Koenigs is a classic small business story. Colin Koenig was an instrument fitter by trade. In 1984, Colin and his wife Glenda borrowed $1,000 on their Bankcard to set up shop in their garage, buying and selling electrical engineering equipment. Colin had the technical knowledge and Glenda managed the figures.

They did well and the Koenigs invested in premises for their growing distribution business. But things really changed when a customer asked Colin if he could make something. Colin bought some simple machining equipment and made exactly what the customer needed.

Colin Koenig started to develop a reputation for being able to solve problems, and an engineer from Port Kembla Steel Mills came to him with his concerns about using front handle switchgear for isolation from the motor control centre. You just couldn’t be 100% certain that the power was off.

Colin designed an isolator with a side handle and a window that allowed the operator to see the position of the switch, to verify whether if it was in an on or off position. This was the first Koenigs Visual Isolator or visible load break isolator, a solution that the company has continued to perfect.

Today, John Koenig manages the business together with a skilled team. John has invested in state-of-the-art equipment to provide greater automation with accuracy and repeatability. Koenigs is now a world-class manufacturer based in the Wollongong region of NSW.