Milestones

MAHLE Engine Components Australia dates back to the late 1920's when partner ER Nason and Herb Pollard reconditioned engines in their North Melbourne Workshop under the name of ‘Polson Motor Parts’. In 1939 they moved their business to the Maidstone site and progressively built the company to form ACL Manufacturing Pty Ltd. in 1951.

‘The Perfect Circle’ piston ring company was set up on the site in 1957 and in 1961 ACL Bearings Pty Ltd. was also established. Repco, itself formed as a result of reconditioning interests at a similar time to Polson, purchased ACL Manufacturing Pty Ltd. in 1965 and integrated its piston and ring plant at Richmond with the Maidstone operation.

Rolloy Piston Company of Port Melbourne was purchased from the Chamberlain family and was later integrated with Repco Engine Parts as the Division was then named. The ring gear manufacturing division of Repco, A T Richardson, was then moved from Elizabeth Street to Rolloy and then to Maidstone.

In 1986 a management buyout group purchased the engine components division of Repco, moved the Richmond plant operation to Maidstone and named the division ACL Engine Parts. ACL purchased the piston casting interests of Lunwin Products in 1986 and became the sole volume piston producer in the country. This allowed ACL to become involved with original equipment with automotive manufacturers, produce pistons for the aftermarket and take a lead into motorsport.

In 1994 the production of ring gear and valve guides was closed to allow the Company to focus on its core products.

In January 2002 MAHLE GmbH, one of the world's largest manufacturers of engine components, acquired 51% of ACL Piston Products, creating MAHLE-ACL Piston Products and relocated to the new factory at Laverton North. In September 2003 MAHLE GmbH fully acquired the remaining shares from ACL and MAHLE Engine Components Australia was formed.

Today, MAHLE Engine Components Australia is the sole producer of gravity die cast pistons. As such, three out of the four automotive manufacturers in Australia, being Holden, Ford, Mitsubishi and Toyota have their piston and ring sets supplied by MAHLE. From an aftermarket perspective 90% of performance automotive pistons and 70% of engine rebuilder pistons are sold in Australia are also made by MAHLE.