Ensuring Industry, Racing, And The Community Run Smoothly

At their Open Day, the lubrication specialist, CRC, demonstrated the importance of giving back to their community. Manufacturers’ Monthly reports.

On a warm and sunny day that put any sense of winter in Sydney to shame, CRC Industries employees, customers, and partners gathered at CRC’s Australian headquarters in Castle Hill for its Open Day. Also present at the event were representatives of the initiatives that CRC sponsors, the Erebus Motorsport/Penrite Racing Team and the Australian Men’s Shed Association.

CRC Industries is a lubricant, anti- corrosion, and chemical maintenance manufacturer, and the local Australian branch is a subsidiary of its US parent company. Not only was the Open Day a chance to showcase CRC’s sponsorship initiatives, it also marked an important milestone for the connection between the local Australian affiliate and the US company.

This year, CRC celebrated 50 years of manufacturing in Australia. As Simon Hatton, national marketing manager of CRC Industries, highlighted, reaching this marker is significant for the strength of Australian manufacturing.

“Fifty years means 50 years of excellence, 50 years of meeting the market requirements, 50 years of manufacturing in Australia,” said Hatton. “50 years working with the Australian industry, and manufacturing an Australian product with Australian people.”

The company’s commitment to its local market was demonstrated by CRC’s sponsorship of the Erebus Motorsport/Penrite Racing Team. Coming off the back of a first place at Bathurst in 2017 and poll position at Bathurst in 2018, the young team, founded only in 2013, was there to connect with those whose sponsorship made the team’s success possible.

In addition to the people from CRC’s support for local industry and initiatives was a focus of the day.

Erebus Motorsport/Penrite Racing Team, representatives of the Hi-Tec Drifting squad were also present. The day’s events involved the unveiling of a new vehicle for the team, that with the support of CRC’s Kitten Ultra brand of cleaners, polishers, and protectors, is growing the profile of drifting as a motorsport in Australia. As Hatton highlighted, however, for customers and clients, seeing the presence of the teams at CRC’s headquarters demonstrated the quality of their product.

“We’re trying to let people know that the products that they’re buying are used in a real-world example. They can use CRC products at home, on their car, or they can use it in racing. They can use it in their industry, they can use it anywhere,” said Hatton.

Not only were the cars and their drivers available to the public, there was also a simulation of getting inside the vehicle and driving an Erebus Motorsport car around the track. With attendees ranking their times against each other, there was a spirit of friendly competition at the event.

At the same time, just as CRC produces oils and lubricants to take care of vehicles, their support of the Australian Men’s Shed Association, representatives of which were at the Open Day, highlighted the importance of taking care of one’s body as well.

In a moment of symbiosis, the current campaign from the Australian Men’s Shed Association, entitled “Spanner in the Works?” encourages men to get a yearly check-up, just as they would service their vehicle regularly. With advice tailored for men at all ages, the project runs under the motto, “our most valuable piece of machinery is our own health and wellbeing.” On hand at CRC were medical professionals who gave attendees their health checks, ensuring all were running smoothly. While light- hearted at the event itself, as David Helmers, executive officer of the Association, noted, there is a serious reason to get checked.

“Men a lot of the time don’t go and see the doctor until it’s way too late so the idea is that people can relate that you get your car tuned up once a year, you get your body tuned up once a year,” said Helmers.

For CRC, the priority is to ensure that their products are a positive contribution to the community.

“CRC looks to give back because at the end of the day, we believe that as an organisation, we’ve got to pay it forward.”

With the crisp smell of a gold- coin-donation sausage sizzle, raising funds for the Men’s Shed Association, carried across the CRC loading dock, the company’s ethos was evident.

“We’re a global company but we’re still very much focussed on the Australian market,” said Hatton. “Without that, CRC wouldn’t be what we are today, and working together look what we’ve achieved.”