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This year, Wedderburn marks 130 years in business.

It’s a significant milestone, and not one that happens by chance. It reflects decades of steady growth, careful decision-making, and the ongoing support of our customers, staff and suppliers. Over that time, the business has evolved, adapted and expanded—while staying focused on delivering practical, reliable solutions.

The Beginning

Wedderburn was established in Sydney in 1896 by Jabez William Wedderburn at 88 Liverpool Street.

Jabez arrived in Australia to start something of his own after his elder brother inherited the family scale business in England. Although a qualified scalemaker, the early years here were far from straightforward. He worked as a coal miner, a wharf labourer and even a professional runner to support himself while building the foundations of the business.

By the early 1900s, Wedderburn had begun to establish itself. The company employed five staff and had built a strong reputation—not only with customers, but with weights and measures authorities. From those early days, the focus was clear: capability, accuracy and trust.

A Trade That Runs Deep

While our Australian business began in 1896, Wedderburn’s connection to scale making goes back much further—more than 215 years to our ancestor, Robert Wedderburn.

Scale making isn’t something we moved into over time. It’s something that has been part of our history from the beginning, shaping our understanding of the industry and how we approach it today.

Growth Through Change

Building Capability

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Wedderburn continued to grow and diversify.

The introduction of barcode scanning in fresh food retail saw the business establish long-term relationships with major supermarket groups—partnerships that remain in place today.

In 1987, Wedderburn launched its Labels Division to support customers’ growing needs. What began as a relatively small operation has developed into a key part of the business. Today, more than 7 million labels are produced each day from our South-West Sydney facility.

Expansion also extended beyond Australia, with the establishment of Wedderburn New Zealand, alongside the introduction of Packaging Equipment and an increasingly broad product range.

By 1996, the company reached its 100-year milestone.

Broadening the Business

From the early 2000s, Wedderburn continued to evolve.

The product offering expanded beyond weighing into Printers, POS Systems and Food Equipment, reflecting a broader role in supporting customer operations. The business had grown from a scale provider into a more comprehensive solutions partner.

A refreshed brand was introduced in 2013 to reflect this broader capability, while continued investment in facilities and equipment supported further growth.

Recent Developments

More recently, the focus has been on strengthening capability and alignment across the business.

In 2023, Philip Wedderburn rejoined the business as Chairman, bringing a renewed focus on structure, performance and long-term direction.

In 2025, Wedderburn expanded its label production capability internationally with the establishment of PT Wedderburn Group in Batam, Indonesia. This investment increases production capacity and supports improved service levels across the region.

Looking Ahead

Reaching 130 years is an important milestone, but it is not the end point.

The business continues to evolve, with ongoing investment in people, facilities and technology. The focus remains on delivering practical, effective solutions and maintaining the standards that have underpinned Wedderburn for more than a century.

Our history provides the foundation, but it is what we build next that matters most.