John Gilbert-Lodge founded Gilbert Lodge and Company Limited in 1908 and registered the business in 1912. The firm grew to become a leader in the Australian and New Zealand machine tool, industrial products and specialty metals industries.

After many owners, Atlas Steels purchased the shares in Gilbert Lodge and Company Limited in 1985. Atlas drove the company with a fresh approach to management and they delivered the levels of technical expertise increasingly demanded by the market.

In 1992 the company was renamed Atlas CNC Machines Limited. Atlas CNC experienced phenomenal growth, re-establishing the dominance of Okuma products in the market until its acquisition by Email Limited in 1995.

Smorgon and Onesteel divested Atlas CNC Machines following a joint takeover in 2000. Okuma Corporation, Japan's largest publicly listed machine tool builder, acquired all shares in Atlas CNC Machines Limited and in 2002 and the Company's name was changed to Okuma Australia Pty Ltd.

The Okuma commitment to quality and service was alive and well in 1898 when Eiichi Okuma, a 28-year-old Japanese man, opened the Okuma Noodle Manufacturing Machine Company. The company manufactured noodle, cigarette, woodworking and printing machines. The company quickly grew to become a leading supplier of lathes and slotting machines.

According to Eiichi Okuma, "Trust is very important. To obtain trust you must satisfy the customer". After every sale he would train the operators and listen to their needs. Mr. Okuma would tell his employees, "The criticism of one customer is more valuable than the praise of hundreds".


Okuma Australia + New Zealand is now a valued, successful member of the Okuma worldwide community, specializing in the supply of highly productive CNC machine tools, factory automation and support services in turnkey systems, after sales and training.