assembled his stripper harvester prototype in
a bush smithy in 1884. His first manufacturing
base was in Ballarat.
McKay purchased the Braybrook Implement Works
in 1904 and moved his operations from Ballarat
to Braybrook Junction (later named Sunshine) in
1906. It offered room for expansion, train lines
to country and wharves, an existing manufacturing
plant, and land for residential development.
At its peak the Sunshine Harvester Works employed
3,000 workers, covered 30.7 hectares (76 acres)
and was the largest manufacturing plant in Australia.
Techniques of mass production reduced labour costs
and increased McKay's competitive edge. The plant
was completely self-sufficient and manufactured
every item needed, including metal tubing, nuts
and bolts, and even the bikes used by plant supervisors.