Our History

Established in Ukraine 1915 and prior to 1930 in Australia, E.M.P. Industrial Australasia has been proudly providing quality products and service for about 100 years.

Jacob in Russian war service, with an early electric motor	Adrian	Blaszki Coat of Arms (Poland)

 

Originally founded by Jacob (Yasha) Taft in Bozhedarovka (Dneprepetrovsk), Ukraine in 1915, civil war broke out, Jacob married the beautiful Sima Morokhovsky ( full story here) (by Adrian's sister, Sharman Lichtenstein) and they migrated to Australia in 1922. Business was then re-established in Australia as Electro-Mechanical Products. E.M.P. (for short) handling, service and rewinding of electric motors, manufacturing firearm breechblocks (magnifies explosive) for Australian troops in World War II for Vickers Ruwolt, vending machines and later, textile machinery, for which non-slip roller coverings (PVC, Natural & Synthetic Rubber, Silicon etc) to grip fabrics was a necessity.

In 1923 Jacob and Sima had a beautiful daughter Eugenia ( Una Taft ). In 1943 Eugenia married Arnold Blashki , a lawyer, son of Gad Louis & Irma Blashki. Lou's family was huge, his parents Phillip and Hannah Blashki had migrated from Blaszki in Poland via England in 1858 and then raised 14 children (Wikipedia Blashki).  Arnold and Una were wonderful parents, kind, loving and generous to their family and community, often taking the needy into their home seeking refuge from physical and mental abuse. Arnold graduated with LLB to become an outstanding Barrister and Solicitor and community mentor, he was awarded an extraordinary number of medals, commencing with the Queens Coronation Medal in June 1953, an MBE fromQueen Elizabeth II in 1972 "In recognition of his long and outstanding services to the Jewish Community and the Australia Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women" and several more Australian, British and European medals and certifications.

Una worked for many years for her father assisting with business ventures and also was the licensed and bonded Mercantile Agent for Consolidated Collection Agencies for over 20 years. Una is particularly remembered as an Eshet Chayil, woman of valour in every sense and known for her tireless work on the Australian National Council of Jewish Women for many years, as a Benefactor to the Mount Scopus College Foundation and accolades from the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen for her scores of years of loyal support of them and Arnold as President.. Una also loved to be involved with building and remodelling the family homes in Toorak and Cowes (Phillip Island) where in particular she said she had to reinterpret from some very poor architectural plans she had to start with. Friday night dinners with their children Sharman, Adrian and their families were always an enjoyable event. Arnold and Una loved their 8 granchildren very much, often taking them on holidays and that respect and love was returned by each grandchild.

Their son Adrian was born in 1953 and over the years would visit and work with Jacob and many staff at his engineering factories in StKilda and Carlton. Adrian graduated from Building at RMIT in 1975 and then joined Jacob working together for many years in the plant. Jacob retired at the wonderful age of 91 and since 1984 E.M.P. has been owned and managed by Adrian Blashki, Jacob's grandson - a childhood dream.

Adrian's wife Bonnie is in charge of accounts and helps manage and serve. [Bonnie is from Los Angeles and was a tourist in Australia visiting her mother's Chinese friend when Adrian met Bonnie through friends and fell in love within 15 seconds. Bonnie's heritage is mixed. Her mother Lily was born in China to European (jewish) parents fleeing persecution and raised in Shanghai which was a free open port for entry to all. However eventually the "locals" came, took over Shanghai and worked very hard at clearing the country of non-Chinese. She had some family already in Los Angeles and with that perfect climate, she decided to stay. Bonnie's father Hubert Wallace was from an established American family (some fought in the civil war), raised in Olive Hill Kentucky, but the family was poor and placed him in a Louisville orpanage at the age of 6. He was tall and strong, a tobacco farmer came and took him from the orphanage to work in Cadiz, Trigg. He hated that work so much that he left the farm, joined the US Army to fight WW2, got shot and got sent back. His orphanage had a fire and lost all records of his family, he remembered nothing except his name and "Olive Hill" and he always said he was an orphan. The U.S. Army trained him as a laboratory technician in pathology in Cincinatti and he was promoted to a position in Veterans Affairs in Los Angeles. Despite his short schooling he was a very clever man, tenacious in his work ethic and progressed far. He met Lily in a lift (she thought he was a doctor as he was wearing a white coat), and not having known any previous religion, he converted to Judaism, always happy helping in services and was made to feel very welcome by the community. Hubert and Lily married and had 4 beautiful girls - only Bonnie has left Los Angeles but goes back often. Everybody loved Hubert he was a warm and friendly man, in 2014 we spoke to a 95 year old lady who remembered him from the farm in 1940 and she confirmed the same.]

Bonnie and Adrian have 3 children - Courtney, Devon and Erin are often helping out with our staff when they can, mixing work with their own studies. So from the first sales in by Jacob in 1915 Ukraine until today Adrian has been only the second Managing Director to take the business through to one hundred years in the family.

Company research and development into non-slip products for industry led to PVC and eco friendly Rubber coated polyester scrim based non-slip fabrics and products which could be used more domestically. A factory move was made in 1997 to much larger premises in Malvern. We have added in stock Rug Underlays, Table Protectors, Shelf Linings, Yoga Mats and Yoga Equipment, Pilates Mats and Pilates Equipment, Fitness Mats, Exercise Balls and Fitness Equipment. We now include a range of high quality Organic Yoga Clothes and Yoga Clothing, Yoga Sandals, Toe Stretchers, non-slip Yogitoes Towels, Gloves and more, many being patented and registered in Australia and internationally. We are pleased to say that customers include major Hospitals, Parliament House, Department of Defence, Sporting Bodies, Football Clubs, Shipyards etc. Our non-slip matting has been used by IPICO, Heroes Avenue Sewer Project, Department of Corrections, SA mining etc.

Over the years our manufacturing has become more environmentally friendly in terms of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. You will find many items made in to Oeko-Tex Standards www.oeko-tex.com  for skin contact, ISO 9001 accredited and we continually strive to offer alternatives in Eco Friendly and Organic items.