Metzke plans $22m East Rockingham manufacturing facility

Proposed East Rockingham development

Metzke has announced a $22 million manufacturing development in East Rockingham, Western Australia. The family-owned drilling equipment business plans to move from Canning Vale to a larger site, expanding its manufacturing footprint beyond the limits of its existing premises.

The planned 20,000-square-metre site is more than 2.5 times the size of the current operations. A purpose-built warehouse will occupy 3,500 square metres, with space designed for three manufacturing activities:

Fabrication.
Machining.
Assembly.

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Relocation planned for 2027

Operations at East Rockingham are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027. The relocation would follow more than 40 years at Canning Vale. The new site lies within the Western Trade Coast industrial region.

Machining work at Canning Vale

Metzke’s Canning Vale manufacturing work includes investment in a Mazak Integrex i-350H S multi-tasking machine. The equipment combines turning, milling and other machining operations in one setup. The selection forms part of a longstanding relationship with machine-tool supplier John Hart and manufacturer Mazak.

Equipment history and controls

Metzke purchased its first Mazak machine, a Quick Turn 28 lathe, in 1991. That lathe remained in operation when John Hart published its June 2025 customer case study. John Hart linked the newer selection to Metzke’s experience with Mazak equipment operating for more than 30 years.

The Integrex i-350H S uses the MAZATROL SmoothAi CNC control system. John Hart identifies artificial intelligence and machine-learning capabilities among its features, alongside programming functions intended to support the machining work.

Reverse circulation equipment

Metzke has designed and manufactured drilling equipment since 1978. Its product offering covers reverse circulation drilling equipment, sampling systems and drilling consumables. The engineering and manufacturing business supports work from exploration and resource definition through to production, with product development shaped by requirements encountered in drilling campaigns.

Development partner

Metzke is partnering with Commercial & General Group, a national construction, development and investment business. Drilling equipment remains central to Metzke’s operations; the expanded premises could also support future diversification into other applications.