History of the Norden Group
Founded by Ronald Anson and Dennis Lantsbury in 1959, Norden Body Works initially designed, engineered and built commercial truck bodies for the transport industry.
Originally the company leased a small factory in Pearce Street, Springvale in Victoria, and once the company had picked up a number of major orders including one for furniture removal bodies it was forced to move to larger premises in Tharle Street, Dandenong, Victoria.
In 1961 Dennis Lantsbury was unable to obtain his share of seed capital - 200 pounds - due to a credit squeeze in Australia and so Ron's father Walter Anson purchased Dennis' share of the business. Later that decade they purchased land in Bennet Street, Dandenong where the current premises are situated. The plan was to build a factory and office complex.
After the land was paid for they approached the bank for a loan to build and they were given the $20,000 necessary to construct the first building in 1967. Since then three major extensions have been added.
The first addition was extra bays to the rear of the factory then an extension on the south side which housed the main office, drafting office and other facilities. The third and largest extension was the second storey on the office building.
The father and son partnership endured until 1979 when Walter died and Ron became the sole proprietor.
The company remains an Australian owned and family run company with Robert Anson, son of Ronald Anson leading the Norden Group.
Norden Body Works
Since its establishment Norden has established itself as a market leader in vehicle access solutions, engineering customised vehicle bodies, recreational vehicle product supply and for providing fluid conveying products.
Due to massive growth and demand, Norden Body Works expanded its range of products to include chassis modifications, specialised tipping bodies, custom built semi-trailers, curtain side bodies and hydraulic agricultural spray booms.
Norden Conversion
In 1982 Norden Body Works diversified, creating Norden Conversion. This division of Norden focuses on the need for vehicles that provide wheelchair access for the wider community including taxi and public transport as well as private vehicles.
Norden Conversion provides a service fitting out vehicles with wheelchair lifts, wheelchair restraint systems and the provision of seat modifications. The company has become the benchmark for the industry, and Norden Conversion continues to broaden its services with an increasing variety of vehicle modifications.
Norden Hydraulic Connections
Norden Hydraulic Connections was registered to trade on the 18th of November, 1985. It was established as a specialist supplier of fluid conveying products to the mining, petroleum, manufacturing, military and high performance motoring industries. To augment its comprehensive range, Norden Hydraulic Connections also stocks cargo control systems for road, rail and air transportation.
Norden RV
Since the start of Norden RV, its customers have benefited from a growing list of products including the comprehensive Kwikee product range. It features innovative designs from cargo slides to automatic leveling systems.
Kwikee is registered under the Norden name and imports equipment used extensively by the caravan and mobile home industry. Some of the products provided include electric steps, levelling equipment, room slides and a host of other equipment which is being sold in Australia and New Zealand.
Norden Hire
Norden also operates a number of hire vehicles fitted with wheelchair lifts and restraint systems to cater for people with different abilities.
Norden Service
Also in operation are a fleet of service vans used throughout Victoria and Southern New South Wales for the preventative maintenance and servicing of wheelchair lifts and associated equipment.