Frank Seeley's plastic air conditioner move sets off cool revolution around the world from South Australian plant

Frank Seeley at his Lonsdale , South Australia, airconditioner manufacturing plant.
Image courtesy The Lead, South Australia

Plastic thinking motivated the start of Seeley International in 1972 when Frank Seeley switched from selling portable evaporative air conditioners to making them. Seeley saw plastics as the way to overcome the problem of corroding metal air conditioners. He set up in his garage at home in suburban Adelaide, making 1000 plastic air conditioners in the first year.

Despite the doubts of others, Seeley persisted and developed all-plastic evaporative air conditioners – first portable and then, in 1983, ducted rooftop air conditioners.

This was a breakthrough for the whole industry. The all-plastic air conditioners helped grow the rooftop cooling market in Australia from 12,000 units each year to around 70,000 units a year. Plastic air conditioners became industry standard.

This growth led to Seeley expanding in own manufacturing capacity and approach. After initially using assembled parts made by suppliers, Seeley gradually brought more and more processes in house at its Lonsdale plant. This included its own injection moulding of plastic, as well as making motors, pumps and filters. 

The in-house manufacturing at first happened because suppliers had a monopoly and were increasing their prices. Since then, it has become part of the Seeley philosophy to provide local employment.

During the 1980s, Seeley began exporting evaporative air conditioners – first to the Middle East, then the United States, then the United Kingdom. It opened several sales offices around the world and began winning awards for design and manufacturing best practice.

In the 1990s, Seeley bought Braemar (gas heating and evaporative cooling), Coolair  (evaporative cooling) and Tudor (gas cooktops). These brands joined Breezair and Convair as quality Seeley International brands.

The company continued to open sales offices around the world during the 2000s and won some key commercial and residential business around the globe.

Seeley’s passion for innovation continued with the launch in 2010 of another revolution in cooling technology with Climate Wizard.