Keeping the lights on in Orange for 100 years!

It’s rare that a business can boast 100 years of continual operation, but Orange Electrical Works celebrates that significant milestone this month.

“Another new enterprise has sprung up in our midst,” reads the opening line of a story in the Orange Leader newspaper from 7 February 1921, “one that must appeal to everybody, and more especially to the coach building, motor and bicycle trade.”

Founded by Oliver Bolam Green with Michael Sanifer, Orange Electrical Works actually preceded the arrival of electrical power to Orange homes and businesses by two years. In those early days, OB (as he was known) built and repaired batteries which were charged on kerosene generators, he also specialised in magneto repairs — magnetos then being vital for engine ignitions, telephones and early forms of electric lighting. OB also carried out a successful electroplating trade.

But with the arrival of reticulated power in 1923, the workload of Green and Sanifer grew as they busily wired homes and business for light and power — usually a light in (most) rooms and a single power point in the kitchen.

The many ‘labour-saving’ devices electricity afforded were a big selling point at the time and Orange Electrical Works put on a special display at the 1923 Orange Show, demonstrating ‘For the Housewife” the benefits of electric irons, toasters, kettles, vacuum cleaners, dish and clothes washing machines.

“They actually had them all working,” said David Boulton, the current day Manager Director of Orange Electrical Works.

“They also had commercial electrical things like pumps and motors and there was a thing called ‘X-Ray lighting — nothing to do with x-rays, but X-Ray lighting was the thing to have in your shop windows. It brought out the true colours, so it said.”

Orange Electrical Works quickly expanded to establish a branch in Bathurst in 1925. In that same year Michael Sanifer left the business.

In Orange, the business added appliance and auto electrical repairs to their services and later refrigeration and air-conditioning.

The outbreak of World War II, saw a number of staff members leave to join the war effort and caused work to dry up, but business boomed in the following decades. They relocated their premises to the corner of Summer and Sale Streets, opening a retail shop front with a workshop out back. The shop remained open until 1972, with the workshop remaining until 1981 when the business relocated to its current address at Barrett Court.

OB Green died in the 1962, and the Managing Director role passed to his son John, who was David Boulton’s first boss

“I started as an apprentice in 71 and I’m still here 50 years on! I worked with John for nearly 25 years, until he retired in 1995,” said David, who purchased the business off John with his wife Nerralie.

John remained interested in the business until he passed away in 2016. He was very well respected in the industry and under his leadership Orange Electrical Works undertook a large amount of technical work around the state, including lift repairs, large air-conditioning systems and cool stores, power generation systems and much more.

“We still do larger electrical work, lifts and escalator repairs and maintenance which are things other people don't want to do, some commercial catering equipment repairs and in-home repairs and those sorts of things,” said David.

Small appliance repairs, once a large part of the business, are a thing of the past as it is no longer economical to do so.

Solar installation and air condition are a major part of the business today, said David. And, just as the business has always adapted to changes in the past, Orange Electrical Works is always on the lookout for new business opportunities.

“We've just taken on the Solahart agency here in Orange for solar power and solar hot water systems,” he said.

“We can build on that, as it hasn't been pushed a great deal in this area before… And air conditioning, we have bit of work in that area, there's always demand for that and we just keep an eye out for electrical contracts that come out.”

Here’s to a bright future!