Power transformer in front of the office exploded in a lightning strike, resulting in an almost complete town blackout.
Original motor and gearbox replaced on infeed hopper after 45 years.

John Bennett appointed General Manager.

General Manager John Roediger resigns.
Unplanned Brentwood Shredder upgrade during Covid protocols requiring 5 weeks shutdown.

Additional 78 kW PV Solar Electric roof panels installed, now producing more power than consumption thus eliminating all electric power costs.
Leibherr 509 Front end loader purchased as additional site kelp mover.

Factory passes 100,000 tonnes produced.

John Roediger appointed General Manager
Wood Furnace number 7 installed 
Main Electrical Switchboard flooded during storm requiring 5 weeks shut down.

Peter Vrlic / Robert Lanham interim General Managers

General Manager John Hiscock resigns

Liebherr 510 front end loader replaces Cat 908 as site kelp mover
Last original Moore LD front end loader sold

21 kW PV Solar Electric roof panels installed.
Improved efficiency Dust Collector system installed

Wood Furnace number 6 installed

New Brentwood Electric Drive Shredder replaces Hydraulic drive system significantly reducing operating noise.
Export container shipments change from Scotland to Haugesund, Norway - each shipment takes approximately 8 weeks.

Normal operations

Andrew Ashbolt resigned as Company Secretary on 22nd November. Replaced by Wayne McIntosh.
Kelp Industries working towards ISO14,001 accreditation as time and resources permit.
Production total for the year was 1934 tonnes with price paid to harvesters at $405 per dry tonne.

Chinese competition still restricting sales resulting in lower price paid to harvesters and annual production of 2,100 tonnes in 2001. Further decline in sales resulted in production for 2002 of only 1,500 tonnes. Customer demand in the domestic market resulted in some surplus ISP stock being imported back to back up local stocks.
Peter Button moves on in mid 2003 to pursue his interest in the family farm. John Hiscock joins the Kelp Industry team as G/M.
Production for 2003 only 1,366 tonnes but news of an increased requirement to ISP for the next year is well received, as is a higher price paid to harvesters.

Kelp Industries celebrates 25 years of operation.

Requirement for Bull Kelp drops to restructuring of alginate manfacturer, divestments and further competition from Chinese producers. Annual production 3,200 tonnes.
Brian Bell retires after 24 years service.
Merck sells their alginate holdings to International Specialty Products (ISP)
Container No. 3,000 exported.

Although requirements remain high, production is hampered by dry weather from the El Nino effect in 1996, resulting in total yearly production of 3,095 tonnes. Normal weather patterns experienced in 1997 and 1998 resulting in production levels of app. 3,500 tonnes.

Collapse of Russian economy severely impacts on sales.
Tonnage down to 2,700 tonnes.
Container No. 2,000 exported.

General global economy strong and production reaches an all time high of 4,025 tonnes in 1988.
Realisation that high levels of production are being hampered by lack of drying rack space. Approval granted for aquisition of additional land and construction of additional racks. This brings total drying capacity up to 350 dry tonnes equivalent.

Californian weed beds recovered very quickly and sales slipped back.
Kelp Industries celebrates 10 years of production.
Production 2,850 tonnes
Escalating diesel cost forces factory to look for alternatives. After much research and investigation by Ern and Frank, the decision is approved to change from a diesel fired furnace to fuelwood fired. Capital cost is recovered from this in only eight months.

Sales suffered severely as a result of increasing global competition from Chinese alginate manufacturers.
Tonnage dropped to 1,700 tonnes.
Large El Nino in Eastern Pacific devastated Californian weed beds, raising demand for Bull Kelp virtually overnight.
Production increased to 2,850 tonnes.
Container No 1000 was exported.

Andrew McKenzie (UK) replaces Peter Silvey as Manager. Andrew in turn is replaced by Frank Cullen (King Island) as General Manager.
Again, amount of weed available is dictated that factory must be expanded. Frank Cullen sent to Iceland to inspect Hans Binder Dryer used there for drying seaweed. Ern Bryan goes to Germany to inspect a possible shredder. Requirement for system that can produce 5000 tonnes of Bull Kelp per annum.
New design of factory completed. Changed from batch drying to continous system via a Binder Dryer, new design prebreaker installed. Total cost app. Au$600,000. All completed whilst still utilising the old system, with no break in production.
Alginate Industries Ltd. owners of Kelco International Ltd, taken over by Merck (US)
Container No 500 exported

David Allison replaced by Peter Silvey (UK) as Manager.
Mick Brodribb retires.
Drying racks expanded milling system redesigned and factory extended.
Factory burnt down 10th August causing estimated damage of $100,000.
Factory rebuilt and processing three weeks later.
Production for the year 2,441 tonnes.

Factory restricted by drying space. Agreed to construct an additional kiln.
Kelp supply limited by use of contractors only. Apparent that more Kelp was available on the beach than first thought. Meeting held with local TFGA to promote the idea of self employed harvesters.
Kelp Harvesters Association formed.
Contract Kelp hanging operation ceased.
Mick Brodribb designed the first Kelp winch as he could see the need for a selective harvest to economise harvester operations.
Production for the year 773 tonnes.

Netherby road factory site purchased off Harold Sizer
By April (AIL) had to exercise default option on loans due to non progress by Seaweed Industries Ltd.
AIL pays out all Seaweed Industries Ltd's creditors
An agreement is made between Webster Ltd. and AIL to form a 50/50 joint venture on King Island for the harvesting and processing of Bull Kelp. This venture was given the name Kelp Industries.
Kelp Industries was established on the 16th April 1975. Initial directors were Bruce Piggott, Anthony Ashbolt, Noel Hopkins, Peter Nelson, Michael Perry and John Sanderson.
David Allison was appointed as Manager.
Decided that King Island could maybe supply 1500 tonnes per annum. Accordingly a factory was designed by Ern Bryan of Webster Ltd. Ern Bryan together with ex Seaweed Industries Ltd. employees Frank Cullen and Mick Brodribb, were then 'let loose', to construct same.
Brian Bell commenced employment.
No production sold for the remainder of the year.

Mid year visit to King Island by John Sanderson (AIL) to check on progress.
Drying of weed initially facilitated by draping the weed over a barbed wire fence. This had progressed to the stage whereby one drying rack had been built and Strickland's Beach area by Mick Brodribb (Captain Seaweed).
Factory consisted of a shed at Currie wharf, a kiln made from power poles and a limestone crushing mill. The product was shipped in bags to Melbourne where it was repacked into 20 foot overseas containers for shipment to Scotland (process only realised two containers a year)
Luck approached (AIL) for a capital loan
John Sanderson revisited King Island two months later to check on further progress.
Luck advised more capital needed to build required facility.
AIL supplied more capital, with the default proviso entitling (AIL) to harvesting license.
John Sanderson visits again on 28/12/74

First visit to King Island by AIL representative to investigate possible resource.
Luck flown to Scotland for discussions.
Agreed that a company would be formed (Seaweed Industries Ltd) that would harvest and supply Bull Kelp from King Island, where the relevant license was already in place. A factory would be constructed and supply started by mid '74.