Companies news
REDARC buys historic factory for defence technology push
REDARC, electronics manufacturer, has purchased a historic Adelaide factory to house staff, spearheading its move into the defence and space sectors.
Owner Anthony Kittel has confirmed the company purchased the Lonsdale facility that formerly housed the once world-leading R&D operations of Sola International Holdings.
Anthony Kittel, the owner and CEO of REDARC took to social media and said:
“Exciting times ahead for Scott Begbie and our REDARC Defence & Space Team as we Master Plan the site of our future Global Centre for Excellence Defence & Space in South Australia.”
Begbie is the Executive General Manager of the company’s defence and space business.
The new facility is a double story office building with 3,529sqm of floor area on a 1.238ha allotment with further development potential.
The former owner of the site (Sola Optical) was the first to successfully mass produce plastic spectacle lenses. They invented the mass manufacture of CR-39 plastic spectacle lenses in the 1960s – becoming the world’s largest manufacturer of plastic spectacle lenses in the process.
“The site was originally developed as the global research centre for Sola International Holdings Limited."
