From Meadowbank`s Archive - Australian Keymatic History...
Australian keymatic/frontloader history.
"I watch this site occasionally and can help answer some of the questions that have been asked about Australian made machines, I would also like to ask some questions as well.
The Australian produced slant front Keymatic was withdrawn from the market due to falling sales caused by reliability problems, bearing failure mainly. The problem was fixed towards the end but it was too late to revive the sales (this was before my time so I am only repeating what I was told).
In the mid to late 1960’s four wide cabinet Keymatic were imported from the UK for evaluation, two 3203H’s and two 3223H’s. (possibly at different times, were these in production at the same time?). Management had doubts about their reliability so no more were imported. At this time the company had its hands full setting up production of a large top loading automatic based on a design from the Blackstone company in the U.S. this was called the 500 series, see mayfan’s collection for a picture of one. The four Keymatics sat in a storage area until the late 70s and were then sold. I bought one, a 3203, and later acquired one of the 3206’s for spares. Both eventually failed in the key programming mechanism and were scrapped. I still have some parts, motors, hoses etc. which I would be happy to part with for nothing, but the transport costs would have to be paid. When I pulled them apart I was able to compare the drum sizes with a later front loader and there was not a lot of difference, the Keymatic drum was only slightly larger in diameter.
When the matchbox (where does this name come from?) models became available the 3236H model was imported and sold in Aust. This was replaced by the black facia 3072 when this became available. (Why are the numbers out of order?) This machine was sold with the marketing number of 455 and the later Australian models followed this numbering sequence. In about 1977 it was decided to setup for production of front loaders in Aust. Twenty 3072’s were set aside and their major parts numbered, they were fitted with a timer with locally derived programs- no prewash, shorter wash times and a modified heater sequence. The graphics on the control panel were made to resemble a top loader because the UK system was more suited to the garment labelling system used there but not used in Aust. Other locally sourced parts were fitted where available and a screw was put into the draw assembly to make it unusable, the first Australian models were to have no draw as it was too expensive.
The company was not making any money from the imported machines so the local production had to be cost reduced. Of the twenty ‘prototype’ machines number 4 is still in everyday use but it has been updated with a stainless inner and outer tub from a later machine. The first Australian machine was the 465 / A3086 heater model, the 5 in the 465 denoting the heater. All production machines start with serial number 10,001, and preproduction or trial run machines start at 9800, I had number 10, 001 for some time but it was sold which I now regret. The new machine sold reasonably well but many people requested a model without a heater so the model 460 was introduced some months later, from memory this was to become the most popular model.
The subsequent models have been described earlier in this thread. The machine was finally withdrawn from production because of tooling costs, the dies for the tub backplate and the door glass had become unusable and the cost to replace them was not justifiable on the quantities of machines being sold.
I hope this helps fill in a few gaps and is of interest. MB."
