediately Columbia started to supply General Motors mouldings into their Adelaide plant. In the same year Columbia ordered another three moulding machines and began supplying Toyota and very quickly became Columbia’s largest customer.
Columbia experienced over twenty years of continuous growth supplying the automotive Industry. Columbia soon won contracts with Ford, Delphi, Denso, Hella, Air International, Continental and Bosch, just to named a few. Over this period Columbia produced over 1000 different parts for the automotive industry. Columbia grew from 4,000 sqm to 17,000 sqm. Columbia was producing 50 injection moulding tools and casting moulds per year for the automotive industry out of its toolroom.
In 1999, Columbia was invited to open a plant in South Carolina with its customer PBR brakes (now Akebono). Columbia Tool and Die was established in 2000 and built a custom plant 2004 in West Columbia, South Carolina supplying maintenance for PBR brakes. Columbia Tool and Die quickly grew and began supplying Continental, Airbus, Boeing, Meritor and Akebono among many other large automotive and aerospace businesses.
By 2008 Columbia Australia had 35 injection moulding machines and 200 workers over three shifts.
During Columbia’s time supplying the automotive industry, Columbia produced over 1500 injection moulding tools and supplied over 1000 different parts to automotive companies.
Ryan took over as Managing Director in 2014. Columbia has invested heavily in automation in recent years and in updating its equipment. Columbia has invested over 5 million dollars in the latest CNC and injection moulding machines, clean room manufacturing and is one of Australia’s most experienced and capable manufacturers. In 2019 Columbia Australia won the Victorian Government’s Manufacturer of Year Award. The first time in its 63-year history.