Ferguson Transformers Pty. Ltd.
12 McMahon Street, Willoughby, Sydney, NSW
Factory - Ferguson Lane, Chatswood, Sydney, NSW

Transformer and associated electrical products manufacturers.

Ferguson products have been the radio and electrical market in Australia since 1949 and the current Ferguson Transformers product range is currently represented by Telectran International Pty. Ltd.

L. Doug Ferguson began manufacturing radio sets from his family home in Willoughby, Sydney in 1943, trading as Ferguson’s Radio.[1]

In 1947 Ferguson company grew and he decided to build a factory in the rear of 411 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, Sydney. [2] The lane access to the rear of this property from Anderson Street, was named Ferguson lane in 1950.[3]

By September 1948 the company was advertising under the Ferguson’s Radio name a complete range of radio power transformers and chokes which they supplied wholesale to the radio industry.[4]

By January 1949 Ferguson was advertising under the Ferguson Transformers name.[5]

Ferguson expanded his electrical product lines and by the late 1970’s they employed approximately 300 employees.

Products manufactured;

• Radio Power Transformers & Chokes
• Audio transformers
• Fluorescent light ballasts
• Chokes for HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps
• Airfield lighting transformers
• High voltage distribution transformers,
• Plug-pack style power supplies,
• Traction battery chargers for use with electric lift trucks,
• Power supplies for saltwater chlorination of swimming pools

Following Doug Ferguson’s death in the early 80’s the company was sold to another Australian owned business which for some years continued manufacturing the complete range of products in a large factory at Liverpool in Western Sydney. In 1989 the Ferguson business was acquired by the Germany based Vossloh-Schwabe group. The business was re-located to new premises in Castle Hill in North West Sydney where manufacturing of the full Ferguson range of products continued until 1991. After 1991 Vossloh Schwabe reduced the range of Ferguson products being manufactured at the plant in Castle Hill and “outsourced” the manufacture of the older product types while concentrating their efforts on mass production of the German designed Schwabe fluorescent ballast using state of the art manufacturing equipment. Ferguson products began to fade into history.

Telectran International acquired the Ferguson business and brand name in November 1997, with the equipment, personnel and intellectual property being merged into Telectran’s long standing manufacturing business in Terrey Hills, NSW. Telectran International continues to produce a complete range of Ferguson transformers and associated products emphasising all the elements that Doug Ferguson started out with.[6]