Organisation Profile
Issue No. 10 - April/May 2003
Making a way for SA
"The Engineering Employers Association, South Australia (EEASA) has only been known under that name since 1986, but it can trace its heritage back to the 1920s and the establishment of the Coppersmiths and Tinsmiths Association," says EEASA director, Stephen Myatt.
Based in Enterprise House on Greenhill Road and representing some 450 member companies in the metal and engineering manufacturing sector, EEASA is a self-proclaimed champion of manufacturing, in all its many guises.
Sectors of industry encompassed by the membership include automotive components, whitegoods, defence, electrical, electronics, plastics, toolmaking, foundry and sheetmetal.
The sole reason for the association's existence is to represent and support the needs of metal and engineering manufacturers. "We have firmly nailed our colours to the manufacturing industry mast," Stephen says.
Manufacturing was still an extremely important part of the South Australian economy, contributing 15% to the Gross State Product, which in itself is more than the combined contribution of agriculture, mining and construction. Stephen also notes that 14% of the SA's workforce is employed in manufacturing.
"Overall, South Australia-perhaps more than any other State apart from Victoria-depends on manufacturing for its health and welfare," he says.
The EEASA business plan focuses on three key areas: unity, representation and service. Stephen maintains that an important task for any employer association is to give all members and member groups a collective voice to have an input into overall policy.
EEASA's structure enables member input into policy, at the all-member level or through specialised groups in the areas of automotive components, tooling, defence and foundry sectors.
"Representation is a major part of the Association's activities and we are actively involved in representing the interests of metal and engineering manufacturers on issues such as industry p...
