Machine Knives Australia (MKA) has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1986, having evolved into a company that makes, resharpens, and supplies all types of packaging and food machinery blades, along with a wide range of machine parts.
MKA started out producing serrated blades for a local snack food manufacturer, which then led to making other types of packaging machine blades – vegetable processing blades, poultry blades, circular knives, scissor type knives, sealing jaws – and then also machine spares.
“Around 50 per cent of our work these days is machine spares,” says Noel Ryan, the founder of MKA. “We have grown into an engineering company that produces and reconditions many different types of spares from many different materials: tools steels, stainless steels, heat- treatable stainless steels, plastics, rubbers, aluminium, brass and other specialty alloys.”
Ryan continues, “Whether it be to re-sleeve a big shaft, or remake a thread in a plate, or re-Teflon coat a worn sealing plate, or cut a silicon seal, there is little MKA does not get involved in. We have solved a lot of issues for companies struggling to obtain spares for their existing machines.”
With 25 staff with wide-ranging skill sets, and over 90 assorted CNC and general tool making/engineering machines, including a waterjet cutter, MKA is equipped with capability not widely available in this region, according to Ryan. This has enabled the company to position itself successfully as a one-stop-shop for the food and packaging industry.
Ryan says, “There has been a lot of change since MKA first began, but we feel our future is cemented as we are definitely the leading manufacturer of machines blades in Australia, and our ability to re-sharpen such a cross section of blades keep us in front of the rest.”
While Ryan is reducing his day-to-day involvement in the business, this future is assured with as his son Jarren Ryan is taking over the reins at MKA and fast becoming the face of this long-time leader in the field of machine knives and spares.
This article was first published in the November-December 2024 print issue of PKN Packaging News, page 46.
